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She moves to strap herself in, the cutest pout on her lips, but I grab the seat belt and clip it in for her, enjoying the way her breath hitches as I lean across her. Closing the door, I round the truck and get in the driver’s side, taking the time to strap myself in before starting the engine.
“For the record, I’m not happy about this.” She doesn’t look at me as she speaks, she stays staring ahead, watching the road.
“Don’t need you to be happy about it, just accept it.”
“Hmm.”
I chuckle and reach over to grip her hand, pulling it from where she’s picking at her fingernails and holding it between us. The action feels so natural, and she doesn’t try to stop me or move away.
“Do you know where my panties went?”
We’re almost home when her quiet voice interrupts the silence with a question that definitely doesn’t erase the smile on my face. In fact, it only makes it grow larger.
“In my pocket.”
“What?! I spent ages looking for those when you left me. If Ginny had found them in the morning, I’d be mortified. I even checked beneath the desk.” She huffs. It’s cute. Then she tries topull her hand away but I tighten my grip. She isn’t getting away that easily.
“As if I’d leave such a thing for anyone to find.” Shaking my head, I slow down as I near our building.
“You’re relentless.”
“I know.”
After parking the truck in the underground garage, I unstrap both of our seat belts and climb out, quickly walking around to open the passenger door for Bowie. I offer her my hand, which she takes with ease, even with the pout still puckering her lips.
We enter the elevator and I use my thumbprint to take us to the top floor, riding up in what feels like a comfortable silence. This evening has been a lot for her, I realize that, but she did so well. I wasn’t planning on breaking the news about her apartment so abruptly, either, but it just came out.
It needed to be done, she wasn’t safe there.
“I’m going to my room.” She tries to pull her hand away, again, as soon as we enter the penthouse, but I hold her and bring her closer to me.
“What’s wrong?” Her eyes don’t hold their usual sparkle, like there’s a war happening behind them. “And no more lies.” I pin her with my gaze, ready to detect any dishonesty.
“I…” Glancing off to the side, she sighs, but I grip her chin and force her to face me, gently stroking my thumb over her cheek. “I think I need time to process. A lot of things are…different now. I just need some space is all.”
I can see the truth in her words, and I respect the hell out of it.
“Okay, Little Rabbit. We’ll call you for dinner.” I kiss her forehead, and this time her sigh is more whimsical.
“I’ll get myself something later. I’m not hungry. Thanks.”
“No, you’ll eat with us. I said no lies, remember? I don’t believe you’ll eat later for shit, so you eat with us. Now go, but don’t shower yet. I like the idea of you smelling like you’re freshlyfucked.” I wag my brows and she rolls her eyes…our own little love language.
I watch her practically scurry away to her room, not even a glance toward the kitchen where I know the others are. Knowing she has no panties on right now is hot as fuck and I’d rather she didn’t leave my side, but I get needing space. And she can have it…in short bursts.
“What’s up, dickheads?” Taking Bowie’s panties from my pocket, I swing the torn material around as I enter the kitchen.
“What did you do?” Orion is first to look up at me from where he’s standing and stirring something on the stove.
“I caught a rabbit.”
“And the panties belong to said rabbit?” He continues to stir what I can now smell is a bolognese sauce.
“Of course they do. I wouldn’t want anyone else’s panties in my pocket. She’s it. The one.” I sit beside Hayes on one of the bar stools and he finally looks up from his laptop screen.
“She’s not the one, Hads. She’s only getting close to us to steal Orion’s family heirloom. She doesn’t want us.” He dips his head back to his screen, but I know he’s trying to avoid eye contact. He knows I can read him like a book and he’s trying to not give away how much what he said hurts.
“But, Big Brother, she’s not trying to rob us anymore. She’s had plenty of opportunities, we’ve even left her alone in the apartment more than once, and has she tried anything? Has she even snooped?” I know the answer, but I need him to say it out loud, to hear the truth in what I’m saying. “You’ve been watching her every move since you had those cameras installed.”