Page 51 of Brutal

---

The dangers that lurk around me.

Her feistiness grabs hold of me, singes my flesh.

I could close the distance.

Take her mouth.

End this constant edge that’s been between us since the moment I touched her.

I tighten my grip again, lean into her, narrow my eyes.

Then—

I release her.

“You need to stay away from the marina,” I say.

“No.”

“Delaney—”

“No.” She steps toward me. “You don’t get to tell me where I go.”

I grit my teeth. “You have no idea what you’re getting into.”

“Then show me.”

Show her?

She has no idea what’s out there. What could happen to her.

No. Scratch that.

No one is touching Delaney Cross. No one but me.

I look at her.

Really look at her.

She’s already in.

She just doesn’t know how deep it goes.

I curl my hands into fists at my side. “Go to bed,” I say.

She lifts her eyebrows. Clearly not what she expected to hear from me. Frankly, it’s not what I expected to say either.

“That’s it?” she says.

“For tonight.”

Then I turn, walk to the door, and open it. Before I step out, I look back once.

She’s still standing exactly where I left her.

Watching me. No fear at all in her eyes. No confusion either.

That’s going to be a problem.

---