Page 45 of Poison Touch (Monarch Vipers #1)

EDGE

My eyes never leave Ninja. I trail after her as she slips through the crowd into the darkness. I wonder where she’s going by herself but refrain from following until I notice Josh follow her out.

She’s up to something, and I want to know what it is. Plus, I’m not about to let Josh lay a finger on her. If I’m being completely honest, I also have the menacing hope to get him in a dark place—despite my orders—to kick the fucking shit out of his pussy ass.

I jerk my chin at Kade. He gets up and walks in the direction I indicate. After peeling Brielle’s hands off me, I push her drunken ass back into the chair. “Stay the fuck away from me, Brielle.”

“Come on, baby. Don’t leave me. Dance with me.” She tries to stand but falls over. Her friends catch her before she lands on the ground.

I follow Kade outside. He pauses at the entrance of the maze.

A few people run out, cheering that they found the exit.

We blindly walk through the tall hedges until we hear Josh’s faint voice.

He’s laughing and making stupid-ass jokes.

I don’t hear my little Ninja, but she’s with him.

I can smell the faint scent of her perfume.

Kade peers around the corner before walking right up on Josh as he starts to manhandle and grope Ninja.

The shit he says to her has my blood fucking boiling.

Kade starts to step in, but I grab his shirt sleeve and shake my head.

He looks at me like I’ve lost my damn mind.

I want to kill the fucker, just like I’ve imagined a thousand times in a hundred different ways.

I swore if he ever touched Ninja, I would end him.

But like always, she has the situation under control.

“What the fuck?” Kade mouths.

“She’s got this,” I whisper back.

He does as I ask, but I know it’s killing him not to jump in and break Josh’s face himself. He’s had his sights on Josh Carter for two years. And now, here’s his chance to take him down and save the girl. It’s the perfect excuse to get revenge for what he did to Abigail.

Josh and Ninja go back and forth. I can tell she’s playing with him. She’s the hunter, and he’s her prey. He doesn’t see it that way, but I have no doubt he will. And soon.

Steam practically comes out of Kade’s head. He starts forward again, and again, I grip his sleeve to stop him.

Ninja lets Josh make his first move. He grabs her, a sloppy hold she easily maneuvers out of. Then she delivers her first strike just above his ear.

Josh swipes at the side of his head. “That wasn’t very nice.”

“Maybe it has something to do with you trying to take something I’m not giving.”

“Oooh, looks like you enjoy playing rough. This is going to be fun.” Josh starts for her again. His hands reach out and yank her forearm.

I hold my stance. My fist is pressed to my mouth as I try to remain calm.

She spins out of his hold. As she comes to face him again, the lines of her face are smooth with determination and anger.

I’ve been dancing in the cage and on the mat long enough to know what that look of fire means.

She’s done playing. The next time he starts for her, Ninja doesn’t waste time.

She punches him in his face. Bones crack, and blood spurts from his nose.

“You bitch!” Josh wipes his upper lip on the sleeve of his shirt.

Kade watches the entire scene in awe. He glances my way a couple of times, but otherwise, his eyes are glued to the action, like mine.

Watching her fight is the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.

She’s in a sexy as fuck dress, kicking the shit out of a rapist, avenging a girl she’s never met, and doing it all in fucking high heels.

In a futile attempt, Josh grabs the layers of fabric of Ninja's dress—the dress I fucking bought her. I swear to fuck, if he tears even a thread, I’ll jump in and help her. But as I watch the very one-sided match, my little Ninja has everything under control.

With Josh’s grip on the fabric, she closes the distance between them and maneuvers him right where she wants him, lining up his body in perfect order with hers, his front to her back.

She throws back her elbow, slamming him in the face again.

The prick falls back on his ass. His hands are covering his banged-up, bloodied face.

I tilt my head, listening for the cries of pain.

I don’t hear anything. When I look back at them, she’s choking out the fucker.

Ninja’s words are low, but I hear something to the effect that he needs to make things right.

Then, within seconds, Josh Carter is nothing more than a limp heap on the dirt.

Ninja delivers a final, unnecessary blow, a swift kick to his dick. It’s hard enough to make me wince and cringe in imagined pain. If the asshole were conscious, his cries would have been heard a mile away.

