Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,44

it up.” She huffed impatiently and pushed some of her fallen hair over her shoulder before wiping the sweat from her brow. Jules seemed uncomfortably hot.

“We have no Walkers here,” Jacob growled. Their hostility towards her made me shiver. Jules was, apparently, not welcome. To my surprise, she stomped over to the suitcase and dragged it up the walkway. She huffed out profanities with each step

“Don’t get too comfortable,” Cyler called over his shoulder. “You and your fiancé will be staying in one of our new Walker dwellings,” he said with a smile. “We simply don’t have the room here, and I figured you’d appreciate having your space.”

“What happened to my old bedroom?” she asked incredulously.

“It now belongs to Ash,” Jacob said. His hand was still firmly placed on mine. He brushed his thumb over my wrist in a reassuring motion that sent flutters down my arm.

“Is that why she’s wearing my clothes?” she asked. I looked down at my outfit; a long, blue skirt that was tight around my hips and a white, tank top that was loose-fitting and didn’t quite cover my stomach entirely. I suddenly felt self-conscious.

“Yes, these were the clothes you left behind. But you make a good point.” Cyler said while brushing his fingertips through his beard. At this point, we were standing on their front porch and waiting to enter inside. The Governor’s guard took their place surrounding the home. “I think it’s time we buy Ash a wardrobe of her own. Something classier then what you left behind,” Cyler concluded. I tried not to drop my jaw entirely. Unlike his cordial visit before, Jules and Cyler had wholly dropped all pretenses and were openly hostile towards one another.

We made our way inside, and I immediately left everyone to go to the kitchen and grab refreshments for everyone. I needed a break from the tension and Josiah’s intense stare. I wasn’t sure what he wanted from me, and I needed a moment to consider what all this meant.

However, before I could gather my emotions and bottle them away, Josiah waltzed through the kitchen entryway and pinned me against the counter. We were alone. Before I could distance myself, he grabbed my cheeks and passionately kissed me. When we first kissed, it was an exploratory test. Something both of us needed to expel the sadness and tension between us. This new kiss was one of desperation. He kissed me like a man that was starving. Our teeth clashed, and he gripped my hair, pulling us even closer. I felt him harden against my stomach, and I pulled away.

“What are you thinking?” I whispered in a clipped tone. “Your fiancé is out there, as well as her brothers. Do you have a death wish?” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, and his eyes followed my movement.

“I don’t give a damn. I’ve wanted you for as long as I can remember. And now that I’ve gotten a taste of what we could have, I’m not giving you up.”

Once again, he pushed against me, this time with much more force. His hands circled my wrists and clamped down hard. The pressure was a painful mix of pleasure and pressure that caused me to groan. The sound seemed to spur Josiah on, and I was greeted with a broad smile. He looked almost predatory. “I’m going to fix this. All of this.”

“What are you saying?” I asked incredulously. However, before he could answer, Jacob’s cough reverberated throughout the kitchen.

“Hey, sweetheart. Was wondering if you needed help in the kitchen.” He smiled widely at me and walked over to us. Josiah quickly removed his grip on me, but still stood uncomfortably close.

“I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Jacob.” He thrust his hand out towards Josiah, and they shook with much more force than necessary. Jacob then snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me away from Josiah. The moment he was a safe distance from me, I gulped air. Did Jacob see us kissing?

Jacob helped me make everyone tea, and he retrieved some cookies that I made yesterday. While putting everything on a platter, Cyler collected Josiah and ushered him back towards the formal dining room.

“It's okay, Ash. It’s all going to be okay,” Jacob whispered. I detected a hint of hurt in his tone, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it.

We walked back, and I politely handed the refreshments out in the downstairs formal dining room that Cyler once told me was