Page 11 of Reid
I stepped closer, crowding her in.“Don’t use that tone with me, little girl.We’re not playing those games.Not divulging that kind of information almost got someone killed.”
Her eyes widened as I stepped into her space.That breathtaking blend of browns, greens, and blues flared when I called her “little girl.”I’d have to remember that.“You’re lucky I came to my senses quickly enough to realize what was going on.Otherwise, Chance would be dead, and you would be getting spanked.”
Pink filled her cheeks, her gaze shooting toward Chance with a scowl before zooming back to me where it belonged.“I’m not against you killing the bloodhound wannabe, but out of curiosity, why would I be getting a spanking?”
“For tempting unworthy motherfuckers, sweetness.”
“I wasn’t trying to tempt anyone,” she scoffed, but her voice had gone husky, her breaths coming a little quicker, and my cock had never been so goddamn hard in my life.
“Ah baby, that’s the problem.You don’t have to try.Your existence alone is a temptation.”
Everly
Heat spreadalong my entire body at the first sight of him.From his nearness.His scent.The fucking graze of his fingers across my skin as he spoke.His voice alone, deep and commanding, gave me goose bumps.My senses, my entire freaking body, were overwhelmed by everything him.
Reid had arrived like a storm, full of fury, ready to destroy anything in his path.Powerful, demanding attention from every person in his vicinity.All while his focus had been on the bloodhound and my sister.I knew, in that moment, he thought Evie was me.Seeing his jealousy had sparked my own, and for all of three seconds, I’d hated my sister.Three heartbeats that felt like an eternity.Anger and grief, possessiveness and loss, the emotions warred inside my head and heart.Choking me, trying to taint the bond I had with my twin that had withstood the destruction of time, years of forced separation, and my own scarred soul for what I’d had to do to get my sister back.
And then I blinked it all away, refusing to let anything or anyone come between me and the only person who mattered.Not my own feelings, and definitely not some guy I’d known for less than five minutes.I refused to let anything sabotage my relationship with Evie.
But then Reid had figured out who was who—or rather who wasn’t who.I didn’t think it was a lucky guess either.Reid was a smart man.He had assessed the situation and realized which one of us was his Everly.
Oh shit.
Stop it, Evy.I’m not his Everly.
Not his Everlyyet.
Rolling my eyes at my inner, taunting thoughts, I forced my attention back to our surroundings.The music that had never changed in volume and, more importantly, the chatter around us that had.It was back to being a comfortable roar, thankfully drowning out that suffocating quiet that had spread with Bloodhound’s arrival at our table.Mostly because of his ragged, rasped plea to Evie.
Someone hit the billiard balls together, which sounded like a clap of thunder in the background.Evie flinched at the sound, her eyes going to me.I smiled, hoping it was reassuring.“It’s been a long day.Maybe we should call it a night.”
I didn’t want her to burn out on the first day.She was doing amazing, socializing, making friends…attracting stray goddamn dogs.As much as I wanted to put distance between Evie and her bloodhound, I also needed some space from Reid’s sudden appearance.Space and time to digest my visceral reaction to him threatening to spank me, how my stomach had done a silly little flip when he’d said I was a temptation by merely existing.
Indecision flickered across my sister’s face.She glanced at the others at our table, lingering on Abi before moving to the bloodhound.He looked at her adoringly, his bottom lip practically pouting out, giving her the puppy-dog eyes.
Fitting.
I bet he has fleas.
“But we haven’t been here long.”Evie finally spoke up, and I could have sworn Bloodhound released a relieved exhale.She stared up at him like he was every fantasy she’d ever dared to dream come to life.My sweet, sheltered sister who didn’t know the ugly that defiled the world was gazing at a man like he’d hung the moon and stars.I wasn’t sure she’d ever had a crush before, but if this was the first one, things were going to get intense fast.“I’m having a good time, Evy.I promise I’m not tired, and tomorrow is Saturday, so I don’t have any classes.”
“You don’t have classes, but I have work,” I reminded her, trying to keep all my anxiety over what was going on right in front of me from showing on my face.
Evie was so damned innocent, and it was bleeding through for every motherfucker in the bar to soak up.I didn’t trust anyone to treat my sister like a sacred treasure, least of all the asshole she had heart-eyes for.She might look like a woman, but because of William imprisoning her for the majority of her life, she was naive.She hadn’t seen how hideous the real world was, and I didn’t want to be the one to show her how truly awful some people were.
I also knew that Evie deserved absolute freedom now that she was away from William.She had to experience it all—the bad that came with the good—whether I liked it or not.Reality hurt more often than not.Hiding that side of real life wouldn’t do my sister any favors.
But maybe we could avoid the pain a little longer.
Forcing a smile, I looked at Mila then River.“And I don’t want to let my new bosses down.”
Mila sat forward in her chair, propping her chin on her hands.“Girl, you are giving us such a good show tonight, I’m thinking of giving you a bonus.Haven’t had this much fun on a girls’ night out in years.I’m not even buzzed yet, and I’m already having a blast.”
“Agreed,” River said with a grin.“I kinda have whiplash from snapping my head back and forth to keep up, but it’s totally worth it to watch Chance get on his knees.That was surreal.Still not one hundred percent sure he’s really our Chance Reid.”
“Chance…Reid?”I was so confused.And oddly hurt.Maybe a little pissed off.Did Reid lie to me about his name?No, why would he do something like that?Unsteadily, I pointed to the man at my side.“But isn’t he Reid?”
“It’s a long story,” Lexa said with an amused snort.“There are plenty of Reids around this town, babe.But there is only oneReid.”
