A loud clap rang through the alley, bringing our attention to West.
“Now, children, if you’d please stop fighting.” He glared at me.
“She started it by biting me,” I huffed.
She reached over and shoved my thigh, sending me toppling to the side. My palm scraped the pavement as I caught myself right in the middle of a suspicious sticky substance before I face-planted. I cut her a “you’ll pay for that later” look, which she returned by sticking her damn tongue out at me.
“Careful.” If she weren’t, then the sliver of restraint I hung on to would snap, and I’d tell her exactly how I wanted her to use that tongue of hers. Seeing her so vulnerable and upset had broken through the remaining doubt I had about Juno Jones.
Blowing out a steady breath through pursed lips, I looked up and down the trash-filled alley. “Listen, I’ll give you answers, but we need to move somewhere that doesn’t smell like garbage with questionable liquids soaking the pavement.”
Her frustrated gaze dipped, her little nose scrunched up as if she was just now realizing how disgusting the alley was. “I want to go home,” she whispered.
“How about I make you a deal?” I shifted my hat side to side a few times, coming up with a quick plan. “I’ll give you answers if you come home with us.” I inclined my head to West, who looked happy as fuck at my suggestion. Which was why I made it. I knew there was no way in hell he’d be able to drop her offat home, alone and this upset, and walk away. And honestly, neither could I. The guilt at knowing I was part of the reason she was distressed was eating me alive. I needed to repair her trust and explain everything.
She studied me for a few seconds. “Why do you care?”
I huffed and dropped my head forward. “I care way more than I should, Juno.”
“Is this a trick?” At the rasp in her voice, I looked up at her pale face. “Please don’t take me to them or?—”
“You have my word that this isn’t a trick. You will get in the 4Runner with me and West, and we will go to our place, just the three of us, to talk this out.”
“I don’t know if I trust you.”
Those words out of her mouth were like daggers to the fucking heart. “I promise, Juno.”
“So do I,” West added, coming to stand beside me. He rested his good hand on my shoulder and squeezed. He knew how badly her words wounded me just now.
I turned back to her. “Take it or leave it, shortcake. But we have to get out of here before this stink sinks into our fucking skin.”
“What’s with the shortcake name?” she grumbled. Palms to the pavement, she pushed herself up to stand, only to crumple back to the ground. I caught her with a barked curse before she could hit the pavement.
Blush stained her cheeks, and she avoided my gaze. “Guess my legs fell asleep from sitting like that so long. Just give me a second and I’ll?—”
Fuck that.Without warning, I hauled her against me. “Arms around my neck and legs around my waist as best as you can.”
“What the hell? You do not have to carry me, Langston. Put me down. I can walk on my own in a few minutes.”
I’d had enough of her not letting me take care of her when she needed it. Maybe I needed it just as much, but like hell would I admit that to even myself.
Slapping her round ass hard, I shifted her in my arms so her shocked face was inches from mine. “You don’t have to be strong and do this on your own right now, Juno. Let me help you.” West’s cough was loud and very fake. “Letushelp you. For this afternoon, let us be the ones you lean on.”
She gnawed on her lower lip, looking uncertain. “I don’t know how to do that.”
“Try for me. I promise we won’t let you down. You’re safe with us.”
Her chin wobbled, and unshed tears filled her lower lids, threatening to spill over.
“I’ve been an asshole to you, and you have every right to believe I’m not being real with you, but know that I would never intentionally hurt you.”
“Wow,” she rasped, though a small smile pulled at her lips. “You finally admitted that you’re an asshole.” Knowing this was not the time to correct what she heard versus what I said, I sealed my lips shut. “Okay.”
“Okay, what?”
“Okay,” she drawled, “we can go to your place. But, Langston?” I arched a brow at her dramatic pause, as if waiting to make sure I was really listening. “Me going with you doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you for not telling me who was coming to surprise me, or for being an asshole?—”
“Don’t forget the stalking,” West added with a little too much fucking glee in his tone. “So much stalking, remember?”
