Page 47 of Filthy Little Pretties

I don’t want to share her with anyone for the rest of the night.

“No place I’d rather be.”

It’s after midnight when a light tap on the bedroom door grabs my attention. I set my phone on the nightstand, clicking off the book I’ve been reading, and look up, but I don’t answer for fear that I’ll wake up the girl who’s been sleeping in my bed since she cleaned my knuckles and gave them a kiss.

The door pushes open and Liam slips inside, closing it quietly behind him.

“Is she okay?”

“Yeah,” I whisper. “How’s Doug?”

Liam walks to the bed on the side Donovan is sleeping on and lowers down, kicking up his feet.

“Broken nose, fractured ego. He’s worried you’re going to hold a grudge. I told him to relax. He paid his penance. It’s done. I also got a car for Caroline and sent her evil little ass packing along with everyone else. She seemed pretty contrite.”

“She’ll have to do better than regret. And I’m sorry you had to do all the cleanup. Hold on…why didn’t Kai handle her?”

Liam gives a noncommittal shrug. The kind guys give when they don’t want to get a friend in trouble.

“I think he’s busy handling something else. And don’t worry about it, I didn’t mind cleaning up. That’s been you plenty of times. I’m just glad Donovan’s okay.” He motions to our sleeping beauty. “You scared the shit out of her. I haven’t seen you that mad since you tried to take on her dad the day they made her leave.”

I pull the covers up over her, even though she’s decent.

“Keep it down, asshole. That’s not something I care for her to know.”

He grins in response, putting his eyes on her and brushing a strand of her hair from her cheek.

I run my hand down my face. “I don’t know what happened. It’s like it was in slow motion, and then everything went black. Next thing I know, you’ve got me in a headlock, and I’ve beaten his face in.”

“I get it, Grey. She’s our girl. Nobody fucks with her, and that shit wasn’t cool. He deserved what he got. It could’ve been worse.”

“How do you figure?” I question, flexing my hand and pulling it into a fist.

He runs his hand over his shorn head and smirks.

“I could’ve let you go. Not stopped it. Trust me, I thought about it, but she was so worried about you.”

I let out a breath, and we sit there in silence. This night has been unexpected to say the least. But even now I’m content. Donovan rolls over toward Liam, tucking her hands under her cheek. He scoots down on the bed so he’s face-to-face with her and stares.

“She’s beautiful when she sleeps.”

My fingers trace her soft locks that are spread out over the pillow.

“She’s beautiful when she’s awake.”

Liam and I look at each other at the same time. Thinking the same damn thought.

Mine.

“This is going to get complicated. You know that, right?”

There’s no point in beating around the bush. He’s my best friend, but that doesn’t exclude him from being my competition. He nods and pushes back to sitting.

“I do. But if I’m fated to lose, I’ll only do it to you.”

“I won’t even do that.”

Donovan moans lightly, rolling over and snuggling in closer to me. Her hand runs over my abs to rest on my chest as she slips her leg over mine. I motion my head for Liam to leave, smiling at his irritation. Begrudgingly he starts to roll off the bed, but her hand reaches back, grabbing his T-shirt and pulling him back behind her.