IGNITE

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

EZRA

Iwake up sprawled in the center of Cain’s massive bed, the sheets tangled around my feet, and drool crusted on my face.

When I roll off the mattress and burst into the kitchen, I find Cain leaned up against the counter, reading something on his phone and sipping a cup of coffee. The sight of him makes my heart leap and my nerves twinge.

“Are you not working today?” I ask, eyeing him suspiciously.

He takes a long swig from his oversized #1 Boss mug. “Told you. We’re going to see your friend.”

I march over to him and position myself between his arms. Tilting my head up, I narrow my eyes at him. I don’t want things to be weird between us, but I also don’t want to give words to what happened last night. I don’t really know how.

Cain’s anger doesn’t scare me. If he thinks that’s enough to drive me out the front door, he’s dead wrong. Yeah, what he showed me last night threw me for a loop. But I’m going to let it fuel me through training. I’m going to prove to Cain and Rev that I can handle this. I’m going to free Jakey from this mess.

I want to save others.

Cain sets his phone and coffee mug on the counter behind him. Gently, he takes my arm and examines my scabbed wounds. “Why do you do this?”

Wincing, I fight the urge to rip my arm away from him and hide.

“Ezra.” His voice is a smooth order, his eyes ablaze with barely contained rage.

Tears sting my eyes, and it makes me more aggravated. “Whatever the fuck this is inside of me… sometimes it needs to be calmed, okay? I don’t know what to feel or how to just… be.”

Cain pulls me into his arms. I close my eyes and nestle in tighter. He rests his chin on the top of my head. “Anytime you feel like that, you come to me. Do you understand?”

I shake my head, my cheek brushing against his firm chest. “No. Not really. This is a me problem.”

Easing me back, his fingers nudge my chin higher until our mouths meet. I have to lean my weight against him as my legs go weak from his kiss.

When he breaks away, he cradles my face in both of his large hands, those deep brown eyes striving to convey everything we can’t seem to vocalize. Or don’t want to.

“Do you get it now, Ezra? Your pain is my pain, too.”

He gives me another soft, lingering kiss. I have to grip his shirt in both of my hands to stay upright. Cain kisses me like he cherishes me. It makes my stomach all fluttery and my eyelids almost too heavy to open.

His laugh is low as his thumb brushes over my lip ring, giving it a little flip. “Can’t leave my shirts alone, can you? Is that punishment for how I behaved last night?”

“I’d rather you punish me,” I admit, giving him a sly grin before bounding off to get dressed, satisfied now that I know things are going to be okay. I didn’t fuck shit up with my meltdown last night.

Add that in with the anticipation of seeing Jakey, and I’m on another level today.

Dressed in warm clothes, I come out to find Cain bundled up in his coat and a scarf. He holds a second travel cup of coffee out for me. “Decaf. Otherwise you’re going to be too hyped up. We’ll be stopping by Lenny’s house afterward.”