Page 21 of Darling Psycho

Penn? Angela’s head nearly snapped off her neck when she whipped her head around to look at Jay, who was still staring intently at Lawless. How did he know Lawless’ real name?

There was something on Jay’s face, too. Irritation. But also longing. Attraction.

Holy fuck, he was into Lawless.

How could she have worked for Jay for all these months and never known he knew Lawless?

And he visited Lawless in prison?

The truth of that sliced through her.

When Lawless’ voice came, it felt like an electrical bolt piercing her heart. She’d always loved his controlled, almost robotic voice, so deep in timber and strangely seductive.

“Things happened fast,” he answered Jay, and then his eyes came back to her and held.

They held, and she turned to stone, unable to speak, to react, to do a thing other than stare back at the man she cared too much for.

Fuck, who was she kidding?

Angela had been in love with Lawless for far too long, and just when she was sure she felt nothing for him anymore and was glad of it, he strolled back into her orbit like three years’ absence and ghosting hadn’t happened.

“Let’s go,” he rasped directly at her. Angela blinked, unreactive.

Her? Was he talking to her?

Go where?

Her brain felt like custard, and she couldn’t grab onto one thought without five more pushing in to take its place.

Lawless was out.

He was free.

And he was standing in front of her with his bottomless blue eyes trained on her face. He didn’t seem surprised to see her there, either.

She blinked.

She breathed.

Her poor body couldn’t process much after that.

Oh, but she stared.

Lawless’ long, solid body was built for war, and he had a face made to bait prey like the pied piper, and a voice that demanded attention. He was well-built without being steroid bulky. The dark clothes emphasized his sinewy muscles encased around long, powerful limbs, and the definition continued into his legs, flat stomach, and a chest broad enough to garner lustful stares wherever he went. He wore his dark hair clipped so short to his scalp he almost appeared to be bald, and he never allowed his facial hair over three days’ growth before he shaved. She knew he was going to be thirty-seven on his next birthday.

From day one, she’d been aware of the danger he represented.

Yet, it never dampened her attraction. Knowing she’d be safe with him was part of it. He’d let no one hurt her like they had hurt her in the past. Social workers, foster family, even her friends hadn’t given her the confidence Lawless had. For that, she’d always be grateful to him, even if he’d been the one to crush her heart. But in front of him now, her body and mind betrayed her. Screaming at her to fling herself in his arms and bawl her eyes out.

There was no way a grown-ass man like Lawless would have ever looked twice at a girl like Angela when she was fourteen.

That’s when her crush started.

When she worshipped the man as her hero.

He didn’t look at her at fifteen either.

Nor sixteen.