Page 63 of After All The Wreckage

It meant dancing with temptation in more than one way. It wasn’t just about her and Dunn. I’d kissed her this morning because I’d been helpless to stop myself. Her fierceness. Her dedication to her family… to us. It had been more of a turn-on than her tight green sweater and flashing eyes. Bringing her closer would wreak havoc on the shaky boundaries I was trying to keep up for her sake as much as my own.

At the hope in Monte’s eyes, my stomach fell. It was so much better than the fear and anger and trauma of the day before. When he’d first seen Rory, he’d been panicked and frightened. Now, just the idea of her being able to change what he’d seen was bringing him back to life.

Fuck.

I sighed and gave in, telling him everything Rory had told me about Dunn and her parents, and how she wasn’t going to stop investigating. His eyes grew wide.

“I’ll talk to her again. Make sure she knows we want her to find Demi.”

Monte’s eyebrows rose, and for the first time in what felt like forever, his lips tilted upward. “Such a sacrifice for you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

His face broke into a full-on grin that eased the clamp on my heart ever so slightly. “Come on, Gage. Don’t pretend you don’t have the hots for her.”

“The hots? What are you, a seventies show throwback?” I snorted, fighting back a smile. But inside, I was wondering how I’d been so obvious. Was the electricity burning in the air when Rory and I were together actually visible to people around us?

“See. You didn’t even deny it. You like her.”

Likewas the wrong word entirely. It wasn’t anywhere near what I felt for Rory. The kiss we’d shared had been too much and not enough. My body had been addicted with the first shot. I craved her. But I wasn’t sure I could afford the addiction.

“She’s not entirely despicable,” I said.

Monte snorted. “Looked like a lot more than not despicable when you had your tongue down her throat.”

I froze, and my look only made Monte laugh more.

“Shit… that… was an accident,” I stuttered out.

Which only sent him into peals of laughter, grabbing his ribs and complaining it hurt. My heart got lighter and lighter until a chuckle escaped my chest as well.

After a few moments, my smile faded again. “Seriously, though. It probably shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry if you saw it and got grossed out.”

“I’m not six, Bubba. Girls don’t gross me out anymore.”

It was my turn to raise my brows at him. “India?”

He blanched. “No. That is gross. She’s like another sibling. Besides, she’s not into guys. Or girls. Not like that anyway.” He gave a careless shrug and then turned serious eyes back on me.

“At first, when I saw the two of you this morning, it freaked me out. Not because you kissing anyone is weird or disgusting but because of my vision. There’s her holding the gun and then there’s so much blood. But that’s what got me thinking about her being a PI and finding Demi. That maybe, just maybe, we can change things for once.”

I wanted it so desperately I could almost taste it, not just for Demi, but for my brother.

Unfortunately, that desperation tasted a whole hell of a lot like Rory.

Honey and burned ozone. Sweetness and danger.

I wasn’t sure I’d survive another sip.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Rory

HOLD OUT

Performed by Aly & AJ

My timein D.C. was a flop. Lucidia had nothing to tell me about the security footage that had disappeared, and when I went to the Argento Skies office, it was locked tight with lights off. I would have snuck inside, but a counseling office down from their suite was holding a health fair, and people littered the corridor.