Page 20 of Twisted Devotion

“Morning,” I mumble, keeping my eyes on the pot.

“You know what they say about a watched pot,” he teases.

“Funny,” I say back without looking at him.

“You like to watch?” he asks, leaning in closer, and I try to ignore how his minty smell overwhelms my senses. “Or is it just listening that gets you off?”

In a flash, I spin around and swing at him, my palm cracking against his cheek.

He sucks in a sharp breath, surprise and a flare of anger radiating through him as he reaches to touch the handprint I planted on his face. Granted, I didn’t hit him as hard as I could. That would surely knock him on the floor. Just hard enough to get my point across.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he murmurs, his jaw tight.

I lift the coffee pot off the warmer and fill my mug, sliding it back into place before practically fleeing the kitchen.

“In case you were wondering,” he calls after me, making me pause despite my desperate need to put distance between us, “I haven’t enjoyed myself that much in a long time. At least, not alone.”

I hurry out of the room without a word and lock myself in the bedroom until the last minute before we have to leave for the facility.

When I emerge from upstairs in just enough time to depart, Jackson has the car keys in his hand.

I laugh under my breath and shake my head at him. “Yeah, that’s not happening. Hand them over.” I’m relieved the facility isn’t close enough to shift to, given how much I dislike the ability gifted to me with fae life. Technically, wecouldshift there, but with the distance, it would deplete our energy significantly. And to do it on an almost daily basis would require far more frequent feedings.

Jackson’s eyes narrow ever so slightly at my demand for the keys. “It’s my car.”

“And you’remyresponsibility.” I hold my hand out toward him. “Keys, Jackson. Now.”

“Nope. You have to earn the privilege of driving my baby.”

“You’re acting like a baby right now. This is ridiculous. We’re going to be late.”

“Yes, we are. We’d better get going.” He winks at me before turning on his heels and heading for the door. One second, he’s right in front of me, and the next he’s gone—disappearing into thin air.

I hurry outside, but he’s already behind the wheel.Damn shifting ability.Maybe one of these days I’ll get accustomed to using it enough that it doesn’t make me want to puke.

Jackson rolls down the passenger side window. “Want a ride?”

“Bite me,” I mutter.

“You’d enjoy that,” he taunts. “Now, get over yourself and get in the car. I have things to do today.”

I cross my arms, approaching the car. “You know,” I say, my breath a cloud of white in the chilly morning air, “most people with a protective detail would be grateful for their presence. I’m pretty sure they’d sit in the backseat, too.”

He smirks. “I think you’ll find—if you haven’t already, of course—that I’m not like most people.”

Can’t argue with that.

I glare at him for another minute before scowling and getting into the passenger seat. I stick my bag between my feet and buckle my belt, refusing to acknowledge Jackson. I don’t need to look at him to know he’s wearing a smug expression.

“All set, Red?”

I don’t tell him to stop calling me that—it’ll just make it stick harder. The nickname isn’t anything original, and it doesn’t bother me, so there’s no point in wasting my breath to make it a big deal. Hell, knowing him, that’s probably what he wants.

“Drive,” I tell him. I may have lost this round, but I have a feeling whatever game is developing between us—no matter how hard I’m trying to fight it—will be a long one.

The car ride is filled with silence. It’s deafening, and I hate it.

After what seems like forever, Jackson merges out of traffic off the highway. We drive down the narrow country road, making several winding turns before pulling off the dirt road onto a gravel drive. From there, it’s about another twenty minutes before we arrive at the facility. Jackson pulls into the small lot and picks the first open space out of the ten or so spots, and cuts the engine.

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