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Puck stops what he’s doing to glare at me and I burst into a fit of giggles.
“Look, T, if you don’t want my protection, I can go away, yanno,” he says, turning back to his work.
“All right, big man, sorry.” I smile. He shakes his head and I leave him to do his thing in peace.
“There,” he says after a while, blowing the dust off. He’s carved P+T inside a love heart. I guffaw, hitting him on the arm as he pulls me into a headlock.
A strange feeling surges through my whole body. I haven’t felt like this since my mother, sincehim. Being happy isn’t a feeling I’m used to and finding that here of all places doesn’t make any sense. But with Puck, I feel like I have a friend, and that’s reason enough for me to smile.
My laugh continues to ripple through my chest as I attack Puck’s arm with my hands to escape when a throat clearing startles us and Puck lets me go. We both turn to the cell gate. King and Dax Rhivers stand behind the bars in their pristine suits. King’s hat is placed perfectly on top of his head like always.He looks fucking sinful.
My smile disappears immediately as I remember where I am. King looks at Puck, his face unreadable, and jerks his head in the direction of his cell. Puck stands up to leave but hesitates slightly when I hold on a little tighter to his arm. Leaning down, he places his hand in front of my face, lifting his pinkie finger up. I hook mine with his, knowing what he’s promising.
I’m safe. He’s got me. Just like he has all day.
He stands up fully and brushes past King and Dax, nodding at them both as he goes. Dax claps him on the back as he passes and I furrow my eyebrows at the friendly gesture. Once Puck is out of sight, King and Dax step into my cell, closing the bars behind them.
“Theodora.” King smiles
7
KING
I approach Theo’s cell,not sure what to expect, but Theo laughing and carefree in Puck’s arms isn’t it. I lean against the wall in front of the bars, caging her in. Crossing my arms over my chest, I watch her for a few seconds. My eyes narrow at the scene unfolding in front of me.
I thought my intentions were clear last night when I made sure Puck was there to look out for her. And that was all I meant. Look out for her. Not have her in a headlock on her bed, making her smile like that. There’s light in her eyes and all her teeth are on show as she laughs with him. An uneasy feeling settles in my stomach.
I’ve only seen that smile less than a handful of times. CouldIever make her smile like that again?
Dax is at my side, but he’s not watching them, he’s watching me, a glint of something sparkling in his eyes. I shake my head slightly at him, asking him what he wants.
“Jealous, cuz?” he whispers with a smirk. I throw daggers at him with my eyes before turning back to them. But the show in front of me is making me sick to my stomach.
I clear my throat and both of them stop messing around to lock eyes with me. But I just stare deeply into hers. She’s uncomfortable. Her eyes falter and I can practically see the cogs turning in her brain, remembering where she is and who put her here.
I break my gaze and look at Puck, jerking my head back in the direction of his cell, hoping he can sense my irritation. Puck doesn’t hesitate. He isn’t going to disobey me. He never has. Not then and not now. That’s why I respect him and trust him with this girl. But maybe I misjudged him. After all, it has been years.
Dax opens the gate, ready for Puck to exit through, when he’s brought back down to Theo’s level. Her eyes look slightly panicked and the grip she has on his arm is tighter than before. My anger simmers even higher as she seeks out comfort and protection in Puck, this stranger she’s known for less than twenty-four hours.
Puck hesitates before lifting his hand in front of them and Theo locks her little finger with his. My brows crease at the personal moment between them. She’s only been in here a day. How do they havea thingalready?
She smiles the smallest bit before Puck turns to leave. He nods at us both, then returns to his cell.
“Theodora.” I smile, making my way into her cell. Dax closes the metal bars behind us and the panic in Theo’s eyes from when we first arrived is gone. She’s back to being a stone-cold bitch. Leaning back against the wall, she glares at me, folding her legs up underneath her.
“How was your first night, sweetheart? I see you’ve made a friend already.” I nod at the wall she’s leaning against, indicating Puck. She says nothing. Funny really that she decides to ignore me when I know she has a sharp tongue on her.
“The silent treatment again, is it?” I cock an eyebrow at her. She rolls her eyes before opening that pretty mouth of hers.
“Don’t I get a lawyer or something?” she replies, exasperated. I smile a genuine smile. Even Dax snickers a little.
“Oh, Theodora, that's cute.”
“It’s Theo,” she snaps.
I’ve been waiting for that reaction. She’s rarely called Theodora. Only her father uses her full name. Otherwise, she’s known as Theo. But I enjoy pissing her off.
I step towards her, bending down and brushing my hand down her cheek before taking hold of her chin and jerking her head up, forcing her eyes to meet mine.
