Page 37

DENVER

“You told Sinclair yet?”

“No,” I grumble quietly. “I don’t want to upset her,” I tell Killian.

“She’s going to find out once she comes back to her place and sees the security upgrade you organized.”

I roll my lips as I look across the living area and at the deck from my position inside. Sinclair’s on it with Monty playing catch with small treats she’s throwing in the air for him. Her eyes light up and she claps each time he successfully gets one before it hits the ground.

“It needed upgrading since Neil’s sniffing around.”

“What do you think he wants with her? He hasn’t made any attempt to speak to Sterling or Sullivan.”

“I don’t know,” I answer Killian. “But whatever it is, she won’t be alone when he comes back.”

“Yeah?” Killian’s voice lifts. “You er… you going to be staying at her place overnight? In case he calls late?”

I run my tongue over my teeth as Sinclair bounces on her toes in delight when Monty performs a spin for her on command. She looks so happy and carefree. Almost as much as when her brother was alive. Almost.

It tears at my fucking heart.

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary. Neil won’t get inside the building, let alone near her apartment door.”

“I thought you might have wanted to be sleeping under the same roof, like you are at the cabin. It’s probably been quite cozy there, just the two of you and Monty,” he says, a hint of an unspoken question in his tone.

“I’ll see you when we get back. Sinclair’s show is in two days’ time. We’ll leave tomorrow.”

“All right.” Killian chuckles, knowing he isn’t going to get any more out of me. “Later.”

He hangs up, and my phone rings again immediately.

“Denver?” Sterling clips.

“Boss,” I reply, the hairs on the back of my neck prickling at his unusual curtness.

We only spoke a couple of hours ago when I had a video call with him, Killian, Jenson, and Sullivan over the sightings of Neil near Sinclair’s apartment.

He was calmer then. Because even though Neil is still around, the two guys who tried to take Monty have been identified by the cops.

They were a couple of stupid teenage kids who said it was a prank and that they would have returned Monty after a couple of hours.

They were looking for their fifteen minutes of fame.

But even though Sinclair seemed happy with the cop report, and is eager to let it go, I’m not taking any chances.

Kids or not, they threatened Sinclair’s happiness when they decided to mess with Monty.

Killian and Jenson are keeping tabs on them for me until I’m convinced they’re of no further risk.

“I’m going to cut straight to the chase.

I’m concerned about you bringing Sinclair back tomorrow.

Hallie misses her, and damn, I miss her too.

I know she’s happy to squash the thing with Monty because she wants to come back to the city, but now there’s this thing with Neil… ” He exhales and mutters out a curse.

“I’ll be with her at all times whenever she leaves her apartment,” I assure him, my shoulders tightening as Sinclair looks in from the deck and catches my eye. She blows me a flirty kiss, giggling when I frown back at her.

“I know, I know. Maybe I’m overthinking it. I just… She’s my daughter .”

“I understand,” I reply.

“You get it, I know you do.” He sighs. “But between you and me, I’m goddamn worried. She’s too trusting, always has been. I know she’s safe with you. No one will lay a finger on her as long as you’re with her, but I still… damnit,” he mutters.

My teeth grind as guilt weaves its way around my windpipe and squeezes.

Safe with me… He thinks she’s safe with me.

He’s right when he says no one will lay a finger on her.

Because I’d gut them for even trying. But that hasn’t stopped me from having my fingers all over her…

inside her… making her body bend to my every whim.

“I trust you, Denver,” Sterling says. “If you think it’s safe for her to come back to do this show, then I’ll take your word for it.”

I scrub a hand around my jaw, holding back the low fuck I almost hiss out.

He trusts me. The man who helped me seven years ago when I needed it most. The man who has been more than a boss to me ever since. The man who’s been my friend. Who I’m now deceiving. And using one of the things he cares most about as I do it.

Sinclair.

“Is she safe?” Sterling asks. “Denver? Can you keep her safe if you come back now?”

The concern in his voice makes it hard for me to swallow.

Part of me wants to tell him we should stay here indefinitely.

In our bubble away from the real world. But as happy as Sinclair seems on the surface here, I know she misses her family.

And I know she wants to go back to work.

It gives her purpose. It’s what she loves.

I can’t keep her to myself any longer. She needs to go back to the city. She needs to go back to her life.

“She’s safe,” I finally manage, my voice hoarse.

“You sure?” Sterling asks.

My eyes track to Sinclair as she stands holding Monty, hugging him to her and whispering something to him.

“I’m sure. I’ll take care of her,” I reply.

“I know you will,” Sterling replies, sighing in relief. “I know you will.”

The complete trust in his voice makes me screw my eyes closed in disgust at myself.

I’ve spent the past few days fucking her every way she’ll have me.

Hard and rough. Slow and gentle. Filling her over and over.

Growling out her name as I come inside her again and again…

or in her mouth… or over her ass… and her beautiful tits.

Moving back and watching as my cum runs out from inside her tight, perfect pussy.

Then getting hard at the sight and doing it all over again until she’s so tired that she’s fighting to keep her eyes open.

Then I take her again anyway, telling her she doesn’t need to move if she’s tired, that I’ll do all the work. That she can lie back and relax and just let me make her feel good.

Because I’m too selfish not to.

And the beautiful princess that she is, she lets me. She allows it. She even smiles at me as I hold myself up on my arms above her and push inside her again. She even fucking comes for me when I tell her to, even though I know she’s exhausted.

She takes everything I give her and still wakes up looking at me like I hung the damn moon before she kisses me and asks me to touch her again.

I’ve been ravaging her like she’s mine. Like I have the right to.

Yet, her father trusts me.

“You don’t need to worry. We’ve stepped up the system at her apartment. And I’ll keep an even closer eye on her than before we left. She’ll be fine,” I say, ignoring the taste of deceit coating my tongue.

“Okay.” Sterling sighs. “Then I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

My fist clenches around my phone as he hangs up.

I know what I should do. Even though it’s the last thing I want. She’ll hate me for it. She’ll probably slap me, lash out at me, hurl abuse at me.

I hope she does. I hope she rips me apart.

Because I deserve it.