Page 107 of The Bronze Garza

“Well, you know me,” I say with a one-shoulder shrug. “A magnet for danger.”

Trueman sidles up and drops onto the barstool in front of me, a lascivious pull to his lips. “That smoothie offer still on the table, gorgeous?”

With a flirty smile of my own, I’m about to reply whenhisvoice fills the room. “Goodbye, True.”

Something delicious dips in my belly when I glance up to see Torin striding into the kitchen, sheened with sweat, as per usual around this time of the morning.

Reuben snorts and shakes his head.

Shifting my attention back to Trueman, I say, “Your brothers are always cramping your style, huh?”

He flings his arms out and widens his eyes. “Right? Finally, someone’s said it. I mean, what do—”

Reuben throws an arm around the man’s broad, sinewy shoulders and drags him off. “Come on. This ain’t the battle.”

Confusion clouds Trueman’s face. “What?”

“You’ll understand soon,” Reuben tells him with a pat on the shoulder, leading him out of the house.

As Torin rounds the island to the fridge, I say, “I’ve always wondered, do you workout before your morning meetings, or during?”

“There are better things to wonder about,” he replies flatly, getting out his oat milk.

“Like?”

“Like what you’re gonna do after all this.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

He uncaps his protein powder. “Are you gonna finish college?” Pours milk into the shaker bottle. “Are you gonna work?” A scoop of powder next. “Are you gonna travel the world?”

Honestly, I haven’t thought about any of those things. What’s the point of planning my life when someone’s out there trying to end it?

Once upon a time, Ididhave big plans, big dreams, and lofty goals. Worked my butt off toward it—didn’t entertain boys or parties or drugs, stayed focused, got straight As, got accepted into every college I applied to. I continued to stay focused in college, clinging to my V-card and virtue, waiting for the perfect man, which I’d assumed would lead to a healthy marriage and a wonderful life.

But what did all that get me?

“Yeah,” I answer after a while. “World domination.”

He studies me as he shakes the bottle. “Ambitious.”

“Confident,” I correct.

He sets the bottle down, then grips my hips and drags me to the edge of the counter, my smoothie sloshing around from the sudden movement.

Setting the cup down, I uncross my legs and let them fall over the edge. He wastes no time moving between them, and warmth wafts through me.

He lifts my hand to his mouth and drags kisses across my knuckles. “Can I ask you something?”

On a rush of breath, I reply, “What’s that?”

“How do I…” He flips my hand and lightly bites into my palm. “…get you to stop sitting on my island?”

A smile stretches my lips. “Hmm, let me see...”

Moving closer, he circles his arms around my waist, head cocked, waiting.

“I’ll stop if you…” I pretend to think some more. “Have sex with me seven more times.”