Page 25

“Yeah, Kaia Bean, I wouldn’t have been able to walk if I searched. I needed to be completely alert. I checked. I swear the coast was clear before we started across the courtyard. And I checked occasionally while Griffin worked. Just there, in the clearing,” E.Z. gestured back the way we must have come, “it felt reasonably safe, and I knew my brothers were watching my back.”

Ash-hole smirked and contributed helpfully, “Ifyouhave that ability, why didn't you use it? We’d have loved the insight.”

Typically, I was in a better headspace and could avoid needing to backtrack to cover a slip. It has been hard over the years. Moments like this, I put my foot in my mouth. I hardly left our suites as a result, being careful whenever I did. I went to Liam’s, the library, and the training area, that’s about it. Everyone mostly came to me.

I shot Elijah a glare meant to boil him alive. It was all the response he deserved — not that the Ash-hole cared, he just continued to snarl at me. But I needed to offer some explanation for everyone else.

“Ugh, I hate to say this, but you’re right.” I tried to wave off his comment, turning to E.Z.. “Sorry, ignore me. I’m overtired.”

Their hummed and grunted wordless responses gave me nothing.Did they believe me?

I hoped this could be easily chalked up to pure exhaustion. It was not a complete lie. I worried the most about Griffin. His searching gaze felt like he could see everything I was trying to hide.

Griffin grabbed a small plate of food and a canteen, and gestured for me to follow, leading me over to a tree. He wrapped a blanket around my shoulders and settled me against the base with the food. He turned down my offer to help them pack up, so I sank down, eating the first actual meal I had been offered in days. I was grateful to fill up some of the emptiness inside me.

Between my full stomach and exhaustion, under the blanket's warmth, I fell into an unexpected but grossly needed sleep.

Chapter10

Kaia

For days, we rode without stopping except for short breaks to relieve ourselves. I buried my face in Aiden’s back as we traveled, using him as a pillow.

It started as an excuse to breathe in his unique scent of leather and rain. He smelled so amazing, and he was so cozy and warm. Closing my eyes and breathing him in was soothing, and I would almost always fall into a blissful sleep. My body had released much of its adrenaline once we were not in imminent danger, and I was physically and emotionally exhausted.

“So,” Aiden said over his shoulder during a moment when I was awake. “Calling my size into question again, huh? Just because I am not gigantic does not make me small.”

“What?” I asked, momentarily confused before remembering my initial excuse for picking to ride with him.

“I never said you were small,” I clarified, “I said you were the smallest. And when trying to squeeze myself into a saddle with someone, that does come in handy.”

I was wrapped around him, and he wasnotsmall. He may have been more compact than the others, but he was still toned and powerful. I could feel the ridges of his abdominal muscles under my fingertips. Anytime he shifted, his back muscles flexed against my stomach.

“You’re saying I shouldn’t be offended?” Aiden hedged.

Was he offended? I thought I heard a smile in his voice, but I couldn’t see his face, so it was hard to be sure. Men and their pride could be fickle. I didn’t know him well enough to be sure.

I made a quick decision, grabbing his upper arm and giving his bicep a squeeze.

“These are anything but small,” I offered with a chuckle.

I couldn’t get two hands around his biceps, let alone the one. They were big and stiff, and wow. This man had no reason to be self-conscious.

Aiden was quiet momentarily, letting me trail my fingers down his triceps. Why was I doing that? Who knows. I couldn’t seem to help it.

“But it was your intention to irritate Ash, wasn’t it?” Aiden asked. “Because you have that down.”

I did have that down. I hadn’t purposely irritated Elijah. It was the only way I knew how to be around him anymore. Though I could admit that pissing Elijah off made me somewhat happy.

“Way to call me out, Aiden,” I mock-scoffed.

“Well, you really know how to get his goat,” he defended.

“What does that even mean?” I playfully asked.

“Rattle someone’s cage.” In my silence, he continued, “You know, raise his hackles?” He got exasperated when I still didn’t say anything. "You get on his nerves. You annoy him. Come on, you have to know what I'm saying,” Aiden threw out, getting more frustrated with each attempt to explain.

“I gotcha.” I chuckled. “I just wanted to see how long you’d go on. I was getting enjoyment out of ‘raising your hackles’ and “rattling your cage.’”