“That a fucking joke?”
Orla elbowed him. “Don’t take it out on Locke that you can’t keep track of your lovers.”
The queen never did anything she didn’t mean.
Cam reared back from the blow, rubbing his ribs. “Jesusfuck, I wasn’t. I’m just jealous you get to have one of yours around you all the fucking time.”
He stomped back into the kitchen.
Un-offended, I jabbed my thumb at the door. “You don’t need to deck people on my account. Go give him a hug.”
“He was being a dick.”
“He was reacting to being worried that Saint fucked off without telling him.”
Orla huffed. “Ugh. Why are you soreasonable?”
There were so many answers to that question, none of them good, but I was saved from all of them by Orla granting my request.
She followed her brother out of the room. Came back five minutes later with the keys to Cam’s SUV. “Don’t say a word.”
“About what?”
“About being right. Sometimes I forget my brothers aren’t the same boys who needed their balls stomped twenty years ago.”
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”
“Yeah, but I want to. I care what you think of me.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re important. Tome. Will you take me home?”
I took the keys she held out, heaving my body off Cam’s sorcerous couch. “Cam okay with you being on the road?”
“Give it a second.”
Moments later, the sound of hogs filled the air.Lotsof hogs that logic told me were friendly, but instinct still led me to tug Orla behind me as I took a peek out the window.
The Rebel Kings had a roster of eight prospects. They were all out there with Rubi, Decoy, and Mateo.
No Nash, but I didn’t expect him. He’d be gone till dawn like he always was, leaving me the whole night to keep my promise.
I don’t want her to be alone.
Somewhere along the line, I’d stopped hearing those words in his voice and they’d become mine.
Cos it didn’t matter how long he was gone, we’d both be waiting for him when he came home.
* * *
Orla’s flat occupied the entire top floor of her building. It wasn’t the original layout, but when your brother owned a construction company, anything was possible.
Of the other flats in the building, only one was occupied by a tenant. It was the worst kept secret in the club that Nash had spent every legitimate penny he’d earned from Kings Building Ltd and the haulage company buying every other property to create a ring of steel around his queen.
“Anything to keep her safe.”
Worked for me. I parked Cam’s car and waited for Decoy to signal it was clear to get out. Then I guided Orla from the car and inside, my hand on her back, shielding her with the same diligence I would’ve even if I wasn’t weighed down by the primal desire to touch her.
