Free Hungry Heart: Part Two by Violet Haze Page A

man.”
    “Always.”
    With a final lingering glance at me, Nathan turns and walks out the door into the night, leaving me there staring at his back as tear fill my eyes.
    “I don’t understand,” I whisper as Benedict steps close and pulls me close to his side. “He didn’t want to me to go home with him. Said he just wants to sleep and I should stay here and have fun.”
    “He looked pretty tired, sweetheart. He probably didn’t want to put an end to your night just so you could go home and watch him sleep.”
    I wish it were that simple, but something about this whole thing bugs me, as it has since he took his trip in the first place. And even though he left me here, now all I’ll think about is how he’s at home and I’m not with him.
    Something I’m pretty sure Benedict realizes because he sighs and says, “If you’re that worried, let me make sure the staff can take care of things here and I’ll take you home.”
    “Thank you.”
    It’s not even thirty minutes later when we leave the club to take me home, Benedict holding my hand the whole way.

12
    When we get to the house, Benedict insists on walking me up to the door, and even though it’s not a far walk from the driveway, it is pitch black out. I’m not really sure why Nathan hadn’t turned on the porch light like he always does, but I suppose that’s the least of my concerns right now.
    It’s real quiet as I enter after unlocking the door with Benedict right behind me, and when his body tenses against mine, his fingers tightening on my shoulders, I’m instantly on alert.
    “What?”
    “Shh. Do you hear that?”
    After listening for a few seconds, I whisper, “No. I don’t hear anything. Are you trying to scare me?”
    “Of course not. Maybe it’s just the tv.”
    “Probably. He likes to watch it to go to sleep.” Shrugging out of my cold with a roll of my eyes, I hang up my coat in the closet while Benedict shuts the door softly behind him. When I finish doing that, I turn to face him with my hands on my hips and raise a brow. “Planning to spend the night?”
    “Course not. You want to be alone with Nathan and I completely understand. I will miss you though.” He steps real close and backs me up against the wall, planting his hands palm down while lowering his head toward mine. “Give me a kiss goodbye.”
    Slipping my hands inside his jacket, I slide my hands up his chest slowly, locking his hot gaze with my own naughty one accompanied by an equally wicked grin. Then, lifting one hand to each side of his face so each cups a jaw, I move in enough to press our lips together, and he’s instantly taking advantage of our position.
    Not wanting to deny myself or him the pleasure we feel when we’re touching each other, my mouth opens under the pressure from his, and his tongue invades my mouth like I’m sure he wants to invade my pussy with his cock. His body presses into mine and a small jerk of his hips has mine hitting the door, but that isn’t what makes me still and push on Benedict’s shoulder.
    It’s the shout of a woman’s voice I don’t recognize coming from upstairs.
    Benedict pushes off without a word and ducking under his arm, I take off down the hall until I reach the stairs and pause as Nathan replies, his words muffled.
    “Stop,” Benedict whisper as he comes up beside me. “Let’s try to hear what they’re saying before you run up there.”
    I’m angry at the idea Nathan lied to me, but more confused at why he’d find it necessary. “If he wanted to be alone with someone, why didn’t he just say so? Why tell me he was going to bed?”
    “I dunno,” he hisses, snatching my hand with his while using his other to grip my jaw and make me look at him. “Calm down. I didn’t see a car other than his and yours outside. Maybe somebody showed up?”
    I rip my hand from his to throw my arms up in the air in a frustrated gesture. “At nearly one a.m.? Who just shows up unannounced that late unless—”
    A