CHAPTER 030 : ShesAPart Of Me *** ~~KNOX~~ *** Ihavespentyearsbuildingahabitofnotgettinginvolvedinpeoplesbusiness.
EspeciallyFinns.
EspeciallyanythingremotelyconnectedtothecircusthatisFinnandDelilah.
ItsnotthatIdontcareIjustlearnedthehardwaythatstickingyournoseintootherpeoplesmesseshasawayofturningyouintothevillain,evenwhenyouweretryingtomopuptheirblood.SoIstoppedtrying.Stoppedcaring.Letpeoplemaketheirownchoicesandeattheconsequences.Itscleanerthatway.Simpler.Butthetruthis,HuntersgoingtofindouteventuallyaboutDelilah,aboutme,aboutallofit.Anditsbetterifthetruthcomesfrommethanfromsomeonewithanagenda oranaxetogrind.Imnotexactly knownforbeingfriendly.ImnotthekindofguyHunterusuallysurroundshimself
withhesthesuit,thesmile,theshiningdamnexampleofamanpeoplewanttofollow.Butsomehow,despiteallourdifferences,wevemanagedto buildsomethingthatgoesbeyondfriendship.Real,solid,inconvenientbrotherhood.Andonceinawhile,youmeetsomeonesounlikeyouthatitclicksinawaynothingelseeverhas.Youfindyourselfwantingtoprotectit,keepituntarnished.Youdontwanttobethereasonitfallsapart.
Aperfectexampleisthenakedwomaninfrontofme.SounlikeanythingIveeverdesiredandyetsoirresistible.
Iwatchher,studyingherflushedcheeks,partedlips,transparentglasses,andthesparklingnecklacenestledbetweenherbreasts.Itsdifficulttofocusonthequestionsheasked.
WhatdidIdecide? HellifIknow.
Ivebeenupherethinking,orsoItoldher,butthatwasntentirelytrue.IcameupherebecauseIsawmybrotherkissher-andsomethinginmesnapped.SomethingIdidntwant toname.Andwhenshecalled,askingforafavor,Iinvited herupherewithoutthinking.
Ididntwanttohelpher.Iwantedtofuckher.
IneededtoerasethatimageofherkissingFinnneededtoremindherandmyselfwhoshereallywanted.OnlythenwouldIbenormalagain.
Onlyproblem? Imnotsureitworked.
Becausenow,lookingatherintheaftermath,skinglowing,lipskissswollen,bodymarkedupwiththeghosts ofmymouthandhands…Idontfeelnormal.Ifeel morepossessed.Iwanttotouchheragain.Iwanttodoallsortsofdangerousandwildthingstoher.
Myeyeslingertoolongontheslopeofherwaist,thedipofhernavel,theglintofthatnecklace.Shesavisionofsin.Ofsoftness.Oftrouble.

Imustvebeenstaringtoolong,becauseshesays,Knox? Idragmygazereluctantlyawayfrom herbreastsanduptohereyes.
Didyougetmyquestion?sheasks.
Idid.
And? Ismirk.
Well,Ididntget muchtimetoponderon it.IdbarelylitmycigarettewhenIgotdistracted.
Shenarrowshereyes.Areyou accusingme? AmI?Isay,takingtwostepsback.Seeyouinlessthananhour,Sloane.
Idontgivehertimetoanswer.Iwalkaway,lettingthedrizzlebeadonmyskin.Icanfeelhergazeonmybacklikeasecond skin.
WhenIreachthebouncerattherooftopentrancehesnowseatedCropingthroughsomethingonhisphone.
Youdone,sir?heasks.
Notquite.
Successfully unlocked! Ipulloutawadofcashnotbotheringtocountandpressitintohishand.
Theguydoesntblink.Moretips?Orareyouabouttoaskforanotherfavor? 1/3 CHAPTER030ShesAPartOfMe Shesgoing tostayhereuntilIcomeback.
Like…relaxing?heasks,tiltinghis head.Ordoyouwantmetoimprisonher? Igrin.Justmakesureshestays.
Yougotit.

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AsIwalktotheelevator,itdawnsonmethatitsprobablycrazytoindirectlyconsenttocagingheronthatrooftopwhile!goplaybestmandownstairs.AndIknowit.Iknowexactlyhowitlooks.ButthentheresaninetyninepercentchanceSloanewontmoveaninchanyway,willsitrightwhereIlefther.
ItstheonepercentIcantrisk.
TheonepercentwithFinnHartleysnamewrittenalloverit.
Imnotdelusionalenoughtothinkoneargumentisenoughto severadecadeoffriendshipbetweenthem.Hell,thelasttimeSloaneandIhadsex,sheranfromtherestroominguilt.TheonlyreasonshesleptwithmetonightletmetouchheragainisbecauseshesstillmadatFinn.Itwasntjustmeshewanteditwasescape.Rebellion.Punishmentfortheboywhostillownstoomanypiecesofher.
Whichmeans,ifImgoingtohavehertofullyexplorethissideofmethatsattractedtothiswomanFinnneedstoberemovedfromthepicture.Idontcareiftheyvebeenfriendsforahundredyearsorifheoncesavedherfromahousefire.Icantfightforspaceinawomanslifewhenanothermanalreadyhashisclawsinherheart.AndFinn,forall hisobliviousness,stillhasagrip.
She wasreadytocancelourplans,packabag,andgetonagoddamnplanejusttospitehim.
Thattellsmeeverything.
Imnotreadytoletgo either.AndImnotgoingtodothenoblethingandstepaside.I dontgetfascinatedeasily.Itsrare.Inconvenient.And whenitdoeshappenIgetselfish.
Selfishenoughtowanttostealher.
Selfishenoughtomake hermine.
AndIsureashelldontliketoshare.
Theelevatoropensonthefirst floor,andthenoisefromthehallwherethepartyisbeingheldgreetsmeimmediately.Laughter.Music.The occasionalclinkofglass.Butwhatdrawsmyattentionisadifferentnoiseraisedvoicesechoingfromasidecorridor.
Familiarvoices.
Finnandourmother.

Iroundthecorner.
Theyrestandingfacetoface,tensionthickbetweenthem.
Youcanttellmeyoudidntsaysomethingtoannoyher,Finnissaying.Somethingsetherofftonight,andImverysureitsnotjustthatkiss.
Imnotgoingtostandhereandlistentoyouaccusemeofprovokingyourfriend,Momsnaps.
Sloanehasneverreactedlike thatbefore.ItstoomuchofacoincidencethatIwatchedyouleaveherroomearlier andnow.shessuddenlysnappingatlittlethings.Whatdidyousay toher,Mom? Nothingyoushouldconcernyourself with.
Shesnotatthehouse.Icalledthesecurity.Shesnotpickingupmycalls.Iaskedhertowaitouthereuntilshescalm,andnowIcantfindher.Ineedtoknowwhatyousaidtoher,Mom.
Shellbe back.Shehasntpickedupherthings.Just…breathe,Finn.
Shes…shesapartofme,Mom.
Iknow.
Ifanythingweretohappentoher… Youneedtocalmdown.
Buthecant.Hesunraveling.
WatchingFinnnow,Iseeit.Clearasday.
ThethingMomandHuntertriedtospelloutbeforethethingIshruggedoff,rolled myeyesat,pretendednotto notice.
FinnhasfeelingsforSloane.