Die For Me (The Consumed Series Book 2)

Michael

Jack kept stealing Hana away from me during the day. She wanted to tag along to his band’s promotion for their album, and I wanted nothing to do with it. I heard their single; it was fine, but I wasn’t exactly their biggest fan. I was more of a classic rock guy. I loved that Hana was a fan of all the old bands that I liked. But I could also tell that Jack being in a band made him even more appealing to her. So very typical, it was a bit disappointing.

But Hana’s time away allowed me to figure out how I was going to get Jack out of the picture for good. I knew money could buy most things, but I wasn’t sure where to start. Under the guise of getting “business things” done, I used my time to look through violent criminal records from the NYPD. I asked my old friend, Officer Daniel, for some help, and he didn’t question anything when I gave him a few thousand dollars. He pointed me in the direction of a few men he had recently detained but were bailed out. I was scheduled to meet with the one who had the most violent past; he was suspected of domestic violence several times and assault with a deadly weapon. Offering him fifty thousand dollars for a small favor was too easy.

When Hana and Jack walked in, the smile on his face repulsing me, I quickly hid away my laptop.

“Hi, babe. How was your day?” Hana sat next to me on the couch while Jack didn’t even bother to look at me as he went upstairs.

“Boring.” I smiled at her, putting my hand on the couch behind her.

She narrowed her eyes as she ran her hand through my hair. I loved how comfortable she was feeling with me again.

“So what exactly is this business stuff you’re wanting to do instead of spending time with me?” she teased, giving me her sweetest, saddest eyes.

I sighed, feigning boredom. “Boring business stuff you don’t want to know about, but it can give us more than you’ve ever dreamed of,” I said as I put a strand of hair behind her ear. I wasn’t exactly lying by being vague like this.

She nodded and then bit her lip; I could tell she was thinking of something, and she seemed nervous.

“I have a proposal,” she finally said with her crooked smile.

She still gave me butterflies when she did that. I had never gotten butterflies before I met her.

I raised my eyebrows at her. “I thought I was the one that was supposed to propose? Again?” I teased, but it stung a little as I said it.

She smiled and rolled her eyes. She’d pay for that later.

“I want all three of us to go on a date.”

Fuck.

“I think we all need to spend more time together. All of us. Otherwise you two will just quietly hate each other while you pass each other in the hall,” she explained further, as if that would make any difference.

This was the last thing I wanted to do, but I had to cooperate. It would be easier for her to believe Jack’s death wasn’t my fault if I did.

I put my hand to her thigh and nodded. “Okay, baby. Whatever you think is best.”

She laughed as if I had just made a joke. I didn’t care; seeing Hana laugh was my favorite thing in the world.

“That was way too easy.” She shook her head at me. “What do you have planned, huh?” she teased.

If she only knew.

“All I really plan to do is bend you over this couch so I can spank you for rolling your eyes at me.”

Her eyes filled with lust. I loved the effect I had on her—getting her excited just by talking dirty to her. She quickly stood and slowly backed away from me, a smile creeping on her face.

“Before you can distract me, I’m going to get ready so we can all go out.” She turned on her heels and ran up the stairs.

I couldn’t help it—I started chasing her. She squealed with delight as she realized I was inching closer to her, her little legs not nearly long or fast enough to outrun me. Her blonde hair swayed behind her, flying across her shoulder as she looked back at me with an excited grin. Jack opened his door as we passed his room in the hallway, and I caught up to her and lifted her from behind, her squeal quickly turning into laughter.

“You win, you win.” She tapped on my forearms, out of breath from laughing.

I eased her down as I smelled her hair, not quite letting her go yet; I wanted to bask in her happiness forever. It made me feel normal.

“Does this mean we’re going out?” Jack asked, irritation clear in his voice.

I sighed as I let go of Hana and closed my eyes, trying not to let his presence ruin everything. She turned around and put her hands to my arms, holding on for balance as she looked at Jack over my shoulder.

“Yes. Get ready.” She laughed, then looked up at me.

I couldn’t stop staring at her. She was so bloody beautiful. I started to doubt myself and my plan; she wouldn’t be the same without Jack here. It was obvious that he brought out some carefree, cheerful version of Hana that I didn’t see often. For some reason, she loved him all too intensely. Did I want to ruin her happiness? Could she get past it? I worried that she might have loved him more than I thought. What if she never recovered from his death? What if it made her want to die as well?

She looked up at me as she pulled her brows together, concern clear in her eyes. “What are you thinking, baby?”

I gave her a small smile and shook my head. “Nothing, babe. Go on, get ready.” I kissed the top of her head and let go before I walked into my room.

“Hey,” she called behind me.

I turned, and she stood at the doorway, hands on her hips. She was so cute when she tried to look tough.

“Really? What’s wrong?”

I forced a smile. I had to pull myself together. “You just make me so happy, Hana. I can’t believe we get to be together again.”

She bit her lip and looked like she was going to cry. She slowly walked toward me and put her hands to my cheeks, searching my face as if the words were all over my face.

“I love you.” Her voice was almost a whisper, and she looked as if she was torn inside as well.

“I love you too. More than you’ll ever know.”