Page 58 of Kings & Carnage

"I know," I said. "But it's not the first unexpected thing to happen and it probably won't be the last, so we’re probably going to have to roll with the punches here. We can trust Claire.”

"How can you be sure?" Neo asked.

"Because she's Claire," I said, reaching for the intercom.

Neo had my wrist in his hand before I knew what was happening. He backed me against the wall next to the intercom and pressed his hard body against mine.

His dick was like granite, grinding into my stomach as he stared down at me. "Maybe I don't want to let her in. Maybe I want you all to myself.”

I heard the truth in his words. He was always willing to share with Rock and Oscar, but I often caught him staring at me with possession, and more than once when I slept alone, I woke up to find him watching me in my sleep, his eyes burning through the dark.

"You're going to keep Claire out there by the gate in the cold so you can fuck me alone in the kitchen?" I asked.

He closed a hand around my throat, his thumb stroking my pulse, and murmured against my neck. "Don't tempt me, Jezebel.”

He used his free hand to punch a button on the intercom. "Let her in."

Chapter29

Willa

Claire greeted me with relief and giant smothering hugs that were all too welcome given all that had happened since I'd last seen her before the cliff jump at the quarry.

She immediately took my hand and dragged me upstairs where we could talk alone, but I knew I was never really alone in the Kings’ house, and I loaned her a swimsuit so we could sit in the hot tub instead.

We walked to the kitchen in our suits, passing the Kings, who were raiding the fridge for snacks. I made it clear this was a girls-only excursion and Claire and I stepped outside and walked carefully across an inch of slushy snow on the patio.

Getting the cover off the hot tub was easy enough and five minutes later we were sinking into the hot water, bubbles gurgling from the jets.

"I swear I wasn't angling for a hot tub invite," Claire said, tipping her head back. "But I amdefinitelynot complaining. This feels amazing.”

I laughed. "Definitely better than being cooped up inside.”

"Tell me about it. It's only January and I already have cabin fever, especially after the last two weeks at home," she said. Her copper curls were already damp from the steam, her hazel eyes sparkling even in the faint light from the patio.

"It wasn't nice to see your family for the holidays?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes. "We are not talking about my boring family when you have been totally MIA for the past two weeks.”

"I've been texting you!" I objected.

"You're hiding something," she said. "I know we haven't been friends for long, but I like to think wearefriends. You've been putting me off for coffee at Cassie's for the past week, so either you’re knee-deep in King dick or something's up. Probably both, in which case you owe me alotof details.”

It said a lot about my situation that I was more tempted to tell her about the King dick than all the other shit that was going on, especially since I’d once sworn I would never — and I did mean never — sleep with Neo.

But somehow, I didn't think that was going to cut it.

"I found out what happened to Emma," I said. Then I shook my head, because that wasn't quite right. "Not what happened to her exactly. More like I found out who happened to her.”

Clara furrowed her forehead. "I'm not following.”

"If I tell you, you have to swear you won't tell a single soul. Not Erin, not Quinn, no one.”

I really didn't want to tell her anything, but she was right. We were friends. In fact, other than the Kings, she was the best friend I had at Aventine. As scared as I was to involve her with what was going on, I knew her: she wasn't going to give up until she had the truth.

She held up a hand like she was taking an oath. "I swear.”

"Neo's dad was involved," I said.

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