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Fucking hell. I don’t know what I’m doing here. Other than fucking shit up with Apricot.
For the past few days, I’ve kept my distance so I didn’t do something that would hurt her. Not when I’m furious with this whole situation. Viking asked Pirate to look deeper into Apricot’s aunt and uncle to find out more about what they were into. Everything he’s found so far is enough to send me over the edge. The group is nothing more than some sick fucks who get off on some weird ass shit. The reports he’s found so far talk about women who were first born into certain families that were ‘Chosen’. Then you had the ones who were born with the birthmark. Every time a girl is born with a birthmark at the hairline, they’re supposedly born to serve as more than a ‘Chosen’ which I don’t fucking get.
Regardless I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Apricot safe and out of the hands of those who want her. She means everything to me and doesn’t fucking know it. It’s why her comment about me taking her home pisses me off. Mostly at myself. All because I’ve been distant with her, having gone back to the way I was before, being short and not talking to her at all. It’s fucked up, but I’ve needed to think with my head and not any other part of me, such as my dick or the heart that I didn’t even know I had. Then again, my heart is sitting next to me.
I drive us over to the townhouse and park, little does Apricot know, but I’ve had the prospects move all her shit to my place. I’d asked Fawn, Peyton, and Shyann to oversee where shit gets set up while I handled business. None of those women liked the fact I was straight up moving Apricot in with me without speaking to her, but they didn’t fight me. Just made it known they disagreed and that I needed to stop with the he-man caveman antics, which I didn’t listen to.
Apricot moves to get out before Iget the truck shut off, and I let her. She opens her door and hops out as I follow suit. Neither of us says a word. At the door, she finally turns to me and tilts her head back to meet my gaze, and I can tell she’s got herself worked up.
“I’ll see you later,” she says, holding herself straight.
I continue to hold her stare until she turns to the door, unlocks it,and steps inside. I move in behind her, keeping my eyes on her as she comes to a stop at the sight of the empty townhouse.
“Oh my God, my stuff is gone,” she whispers, and I feel a tinge guilty for not talking to her, but not really.
The townhouse is cool and all, but it’s not big enough for all three of us. I want my woman in my bed where I not only know she’ll be safe but I can tie her to the damn thing whenever the fuck I want. And I look forward to doing it soon, though I want to get other shit handled first. Get whoever is fucking with Apricot taken care of.
Apricot’s eyes find mine, and she takes in my blank expression and the fact I don’t seem worried about the place being empty.
“You . . .” She narrows her gaze and plants her hands on her hips. “You did this, didn’t you?” she accuses.
“And if I did?” I cock my head slightly and step into her space.
“Why? Why would you have my place emptied out, and where did you put my stuff?” she demands, holding her ground.
I reach out and grip her hips, pulling her flush against me. Her eyes widen when she feels my dick, but she shouldn’t be surprised by this. Not by a long shot. I tighten my hold on her and lean down until we’re nose to nose. “Why? Because I told you, you’re mine, Dimples, and I’m not about to be away from you if I can help it. My place is bigger. We have more space, and there’s no way I’m giving up the quiet I get out there. Having you here and me there won’t happen. You want fuckin’ space? I call bullshit.”
“It’s not bullshit,” she snaps.
“It is. Just speak your fuckin’ mind and tell me why.” I’m sure I know the answer, but still.
Instead of answering, Apricot shakes her head and shoves against my chest, but I don’t let her get away. I’ll never let her get away from me.
“Let me go, Grimm.”
“Not happenin’, Dimples.”
“You can’t do this.”
I focus on Apricot, taking in the miserable look on her face, but I know it’s ‘cause I’ve been a dick. I put the sadness there. I also ignore it because everything I’m doing is for her. “I can’t do what? Protect you? Keep you safe? Make sure no one ever fuckin’ tries to get at you again? You don’t fuckin’ know,” I growl, releasing her. “You’ve no fuckin’ clue as to the dangers swirling around you, and all I’m trying to do is keep you safe.”
“I’ve no clue about what? What are you talking about?” she demands, stepping back.
“Every fuckin’ thing. Shit you don’t need to know about. If you did, it would haunt you, and that’s something I don’t want."
“It’s not for you to decide, Grimm,” Apricot screams and gets in my space, slamming her fists against my chest. “You and everyone else need to stop being so overprotective, thinking I can’t handle the truth. I’m a lot tougher than you all think.”
I grip her wrists in my hands, hold them to my chest, and lean deeper into her. “You think you can handle knowing that those sending you letters want you for the sole purpose of what they didn’t get your sister for?” I curl my lip in disgust at the mere thought. I don’t want her to know this shit, but I’ll give her this one snippet in hope of her listening to me.
“What?” Apricot’s voice is no more than a breath as she blinks up at me with a look of utter surprise. “What are you talking about?”
“Wasn’t going to tell you this shit. None of us want you to know it. Especially your sister.” I let her wrists go and step back, keeping my eyes locked with hers as I tell her the basics. Although I make sure Apricot knows that I’m not about to tell her everything. I’m not gonna disrespect CJ by telling her story to her sister. No matter how much I know my woman deserves to know it. I watch Apricots expression as I tell her and don’t miss the horror that overcomes her features as it sinks. I take in the tears streaming down her face and wish I didn’t tell her shit, but she’s pushing buttons. “We’re not gonna let anything happen to you. You know that, right?”
Without words, she nods and turns away.
I release a heavy breath, step up behind her, and wrap my arms around her. I press a kiss to her temple and pull her against me. “You gotta trust me, baby,” I murmur in her ear. “I’m only doing what I gotta do to keep you safe. I can’t lose you, Apricot. Not fuckin’ ever, you hear me?”
“I don’t understand anything going on. Why is this even happening?”
