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“Good?” he asked.
“Yeah.” But I wasn’t good. I was confused and scared and I hated both those things.
The bike took off down the road and I didn’t think about much except holding on. I did notice he kept it slow and took the corners easy and I wondered if that was because I’d been drinking.
It was only ten minutes before he turned down my street and stopped several houses away and I knew why—Deaglan.
I got off the bike, undid the chinstrap and pulled the helmet off, passing it to him. He threw his leg over then curved his arm around my shoulders bringing me up against him. “I need you to stay here a minute.”
I stiffened, knowing exactly why he wanted me to stay here. “If Deaglan is there, we can talk to him. Tell him you’re here then—”
His hold on me tightened. “Then what, Alina? You know where it goes from there.” I did. Deaglan would call Deck and I was pretty sure Deck would be here within minutes. It would all come out soon enough though. Chess wasn’t going to keep the secret for long.
“Then go. I’m capable of finding my way to the house.” I was rarely snarky, never actually. But his coming and going, the hiding, the wondering if he was okay or if I’d ever see him again, all of it was pounding down on me.
He’d just dragged me out of the bar because he didn’t like guys ogling me.
I pushed out of his embrace and turned to head to the house. I managed three steps before he snagged my arm. “Alina.”
“What?” I shot back.
His brows lowered. “I need more time.”
“Well, your time has run out because Chess saw you tonight. You know who Chess is, don’t you? Kai’s sister. I’m guessing she’ll give you until morning because I asked her to and then Kai will know. Then Deck. And you know what happens after that?” I didn’t give him a chance to answer. “You disappear.”
“Shutterbug.” He pulled me into his arms, hand on the small of my back, the other cupping my cheek.
Did he really have to do that? It wasn’t fair and I already felt myself wavering. “Don’t call me that.”
“I won’t disappear. I’m here. I’ve always been here.” His voice softened and his thumb stroked back and forth on my cheek. “Baby, please. Let me do this my way.”
I sighed, head bowing and his hand slipped away. I was not a fighter. Connor was. He was also tormented and alone and I was the only person he had let back into his life. “Fine. I’ll go in alone and you do what you normally do and ghost your way in after. I’ll leave the alarm off.”
He hesitated, his eyes on the barely lit street.
“It’s a residential street, Connor. I’m fine.”
He finally nodded and I walked home, but there wasn’t a moment I didn’t feel his eyes on me. I smelled cigarette smoke on my porch and knew Deaglan was home. He rarely smoked, or so he claimed, but on the odd night he came outside and had one.
“London didn’t drop you off?”
I dropped my key that I was about to put in the lock at the sound of Deaglan’s voice. “Ah, no. I got a ride.” I bent, picked up the key and inserted it in the lock. “Do you have company?” I asked, meaning a girl in his bed.
“Nope.”
“Guess it’s an off night then.” I opened the door.
He leaned his arms on the railing of the porch. “Don’t have off nights, pet. I have nights off. So, who gave you the ride?”
“A friend. I’ll see you.” I rushed inside and shut the door then disarmed the alarm.
I climbed the stairs and had just put my purse on the chair when Connor appeared in the doorway.
“Oh, my God. How did you get in so fast?”
His brows lifted, an arrogant smirk appearing on his lips. “Distraction, baby. Deaglan was talking to you, not paying attention to me. I came in through the back when I heard you punch in the alarm code.” He came toward me. “Come here. You look like you’re about to fall over.”
“It’s the heels.” I yanked them off and the arches of my feet breathed a sigh of relief.
He snorted. “It’s the margaritas.”
Reaching me, Connor slipped his hand in mine and guided me into the bathroom. He picked me up and set me on the counter. He grabbed my toothbrush from the yellow ceramic jar, put toothpaste on it then passed it to me.
“Thanks,” I mumbled before I shoved it in my mouth. While I brushed, he stood in front of me, hands on my thighs and watched. I pulled the brush from my mouth. “Why are you watching me?”
He reached up and wiped his thumb over the toothpaste on the corner of my mouth. “I watch you all the time.”
