50 - Jocelyn
~ 50 ~
JOCELYN
“What the hell happened? ” cried Kayden.
“Your girlfriend happened,” I sighed wearily. “That’s what.”
He looked down at the crumpled form of Evelyn. Right on time, she snorted.
“She’s not my girlfriend,” he groaned, rolling his eyes.
“Better tell her that,” Joe smirked, jerking his shadow-stubbled chin at sleeping beauty. “I came in here to find her biting and scratching. And for what? It’s not exactly like you’re a catch.”
Kayden ignored him. He saw the red streaks running down my arm, and his eyes went wide.
“You’re bleeding!”
“She bit me.”
“Seriously?”
“I’d better not get rabies.”
The sounds of shouting grew louder, ending any further banter about Evelyn. Kayden ducked his head back into the hallway, looking concerned.
“We need to move,” he said worriedly. “Are you okay to—”
“I’m fine,” I said, as Joe and I helped each other back to our feet. I thumped him in the chest. “Thanks to this guy.”
Bruschetta Joe nodded briskly, then stepped into the hall. We watched as he disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.
“Where’s he going?” asked Kayden.
“To tell the staff the party’s over, and they need to get the fuck out of here.”
Kayden frowned. “I’m pretty sure they figured that out on their own.”
“Where’s Bishop?” I demanded.
He paused, but only for a moment. “Bishop’s outside, retrieving our stash. We prepped for this contingency.”
I bit my lip in thought. “Weapons?”
He nodded solemnly.
“Damn.”
“Look, we’re getting the hell out of here,” said Kayden. “That’s our number one priority. But if anyone stands in our way—”
“It’s better to have them and not need them,” I cut him off.
“Exactly.”
“Fine. But what about Roman Wynter?”
Kayden’s eyebrows narrowed. “What about him?”
“The three of you came here for him ,” I stressed. “You planned this for years. There’s no way you’re leaving without—”
“There’s no way we’re getting you hurt,” he vowed angrily. “We fucked up, and fucked up bad. We never should’ve brought you here.”
“Kayden, we went over this…”
“Yeah, maybe,” he growled. “But I love you, Jocelyn. I always have. I realize that now, and it makes keeping you safe more important than ever.”
He was so genuine, even in anger. And the only anger he had was for himself.
“I… I love you too,” I told him. “You know that I do. But—”
My words died off as a whisper, as Kayden took my face in his hands. For a few precious moments, time stopped. The way he was looking at me, it felt like our souls were touching.
“But nothing,” he murmured, and bent to kiss me.
His lips were soft, the kiss gentle. It was over far too quickly though.
“C’mon.” His dreamy blue eyes drifted back to reality. “We need to find Andre.”
“Where is he?”
“Last I know he went upstairs.”
“Why?”
An explosion rocked the building, rattling a dozen or so books off the library’s shelves. Debris shot past us in the hallway. Pieces of mansion skittered across the floor, through surging waves of rolling black smoke.
The time for talk was over.
Kayden glanced back at Evelyn one last time, then grabbed me by the hips and shoved me from the room. We ran through the halls together, our heads low, his strong arms guiding me forward and into oblivion.