Insatiable (The Edge of Darkness, #1)(39)

My eyes screw shut as she brushes her fingers through my hair, the feeling far too intimate and invasive. She catches on and rests her palms on my shoulders as I keep devouring her throat.

A slow rock song is playing now, but all I can hear is her. She whimpers, arching her back as I suck on her skin, and I’m certain I hear my name whispered like a fucking prayer.

I straighten, cup her face between my hands and press my lips to hers properly.

Breathless, we both fall into the kiss, her fingers digging into my shoulders while I lower my hands to her hips, gripping them as she parts her lips, allowing me to run my tongue against hers.

This is the same, yet different.

Before, we had to do it. This time, we’re doing it off our own backs. I’m deepening the kiss and pressing her into the counter harder because I want to. She’s sucking my bottom lip into her mouth and biting it because she wants to.

She doesn’t taste like alcohol. A fruity drink, but definitely no alcohol. I accidentally groan as she sucks on my tongue, and without thinking, I grab the back of her thighs and lift her onto the counter.

We’re kissing again, deeper, her legs parting so I can stand between them until she locks her ankles behind my back, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“We need to be careful,” she says against my mouth, still running her tongue against mine. “Anyone.” Another brush of her tongue. “Can walk in.”

Her bare skin beneath my hands is heated and soft and addictive, and if it was acceptable, I’d kiss her thighs and suck on the flesh until I left permanent marks. I’d lick all the way up to her…

No. That’s too far. If I don’t stop, I might scare her off.

I pull away first, shoving my hand down my swim shorts to cover how hard I am. “You forgot the ice, Freckles.”

She slips off the counter. To my own pleasure, she smiles as she bites her lip, the same one I had between my teeth. “Show me where it is.”

I grin as I follow her out of the kitchen, watching her ass from behind.

I lied when I said I’d leave her alone. She’s feeding into my obsession, and it’s only going to get worse. This is only the beginning.





14




KADE

Iblink away the blurriness in my eyes, sitting up against the door of the bathroom. The light blinds me, the headache edging close to being unbearable.

A knock sounds at the door. “Kade?”

I close my eyes and ignore her, the ache in my temples growing. I lean forward and take a deep breath before grabbing my phone and bringing up my messages.

Trembling fingers fly over my screen as I send a text to my mum.

Me: Are you still with Dad?

She sees it right away, but my vision blurs so badly that I rub my palm into both eyes. I only took two lines earlier, not the full bag, but I feel like I’m seconds from passing out from another overdose.

If I black out and think of Stacey again, I’m going to be more than pissed.

Mum: Yes, sweetheart. Do you want to talk to him? Is everything okay?

Me: Yeah. I’ll call in ten.

I wash my face with more force than necessary, ignoring another knock on the door. My lungs are struggling for air, a painful ringing in my ears so intense I’m surprised there’s no blood spilling from them.

I grip the edge of the sink and drop my head, knees trembling.

Something is sitting on my chest – crushing it.

My car keys are sitting next to my washbag, so I take them – and immediately drop them on the marble floor. “Fuck,” I mutter.

Stacey’s soft voice annoyingly soothes me. “Kade? Are you okay? You can talk to me.” She’s right there, on the other side of the door. “I’m sorry.”

I groan into my palms. She better fuck off.

I put my head under the running tap to soak my hair in ice-cold water then dry it with a towel, but I feel no better for it.

Whatever is rushing through my body is crippling me – my hands are cramping, there are tingles all over my face and the last thing I’m going to do is ask her for help.

“We won’t make this awkward. I know it meant nothing, okay? We can forget it happened if it makes you feel better. Come out and we can watch a movie or something.”

Jesus, why can’t I just fucking breathe ?

I bring up my messages again, staring at the most recent ones from Bernadette.

Bernadette: I sent you a contact to deal with while you wait for your flight. No mess – do you understand?

Bernadette: Are you at the hotel alone?

Me: Yeah.

Bernadette: Two hours, Kade. This has a big payment for the both of us – don’t fuck it up.

My response to her, not even an hour later, was confirmation that the job had been completed and a picture of the guy’s head. Although I’d intentionally made quite the mess for her to clean. The target was an abusive wanker. He deserved it.

Bile rises in my throat to go with the anxiety riddling me right now.

Stacey’s sitting on the bed, legs crossed and looking worried when I exit the bathroom. I grab my bag and throw it over my shoulder.

“Kade.”

She’s up and coming towards me now. I dodge her hand.

“Don’t fucking touch me.” The words are strangled and forced.

“Where are you going?” She stops in the middle of the room. “Talk to me. Don’t make this awkward.”