“Better than any MMA fight you’ve seen?” I ask Kade, already knowing his answer.

“Holy fucking shit,” he says under his breath. “What the fuck just happened?”

I don’t say anything. I don’t have to.

I didn’t know what she was up to. I only knew whatever it was, she would be able to handle it. The only thing she hasn’t been able to handle is her feelings for me. I’m the unruly kink in her well-orchestrated chain. And I like it that way very much.

Miraculously, her painted mask is still perfect. Her hair is a little messed up, but fuck me if I want to yank the rest of it out of that hair clip, pull the shit out of it until she’s staring up and seeing only me.

Kade can’t help but start clapping.

Ninja jerks her head in our direction. The shocked look on her face at seeing us is priceless. She lets out a deep breath. Her eyes meet Kade’s before they catch mine.

Conveniently, my best friend brought a bottle of water.

After he hugs her and they exchange a few words, he opens the bottle and pours some on her arm to wash away the asshole’s blood.

I hate that even specks of the fucker’s blood mark her skin.

Kade pulls off his T-shirt and wipes away the filth.

She scans Kade’s body, paying particular attention to his side.

Something in her posture visibly relaxes.

After Kade helps her clean up a bit, I go to her.

They’ve had their sweet moment. Now it’s time for me and her to have ours.

She falls against my chest, all of the emotions no doubt catching up to her.

She’s a fucking badass, but there’s a soft girl under that hardened fighter exterior, and I want that sweet side right now more than I’ve wanted anything in a very long time.

“It’s okay. I got you,” I murmur, and her body relaxes against me. “After what you just threw at him, he’ll be out for a while.”

She nods. “I hope the asshole doesn’t wake up for a long time.”

“When he does, he’s going to be instantly reminded you kicked him in the nuts when they’re double their size and painful even to look at.”

She chuckles. “Fuck, I hope so.”

I slide my hand down her arm, which is still slick with water, and link our fingers together. “Come on.” I lead her to the darkest part, only the moon lighting our way.

“How did you know?” she asks.

“I saw him follow you to get cotton candy, then into the maze. I wasn’t sure he would try anything, but I knew you’d be ready if he did.” I shrug. “And I wanted front row to the show.” I was also there for backup in case things got too intense, but I don’t tell her that.

“Is Kade okay?”

I smile. “I don’t think he’s been this okay in a long time.”

I sit on a bench in another dead-end corner and pull her onto my lap. Sliding the pins from her hair, I toss them on the ground. Her hair falls loosely around her face. “You look amazing.”

She smiles coyly. “Thank you for the dress.”

“I wanted you to have something from me. And something I can take off anytime I want.”

She gently hits my chest. I grab her hand, keeping it there. She has to feel my heart beating wildly under her palm. I slide my hand into my pocket and take out the earbud I stole from her at the library.

“I was wondering where it was.”

“You can have it back after.”

“After…?”

Pressing play on my phone, I place the earbud into her ear. The first beats of“Under Your Scars”by Godsmack filter through the tiny speaker, playing only for her.

I tilt her head so that she’s facing me. Her eyes are blue flames of scorching heat. “Come here.”

Gently, I cup the back of her neck, then draw her to me.

For once, she doesn’t hesitate as her lips press against mine.

They open, and she slowly eases the tip of her tongue between my lips.

I know she’s on a fucking high from the fight.

The adrenaline is still coursing through her veins.

And I’m taking complete advantage of the situation.

But I don’t fucking care. I deepen the kiss.

There’s never going to be enough time on this planet that I’ll get sick of the feeling of her against me.

“I want you,” I say against her swollen lips.

I grab her waist and ease her up. I turn her around so her back is to my chest and angle her head so she’s looking up at me. Kissing her, I run my hand over her bare stomach.

I whisper in her ear without the earbud, “Do you remember what I said the last time I saw you in this dress?”

Breathily, she whispers, “Yes.”

“Did you make yourself come when you got home, imagining it was me touching you like this?” I slide the tips of my fingers into the band of her skirt.

Her breath hitches against my mouth. “Yes.”

I love her unashamed answer. She reaches her arm around the back of my neck. I slide my hand in deeper until I feel the edge of her silk panties. She sucks my bottom lip into her mouth.

“Fuck, baby,” I groan.