He wins graciously, not rubbing it in. Instead, he gets out of the car and carries a sleeping Anna into his arms. I exit the car and follow him into her and Arrow’s room. He lays her on the bed, while I try to make her more comfortable. I remove her makeup for her with a wet wipe I find in her bathroom. She stirs but doesn’t wake up, so I tuck her into bed before roaming into the kitchen in search of Tracker. When I see Rake there instead, eating a burger, my mouth drops open.
“Please tell me you aren’t eating your sister’s burger right now,” I say, grabbing a stool and taking a seat. “She’s going to kill you.”
Rake grins, his mouth full of food. “Was this hers? I’m hungry. If she cared so much, she should have eaten it.”
“She’s asleep,” I point out.
“You snooze, you lose.”
I place my elbows on the countertop. “Mature.”
He smirks. “What you doing here anyway, Lana? Haven’t seen you around here after the sun goes down. You’re like a vampire.” He pauses. “But opposite.”
“Rake, you worry me,” I tell him honestly, blinking slowly.
Green eyes identical to Anna’s smile down at me. “I drank. I fucked. Now I’m eating. Night doesn’t get better than this.”
“Thank you for sharing that with me.”
“Anytime, Lana Bear,” he says, using my childhood nickname.
I wonder if my readers will like a male character like Rake. From my point of view, he isn’t very appealing, although he is good-looking—very good-looking. Blond hair that curls around his face, a straight nose, and sparkling, usually amused green eyes framed in dark lashes. He also has a lip ring and eyebrow ring that suit him well. I just can’t take him seriously though. Maybe it’s because I knew him when we were younger. He was always yelling at Anna for doing something or other, but not in a mean way, just in a way that you knew he loved her more than anything and wanted to protect her.
“Until morning, when Anna smothers you in your sleep and embarrasses your bed partner.”
“Bed partner?” he asks, chuckling. “You’re so fuckin’ proper, Lana.”
“What do you want me to say?” I ask, shifting on my seat. “Your fuckin’ bed partner?”
His chuckles turn into a deep laughter. “Much better. Fuck buddy will do fine though.”
“What’s so funny?” Tracker asks as he steps into the kitchen, freshly showered. Bare-chested, he’s wearing a pair of black pajama pants slung low on his hips. “Fuck buddy?”
His eyes dart between Rake and me.
I keep my expression blank, wondering what he’s thinking. He comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my chest and pulling me back into him. “Don’t think she needs to hear about your fuck sessions, brother.”
Anna told me Rake was into bondage and stuff like that. As an author, I am extremely curious. How I’d love to pick his brain. But I don’t think he’d appreciate that. He’s pretty discreet when it comes to his sexual fetishes. Well, as discreet as he can be, considering he lives in a massive house filled with people who come and go at all hours.
Rake throws the burger wrapper in the bin, then turns to the two of us. “You with him, Lana? If he’s giving you shit, call me and I’ll kick his ass.”
The way Rake says it, I have no idea if he’s joking or not.
“You can try,” Tracker replies with no heat, nuzzling the top of my head.
Rake groans. “You fuckers are dropping like flies. First Sin and Faye, then Arrow and Anna. Now you two? Fuck me, I need another drink. And some new pussy.”
Charming.
He leaves the kitchen, and Tracker carries on like Rake was never there. “You must be tired. Let’s go to bed.”
“I’m sleeping with Anna,” I say, turning around to look at him.
“In Arrow’s bed? The fuck you are,” he growls, then sweetens the tone of his voice. “Come on, we’re just gonna sleep. I’ll even spoon you.”
“Tracker—”
“I’m so glad you’re such an agreeable woman,” he says cheerfully, taking my hand in his and pulling me toward his room.
I open my mouth, then close it, allowing him to bring me into his room and close the door. He turns on the light, while I try to calm my nerves. His room is a large space, with a massive white bed in the middle. Looking around, I realize everything is white, with splashes of black here and there. There are a few clothes on the floor, but for the most part the room is tidy. Tracker opens the door to his bathroom and disappears inside, while I walk to his monstrosity of a bed and sit down on the very end of it. He walks out a second later and climbs into bed, pulling me backward by my waist and settling me so I’m in the middle of the mattress.
“Much better,” he says, yawning. “Sleep, Lana. You’re safe here. When I do touch you, you’ll be the one begging me for it.”
I decide to ignore that.
Slowly lying back on the thick feather pillows, I get comfortable and close my eyes.
Surrounded by his scent, I fall asleep instantly.
* * *
“Lana,” he groans, touching me intimately. “You feel so good.”
I open my eyes sleepily, smiling at Tracker as he slides a finger inside me.
“I want to be inside you,” he whispers.
“Do it,” I demand. “I want you to.”