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On quick feet, she hurried my way again. Her movements were fast, but this time I wasn’t caught off guard. Sammy stood on tiptoe, kissing me sweetly. It wasn’t wet and raw, it wasn’t meant to make my cock jump to attention, and it still did.

I’d never been kissed like that in all my life.

Scurrying away like she was worried she couldn’t stop herself if she didn’t abandon our kiss right then, she opened the door. Light slid in through the crack, turning her face into two halves; partly angelic, partly cool blue shadow. “Night.” She vanished into the house and out of sight.

Touching my mouth, I shivered.This girl is going to ruin me.

Counting a full three minutes, I slid out of the garage. I’d figured I could avoid anyone this way. After all, it was pretty late. Everyone else should have been in bed or settling in. Whatever problems would arise from my decisions, they could come in the morning.

My father was waiting for me in the mudroom.

Ah, shit-tits.

The deep lines in his forehead gave away his fury. “What the hell were you thinking?”

I stuck my hands in my jacket. “You told me to get her anything she needed. Sheneededto go see her mother.” I started to shove past him; his hand slammed into my chest, sending me back into the wall.

“You think it was smart to bring her out of the estate?” he asked. The anger burned low in his eyes. “If someone was following you, you led them right to her mother. How was that helping anyone?”

I swayed forward, our chests bumping. “No one would have to worry about that if you’d let us do something about Brick Monroe.”

“Like what, kill him?”

My eye twitched. “Punish him. Make it clear he can’t go after anyone he wants without consequences.”

“Do you know why he attacked Sammy in the first place?”

My veins throbbed—I struggled for an answer.

He said, “Son, look at me.” With reluctance I did. “I suspected the Deep Shots from the start. Ever since they changed leadership, they’ve become ... reckless. What matters now is learning their motives. If they want to make a move to take us out, and she’s somehow part of that ...”

“You want to use her asbait?”

His nose became a row of grooves. I worried he might hit me—and that wasn’t something he’d ever done. Lowering his hands to his sides, he breathed out like a dragon in its den. “Our family comes first. It’s a shame you’ve forgotten that. I thought I could trust you to obey my rules. Apparently not.”

“Rules,” I said, rolling my eyes. “What are you going to do? Cut me off from our money? You can’t hurt me, and I’m not some snot-nosed kid you can ground in his room anymore.”

I was getting puffed up—cocky. I was positive he could do nothing to me.

Maverick was contemplating something. I watched him size me up, seeing how unimpressed I was with his threats. Half turning, he looked down the hall, toward the front stairs.

Toward Sammy.

“I can’t trust you not to sneak her out again. I’ll put someone else in charge.”

My heart shriveled.

“And,” he went on, “I don’t trustherto listen to me, either. She’s amazingly good at manipulating people.”

“She didn’t manipulate me! I—”

“Youwhat?”he asked, fixing one cold eye on me. He dared me to say it. I didn’t know whatiteven was. That I wanted her so bad that I’d risk getting in trouble with my own family?

That I cared for her?

That I ...

My father was moving, his arms stone stiff beside him. Me and my brothers were gifted with his genetics, all of us tall and strong. But he was still larger, a man that would have looked more comfortable dragging a plow over a farm.