Page 60 of Claimed
Tanner raises a brow. “You own more than one?”
I press my hands to my hips. “I’m a professional thief. I own more than one.”
“Why is that not reassuring?” Ruin asks, shaking his head.
“Because you’re technically a cop,” I call as I start walking again. “I would be more concerned if you weren’t bothered by it.”
Their soft laughter follows me down the sidewalk.
I keep my stride easy, calm.
As soon as I hit the distant corner and I know no one is watching, I start running.
Every step is heavy, every solid thwack of my thin shoes and echo to the hard beat of my heart.
The one still forcing Caine’s thunderous face into my mind.
Ruin said Caine and Lilah are close. The kind ofclosethat implied if it was anyone else, Ruin would need to be worried.
But he doesn’t know that Caine didn’t have sex with me. He doesn’t know that Caine has been distant all damn day.
Until I started hitting on Ruin.
No.
Caine isn’t pissed because I was flirting with his boss. He’s pissed because I was flirting with Lilah’s Consort.
Lilah.
The woman Caine wants.
Pain fills my chest and I glance down, expecting to see a wound. Blood. Something. There is nothing but the matte expanse of my suit.
Stumbling, I pitch forward and fall onto the cement. My palms scrape the rough surface and the burn is immediate.
My breath hitches and I lift my palms to spy the grated meat quality of my tan skin. “Damn it,” I croak. The sob presses into my throat.
Along with my anger.
Stupid. I was so stupid.
I was throwing myself at Caine. Wanting him. And he really did just need to feed. There was nothing else there. Nothing.
His body reacted as an Asmodean. Not as a want for me.
I curl my body over my burning hands as my sob breaks free.
“Let me see.”
The voice is gruff. I look up sharply.
Horan crouches in front of me, his blonde hair bathed in sunlight. He’s even more imposing from so close. Almost scary.
“I’m fine,” I sniff.
“You were running, Onyx,” he says in that mild way of his. “And I can smell your blood from here. Let me see.”
He waits, and I have this odd feeling he will stay that way until I cooperate.
