mumbled quietly. She bit her bottom lip, and I wanted to do it with her. My teeth ached to sink into her plump bottom lip. She blushed and looked away to the door, so I did too. Falcone and Connor stood there, just behind Warren. She sucked in a breath and continued, “However, I do feel I can trust you.”
Wait, what? Did she just say that to my fucking brother and not me?
Falcone’s flinch and wide eyes told me that she had.
I was going to beat his ass black and blue.
“If you all think it’s important for me to come with you, I will, but….” She leaned away from me, closer to Warren, and then thumbed behind her toward me, asking, “Is that one sane?”
Because we all had heightened hearing, we all heard it. It was my turn to flinch. Connor burst out laughing, his hand going to the doorframe to hold himself up as he bent at the waist; his other arm held his stomach. Falcone and Warren were kind enough to hide their smirks by ducking their heads down. Also, because Julie now knew we’d all heard, she blushed and hid her face behind her hands.
“Oh, God. Shit.” Connor chuckled. “That was priceless, Julie baby. You just made my night.”
She mumbled something behind her hands.
On a grumble, I stepped in front of her and wrapped my hands around her wrists, causing us both to gasp—mine a manly one, of course—and our bodies to shudder with rightfulness. When I pulled her arms down, her gaze met mine straight away. Smiling, I offered, “I know I acted a little strange there for a moment, but I can promise you it was for good reason. I want nothing to happen to you, Julie, and I was worried my brothers were here taking advantage of you. Your safety means a lot to me…” Fuck. “… us , we pride ourselves on our work in safety. Still, we have our weaknesses and we know Connor is a manwhore—”
“Hey, you could at least say a good-looking manwhore,” Connor yelled.
Rolling my eyes, I continued, “And Falcone can bore anyone to sleep. I only needed to see that you were being treated well. Now that I know they will be on their best behavior,”— they fucking better be or I’ll hunt them and hurt them —“I won’t act like a fool again. Do you believe me, Julie?”
I was sure she was unaware her fingers were curled around mine, and she was gently running her thumb across the top of my hand as if she were comforting me. She studied my features for some time. Her eyes ran over my face, and I couldn’t help but notice they kept drifting back to my lips. I licked them, and her eyes widened. Satisfaction sank into my bones, relaxing me.
Finally, she nodded, so I asked huskily, “And do you trust me, Julie?” She closed her eyes; her breath accelerated.
When she opened her eyes, I could read her so clearly: She was scared, concerned, and apprehensive, but she did trust. Only, I wasn’t sure if it was me or Falcone she trusted. However, I was happy when she nodded her cute head and uttered, “I’ll come with you.”
“Well halle-fucking-lujah,” Warren blurted, his voice hard. With his eyes on Julie, he added, “You pack, and a car will be sent for you in thirty minutes. Dean, we need to finish the… um, questioning we started earlier. Then we will meet her at HQ.”
To ease Julie’s concern regarding me, I squeezed her hands before letting go and taking a step back. She watched my every move. Only she wouldn’t have a clue I was fighting with myself the whole time. Fighting the need to touch her, to be the one to take her to our home. She probably needed time away from my crazy actions, to let things sink in without having me hovering over her.
One thing was for sure, her needs would always come before my own.
Chapter Five
JULIE
“Curiouser and curiouser. Boy, did you get that one right, Alice,” I mumbled to myself from inside a plush town car as it made its way into the city. “This is one fine rabbit hole I’ve found myself in.” I should have been running
Wait, what? Did she just say that to my fucking brother and not me?
Falcone’s flinch and wide eyes told me that she had.
I was going to beat his ass black and blue.
“If you all think it’s important for me to come with you, I will, but….” She leaned away from me, closer to Warren, and then thumbed behind her toward me, asking, “Is that one sane?”
Because we all had heightened hearing, we all heard it. It was my turn to flinch. Connor burst out laughing, his hand going to the doorframe to hold himself up as he bent at the waist; his other arm held his stomach. Falcone and Warren were kind enough to hide their smirks by ducking their heads down. Also, because Julie now knew we’d all heard, she blushed and hid her face behind her hands.
“Oh, God. Shit.” Connor chuckled. “That was priceless, Julie baby. You just made my night.”
She mumbled something behind her hands.
On a grumble, I stepped in front of her and wrapped my hands around her wrists, causing us both to gasp—mine a manly one, of course—and our bodies to shudder with rightfulness. When I pulled her arms down, her gaze met mine straight away. Smiling, I offered, “I know I acted a little strange there for a moment, but I can promise you it was for good reason. I want nothing to happen to you, Julie, and I was worried my brothers were here taking advantage of you. Your safety means a lot to me…” Fuck. “… us , we pride ourselves on our work in safety. Still, we have our weaknesses and we know Connor is a manwhore—”
“Hey, you could at least say a good-looking manwhore,” Connor yelled.
Rolling my eyes, I continued, “And Falcone can bore anyone to sleep. I only needed to see that you were being treated well. Now that I know they will be on their best behavior,”— they fucking better be or I’ll hunt them and hurt them —“I won’t act like a fool again. Do you believe me, Julie?”
I was sure she was unaware her fingers were curled around mine, and she was gently running her thumb across the top of my hand as if she were comforting me. She studied my features for some time. Her eyes ran over my face, and I couldn’t help but notice they kept drifting back to my lips. I licked them, and her eyes widened. Satisfaction sank into my bones, relaxing me.
Finally, she nodded, so I asked huskily, “And do you trust me, Julie?” She closed her eyes; her breath accelerated.
When she opened her eyes, I could read her so clearly: She was scared, concerned, and apprehensive, but she did trust. Only, I wasn’t sure if it was me or Falcone she trusted. However, I was happy when she nodded her cute head and uttered, “I’ll come with you.”
“Well halle-fucking-lujah,” Warren blurted, his voice hard. With his eyes on Julie, he added, “You pack, and a car will be sent for you in thirty minutes. Dean, we need to finish the… um, questioning we started earlier. Then we will meet her at HQ.”
To ease Julie’s concern regarding me, I squeezed her hands before letting go and taking a step back. She watched my every move. Only she wouldn’t have a clue I was fighting with myself the whole time. Fighting the need to touch her, to be the one to take her to our home. She probably needed time away from my crazy actions, to let things sink in without having me hovering over her.
One thing was for sure, her needs would always come before my own.
Chapter Five
JULIE
“Curiouser and curiouser. Boy, did you get that one right, Alice,” I mumbled to myself from inside a plush town car as it made its way into the city. “This is one fine rabbit hole I’ve found myself in.” I should have been running
Similar Books
