Page 36 of Puck My Life

“It’s simple,” I say, watching as Mal puts things back. “I want to show him what his bad behaviour is losing him.”

I stalk over to Mal, pressing myself up against his chest. I thread my fingers through his hair and draw his head down to mine.

Mal lifts me up like I weigh nothing. He almost purrs into my mouth as he devours me. If Deacon is possession, then Mal is pure seduction. I’m lost in his skill, in the way he makes me feel tiny and seen.

I don’t ever want this to end.

Alarm bells are screaming, but I ignore them.

I pull back with difficulty, but the idea of punishing Deacon has evaporated from my mind. I feel unsteady and unsure.

Mandy was wrong. I’m not going to jump out of boiling water. I’m just going to boil to death.

“Are we fucking in aisle three now?” Deacon asks with a wicked wink.

I didn’t think this through at all.

Raynor shoves him towards the trolley. “Let’s go.”

I follow them silently. I’m not sure who won this, but I feel confident it wasn’t me. Deacon’s stopped being an idiot, though, so maybe we both lost.

Mal keeps glancing at me, but I can’t read him. I can’t read any of them anymore.

We’re in line, and Deacon and Mal are arguing when Raynor leans down and whispers in my ear.

“When you kiss me, it’s not going to be because of a game to get Deacon to behave. When I kiss you, you’re not going to be thinking about him at all.”

My mouth drops open, but Raynor gives me a mock salute and walks out of the shops, leaving us all behind.

Deacon

PAST

I throw off my quilt and jump out of bed, pacing. The rage will not leave me. For the first time in my life, I’m scared I might hurt Mal, Raynor, or Vae.

I feel so out of control; my temper is sizzling; my sight is brighter; my teeth and bones ache. My muscles keep cramping.

The scent of the girls at school fills my nose again. They were right and so very wrong. I can feel the knot again, my cock so hard it aches. I reach into my pants and squeeze it hard, stroking violently.

“Deacon?”

“Shit.”

I pull my hand out and turn away.

“Go away, Hook.”

She hesitates and then tries the locked door again.

“Vae!” I shout. “Go away.”

I can smell the hurt bleeding off her, seeping under my door with the breeze from the open back door.

The door slams open, and Raynor stands there, chest heaving, the stench of alpha in the air.

Oh, god.

I bare my teeth and strut towards him, but Vae darts in, placing one icy hand on my stomach.