Page 17 of Ravaged Soul
My anger drains away at the soothing croon of his voice, penetrating the fog I stormed home in.
“It’s not your job to apologise for Hyland’s shit.”
“We’re a team, right?” Axel vibrates with a snort. “That makes us a real life, fucked up family. It’s my responsibility to manage Hyland’s shit as much as it is yours.”
“Then I want a divorce. I did not sign up for this crap.”
We both laugh, wrapped up in each other’s arms. For a moment, I can almost forget the looming deadline in my mind, counting down each second until I pull the plug on their little dictatorship.
“Suck it up, buttercup,” he chortles. “Family is for life.”
“Crap. I didn’t think this deal through.”
“No backsies. You’re one of us now.”
Kissing my braided head, Axel releases my body so he can hit me with a blazing smile. Fuck me gently, he has the most beautiful grin. Wolfish and sexy in all the best ways.
Before I can drag him back and seek out his sweet lips for myself, there’s a low, whistling sound. The surrounding air displaces as something slices through the gap that’s formed between us.
Barking a colourful expletive, I’m shoved backwards when Axel whirls on the spot to stare at where a small, black switchblade has embedded in the wall behind us.
“Motherfucker!”
“You’re welcome,” a voice drawls.
The crisp aristocratic accent reveals Blaine before I swivel to pin him with a stunned look. He casually lounges against the nearby, built-in bookcase, his slender arms and ankles crossed.
“What the hell?” I scowl at him.
“Just saving you from enduring the pup mauling you. Doing my civic duty and all.”
“You’re a fucking lunatic!” Axel explodes as he marches towards the stuck knife. “You could’ve killed me! Or Ember!”
“You think my aim is that bad?” Blaine frowns at him. “I’m offended.”
“You threw a goddamn knife at us!”
“And it landed exactly where I intended it to.”
“Jesus. You need your head examined, Madden.”
“Don’t manhandle Ember, and I won’t be forced to defend her honour. Simple.”
“I was not manhandling her!” Axel yanks the knife free. “Besides, who touches Ember is absolutely none of your business.”
“I beg to differ.”
“Meaning?” Axel’s tone has reached a sub-zero deep freeze.
“Now that, dear pup, is absolutely none ofyourbusiness.”
Rolling his lip piercing as he unveils an amused smirk, Blaine scours over me, disregarding Axel’s rapidly building rage. Hereally doesn’t appreciate that particular nickname catching on so quickly.
Intense onyx eyes sear beneath a mop of untidy, raven locks, left long on top and shaved on the sides. With an old scar warping the right side of his face from his eyebrow over his exaggerated cheekbone and down to his strong jawline, Blaine’s bad boy persona screams danger.
His all-black jeans, dark t-shirt and signature leather jacket only add to the image, encasing his slim but strong limbs in armour. Even if he lacks Hyland’s bulk, his two long, powerful rowing oars give him height that adds to his scarily magnetic presence.
“Hello, Ember.” He slowly lavishes my name like it’s his favourite concoction of syllables. “You look… tired.”
