Arms crossed, I shrugged. “You want her, you figure out how to get her. I won’t stand in your way.”
A slow smile pulled at his lips, making his dimples pop. “Fuck, you’re stubborn.” He sighed. “Fine, I’ll figure something out.”
Stepping back, I adjusted myself, the discomfort making me grimace, which of course he noticed.
“I can help you with that, you know.”
“Don’t fucking start,” I grumbled. But holding her down, then pressing against West had me so fucking hard I could feel my dick leaking.
“You really need to figure your shit out so you don’t die from fucking blue balls.”
“Maybe I’ll find some random, then,” I snapped, moving to the locker where I’d stored my keys and wallet. That was a lie, and he knew it, which was why I made it a point not to face him.
“Damnit, Langston. Stop lying to yourself. Enough is enough. You’re not going out tonight or any other night to find some random woman to fuck and leave.” West dropped his head forward, making my chest pinch at his obvious disappointment with me. “And here’s a thought: Maybe if she knewwhyyou were overly protective and concerned about her safety, she would open up about her past and understand your tantrums a little better.” He peeked up through his dark eyelashes. “Someone hurt her, Langston, and she needs to trust that we won’t too.”
“She wouldn’t tell me who,” I practically pouted, making West swallow a laugh.
“You no doubt did your whole ‘who hurt you?’ growly bit and demanded it.”
“So?”
“Well, it obviously didn’t work.”
“You walked in before I could get it out of her.”
He slowly nodded. “Baylee and Aspen said we need to gain her trust, show her that we’ll protect her not only physically but in every way.”
My brows pulled in tight. “I don’t follow.”
His damn wide smile appeared once again as he shook his head and ran a hand over his short hair. “I know you don’t, and honestly, I don’t either. Something about being emotionally safe, whatever that means. Either way, we’ll figure it out and be thatfor her. Which means you need to tone down—” He gestured up and down my body. “—that.”
“You gestured to all of me.”
“Well, not the physical parts of you, because you know how fucking hot you are, but more what’s on the inside.”
“Thanks, fucking asshole.” I hitched my chin at him. “Grow your hair back out. I liked it long, and I can tell you miss it.”
He shot me a wink and headed for the door. “You just enjoyed having something to grab. But just think, if you ever pull your head out of your ass when it comes to Juno, her long ponytail would easily wrap around your fist.”
Once he was gone, I slumped against the locker and rested the back of my head on the cold metal. I was in so much damn trouble with those two. West could handle himself, so I shouldn’t worry about him, but he was mine, so I would. Juno surprised me earlier, but her being out alone on the streets or even alone in her cabin scared me to death as much as the woman herself did.
She was practically a stranger with how little we knew about her background, and I knew all too well how strangers could quickly destroy someone if I wasn’t careful.
First, I failed Mattie.
Then Caroline.
West, when he was hurt.
None were my fault, but I wasn’t there when they needed me to protect them.
I wouldn’t let that happen again.
Not to them or anyone else I claimed as my family.
And if that meant Juno hating me for a little longer until I uncovered her secrets, then so be it.
6
