Insatiable (The Edge of Darkness, #1)(92)

I stare at my middle finger then slide it into my mouth, tasting her as my confusion grows worse.

It takes her five minutes to come back out, and I watch her nervously rub her arm.

“I’m a little confused why we’re here,” I say, tilting my head and watching her take a few steps towards the bed and stopping. As if she wants to climb back in but doesn’t know how I’d react.

I’d be more than happy to drag her back in, but she speaks before I can debate whether to actually do it.

“Drunk Kade decided to take something and then called me. You sounded like you were in a bad way and couldn’t get any of your friends, so I left the airport to come and get you from some alleyway. Barry was there and told me to stay here with you.”

I don’t remember even seeing Barry last night.

But I do remember getting pissed off at a function and shooting someone important.

I hum, trying to calm my erratic pulse, but as my gaze drops down the perfect curves of her body, it only gets more rapid. “That was nice of you. Giving up your trip home to come to my rescue.”

Stacey laughs derisively, and it causes my cock to harden even more. “Shut up – I’m still going. This is Barry’s room; I’m just making sure you’re okay before I leave.”

I slide both hands behind the back of my head. “Did we fuck?”

She scoffs. “You didn’t even know it was me in bed with you – why would we? Besides, you made it clear you just wanted to cuddle.”

The corner of my mouth curls ever so slightly. “I just wanted to cuddle.”

“Yes. It seems some things never change.”

“So you slept in bed with me, in only your shirt, and held my hand to your tits?”

She clenches her jaw. “If you’re going to point out the obvious, I’ll get another hotel room.”

I quirk a brow. “You want to stay a bit longer?”

“I never said that.”

“No,” I reply. “I’m asking you.”

Say yes.

Say fucking yes.

I don’t want her to be here if she doesn’t want to, but I also don’t want her to leave.

“You said you took something you shouldn’t have, and thought I’d paid to have sex with you.” Shaking her head, she adds, “I’ve never seen you like that. The Kade I knew hated drugs and never got himself into that kind of condition.”

“The Kade you knew died two years ago,” I tell her. “Forget about him.”

She chews on her lip. “He isn’t dead.”

I will be soon.

Or she will be.

I want to speak, but I’m frozen by how sad she looks.

“You scared me last night.”

She slips back into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face, and I watch her through the crack in the door. She pauses and lowers her head as she holds the sink, takes a deep breath and comes back out.

“I have a spare toothbrush you can use, and your clothes should be ready soon. I had to put them into the cleaning service because they were covered in blood.”

Once I freshen up and take a piss, I notice she washed blood off me again – there’s a cloth soaked in blood in the trash.

I slip out the bathroom and try not to care that she’s still here.

She cheated on me. And it’s annoying me that I’m starting to ignore that fact.

My phone is off, thankfully, so no one can contact me. Barry would have made sure I can’t be traced here either.

Technically, I should be safe here.

“I’ll call an Uber in a while,” Stacey says, sitting on the edge of the bed. “It’s a bit early yet.”

“An Uber?”

Nodding, she says, “I can’t be here with you. I just booked another flight, but it’s in two days, so I’ll stay somewhere else until then.”

I don’t want her to leave. I kind of like having my phone out of battery, and being here…

With her.

I’m putting her in so much danger. Even though Bernadette shouldn’t be able to find me here, there’s still a chance, however small, that it could happen.

Then she’ll find Stacey. And keeping my ex off her radar will be fucked.

Bernie can’t find out about her, or what she means to me.

Meant .

“I’m too ill for you to leave,” I lie, dropping back onto the mattress. “Go later.” I take a bold chance by looking up and saying, “Come back to bed.”

Stacey stands from the edge of the bed and turns with wide eyes. “What? No. I can take the sofa.” She points at the small, definitely uncomfortable couch next to the window. “Go to sleep. I’ll call an Uber when you wake up.”

“Suit yourself,” I reply and close my eyes.

It takes her a few huffs, an attempt to lie on the sofa, a scroll on her phone, before she gives in and pulls the duvet aside to climb in.

I smirk. “Knew you couldn’t resist me.”

She slaps my chest. “I hate you.”

I roll onto my side and yank her back to my chest, so we’re in the same position we woke up in. Yet, this time, I’m awake and sober. “I hate you too.”

But I love how fucking much our bodies respond to each other.