“Checked in yesterday, and I don’t mind telling you, he’s gonna kick your ass but good.”
“Good to know.” Jagger laughed softly at his friend’s words. “He have any intel on Skye’s family? On her brother Finn?”
“Said he’d do some digging, but he could only confirm his knowledge of their existence.”
“What about the portal?”
“Again, he knows it exists, but even Jaxon’s surprised Cormac and the DaCostas are after it. He and Ana are dealing with something at their end, and they’ll join up as soon as they can.”
Jagger’s mouth slashed into a wide grin as he thought about his older brother, Jaxon. It would be good to see him. Regardless of the fact he’d have to cover his ass. Literally.
“We could use their help. Nico is bailing after we reach this cave.”
Cracker grunted, but said nothing.
Jagger proceeded to give Cracker the proper coordinates of their destination and then quickly returned to the cave.
It was still dark. The moon was dead in the sky and offered no illumination at all. His eyes quickly swept the interior and he felt his heart jolt a little when they landed on Skye.
She was awake, and staring at him in silence. Even through the gloom his nocturnal eyes could see the need that lay there. It was primal, harsh.
It cut him, slicing a pain across his chest that only confirmed what he already knew. The woman had grabbed him whole. Lock, stock, and barrel.
Nico was still gone.
He growled softly and stepped toward her.
Skye’s breath caught in her throat.
The predatory gleam that shone from deep in Jagger’s eyes tilted her insides and left her feeling weak and breathless.
Crap! She needed to get hold of herself. There was no time for what his eyes were wanting. There was no time for what she was feeling.
“Don’t come near me.”
Her words were spoken fast and even she winced at the harsh tone that laced them.
Jagger’s eyes narrowed but he didn’t stop until he was standing less than a few inches from her feet.
His scent washed over her, pulling at something within her body that answered in kind. It was painful, slicing hard through her chest and it brought with it a hint of tears.
Angrily, she pushed all those thoughts aside, the ones that centered on the longing and aching she felt for this man before her.
“What?” she said, knowing she sounded like an insolent bitch, but helpless to stop herself. What was it about the man that brought out her worst behavior?
He continued to stare at her, the dark green depths of his eyes reflecting like mirrored glass, even through the darkness that fell between them.
“You lie.”
Skye’s heartbeat hit at the inside of her chest in a steady rhythm that she was sure he could hear. The man confused the crap out of her and she wished he would just go away.
“About what?”
He smiled then, the white of his teeth slashing through the blackness.
“Everything.” His voice sounded dangerous. Low. Skye felt faint. He knew? Her secret?
“I don’t—”