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King. I had to tell King. He’d agree with me. He wouldn’t want his grandmother harboring someone the Mafia was after. Finally, he’d take me somewhere and let me go into hiding, alone, which was what I should have done all along. Not living in this dream world where nothing bad happened and I had no responsibilities and read books all day. This escape from reality was over.
• twenty-five •
“If she wanted to look like a fucking snack, then so be it.”
King
Making sure Rumor didn’t try and run had put a kink in my plans this afternoon. Moira, one of the newest in my line up of women, had been pissy about us not fucking. But she would get over it. That, or she could leave. I’d rather she sucked my dick before she did go, but right now, I had to get Rumor back to the stables and under all our surveillance.
Maeme had been worried she was going to try and leave the moment she was alone, but I’d been watching the cottage through the app on my phone since she’d been taken back to get ready, and she wasn’t doing anything yet. Hopefully, she wouldn’t. I had known it was time to tell her where things stood, but I’d been putting it off. Maeme should have let me do it. She was too fucking blunt.
I hadn’t even put my truck in park when the front door opened, and Rumor stepped out onto the porch.
Motherfucker.
That was not what I’d expected. I had come here, prepared to see Rumor in dark jeans and a hoodie with her suitcase packed, demanding I take her to a bus stop again.
Rumor was wearing a pair of black shorts I hadn’t seen on her before. They were shorter than anything she’d worn. Too fucking short. She needed more length. The sleeveless blouse she was wearing wasn’t tight, but she had it tucked in, and it was showing cleavage. But it was the heels. A pair of red heels.
I opened my door and got out as she walked down the steps and headed in my direction. Moving around the front of the truck, I met her just before she reached the passenger side.
“Hey,” I said when she stopped and looked up at me.
The uncertainty and fear on her pretty face bothered me. No, I fucking hated it. She was supposed to be happy. Enjoying life.
“Hey,” she replied. “I, uh…I wasn’t sure what to wear. I hope this is okay.”
This was not okay. I didn’t like the idea of the others looking. Besides the fact that she was off-limits to us all, I wanted her to go inside and put on some jeans and a baggy sweatshirt. I needed it for my sanity. But that would be ordering her around, and she’d had enough of that in her life. If she wanted to look like a fucking snack, then so be it. I’d just be the gatekeeper all night.
“You’re perfect,” I told her.
She blushed, and I wondered if the bastard had ever told her that. Probably in the beginning, but I doubted she’d heard it in a while. She deserved to hear it every fucking day. Several times. By a man who was good enough for her. One day, we’d be able to put her somewhere to start a new life. She’d have her chance at it. I’d stay out of sight, but I was coming to realize I wouldn’t be able to not check on her. I wasn’t going to just let her go. I had to know she was okay. She was safe. Even if she never knew I was there in the background, watching.
“Thank you,” she replied softly.
I took her hand and helped her into the truck, trying like hell not to look at her ass and failing before I walked back around to get in the driver’s side. Even if the boss hadn’t made it clear that she was for us to keep safe until it was time to move her somewhere and give her a new identity, no fucking her, not even kissing her, I knew tonight was going to be difficult. I couldn’t be the only one who was drawn to her. How could the others not be? At least Sebastian wasn’t in town. I didn’t want to deal with seeing them laughing together and her smiling at him. Talking about books and shit. The little fucker needed to stay in Vegas.
Once I was inside, I noticed her hands clasped tightly in her lap, as if she was nervous.
“You’ve met most of the guys, and you can stick by me. No need to worry about it.”
She gave me a tight smile and nodded, but her hands didn’t relax any.
I reached over and squeezed both small fists with my much larger palm. “I swear you have nothing to worry about. Stop with this before your nails break through your skin.”
Her chest rose and fell with a deep breath, and she opened her fisted hands, placing her palms flat on her legs. “Okay. You’re right. It’s fine. Everything is fine.”
It felt like she was telling herself that in hopes she would believe it. I backed up and turned the truck around, then headed back to the main road, letting her have a moment to calm down. Talking about what Maeme had told her today was going to happen before the night was over. She needed to be reassured, and I wanted to see her reaction to it all. If she was going to run, I would be able to tell. I could read her expressions well.
“You know about the Mafia?” she asked, glancing at me.
I nodded. “Yeah, I know, and you are safe. I swear it.”
“You’re not worried about Maeme’s safety?” The frustration in her tone was cute.
I shook my head. “Nope.”
“But she’s your grandmother. I am living on her property, and they could very well be hunting me down right now. I don’t know what Hill did, but…he did something bad. Really bad.”
