Page 45 of Forbidden Billionaires, Vol. 9

I waited until Rory's restaurant was open before heading back to the apartment.

I just needed some time to myself. Letting Rory move in was proving to be a big mistake.

I should have trusted my gut. But maybe if I set some ground rules it wouldn't be so bad.

I definitely needed to talk to him about his friends being over all the time.

I sighed when my apartment door was unlocked. I'd add "locking the door" to my list of rules. I opened it and froze. Rory and Jackson were in the living room, hiding behind furniture with Nerf guns in their hands.

"Oh my God! What are you doing?!"

"Hey, Keira," Jackson said and stood up from his hiding spot. Rory immediately shot him in the chest.

"Shit." Jackson turned to Rory. "Obviously that doesn't count." He turned back to me. "We're having a Nerf war. Do you want to play?"

"No." Am I living with children? "Try not to break any..."

"Lighten up," Rory said and aimed his gun at me. He pressed the trigger and a Nerf dart hit my left breast."

"Fuck that hurts!" I put my hands over my mouth. I hadn't meant to curse. But I also didn't realize how much those foam darts could hurt. "What the hell, Rory?!"

Rory kept his gun aimed at me.

"Don't you have work?"

"I took the day off."

"You're on my team," Jackson said. He grabbed a smaller gun out of his back pocket, threw it over at me, and then crouched down behind the couch.

Rory fired another shot at me, but I dove behind the kitchen counter.

My heart was racing. I used to play this with my brother when we were little.

The guns were more sophisticated now, and they shot farther and harder.

I cocked the gun and put my finger on the trigger.

I peeked my head above the counter. Rory shot another dart and I ducked just in time as a dart flew past me.

I had an idea. I crawled around the other side of the counter, stood up, and pressed my back against the hallway wall.

I peered around the corner. Rory grabbed my wrist, pulled me down on the floor, and held down my hand with the gun in it.

He straddled me to keep me in place and pulled both my hands above my head, holding them down with one of his hands.

This is so hot.

Then he shot me twice in the stomach.

"Ow!" It hurt even worse at close range.

"Keira's dead!" he shouted over to Jackson.

I laughed as I tried to squirm out of his grip. He leaned down and whispered in my ear. "When you're dead you can't speak. So stay quiet."

I heard Jackson curse under his breath. Rory was still pressing me to the floor. I liked the feeling of his hands on me, holding me down. It was embarrassing how much this turned me on.

Rory looked down and smiled at me.

Does he like this as much as I do?

He released me far too soon and peered over the back of the chair. "I have an idea." He picked me up and held me against his chest as he ran toward Jackson. "Meat shield!" Rory yelled.

I screamed as Jackson's darts hit my back. I wrapped my arms around Rory's neck and my legs around his waist, and I felt his hand slide to my ass. Oh God. Is he grabbing my ass because he wants to, or because he has to in order to hold me in place? I heard several shots, but only a few more hit me.

"Shit, you got me," Jackson said and tossed his gun onto the couch.

Rory set me down and pumped his fist in the air. "Victory!" He tossed his gun next to Jackson's. "And now I need to take a piss. Don't follow me," he said and winked at me.

"That was an accident!" I called after him.

Jackson sat down on the couch with a sigh.

"Where's Connor?" I asked and sat down in the chair across from him.

Jackson shrugged. "I don't know. I talked to him this morning, though. I know you like Rory, but I was actually a little surprised that you and Connor didn't hit it off better."

I felt my face blushing. "We kind of did. I mean, he's nice, but I don't really do one night stands."

Jackson turned to face me. He looked surprised. "Why do you assume that's what Connor wants?"

Because Rory told me that's all Connor wanted? "I mean, isn't he like Rory? Doesn't he like...sleep around?"

"Connor? I mean, maybe now. I'm sure he isn't looking for anything serious, but he's not an asshole."

"What do you mean maybe now?"

"Well, he got divorced last year. When I met him in college, he was already dating Cindy. So maybe he's only into one night stands when he's single. I just can't really picture that." Jackson shrugged.

"Oh." Why had Rory lied to me?

Rory came back out of the bathroom. He looked back and forth between me and Jackson.

"Jackson, do you mind giving Rory and I a minute alone?" I said. "I wanted to discuss some roommate stuff with him."

"Sure. I actually need to get going anyway. I have a fitting for this divine new Armani suit."

"Very fancy."

"I have one every Wednesday. Just the usual."

"Are you serious?"

"No." Jackson laughed. "See you guys later."

After he closed the door I looked over at Rory. He was staring at me. He walked over and sat down on the couch.

"Your friends are interesting," I said.

Rory laughed. "Yeah." He leaned back and put his feet up on the coffee table. It wasn't my table, but I still cringed. "So, you wanted to talk?"

"Mhm. I was thinking maybe we should set up a few ground rules. So that this works out."

"Okay. Have I done something wrong?" He looked genuinely concerned. But for some reason it seemed like an act.

"No, not really. It's just that your friends are over a lot. I didn't realize that all three of you would be moving in." I laughed awkwardly.

"I know what this is about, and you have nothing to worry about. I already asked Connor to stop bothering you. It won't be a problem again."

"He wasn't bothering me."

"Oh, my misunderstanding then." He scowled slightly.

"Anyway, that's not what this is about. I just mean in general, are they really going to be here all the time?

Is it never just going to be us? Or, just me I mean.

Because it would be weird if it was just us.

Not that I want to be alone with you. I didn't mean that in a sexual way at all.

Like, not at all, Rory. Obviously." What the hell?

"Obviously." He took his feet off the table and put his elbows on his knees. "They won't be here all the time. They helped me move in. And I told you about poker Tuesdays. And today I had off, so I asked Jackson to come over. Besides, you weren't even here."

"Yeah, about that. I felt like I had to sneak out of here this morning because of your sexual escapades."

"Is that what you classify as a sexual escapade?" Rory laughed. "You need to get out more."

I could feel myself blushing.

"Oh, and by the way, you were kind of rude to Kelly this morning." He hesitated for a moment. "Or was her name Kim?"

"Come on." I didn't know her name either, but I also hadn't slept with her. I had been rude though. "Okay, fair point. I'm sorry, I just felt really uncomfortable because I had to listen to you two banging all night. I'll apologize the next time I see her, if that makes you feel better."

"You probably won't be seeing her again."

I rolled my eyes. When I said he could move in, I thought he was a nice guy.

"And I probably won't see Jackson or Connor again until the party on Friday."

"Okay." This conversation wasn't going well. "I just want to get a heads up when you're having people over."

"No problem."

"And about last night. It was really inconsiderate of you to invite me to a game of poker and then change it to strip poker without even telling me. It was really uncomfortable."

"I told you that you didn't have to play."

"That's not the point. If it's happening in my home, I'd just appreciate a heads up."

"Okay, I will let you know in advance whenever I'm going to be having fun."

"You're being a little dramatic."

"Am I? You're attacking me."

"I'm not attacking you, I'm just trying to make it so that we can live comfortably together." Crap, I am attacking him.

"Look, if you're just going to make up a bunch of rules for no reason..."

"I've told you all the reasons."

"Right. Well maybe I want to set some rules too. Is that okay? Or is one of the rules that I'm not allowed to make up any rules?"

"Yeah. Of course."

"Great." He stood up. "I'd prefer if you didn't hook up with my friends."