Page 8 of A Light in the Darkness
I open my mouth to tell her that I know Moose to be quite reliable, but even over the phone she senses the sarcasm that was about to come. “I mean, she needs a little bit ofnormalcy. To go out, meet new people, go on a date without some big guy following her around, scaring off anyone who dares to look at her.”
I fail to see the problem that Rhea believes there to be. Of course, I won't tell them as much, but I don't want other men looking at her. It’s selfish and stupid, but I don't really care. I still don't understand exactly what it is that drew me to Claire. I had thought having her in my bed would help satisfy the craving. It hadn't. The intensity had waned once she was no longer in my house, but it’s still there no matter how deeply I try to bury it. She’s under my skin, running through my veins like a drug that won’t bleed out no matter how long it’s been.
“What do you want me to do?” I sigh. “I can't just leave you unprotected.”
“So then maybe give us some space? Claire has a date on Saturday, and I'm sure she would really appreciate it if she didn't have to worry about Moose skulking around behind her back.”
I bristle at the mention of a date, irritation curling through me.
I didn't expect her to stay single forever, but I also refuse to entertain the idea of her in someone else’s arms. “Eli can go in his place if you really need, but Remy, I’m not stupid. Either there’s something you aren’t telling me, or you don’t want Claire to be happy.”
She isn't exactly wrong. I want Claire to be happy… just not with someone else. But it doesn't really matter. What happened between us was a perfect storm of lust and chaos, passion and adrenaline.
Claire does deserve a little bit of normalcy.
“Okay,” I finally say. “Moose can have the night off. But I have one condition.”
“Of course you do.” Rhea probably hadn't expected anything less. “What is it?”
“Don’t fuck Moose, okay? I don’t want you getting mixed up with a guy like him.”
She gasps in indignation, and I wonder which part she’s taking objection to. But she doesn’t deny her quirks, instead asking, “A guy likewhat?”
“Nothing,” I tell her, not wanting to get into it. Moose is safe because I’m paying for his loyalty. I’ve already told him I don’t care what anyone offers him, if he keeps her safe, I’ll double it. And if they offer to doublethat, I’ll triple it. He’s a man of his word, and he’s damn good at the job he does. But I recognize the darkness in him. He has no boundaries; there are no depths he won’t go to for the right reason. It’s what makes him so damn good at what he does.
It's also what makes him dangerous.
“Okay.” She agrees. “One night shouldn’t be too bad.” There’s a moment where she sounds like she’s expecting something more, but instead, she fills the silence. “Rem? How much longer is this going to go on? We graduate in two months, and then what?”
“Don't worry,” I eye the picture of Carrington with his too-perfect smile. “It won't be this way much longer.”
Chapter six
Claire
“You can come out of hiding now, Claire.” Rhea’s voice carries through the wood. “Eli’s gone.”
I close the book I’d been pretending I was reading, though I can’t fool myself, and stand up to open the door. Rhea’s leaning against my doorframe, shaking her head. “You’ve got to get laid.”
“That’s your solution for everything.” I laugh despite my frustration. She’s right. My own thoughts are haunting me, and it’s bad enough that I can’t stop thinking about what I’ve done. The other thing that runs a loop in my brain is my best friend’s brother…his savage kiss, his electric touch, the way he seemed to know my body better than I do. If I could just get him out of my head, maybe I could start trying to get some control over my life again.
“It rarely fails to help.” She grins, sitting on the edge of my bed and leaning back on her elbows.
“Yeah, well, it’s kind of hard to do with Moose always lurking.”
“So, do him then.” She shrugs as if that’s the obvious solution to my problems. “I bet he’s really good in bed.”
“Maybeyoushould sleep with him then.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time.” Rhea quips. “Seriously, if you don’t, I might have to.”
“I’m sure Eli would love that.”
“We aren’t exclusive. Besides, he might even be into it. He might want to watch.”
“Rhea!”
I’m used to her pushing me out of my comfort zone, and I’m used to her sexual appetite. But since Eli has been here, they’relike teenagers in love for the first time. They can’t get enough of one another. Honestly, it isn’t a bad thing. It certainly beats the alternative of having somebody like Moose as a shadow, like me. Even despite her casual attitude, I’m sure she has true feelings for him. “I’m serious, Claire. I know it’s been tough lately, but you’ve got to take your life back. And I’m not discrediting what you went through. I just think a little normalcy would do you good.”
