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Mars came up behind me where I stood at the bar in the clubhouse.He dropped a kiss on my neck, which made me shiver.He’d been doing things like that a lot this past week.It was driving me crazy but in a very good way.
“Better now that you’re here distracting me.”I looked up at him and smiled.“Pretty sure I’m not old enough to be here, though.”
He chuckled warmly.“You ain’t drinkin’.Besides, this is private property.You’re eighteen and under my protection.I say you can do whatever the fuck you want.Given everything you’ve been through, no one is gonna give a fuck if you want a drink.”
I grinned, grateful for Mars’ protectiveness.“I don’t want a drink,” I said.“I just want to be close to you.”
“Close to me, huh?”he said, smirking.“I can do that.”
He wrapped his arms around me from behind and pulled me against him, and I sighed happily.I clung to the arm wrapped over my chest.“Thank you for staying with me.I know I’m probably cramping your style, but I want you to know how comforting it is to know you’re looking out for me.”
“Glad to do it.Besides, ain’t no one around here smells as good as you.”As if to emphasize his point, Mars buried his nose in my neck and inhaled.“Delicious…”
I giggled.Which made him root closer.Which tickled like a mother.It wasn’t long before I was howling with laughter and trying to get away from the way he tickled my neck with his beard.
“If you two want to play grab-ass, I suggest you get a room.”
I jumped and tried to push Mars away, but he held firm, not taking his face from my neck.“Go to hell, Wylde.Ain’t doin’ nothin’ you and Danica don’t do.”
“Never said you were.”Wylde had a big grin on his face, but it didn’t seem to quite reach his eyes like normal.Wylde was the quirkiest guy I’d ever met.He was so much like Lemon it was a wonder Apple and their older sister, Danica, hadn’t killed him yet.I absolutely loved him.“Lemon was lookin’ for you, darlin’.”He nodded at me.“Said she needed help with…” He shrugged, still grinning like he couldn’t be bothered to know what Lemon really wanted.“Somethin’.She’s upstairs in the media room.Maybe it was a movie or something.Ain’tFortnite.She’s not allowed to play.”Wylde was definitely up to something.And he wasn’t trying all that hard to hide it.
“Why is she not allowed to play?”I couldn’t help myself.
He scowled.A genuine reaction.“‘Cause she beat me.I sweet-talked Dani into revoking her privileges.”
I chuckled.“You know the only reason she worked so hard to beat you was to keep you from crowing about how good you were at the game.Right?”
Wylde narrowed his eyes.“That little hellion…”
“Go on, honey,” Mars gave me one more squeeze before he let me go.“I’ll come join you in a bit, and we’ll all watch a movie together.”
I looked up at Mars.Like Wylde, though he smiled, it didn’t reach his eyes.“You guys are trying to manage me.”My voice was soft, almost a whisper.I knew then something had happened with my dad.“What is it you don’t want to tell me?”
Mars and Wylde exchanged a look before Wylde grinned.“Nothin’s happened.Far as I know, he’s fine.Still ain’t talked to him.”
I cocked my head to the side, narrowing my gaze at him.My heart sank and I could feel panic building though I tried to fight it off.“You’re lying, Wylde.Why are you lying?”
Instantly, both men’s demeanor changed.“No, honey,” Wylde said, his normally cocky and somewhat juvenile personality all too serious now.“I’m not lying.We haven’t spoken to your father, but he’s not hurt.That much I know.”
“Then what is it?”
Mars reached out and cupped the side of my face in his big hand.“Let me go deal with this, and I’ll come back and fill you in.Will you trust me that much?”
“Mars, more than anyone in my life right now, I trust you.I think you know that.But this is my family.I need to know.”
“I’ll talk to Sting,” Wylde offered.“She probably needs to be there.”
“No.”Mars said, not taking his gaze from mine.“Let me do this.Then I’ll come for you and tell you everything.”
“You want to filter it.In case there’s something you think I can’t handle.”
Mars brushed a lock of hair out of my face.“You’re my girl and I want to protect you, sugar.That’s all.After everything you’ve gone through, the last thing I want for you is to bring you more pain.So I’m askin’ you, real sweet like, let me go find out what’s goin’ on.Then I’ll tell you everything.Just in my own way.”
“Feels like I’m hiding.”I met his gaze boldly.“I might be a victim, but I’m not a coward, Mars.I can handle whatever’s going on.”
He gave me a shake of his head, his brows knitting together.He framed my face in his hands and lowered his head to mine.My heart pounded in my chest and I knew I whimpered a little when his lips met mine.
The world seemed to fall away.All that existed was Mars and me.My hands went to his chest and I clutched at his shirt.It was no more than a gentle pressing of his lips to mine.He’d done it a few times since that first kiss in Stitches’s office.It was never more than a chaste kiss, but it never failed to thrill me.I was growing to expect it more and more, and Mars always seemed to know when I needed it.Like now.
