Page 95 of Blood and Thorns

A slow smirk curved Lang’s lips. “Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy her. I know you sent all the guards outside just so you could chase her around. I’ve had to delete all the fucking footage.”

“Hmm.” I nudged a glass bottle that was placed on the carpet beside the bed, letting itclinginto another. “You want to talk about why you’re burning shit again?”

Lang’s smile strained. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re self-destructing,” I commented, watching how his nostrils flared, and he wouldn’t look me in the eye. Lang was impulsive, while I was just destructive. But my destructive tendencies were usually thought out beforehand.

“What do you want me to do? Sit around until she comes after us again?” He finally looked at me, his eyes wild as hesigned. Glinting like the fire he was so obsessed with. It had taken Caden and I years to try to calm that look.

“We’re not kids anymore.” I closed the distance between us until I could grab him, pulling him until we were forehead to forehead. Unlike me, Langdon craved touch. “If it’s true, and she’s back. We’ll get our revenge.”

Langdon couldn’t sign this close, but he simply breathed. Each inhale as haggard as the exhale. After a moment he punched my shoulder, stepping back. “Where’s your Ara?”

I searched his eyes for any signs of a breakdown, but he seemed calmer. Less on the edge. “Doesn’t matter. She’s mine, so keep her the fuck out of your games.”

“Or what?” he signed.

“Fuck around and find out.”

Arabella

“Sebastian has people watching me inside the penthouse now?” I asked Langdon, who casually leaned against the kitchen counter when I got up. “I thought you were Beatrice.” It had been a few days since the Fluffy Duckling, and I was used to waking up to find Sebastian had already left. Also, I really missed Beatrice. And her baking.

Lang smirked, bringing out his phone to type a message.Thought you’d want the company.

Opening one of the kitchen drawers, I sighed when my notebook didn’t immediately appear out of thin air.“Where’s Sebastian?”

Langdon shrugged, beginning to sign before reverting back to his phone.Probably dealing with things.

“Things like what?” I glanced at him, finding him watching me with an intensity that was different to Sebastian. His gaze was charged, as if he was a child doing something he wasn’t supposed to do.

He smirked, tilting his head to the side.What are you looking for?

I slanted a sideways glance at him. “My notebook. I left it in the kitchen the other day, but it’s disappeared.” I hadn’t been able to find one of the cleaners to ask where they’d put it.

That’s boring. Want to run some errands with me?he typed, turning his phone around.I’ve already called Chip to drive us.

I frowned at the text, unease prickling at the back of my neck. “Does Sebastian know?”

Langdon shrugged, that smug smile of his stretching wider.Does it matter? I’ll have you back before he even notices. Promise.

“I’m not some toy for you to use in whatever twisted game you two are playing.”

I was almost certain this was his way of getting under Sebastian’s skin, a quiet act of retaliation, dressed in charm. Reaching past him, I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, resisting the urge to slam the door.

A sharp whistle cut through the air, stopping me mid-step.

I turned to see Langdon signing something with exaggerated flair, then rolling his eyes when he remembered I couldn’t understand.It’s not like that.

“Then what is it?”

He didn’t answer, a frown developing as he crossed hisarms and simply stared at me. He’d essentially silenced himself rather than reply. Very mature.

I sighed and started to turn away, but another sharp whistle followed me.

Justcome keep me company. I promise to answer any questions you have about Bas.

Chapter 42