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The ruler and the stray.
The vein in his jaw tics angrily. “What are you playin’ at, Brielle?”
He glares through dark, tethered lashes, but the longer I look into them, the more I see.
The anger, it’s for everyone else, but the fear, it’s for me.
Or more, because of me... and invisible to all but me.
My eyes quickly flick over his body again, his nice clothes, freshly showered hair.
He was ready to celebrate, and not with just anyone.
With me.
So I ignore his foul words and mucky glower and make my way to him.
He doesn’t fight me, but it’s easy to see his instincts tell him to, so those he does battle on the inside, I’m sure of it. But not for long.
I wrap my arms around his middle and he glares down his nose at me, his body shaking slightly, rage rearing its way out, but he can’t hide the long exhale—I feel it against my chest.
I lift my chin, then slowly tip my head, exposing my neck as if offering it as a meal to a starved vampire.
His eyes fall to the angry mark he darkened up last night and his chest rumbles against mine.
“They see,” I whisper, reminding him of what he asked of me last night.
To show them, them being everyone.
Slowly, his muscles loosen. “They see, but do they know who put it there?”
I shrug, baiting him with my smirk, knowing how much he loves to bite.
And bite he does.
His arms sling greedily around me, lifting me from the floor, and my legs wrap around him.
His eyes bore into mine with a silent demand, one I’ll gladly meet.
I press my lips to his, right there in the middle of the room, and he growls his appreciation, kissing me back just as hard for all to see.
As we pull away, he grins, and then Mac is beside us, offering us both a shot.
Royce chuckles and lowers me to my feet, nodding for me to take it.
So I do.Chapter 28RoyceI’m a bastard. I know this.
I acted like a dick, like always, but my girl... she understood where it came from—a fucked-up mind of a guy who is desperate for all she can give me but admittedly—pitifully—fearful of the fallout he knows will follow, not that that’s an excuse.
It’s not. She deserves better, I know this.
But Brielle, she doesn’t hold it against me.
She’s kind when others aren’t, forgiving when she shouldn’t be, because she’s fucking light and she can’t help but shine it over everyone.
She always understands what I want and what I need, when I need it and why. It’s fucked-up to have to deal with my bullshit, but she does it with stride.
Right now, she laughs with Chloe across the room, but when her eyes skate this way, finding mine on her, she breaks from their conversation and heads for where I’m sitting on a couch.
She slips between my legs, eyeing me.
I run my knuckles along her neck and down her breastbone, my eyes flicking to hers when goose bumps follow.
She sighs, and it heats me to the core.
Fuck Bass and the bullshit before this, fuck everything.
All I want is this.
Her.
In the morning and at night, every hour in between.
I told her I’d get addicted, and I was at first taste... if I wasn’t before that.
Pretty fucking sure I was.
Brielle’s lips hover over mine. “You have a nephew. How is he?”
Fuck me, I do.
My family grew last night.
My whole world grew last night...
I push her hair over her shoulder, and she smiles. “He’s perfect, like I knew he would be.”
I pull her forward until her mouth is in line with mine.
“Stay with me again tonight.”
She kisses me, but pulls away too quick, a slow smirk growing. “We’ll see.”
“We’ll see.” I frown. “We’ll see? Tink, swear to God—”
Her lips crush mine and we’re done fuckin’ talking.
It’s not long after that I take my baby home. As we step from my ride, I grip her and she latches on, kissing me while I carry her across the property, through the open pool gate, and walk us straight into the water.
She gasps, the cold a surprise, but her grip never wavers, and neither do her eyes.
I drag my hands along her ribs and squeeze, inhaling her exhale, and step us out a little deeper into the water.
“Lie back, onto my hands,” I rasp.
She doesn’t ask why, doing as I said, her body straight as a board and light in my palms.
I keep my hands pressed against her upper thighs and lower back.
“Close your eyes, relax your muscles, and breathe deep, baby girl. Steady.”
She does, her chest rising before me and it takes serious effort not to run my hands over her breasts.
“Let go of everything on the inside, and just ...breathe.” Slowly, I remove my hands, staying close at her side for several moments before slowly drifting away.
