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But we needed to remind him that if he was leaving her alone to sleep, he needed to nudge one of us. Rubbing her hip, I cradled her a little closer. “It’s okay, I just—I didn’t want to go back to sleep after.”
“Need to talk about it?” We all suffered from our own bad dreams. Some were just easier than others to deal with.
“It’s the same dream I’ve had before. We were in a car, and you guys were taking me back to my uncle.”
I loathed that particular dream. Sliding my hand up to her chin, I nudged her face up so she would look at me. The weariness in her eyes tugged at me. It was that weariness that should never have been present there. She was nineteen, twenty in a few months. She should be going to college, maybe be in a sorority, perhaps partying and beating off frat boys with a stick.
Fuck that, frat boys didn’t need to be anywhere near her. At the same time, it was the darkness and the weariness in her eyes that pulled me in. The darkness that shaped her life also made her perfect for us. Her damage made her human, but it also made me angry.
“We willnevergive you to him,” I said, holding her gaze. “I’ll die first. So would every single one of us.”
Pain flickered across her face.
“We’re not planning on dying, Sparrow.” Resting my hand around her throat, I measured her pulse. It was rabbiting but began to slow as my grip settled into place. “Do you believe me?”
“I do.” Zero hesitation marked the response. “But at the same time—I know what he’s already done to all of you. What he’ll continue to do, and my father isn’t cooperating.”
“We’ll get the answers we need, one way or another.” I rested my forehead on hers. “Freddie had an idea. If we don’t make any progress soon, I’ll discuss it with you.”
Surprise surged in her gaze. “You want me to talk to him?”
“No, I don’t want you to do anything except thrive and be happy.” That said… “We may need you to talk to him, to sell him a bill of goods and see what he says and does.”
“I can do that.” Her bravery was forever on display. “Just tell me what you need me to do.”
“Not yet,” I said. “It’s not because I don’t think you’re capable, for I know you are. But because I’m not willing to ask you to do it—yet.”
A frown tightened her forehead. Her pulse continued to even out though, and her eyes drifted half shut. I flexed my fingers lightly against her throat, and she let out a little sigh. My dick was already rousing to the prospect of her ass being so close, but I focused more on her mood than my desire.
“Okay,” she conceded. “But whatever it is, if it helps, I’ll do it.”
Those words cut me right off at the knees. Tightening my fingers around her throat, I nuzzled a kiss to her lips. She opened to me, sweeping her tongue out to greet mine, and I groaned.
“Sparrow,” I whispered against her lips. “You are too fucking precious to risk.”
“You would never risk me if there was any other choice.” It didn’t matter how accurate her statement was, I hated even the idea ofnothaving a choice.
“I don’t know that I could risk you even then,” I told her, stroking my thumb against her pulse.
She nuzzled her nose against my jaw. The bristle there reminded me that I needed to shave, but then she kissed my throat, and I sighed.
“What’s wrong?” She laughed softly. “I mean besides, you know, the obvious.”
“The obvious is more than enough,” I told her. Then, since the laptop was there, I tugged it over and tapped the screen to wake it up. I typed in my password. “I’m working on finances.”
She scooted a little against my lap and stared at the screen. I walked her through the different columns for profit, loss, expected payout, and income. By the time I finished, she was chewing on her lower lip.
“I can help,” she told me, and I had to resist the urge to pinch her. This was part of why I hadn’t brought it up earlier.
“You help me every day by smiling, lifting your chin, flying…”
“Kissing you?” The tease in her smile definitely brightened the darkness lurking in her eyes.
“That always makes the day better,” I told her, and when she touched her lips to mine, I deepened the kiss. It held us there, suspended, while she melted against me. Delving deeper into her mouth, I groaned at the taste of her. Since Doc left her bed, maybe I should be the one who took her back to it.
She chuckled against my mouth, sifting her fingers through my hair. “Kellan…”
“Hmm?” I asked, nibbling kisses along her jaw. If she wanted to talk, I could lick and nip a path to her throat. Laughter bubbled up through her as I sucked a little hickey into place over her pulse.
