My Wolf Pack and my readers! YOU’RE STUCK WITH ME! Don’t test me. I love you all so much. Thank you for riding with me on my journey. For your undying support and love. I will cherish you all until the end of my days.
Jay Aheer. My designer, my everything. Thank you for meeting my demands. Your covers challenge me in ways I have never been challenged. Every time you send me a new cover, I shiver with anticipation. I hope I do your beautiful art justice with my words. You’re stuck with me.
Sarah Valentino and Kayla Thomason! You girls rock my shit. Thank you for the hours you put into creating the perfect teasers and Pinterest boards. There were times when your teasers helped push me through bad cases of writer’s block. I love you. You’re stuck with me.
Stacey from Champagne formatting for making this manuscript all pretty!! You’re stuck with me.
I think I have successfully threatened every person I love. If that doesn’t say Amo Jones, then I don’t know what does. Good luck.
This is dedicated to my Wolf Pack. For having my back when I didn’t have myself and for the daily laughs, cries, and impactful messages. This is for you.
Tillie
Nate backs me up against the cold cell, examining me. “You like this, huh, Princessa…”
I shake my head, refusing to show any fear. Nate is like a shark with fear. He senses it in the water, and he thinks it’s feeding time. “No. I don’t. What are you doing and why am I here?”
My eyes go over Nate’s shoulder and land on Brantley, who watches me carefully. “Brantley?”
Just when I think he’s going to say something, maybe put me in my place for questioning them, his mouth snaps shut. I watch as he disappears back through the way we came.
“He won’t help you. Stay here and don’t move, Tillie. If you try to escape, we will kill you.”
I don’t know why there’s a part of my brain that doesn’t believe he would do that. You don’t keep someone alive through a lot of turmoil only to off them if they do something so insignificant like not listening. Nate smirks as if he hears what I’m thinking. Backing up slowly, he exits my cell, flicking the lock closed. His eyes never leave mine.
“There’s always a reason why we do the things we do, Tillie—remember?”
I don’t take the bait, sliding down the cold wall and landing on my butt. There’s a long pull of silence before I hear the door open and close again, and then Brantley’s boots come into view out of the corner of my eye.
“What is it, Brantley? You guys won. Go and celebrate by snorting more cocaine or fucking more girls…” I don’t want to talk to Daemon until they’ve all left, and part of me is still trying to calm my erratic brain from all of the possibilities of why, and how, he’s still alive.
Brantley unhooks the lock, the heavy clinking of metal jerking me out of my thoughts. He opens the cell, stepping inside. I brave myself to bring my eyes up to his as he leans down to my level, his elbows resting on his knees.
His palm comes to my face. “Kiss me.”
“What?” I ask, confused. My eyes fall to his swollen lips.
He squeezes my cheeks slightly, his face coming closer to mine. “Kiss. Me.”
I lean forward until our lips touch, warm velvet skimming against mine. Slinging my arm around the back of his neck, a moan slips out of me as I pull him closer. I kiss him because I’m angry. I kiss him because I’m hurt. And I kiss him for the probability of Nate watching somehow. Just as his tongue slips into my mouth, I exhale from the intrusion. His kiss is as calculated as his character. He gives enough without giving too much. He sucks on my bottom lip, licking me across the rim. His arms wrap around my waist, bringing me to my feet. Thick thighs separate my legs, stretching me wide as his body sinks against mine, shoving me up against the metal bars. He lifts me up by my thighs as I wrap my legs around him, all while his mouth continues to assault mine. My stomach flutters, my core pulsing. I want him. I have always somewhat wanted him, to an extent, and now that Nate has well and truly shattered any and all trust that I had in him, I’m feeling reckless. If you hurt someone enough, they acclimatize to pain, but just like a wound, if you don’t seal it, you’ll bleed out.
Brantley pulls away, placing me back on my feet while grabbing my hand. “Now, you owe me twice for getting him mad, and princess, I will be collecting.” He continues to drag me out of my cell, unlocking the one beside Daemon and shoving me inside. I turn, just in time to see him shutting the door.
“Brantley…” I want to apologize. I want to say so many things.
He shakes his head. “Don’t, Tillie.”
I know I owe him for saving me from Nate more than once or twice, but before I can address my gratitude, he leaves, and it’s not until I hear the heavy steel door slam closed that I slide down to my ass, drawing my legs up and turning my head to face Daemon.
“I’m sorry you had to see that.”
Daemon scrapes closer, grasping onto the bars that separate our cages. “I have seen much worse, Puella.”
My heart squeezes in my chest from the use of my nickname. I thought I’d never hear it again. “I thought you were dead, Daemon. We all thought you were dead. We all mourned you.” Madison pops up inside my head and I wince. “Did everyone know but me?”
Daemon shakes his head.
