Page 164 of Tag

“I can’t wait to ruin you in ways they don’t even have names for yet.”

His words didn’t scare me.

They lit me up.

I loved every version of Ryder Voss. But the one whispering his madness in my ear, and holding himself back from wrecking me? This one might’ve been my favorite.

The hand on my ass moved to curl possessively around my waist. “But tonight, I’ve got my beautiful girl naked in my arms and a small taste of her still on my tongue. So, I’m just going to hold you.”

I sank against him with a contented hum, one hand resting against the warm, solid plane of his abs. “We always used to share a bed,” I murmured, my voice laced with nostalgia. “Not quite like this, though.”

His chest shook with a low chuckle. “No. Cade wouldn’t have appreciated that. He was always too close for that kind of proximity.”

I laughed, then immediately froze as a horrifying thought struck. “Oh, my god. Do you think he heard us?”

“He definitely heard you.” His mouth brushed my temple, smug amusement dripping from every word. “He’ll survive. He’s just going to have to get used to hearing how good I make you feel.”

I choked on a laugh, equal parts mortified and giddy. “We are not doing that to him.”

“Too late, don’t you think?”

In place of a reply, I closed my eyes and let everything else fade away, just for the night. I didn’t think about what this meant for his girlfriend. That I still technically had a boyfriend.

Not The Hunt.

Not the texts, the threats, secrets crawling toward the surface, or the people waiting behind masks. It was just us and the dangerously addictive truth that I didn’t want this to end. I drifted off with his voice in my head, telling me goodnight.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

SANJANA

I woke to the dulcet, deeply unwelcome sound of Cade Voss belting outBoats N Hoeslike he was auditioning for a frat boy musical. I groaned and shoved my face into the nearest pillow. Behind me, Ryder chuckled, low and gravelly. At some point during the night, we’d shifted into big spoon, little spoon, his solid chest warm against my back, one arm heavy and possessive around my waist.

“Why is he like this?” I mumbled, my eyes still shut.

Ryder’s arm tightened slightly, his voice rough with sleep. “Because the woman who birthed him tried and failed to smother him in his crib.”

My eyes flew open. I twisted to glare at him. “That’s not funny.”

He grinned, unapologetic. “We think it is.”

“That woman was a monster.”

“Nah,” he said, tone cooling. “Even monsters know what they are. She was just a waste of oxygen.” He looked at me then, the sharpness in his eyes fading into something softer. “Good morning, by the way.” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my shoulder. “You sleep okay?”

“Best sleep I’ve had in a long time,” I admitted.

“You’re welcome.” His voice was a husky rasp against my shoulder.

I smiled, even as I rolled my eyes. “So humble.”

He chuckled and pressed another lazy kiss to my skin, like he wasn’t ready to move either. I thought about last night. His mouth. His hands. His voice.

The way he looked at me.

The things he said and the things we did.

I took an inventory of everything I was feeling. I wasn’t sorry. My voice of doubt and insecurity, well, she hadn’t arrived yet, though I was sure she’d show up eventually, loud and screeching like the raving bitch she always was, but I didn’t regret a single second.

---