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“Well, let’s see. I was sleeping, and then a loud crash and shattering noise of the window woke me up. Then before I could even process what was happening, it was like a fucking back draft in my room. The room just exploded into flames.”
I look down at my blanket, and I can feel the panic start to set in a bit. Like I can still feel the heat against my skin.
“Addy’s side of the room… it was completely engulfed in flames. I have no idea how it started. But my window was broken, and I’m assuming what started it came through there.
“When I realized I had no way to get through the door, I looked back at the window and knew it was the only way I was going to get out of there alive. Possibly with broken bones, but alive.” I let out a long breath and tip my head back against the pillow. “So I did just that. Grabbed the sheet off my bed and tried to scale enough of the wall to safely jump down.”
“Why did you leave the house?” Dekker’s lips form a thin line.
“What?” I scrunch my face at his question.
“It’s a clear-cut question, Angel. Why did you leave the house?” he repeats.
I look over at Xayden, and I can feel my resolve break a bit. I left for so many reasons. Needing to get away, needing space, needing time to think.
But also because of Xayden.
“Because my stepbrother was accusing me of God only knows what. Apparently, he thinks I use my powers for evil and not good and that my mother married his dad for some insane reason that had nothing to do with them falling in love.”
I pause for dramatic effect and then look at the other two.
Then I add, “Oh, and because he fucked me on the kitchen counter and then just left me there like I was a dirty whore.”
“What the fuck?” I hear Seven say under his breath.
“You are out of your mind,” I hear Dekker mutter at the same time.
It’s silent for a moment, and I can feel Xayden’s eyes cutting through me. “Look at me.” My eyes snap to his on instinct. “You are not a dirty whore.”
I huff, “Yeah, exce?—”
“Shut your yapper for two seconds, Rory.”
My mouth instantly closes as I wait for his next words.
He goes on, “You are not a dirty whore, and I have never thought of you as one. I have no idea what the fuck is going on any more than you do, and all I was trying to get from you is maybe something that could help us understand where you disappeared to.
“And I fucked you on that counter because I need to be inside you. I have to keep myself from devouring you every single second of the day. The control I need to have just to not rip your clothes off you and bury myself deep inside you is abysmal. Which is harder now that I know how that pussy feels wrapped around my dick.
“So yeah, I fucked you on that counter. Because I needed my fucking fix. You’re a goddamn drug, Rory. The high I need to fucking chase.”
His hands move to cup my face, and he brings his lips close to mine.
He murmurs, “And I walked away after because I shouldn’t feel like this. But after hearing what happened today… Fuck, Rory. I believe you when you say your mom married my dad for love, but something else is going on. And I need to find a way to keep you all safe.”
“That’s not your responsibility.” My voice comes out soft, so only he can hear it.
“I’m making it my responsibility.” His forehead presses against mine, and our eyes lock.
A throat clears next to us, and we pull back from each other. “Loving this Hallmark moment, but we need to figure out what happened.” Seven smiles at us.
“Well, obviously, Rory is going to stay with us. And once I talk to my dad and June, they will see that’s the best course of action too,” Xayden says matter-of-factly.
“They haven’t responded,” I tell him with a grimace.
“What? What do you mean?” Dekker asks.
Shaking my head, I let out a sigh. “The hospital has been trying to get a hold of them for hours. No one answers any of their phones.”