Hideaway (Devil's Night 2)

Slipping them between my legs, he hovered close as he washed me.

I was about to close my eyes again, but I heard a phone beep.

He turned his head, trying to see the screen where it lay on the counter. Then he let out a sigh and pulled his hands away, drying them off.

“What is it?” I sat up, hugging my knees again.

He stared at the phone, swiping the screen and reading. He frowned and tucked the cell into his pocket, standing up.

“Michael,” he told me, leaning down and kissing my forehead. “He’s at the gate. I need to go deal with him. I have clothes in the bedroom, so find whatever you want to sleep in, and I’ll grab some food on my way back up, okay?”

I nodded, reluctantly letting him go. He walked out, and I watched him until he disappeared down the hallway.

So, obviously his friends knew where he lived then.

Although, I wondered if they’d ever been up here. In my research there was never any indication Kai had this hideaway. I never saw him or his friends come to this house.

It was beautiful, though. And of course, I was right all along. There was no way he lived in that hovel.

I finished washing

and pulled the plug on the water, rising to my feet. Picking up a towel off the nearby rack, I dried myself, wiping away all the suds and wrapped the soft, thick fabric around my body.

After I brushed out my hair—and got nosy, smelling his cologne—I went into the bedroom and pulled one of his T-shirts out of a drawer. I’d always worn my brother’s stuff, because that’s what he gave me to wear, but I smiled, putting on Kai’s shirt. I wanted to feel his clothes on me and his smell around me.

Glancing at the empty doorway, I quickly slipped it on and then took the towel back into the bathroom, tossed it in the hamper, and folded my clothes laying on the counter.

“No!” I heard a shout and stopped, turning my head.

“How could you take her anywhere near that piece of shit?” another voice bellowed.

Michael. I was surprised I could hear him all the way up here.

I dropped the clothes and crept lightly back through the bedroom and back down the hall, coming to the top of the stairs. Looking over, I saw that the foyer was empty, but I was just in a shirt. I wasn’t going down there if people were here. I walked to the top step and stopped, hearing shuffling coming from the study.

“I don’t need to clear anything through you. She makes her choices!” Kai growled back.

She? Meaning me?

“Rika is mine!” Michael’s voice lowered, but the fury was just as strong. “My partner, if you have any concept of what the hell that even means. We make decisions together!”

“You know, I’m right here!” I heard Rika yell. “Talk to me!”

Oh, they were talking about Rika.

And I guess Michael found out about the dinner tonight. Kai wasn’t supposed to let Rika go to Gabriel’s, I guess?

I spotted Will hanging back near the wall, his arms crossed as he just watched.

Kai continued, “You were the one who said she was one of us. She can carry her weight. She’s an equal, so—”

“She’s not equal!” Michael shouted.

And everyone fell silent.

Dammit, I wished I could see their faces.

“She will never be equal!” he went on. “She will always mean more than you.”