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He scoffed. “Come on, Strawberry Shortcake. We should stay together. That’s how ravens work.”
Fane would have sensed how much I needed to walk away. He would have seen my rising anger and let me go the second I spoke.
But Hawk just stood there with a lazy grin like this was a game. He knew how rebellious and unruly I was when I first came to Corvin Manor, so he should have recognized the rage simmering inside of me.
Roxie grabbed Hawk’s other arm and tried to tug him away. “I’m sure she’ll be fine. She just needs a little space.”
Hawk released me and reluctantly let Roxie pull him away. “Don’t go far, Tate. And don’t be long, either.”
I gave a curt nod and then trekked through the ancient headstones and low-lying oak branches, my blood thundering in my ears. How could I have ever mistaken that skank for my friend? And why didn’t Hawk see through her bullshit?
After a few minutes of slinking through the cemetery, a specific tree dripping with Spanish moss caught my attention. The familiarity of it hit me like a sledgehammer, and images of Fane pinning me against the trunk bombarded my thoughts. His fingers had dug into my hips, his mouth taking possession of mine. That phantom touch had traveled between my legs, toying with me until my knees quaked.
And then Ruin had appeared and unveiled the demon shifter’s motives.
“Once again, you’re thinking about me.”
My spine tingled as Fane materialized beside me, a dark smirk twisting his lips. “Go away, Maverick. I’ve had enough of your bullshit.”
He scoffed. “How many times do I need to remind you that you’re the one calling me.”
“Stop answering my calls then.” I marched away, my gaze lingering on the tree we’d almost screwed against.
“It’s not that simple.” He snatched my arm and shoved me against the same tree, my blood instantly heating at his touch. Fane crowded my space, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed me. “Thanks for showering. I prefer it if you didn’t smell like Junior.”
I tried to shove him off, but he wouldn’t budge. A frustrated growl burst out of my mouth. “What do you want, Maverick? You already gave me to Ruin, and you know I didn’t kill your brother in cold blood. Why are you still tormenting me?”
His sinful smile sent alarms blaring through my head. “I know you love my torment.” His hand wrapped around my throat, his thumb pressing into the hollow at the base. My breath quickened as heat spread over me. “I can feel your desire even when I’m not really here.”
I sagged against the tree and tipped my head up to his, the fight draining out of me. “What do you want, Fane? I’m tired of playing this game. Just tell me.”
The teasing glint melted from his eyes, and he closed the gap between us, his body brushing mine. “I want you to leave the ravens before they figure out the truth.”
“I can’t just leave.”
He sneered. “Are you really willing to risk your freedom for that oversized kid? You know his aunt will call Barric Hartwell when she discovers you’re a shifter.”
I studied the vein pulsing in his neck and the feathering of tiny muscles around his jaw as he clenched it. “Are you jealous?”
“I have nothing to be jealous about. I’m annoyed.” He pressed into me, his knee pushing forward and rubbing the apex between my legs. I choked back a groan, but he knew exactly how this affected me. “You’re going to get yourself in trouble by continuing this charade.”
My fingers dug into the tree bark to keep from reaching for him. “Why the fuck do you care?”
Fane’s thumb brushed over the tattoo from his bite, sending a bolt of electricity through me. “Maybe I don’t want to deal with your emotions when these ravens catch onto your secrets. I’d rather not feel that shit.”
“I call bullshit, Maverick.” I licked my lips, watching his gaze dart to them, darkening. “I think there’s some other reason.”
A ghost of a smile pulled at his mouth, and his head dipped. “What other reason would I possibly have?” His lips brushed mine as he spoke, his cinnamon-scented breath blowing over my cheeks.
Hot tingles rippled down every vertebra, hitting me right in the core. Fane’s fingers slipped beneath my shirt and traced a fiery trail up my ribs, toying with the edge of my bra. I should have shoved him off or told him to go to hell, but I was falling under his spell again, and I craved him. He could take me like a brutal savage right here, right now, and I’d beg for more.
And the prick knew it too. The storm of lust and satisfaction brewing in his eyes made that abundantly clear.
“When are you going to stop lying to yourself?” he murmured as his mouth slid across my jaw and then down my neck.
My nails dug into tree bark. Fane’s hand traveled farther up, cupping my breast as his tongue dragged across my skin. A barely contained moan slipped free.
Someone cleared her throat. “What are you doing, Tate?”
