“Fuck’s sake,” I groan, forcing myself to sit up on the lounge.
Flinging my feet over the side of the couch, they hit the floor, and I rest my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands, noticing the full bottle of vodka I annihilated last night. It makes sense why I fell asleep here instead of heading to bed.
The night comes back to me in waves. Finding the journal, Justyce’s visit, confusion over Arrow, and what I’m going to do. Not to mention the stunt he and Raven pulled on me, right up until I passed out after drinking a bottle of fucking vodka.
“Do you always snore when you sleep?”
My head snaps to the side, my right arm grabbing my gun and flicking the safety off, even though I know who the voice belongs to.
“For crying out loud, asshole! How did you even get in here?” I look around until I spy Acheron leaning on the doorjamb, a smirk on his face, and his arms crossed loosely over his black dress shirt.
“Boss sent me, said I needed to collect your ass because we have shit to do.”
“Tell him I need an hour.”
Acheron laughs, the sound filling the old mansion and bouncing off the walls.
“Get your shit together, Raine; I don’t have time for your little temper tantrums.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I stand, glaring at him, and flicking the safety back on, and placing my gun on the table.
“Nothing.” He shrugs, and it causes the material of his shirt to tighten around his biceps.
My head is thumping, and my body is aching. I really don’t have the energy to argue with him right now, and his smug little smirk is pissing me off. Instead of fighting back, I groan, grab my gun off the table, and holster it, then stomp toward the kitchen to grab my bag, phone, and keys.
“Let’s go, fucker.”
“Such a charmer.”
“Speak for yourself.” I hip and shoulder barge him as I walk past, almost reaching the door before his hand grips my hair and slams me back into his body.
“Don’t do that again, Raine. You, of all people, know I don’t play nice.”
A shiver ripples through my body. Instead of allowing him to affect me, I throw my elbow back, missing him by a long shot, and he takes the opportunity to throw me hard against the wall.
“What did I just say?” he growls, his breath fanning over my earlobe while he presses his body into mine.
Anger and something else I don’t want to name envelops me, causing me to attempt something stupid in hopes of warding it off. I fling my head back to headbutt him, but I’m unable to move with the hold he has on my hair.
“Try it again, Raine. I’d love to string you up and have my way with you. Punish you for being a naughty little slut.”
A moan lodges in my throat at his dirty talk, but I hold it back, refusing to give him what he wants. Acheron has never played nice with anyone, and I have no doubt he’d make my body sing a tune it never has before. But we hate each other. Well, only kind of, it would seem.
He rips my head to the side, obliterating my inner ramblings, and runs his nose up my throat. “You…”
“What the fuck is going on here?” The front door slams wide and hits the wall, causing me to gasp, while I draw in a shaky breath when I feel Acheron smiling against my neck.
“Nothing, brother.”
“It doesn’t look like nothing, brother.” Arrow growls. Acheron releases my hair, and I look down at what I’m wearing. Fuck. Of course, I’d only be wearing a shirt and fucking panties. How hadn’t I realized that?
Stunned momentarily that Arrow is in my lounge room after a week of ghosting me, it takes me a hot minute to pull myself together and slap Acheron away from me.
“Get the fuck off me. Fucking caveman,” I mutter, turning around and shooting daggers at him.
Acheron chuckles, running one of his hands down his scar as he looks from me to Arrow.
“Should I get the popcorn?”