Page 28 of Conquered

“Jesus,” I whisper, my hand rubbing over my mouth.

“That's not all,” he rasps. He looks sick. “Lilly found her when she came home from shopping with friends.”

“Fuck!” Jax growls, punching the cushion next to him.

“Anything else?” I ask, a cool calmness descending over me until I become what everyone calls me,The Ice Knight.

“There's a police report. It confirms that the culprit has never been found; it's an open case...” he trails off, curses, then drops the iPad on the rug like it's burnt him.

On the screen is what I recognize as a police photograph of the crime scene, showing a pile of butchered meat, in a pool of blood, with a face incredibly similar to Lilly’s. It’s the only thing that’s recognizable...It's what Lilly came home to.

Fucking Hell.

The ice surrounding me cracks a little as I sit there, staring at what used to be Lilly’s mom.

“That’s it,” he sighs, taking his glasses off and rubbing his own hand across his face.

Taking a deep breath, I look up at them. My brothers in all but blood.

“This doesn't change anything,” I coldly say. “She can't stay here. She doesn't belong here. And we need more intel, Kai. So see what you can dig up about the uncle.” Kai nods then bends to pick up his iPad. “It's all too fucking mysterious for my liking,” I finish, the black wings of panic at all the unknowns fluttering in my peripheral vision.

There's a mystery here, and I fucking hate mysteries. Who the fuck is Adrian Ramsey? And how the fuck do we know nothing about him?

But most importantly, who is Lilly Darling?

CHAPTER FOUR

LILLY

Igradually wake up floating on a cloud wrapped in a cocoon of epic snuggliness. I've not slept so well in a long time. It feels like years, but really it has only been months since...nope! I'm not going there today either!Heat rises behind my closed eyelids as I shove the memories back down, locking them up tight.

Stretching, I feel a delicious ache between my thighs and a firm hot body to my right.

Ah, yes. I’m in Loki of the magical fingers’ bed. At Highgate Prep.

I turn my head, finally opening my eyes, and my breath catches as I drink my bed partner in. He sleeps on his front with the sheets tangled low on his back, that glorious, devastating fallen angel tattoo on full display in the light coming from the slightly ajar curtains.

He’s so beautiful it hurts my heart.

There’s a fluttering in my chest, my mouth becoming moist as I gaze at his sleeping face and that mop of thick curly redhair. He smells even better than he did yesterday, like freshly baked vanilla shortbread, and hot chocolate by the fire when it’s snowing outside, all mixed in with a manly musk that has my nostrils flaring to take in more.

I have to fist my hands into the sheets to stop myself from reaching out and touching him, or claiming his lush, full lips and disturbing his slumber. My eyes catch again on that tattoo, remembering the drowning pain in his emerald gaze last night.

“One day, I’ll tell you about it,” he rumbles in the sexiest purr, his voice rough, sending wonderful shivers skittering over my skin.

My eyes flick up to meet his, seeing a seriousness that looks at odds on his face, which has mostly been cocky arrogance thus far. He blinks, and the serious look is gone, replaced with that shit eating grin I’m becoming quickly addicted to.

“Morning, Pretty Girl. Sleep well?”

His eyes take in my dishevelled hair and rumpled silk teddy, heat burning in them as he makes his way down to where the covers are pooling at my waist. Normally, I’m a blanket hog, but these rooms are toasty as fuck!

“Very.” My smile unfocused as I replay the night before in my mind. “I was incredibly relaxed, and I don’t even remember dropping off.” My tone teasing, but with an edge of hunger.

Those fingers. Good lord!

“You were definitelysated,and I had to pretty much carry you to bed,” he drawls, his grin also turning naughty.

“Oh, I don’t know.” I stretch again, deliberately pushing out my breasts and smirking when his eyes land on them. “I could definitely be moresated,” I purr, licking my lower lip and feeling an anticipatory flutter in my stomach.