Burn (Virtues & Lies 1)

Fucker!

Arabella got one thing right, the arsehole’s hard-headed. I’m not vain enough to care about the state of my nose right now, but if I let him get another blow in, I might not have one left.

So I give him what he wants. A fight. I’ve known Christopher Sinclair a long time, and I know that his temper and his fists are on the same dial.

My knee finds his gut at the same time I slam the heel of my hand into the middle of his forehead and that is enough to get him off me. He’s disorientated, as he should be after a brain rattle.

“I’m going to fucking kill you.” His words are rough and still a little garbled.

“Yeah, have at it.” I sneer and it’s only then I realise that there’s enough blood dripping from my nose to coat my jaw and splatter onto my clothes and the floor.

If Toby wasn’t so fucking taken with Cassie this would’ve been a completely different story. But then, the dog is a traitor.

Christopher takes a step to the side as I take one closer to him and when I take another, he moves sidewards again. We go around in a circle for a while until he lunges at me. He thought I was letting my guard down, but I know his games.

Dropping to my knees, I grab his waist, twisting him so that he falls flat on his back. He doesn’t let his head crack on the floor, but the fall winds him enough to slow his reflexes but not the short, quick jabs he’s pummelling my chest with. Little by little they empty my lungs and the radiating pain is getting sharper.

I catch sight of Arabella and Wayne sitting on the sofa closest to us laughing and it’s then that Christopher manages to roll me onto my back.

“You fucking lied.” Grunting, he punctuates every word with another knuckle jab to my ribs.

Catching the side of his jaw with my fist, I reply, “So did you.”

Christopher’s blood coats his teeth and dribbles down the side of his mouth. I’m guessing he bit his tongue.

“I tried!” A spray of bloodied spit covers my face.

“So did I.”

We’re both breathing too fast to be able to continue this fight. We both know it, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t try to get another blow in.

“Should’ve tried harder.” Panting, he catches the top of my cheekbone and my brow.

I’m about to get another heel to the bridge of his nose in, when we both freeze at the sound of a loud alarm.

Instinct and adrenaline collide and we’re both on our feet ready to take whoever on together.

Except we both pause when we realise the noise is coming from where Arabella is standing next to Cassie, with her new protector at her side.

Fuck me.

“I’ve been dying to test it out.” Arabella laughs.

Wayne’s long sigh is exasperated and a little bored as he looks between all of us.

“What the fuck was that?” Christopher asks a little too loudly and it earns him a growl and a thorough showcase of teeth from Toby.

“It’s this new rape alarm app. I saw it, thought that it was a good thing to have.” Arabella shrugs. “Anyway, are you two quite done?”

“A rape alarm?”

“They should call it the arsehole remote.” Cassie glowers at the pair of us with irritation.

Beside Arabella she looks Amazonian tall. My eyes rove down her slender body barely covered by one of my long T-shirts. She’s all long, slim legs and juicy thighs. And like the idiot that I am, I start recalling how they felt wrapped around me. How her plump arse cheeks felt in my hands.

Licking the blood that’s still dribbling from my nose, I watch as she licks her own lips followed by a long swallow.

My dick jerks and hardens, and I’m praying I don’t half-mast right now. Especially with the way her eyes meander down my body, her legs pressing together so tight that the natural gap between her thighs is completely gone.