Page 177

“Fuck,” Roman muttered.

“You liiiiiike her,” Paxton accused, smiling. “If you didn’t, you wouldn’t let her wear your shirt.”

“She had no clothes,” Roman said.

“Maybe not before, but she does now,” Pax countered. A triumphant smile tipped the corners of his lips up. “And you’restillletting her wear your shirt.”

Time ticked. Roman sensed Sayagul puffing up with victory.

“I saaaaw youuuu,” Pax said, goading him on, his smile growing so big his dimples showed. “I saw the way you were looking at her!” He waggled his brows. “You don’t want to leave.”

“Pax,” Roman warned. “That’s enough.”

“You like her! Just admit it already!”

“Stop.”

Time ticked again as Pax—andSayagul—tried not to laugh. The more time went by, the less Roman wanted to get in the car.

Which was bad. Really bad.

Paxton cleared his throat. “Sooooo…can we stay? Please?”

Roman remained silent. Weighed the pros and cons.

Stay and risk getting Shay killed? Or leave her by herself and live with the guilt he’d feel for abandoning her? The mystery of not knowing where she was, or if she was okay? Who she was with?

Okay, the last one didn’t really matter, but sue him. He was fucking obsessed with her. The thought of another man touching her…

It was enough to make the shadows around the shoddy motel stir.

Paxton said, “Pretty please.”

“Don’t do that,” Roman warned.

But Pax refused to let up. “Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty pleeeeeease?”

“Pax,” he warned again.

Pax started dancing in place, the sight so funny it was Roman who had to try not to laugh this time. “Please, please, please, please, please?—”

“Fine!” Roman growled. “You win.”

“Yes!” He jumped in celebration, pumping a fist in the air.

“You’re a little shit, you know that?”

“I know,” he said with a proud smile. “You only tell me every day.”

“Get inside.” Roman gestured to the room. “Before I change my mind.”

Beaming, he pushed the door open, dragging his suitcase behind him.

Roman grabbed the rest of the bags out of the car and followed Paxton inside. Set the bags by the table.

The room was dark—apart from Nugget glowing on the bed. Shay knelt before the fridge, hand-feeding chips of ice to the Hob.

Shay looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes guarded. “Back so soon?”