Loving War(31)

As soon as we’re outside, I straighten up, and her eyes narrow on me as I pull her closer.

“Faker,” she says under her breath, eliciting a laugh from me.

“I’ve been drinking, but I’m plenty sober. How’s Raya?”

Her sigh says it all. “She’s really worried about Kade right now. She’s lost because she has no clue what to do or how to help. She feels useless. She basically just needed some friends to vent to more than anything. She went back to the vineyard earlier.”

I motion toward my car as she fills me in on the night. She says it was rather dull before she came to see me. I suppose her forced smile is because of her worry over Raya and Kade.

She digs her hand into my pocket suddenly, and I grab her ass in response.

“Down, boy. Just getting your keys.”

She grins up at me, but it’s weighted, only partially sincere. She looks around as if she’s wary as we approach my car. I open the driver’s side door for her, and she pulls me down to kiss me. Hard. Surprising me.

The door hangs open and forgotten as I move her to the solid back and push against her, kissing her back just as passionately. Her explorative tongue sweeps into my mouth, searching and seeking, and I grip her ass with both hands as I devour her.

As quickly as it started, it’s over. She pushes me back, looking around again, and then she meets my eyes.

“Sorry. I just really needed that.”

My wolfish grin slips into place and I waggle my eyebrows at her. “At your service, Tria. You’ve got me all to yourself tonight.”

“Then let’s go.”





Chapter 11



KODE



Godforsaken hangovers. Hate them. And I hate me. Christ, my head is killing me. I hate my head.

A loud screaming song roars to life, reminding me what woke me up to begin with. That’s the third time I’ve heard that obnoxious motherfucker this morning. Tria groans while trying to untangle herself from me and answer it. Apparently someone really wants to talk to her.

I hate Tria’s phone.

Her bare body is next to mine, the sheet barely covering her as she swats blindly for the phone, not opening her eyes. It’s too early for phone calls. Shit, it’s seven in the morning, and we didn’t even get in until after three.

As Tria answers—her hello mumbled—I grin and slide in behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and kissing the back of her neck. Her dark hair is all draped to one side, giving me an angle on every side of her neck except for the side facing the bed.

“Oh. Hey, Rain,” Tria says slowly, warning me to keep quiet, her voice suddenly very alert.

I keep kissing her, but I also keep my mouth shut. I’ve reached the point where I don’t care if they know. But I know Tria is like everyone else—unsure if I’m really over Rain.

I honestly think I got over Rain the minute I saw Tria in a completely different light.

“I’m at… Brin’s house. Why are you at my house?” she asks, and my phone buzzes loudly on the nightstand, forcing me to let her go and grab it.

I walk out of the room to answer so that Rain doesn’t overhear my voice. Dane is calling? Both of them calling this early? Is it possible that Corbin ratted me out?

“Why the hell are you calling me so early?” I ask, clearing my throat from the early morning rasp.

“Sorry. But it’s sort of important. Raya called Rain this morning to find out if Tria stayed with us. Apparently that douche you fucked up a few months ago showed up over at her house last night.”

My entire body goes stiff, and my jaw grinds. I’ll fucking kill him—after I throttle Tria for not telling me. That’s why she acted so upset last night, and she didn’t bother including me. The only thing keeping me from storming in there right now is the fact that she stayed with me. She came to me.

“I had no idea,” I say in a deceptively calm tone, my eyes moving toward the bedroom door that I shut on my way out.

As I move out to the deck that overlooks the ocean, Dane continues. “Yeah. Raya had a Taser gun, and Brin—Tria’s friend—snapped a picture. They’re at the police station now because they were worried Tria wouldn’t act soon enough. But they need Tria down there now.”

“Because it doesn’t matter where I’m really at.” Tria’s voice carries through the open sliding-glass door when she emerges in an angry storm from the bedroom.

I shut it quickly, blocking Dane from hearing her, and shake my head. Apparently Rain called her out on the lie about being at Brin’s house, since Brin is at the police station.

“I’ll take care of Pete Mercer again. Maybe the message will stick this time.” His name tastes like acid on my tongue. I hate that son of a bitch more than anyone right now.