Page 108 of Your Last First Kiss

My tongue traces her lips, and she whimpers against me, but my phone is vibrating in my pocket nonstop, and I’m willing to bet it’s Miller.

“We don’t have time to do all the things I want to do to you right now. But please do not torture me with so many hours between touches ever again. I’m going at your pace, baby, but we have to keep moving forward. Okay?”

Penny’s phone vibrates in her hand, and Miller’s name flashes on the screen.

“Okay,” she agrees. “We should go in. He’s been trying to call for a few minutes.” Her phone screen goes dark, so she puts it in her purse, and we head toward the bar to find him.

We don’t even make it to the front door when Miller rushes to our side. I know immediately that something’s wrong.

“Miller?” Penny asks. Her body goes rigid, like she’s preparing for a hit.

I can read a room pretty well, but Penny knows Miller.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“Why didn’t you answer your damn phones?” He runs his fingers through his dark brown hair, roughly tugging on the ends. “I wanted to warn you.”

“Warn us?” My voice is stronger than I feel.

“It’s Eddy,” Miller explains. “He’s here.”

“What the actual fuck?” I bellow. “What do you mean, he’s here? Why isn’t he in jail? Why didn’t Penny get a phone call? He put her children in danger. Doesn’t she, at the very least, deserve a heads fucking up?”

Miller holds up his hands, and Penny gently reaches for my forearm. I relax immediately.

“Don’t shoot the messenger,” Miller says, but by the deep scowl on his face, he isn’t any happier about the situation than we are. “Town gossip says he got out on a technicality. How many lives does demon fucker have?”

Too many. I don’t say it out loud, though.

“I’m going to be fighting to correct Eddy’s selfish mistakes for the rest of my life,” Penny whispers with a shaky voice.

“You won’t be alone,” I promise. Turning to Miller, I ask, “What’s he doing here?”

My shields climb higher, as if I’m actually doubling in size with armor so thick I can protect us all while I wait for him to speak.

“Town meeting,” Penny says, obviously forgetting for a moment that I haven’t learned all of Chance Lake’s quirks yet.

“The Reid brothers offer dollar pints to encourage people to volunteer and be involved in the community.” Miller fills in the gaps. “Eddy always takes advantage of their kindness.”

“Sweetheart?” I lower my mouth to her ear, knowing she’s spouting off all the reasons she’s failed in one of those checklists she’s always making. “Put the list away for now, okay? I’ve got you. I promise. We came here on a mission, and nothing, not even your ex-husband, will derail that, but I need you to stay close at all times. I don’t trust him, and I won’t be able to focus if I’m worried about him cornering you. Promise me?”

“He’s right, Pen.” Miller also seems taller as he comes to stand to our left.

We flank Penny like two protectors.

“I know this is your battle,” I tell her. “We’ll let you fight it, but every queen needs an army behind her. Everything in me will always protect you, but only if you can’t do it yourself. You fight whatever battles you need to, but let us support you.”

“Romeo’s right. It’s not that we don’t think you can do it, because I’ve had a front-row seat to your strength for the last ten years. I know you can. But that doesn’t mean you have to.”

Miller hooks his arm through Penny’s, and I hold her hand tight against my forearm. My legs tremble, my ears ring, and a whirlwind of emotions flows through my body, overriding all my senses. Eddy is done messing with my girl.

“I don’t deserve either of you,” Penny says like she believes those words down to her very core.

“Bullshit,” Miller mutters.

“You, my queen, deserve the world and then some. And I look forward to helping you believe that,” I say in the commanding tone I only ever use in the bedroom.

Her enchanting body shivers against mine.