My words seem to let a mood settle in the car. It isn’t necessarily a bad mood, but the air is definitely thicker than it was on the way over, so I try to change the subject.
“Do any of you have girlfriends?” This snaps them from their thoughts and all four of them turn their attention to me. The weight of their undivided attention sends a chill down my spine. I’ve always been strong; I had to be. However, there is something about these men that make me weak. They make my insides turn to jelly and I wish I could hate it, but I’m grateful to finally feel safe enough to let my guard down.
It’s silly really, to feel so comfortable around four men I barely know. I bared my soul and past to them last night, and I only know details about them from stalking them over the years. Maybe that’s why I feel comfortable around them. I feel as though I’ve actually known them almost my whole life. Like kindred spirits.
“No, Princess. We’re all yours.” Brandon gives me a heart stopping smirk as he finishes cleaning me up.
I blush and bite my lip sheepishly, tucking my head to avoid their gazes.
“What did you learn from Mark?” I look up to see Max turned in his seat to look at me.
Shaking my head to try and get rid of the red staining my cheeks, “He said Deangelo Rossi typically worked deliveries with Jax, but he wasn’t there today. Something tells me that he knew we’d show up after getting rid of Jax, and we should find him soon.”
“I agree. He’s newer to the organization; he may be easier to break. Brandon-” Max stops when Brandon interrupts him.
“Already on it,” Brandon flips his phone screen towards Max to show him something. “Right now, he’s on the east side of the city.”
I look at the screen and see that we are looking at a map, “How are you tracking him?” I ask.
“I’m not trackinghimexactly, just tracking the most recent pings from his phone.”
I hum and look back to Max, “We should wait, maybe a day or two before we grab him. Let him drop his guard, it could also put him on edge because we didn’t get to him so soon. Waiting might make him slip up. We could catch anything out of the ordinary.”
“Sounds like a good plan, would you like this to be a Sparrow hit?”
My attention jolts to his eyes, and I see that he is completely serious, “Yes, but I work alone.”
“Absolutely not.” They all say at the same time.
I scoff and try to scold at each of them, “I am more than capable of handling myself, you know that. What if you observed from a distance and I can wear that earpiece again?” I suggest.
“I’ll think about it.” Is all Max says before he turns in his seat to look back at the road ahead of us.
“I don’t need your permission, you know?” I cross my arms. “I can just go off on my own, whether you like it or not.”
This makes Teddy laugh, “Little devil, you aren’t going anywhere. You’re ours.”
Theirs.
21
Chadwick
Brandon
Zoe had fallen asleep soon after we drove off from the first warehouse. Teddy dozed off for about thirty minutes when Zoe leaned into his body for comfort. Subconsciously or not, she seeks us out for little comforts like that, especially Teddy. I’ll admit it, I’m jealous. I see the way she looks at my brothers, and I can’t help but wish she’d give me just a sliver of that attention. There hasn’t been a ton of interaction between her and Dean, but their heated glances tell me that there is definitely something boiling under the surface for one another. I could be reading it wrong, and it may just be some sort of unwarranted hate for each other- but I’m not naive enough to think that. They want to fuck, but they don’t want to admit it. They will put up this fight for a while, I really believe they’re challenging one another.
Dean and Zoe, both see each other as a threat, not in the sense that they are physically threatened, but that they know they are matched competitors. It’s a glorified pissing contest, neither of them wanting to cry uncle first. However, when they do finally give in to their urges, it’ll be explosive. Lethal. And there might be casualties if anyone is too close by.
The way she looks at Max is heart stopping. She respects Max, despite being a thorn in his side with her interruptions and thehilariousnickname for him, she will bend to his rules. I thinkthat is what she seeks in him. She has been in control for so long, she is looking to let go. And Max is such a control freak that his energy calls to her, she can just let things be when he’s around. She doesn’t have to think, or calculate, or think five steps ahead- he does it.
She’ll still do some of it out of habit, but she can loosen the reins because he lives to control.
Zoe’s head has made it to Teddy’s lap, and she is snoring quietly as he runs his fingers through her hair. I wanted to jump for joy when she willingly put her legs in my lap, and I took it upon myself to stroke little circles around her knees.
“We need to get into Kahl’s old house, and then we need to look at the old safe houses.” Max breaks the silence, and I shush him harshly.
“Zoe is sleeping, speak softer.” I whisper.
