“Theo?”
“Hmm?”
“Do I look stupid to you?”
No, he looked really fucking hot. Especially with the way he was scowling now. And under any other circumstance, I’d welcome his attention, even relish in it. But why was he being so focusednow?
“I can tell when something’s bothering you. I can also tell when you’re blowing smoke up my ass.”
I bit down on my lip, a frown pulling at my brow.
“Wow. No smartass comeback to that? I lined it up for you and everything. Now I know something is wrong with you. Give me your phone.”
Shep held his hand out, and I snorted. “Sure, Mom.”
“Theo.” Shep’s voice was stern in a way that made my spine stiffen. “Your phone. Now.”
Usually I’d tell him to fuck off, but the mix of anger and dread swirling into a knot in my gut was making me feel sick. Maybe sharing it would help. Plus, it did kind of involve Shep, so he was going to find out eventually. Especially if this motherfucker made good on his threat.
With a sigh, I picked up my phone and handed it over to him. When he flipped it over and saw the message, his face morphed from concern to volatile anger.
“Who thefucksent this?”
“How should I know? It’s from an unknown number.”
Shep’s eyes were almost bugging out of his head as he took in the image of me kissing him. “We’re… You’re… I told you not to kiss me in public.”
“That’syour biggest concern?”
“This very second? Yes.” Shep let out a breath and shook his head. “This is what happens when you act on impulse.”
I spun in my chair to face him, my jaw in my lap. “Are you serious right now? Some fucknut is out therestalkingme, sending me photos of us together, threatening to send them to King, and you want to play the blame game? Okay, fine. I shouldn’t have kissed you in public, but it’s your fault for looking too fucking sexy to resist.” I slumped back into my seat and crossed my arms over my chest. “I’m not going to say sorry. Not in any of the five languages I know.”
“I don’t want you to,” Shep softly admitted. “I just wish you were a little more concerned with your own safety.”
“Why?” I scoffed. “That’s what you’re here for.”
“Theo…”
“Well, it’s true, isn’t it? You’re here to babysit me.”
“I’m here to make sure no one hurts you, yes. But it would be helpful if you cared about that too.”
“I do. But I’m not about to hide inside on the off chance this loser is following me around with a camera.”
“I don’t want you to hide?—”
“Are you sure about that?” I pursed my lips and cocked my head. “Are you really worried for my safety, or that a certain someone is going to get that photo emailed to him?”
“That’s insulting.”
“But true, right? We both know King would go apeshit if he found out that I was nailing his ex.”
“Lovely, Theo. And for King to go apeshit, he’d actually have to care. Something he hasn’t done for me in a long while.”
I rolled my eyes. “Bullshit. The problem with King is he cares too damn much, for all of us. But you, you’re a different case altogether. Just because you two aren’t fucking anymore doesn’t mean he doesn’t still hold you in the highest of regards. No one would ever be good enough for you, according to him, especially not me.”
Okay, where the hell hadthatall come from?
