I got on, relief washing over me as I held onto him.
“You know, you might never be in trouble with anyone else, but you currently are with me,” I said.
He groaned. “Alright, Rebel. Let me get you home and then give me what you got. I’ll take my punishment.”
I squeezed tighter once, not saying a word for the rest of the drive.
Twenty-Nine
Rook
She stomped up the steps as I slammed the door behind me.
“I just wanted to go out for one night. One damn night and someone is trying to kill me?”
“I told you I would go with you in case something happened.”
“I thought you meant if a guy was hitting on me or something. I didn’t think you meant in case you needed to shoot a man.”
“I can be more clear next time,” I said, stifling a laugh.
“Next time? You think there is a next time? You think me not being able to go out for girls’ night without you tagging along so I don’t die is okay?”
“It doesn’t have to be me if you need a break from all my charm. Zack could go. Or Mason. He likes to get out sometimes. I’d offer Hero to go, but he would start a fight on purpose if nothing happened. Aiden is already one step from Evie’s full-time bodyguard, so he’d like to keep a night off.”
“You think this is funny? My dress is covered in some random guy’s blood. Am I supposed to pay to have that dry cleaned? Or scrub it out myself?”
There was no shortage of money in this room, let alone the house, but I still smiled. “I will pay to have your dress dry cleaned. Or buy you a new one. I would like to add, though, that I was there to save you. Sometimes it gets a little messy.”
“Messy?” She nearly yelled the word, but her mouth snapped shut as she screamed against her sealed lips. “You are insane.”
“You’ve said that before,” I said, sitting back on the bed.
She disappeared into the bathroom. The shower turned on, and I waited.
“Do you need help in there?” I yelled out.
“If you so much as step foot in this bathroom, Rook, I will cut you.”
“With what?”
“Oh, some dumb man left a giant knife in my room after he tried to kill me with it, and I was so freaked out that it was a murder weapon that I hid it. I can reach it from here. Don’t even try me.”
“You put it close enough that you can reach it from the shower? Interesting choice. You’re really getting good at this threatening thing, Rebel. Before you know it, you’ll be running a damn empire, making men scared of you without them even meeting you.”
When she stomped back out, my chest tightened. She was still mad, but now she was wet, wrapped in a towel, and as beautiful as ever.
“Don’t be condescending.”
I held up my hands. “I’m not.”
I liked when she was mad. I liked to see the wild woman she hid away and gave just to me. I didn’t think it would be just for me for much longer, though. She was born to be in charge, and I didn’t think her temper would last long inside these four walls when she knew she could let it out. She seemed comfortable withme now and had no fear in facing me to tell me exactly why she was mad at me.
I was in her room and she was comfortable to shower and get ready for bed with me here. It was so domesticated and, with her, I loved it. I wanted my woman with me every night, telling me about her day or asking about mine. I wanted someone who was at my side and would help me run our world. I knew it would include getting yelled at by her sometimes.
“I called you to help me tonight. It’s not like I took care of it myself,” she said, the sadness in her tone making me upset.
“And?” I asked, stepping closer now. I reached up, running a hand down her jaw. “You are a fucking queen. And just like a queen, you don’t have to fight battles on your own. You have a damn army behind you. Maybe not a big one, but I promise, we are enough to fix any issues you have with anyone.”
