Page 119 of Heart of Thorns

“I’m sorry, Briar.” Ben steps forward, but I immediately back away. He nods, understanding.

Except, I’m not sure hedoesunderstand.

I’m not stepping away from him because he broke my heart but because he potentially tried to kill me.

“Let’s go.” Rhys’s tone is lethal. He steps forward and snarls at Ben.

Ben rolls his eyes

“Will you fucking calm down, Rhys?” Ben scoffs. “I’m still your teammate, remember?”

Rhys grumbles, and Ben’s face twists.

I turn to follow Rhys out of the party because I know the beginning of a fight when I see one. But I don’t make it far. Ben’s hand wraps around my wrist lightly. I snap my gaze to his and tug my arm back.

He lets go willingly but doesn’t step away from me.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay after the warehouse?”

Confusion silences me.

Ben glances behind me and quickly spits the rest of his sentence out. “I saw you crowded on the floor after the chaos ensued with your hands covering your ears. It made me feel sick to see you scared?—”

“Briar?” Rhys calls.

“Coming.”

I rush away.

My heart races, and my head reels.

Rhys wraps his arm around my shoulders and walks me toward the back porch.

HowdareBen act like he cares about me?

A gust of wind cools my heated skin. The anger doesn’t leave, I don’t think it ever will, but after locking eyes with Thorne, I feel slightly less chaotic.

He greets me with a tug on my hand. I fall into his chest, and he wraps his arms around my waist.

“Hey, kitten,” he whispers. “Did you happen to scratch Ben’s eyes out while you were distracting him?”

I think over whether or not to mention that Ben feigned concern about the warehouse incident. I quickly decide it doesn’t matter.

He’s already on our radar.

I rather not give Thorne more ammunition to feed his anger.

“Should have,” Rhys mutters. “I almost did it for you.”

A puff of my breath lingers in the chilly air. “Doing any of that will do nothing. He needs to be locked up. Not assaulted by either of us.” I pause. “No matter how badly we want to do it.”

“She’s right.” Thorne spins me, and I lean against his chest. His arms wrap around me in safety. “We’re going to have to tail him.”

I tilt my chin. “You didn’t get any info from Stephen?”Dammit.

Thorne straightens. “Just the opposite, kitten.”

It’s a swift punch to my stomach.