AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Of all the reactions I expected him to have,laughterwasn’t where I would have gone. “You think this is funny?”
“I think you are,” Kellan told me with an almostsmugsmile before he clapped me on the shoulder. “We already knew she was forever and that we would have to share. It works though, because it means we’re all invested in protecting her from everyone—even ourselves.”
That was a warning.
“You’re a bit of a shit, Kellan Traschel.”
His grin grew. “Yes, I am. Except remember—she comes first, Doc. I like you. You’re family. But Iloveher.” Despite the smile, his expression had gone deadly serious. “Don’t do anything stupid with her again. You made your mistake where she was concerned. You don’t get to do it again.”
The warning I accepted for what it was. They would put her first like I needed to put her first and not the way I’d been doing it before. No, I needed to not only put her first but give her the say, even if it went against the grain to let her risk herself.
“Agreed,” was all I said. He didn’t need platitudes or explanations. He wasn’t asking for them either. What he wanted was for me to understand the rules.
I could live with it.
Any other conversation would have to wait because she descended the steps with a baseball cap over her hair and her braid sticking out the back. She also had on jeans, sneakers, and a sweatshirt that practically swallowed her.
The fact her lips were swollen and her cheeks flushed told me that Kellan’s absence had been noticed, so the guys bought us some time. Lucky little bastards. She grinned at Kellan and paused to give him a kiss.
“We’re all good?”
“Yes, we are,” he said, turning her to check the gun holster under the sweatshirt. It was accessible, but the shirt could get in the way. I just needed to make sure nothing demanded that she’d need it.
Her huff of laughter drew my attention to where he pushed the shirt up higher. He adjusted the holster then the shirt. It would make it less likely for her to get stuck in the hem of the shirt. Then he pulled her back to him and murmured in her ear.
Amusement surfaced from beneath the irritation. Kellan wrapped an arm around her and murmured in her ear. The pointed look he gave me over her head reminded me that forever meant sharing her forever too.
Yeah. I got the message.
I nodded, and he grinned before turning toward me. “Be good, Sparrow. I’ll see you and Doc later.” The last was another pointed line. Just reinforced my opinion that taking Voodoo and Bones was preferable to the guys. I wanted the time with her, and they were right to protect her.
However, she didn’t need to be protected from me.
“Where are we going?” The soft question pulled my attention back to the car. I had my head on a swivel, scanning traffic as we were en route to the apartment.
“My place,” I said. “Sorry, I just wanted you to myself for a few hours.”
“Why are you apologizing?” Curiosity filled her gaze, and I had to drag my attention off her and back to the road. We didn’t need a car wreck and we were still in the open.
“Because—” I sighed. “You know, Little Bit? Can we wait to do this back at the apartment where I can hold you and talk to you?”
She settled her hand on my thigh; her touch was a brand I wanted to add to my ink. That side was bare. Maybe I’d start by inking her on me, making the change she’d already wrought permanent.
My phone rang as we neared the complex. I answered with one press of a button on the steering wheel.
“You’re clear,” Voodoo said. “Bones wants to sweep the apartment before you go in.”
“Thanks, guys.”
“You got it,” Bones said. “You locking in for the day or until tomorrow?”
I cut a look at her. “To be decided, but the guys will feel better if we get Little Bit back tonight. We’ll plan on that for now.”
“Sounds good,” Bones said. “Voodoo is dropping me off. Take a drive around the block.”
“Copy that.” I hung up, then glanced at Little Bit, who watched me with a small smile on her lips. “What?”
“I dunno, you’re different when you talk to them. Kind of like you’re different still when you talk to the guys or to Milo—though I think there are real differences in how you handle Milo versus the others.”
