Page 167 of Fractured Future

Hope stretches the bounds of my skeleton. “What?”

“Fuck it,” he growls.

Then his mouth crashes onto mine.

Hard. Rough. Demanding.

Drowning us in relentless passion.

The lips that have whispered so much comfort to me now attack mine with the ferocity of a full-size army invading enemy territory. His mouth captures mine and greedily accepts my surrender.

Powerful longing and crumbling restraint collide in an explosive firework display. Warner’s mouth urgently moves against mine like he’s drinking in every second together before this is taken away from him like everything else he’s lost.

Desperation forms an unbreakable coil that entraps us in its fleeting bliss. The swipe of his tongue, hot and wet against my mouth, intensifies what feels like an admittance of defeat.

I twist his hair between my fingers, holding his head in a vice. Anything to prevent this assault from ending. The sharp tug causes a groan to swirl in Warner’s throat, making my core clench.

The arm still wrapped around me responds in kind—pulling taut, locking me in a prison of muscles and skin. Lips and teeth suspend me there, and I wouldn’t complain even if I could.

When the kiss eventually breaks, our lips linger in each other’s orbit. Breathless. Tingling. Hearts battering ribcages like caged birds, frantic to escape their enclosures.

Daring to open my eyes, I’m met with a fatal concoction of desire and guilt spelled across Warner’s flushed face. His mouth is swollen, trapped open to steal each short gasp.

“I’m in so much trouble,” he mutters.

CHAPTER 23

EMBER

RED VELVET – JUTES & ARI ABDUL

“Absolutely not!”

His fist thumping down on the dining table, Hyland’s menacing expression would melt the skin from my bones if I gave a shit. Perhaps he should try it on someone who’s actually intimidated by his crap.

While his hot and cold behaviour does make him a pain in the ass to be around, I’m not going to cater to his stupid, protective demands. I didn’t before, and I won’t start now.

“I don’t recall asking for permission,” I reply curtly.

“You’ve been home from the hospital for less than twenty-four hours.”

“So?”

“Already you’re planning to throw yourself in the deep end with that lunatic!”

His yelling is really not appreciated by my still-fragile brain. While I slept well, I’m still feeling sore and worn out. The pain medication I’ve been prescribed is helping my chronic headaches, though.

“Blaine is refusing to speak to anyone but me,” I try to reason with him. “What choice do I have?”

“She isn’t throwing herself anywhere,” Axel pipes up from the kitchen. “We will be there. She’ll be supervised and perfectly safe.”

“There’s no such thing as perfectly safe around Blaine Madden!” Hyland blusters.

Rolling my eyes, I accept the steaming coffee Axel delivers to me. His bruised face morphs into a smile at the appreciative look I gift him. At least someone has forgiven me.

“That one’s on the house, babe.”

“You’re too kind,” I tease back.