I laughed.
The others didn’t.
“Oh, come on. She deserves to have time with her family.” I shook my head.
They weren’t moving. At all. All four staring at me.
“Jesus, guys. What if she doesn’t want to see me?”
The only movement was Maverick sighing. Heavily.
“So I just book a flight and tell her she’s coming home with me. Is that it?” I looked from one to the other. A sudden knot formed in my stomach. “What if she doesn’t want to return?”
My God. I sounded like some fifteen-year-old kid.
Chase cleared his throat. “Aren’t you her master?”
“That was a role-playing moment.”
“Was it?” Hudson pressed, a grin slowly sliding across his face.
Huffing, I sat back in the seat, thinking about what they’d just said. Okay, so she’d told me she loved me and I hadn’t responded. I hadn’t so much as told her that I felt the same. That made me such an asshole.
Images of her face rolled into my mind. I could almost hear her laughter. Christ. Even my cock was aching. This was getting ridiculous. I couldn’t sleep. Food had no taste. I wasn’t interested in my job any longer. I went in and performed, little else.
I’d felt nothing but hollow for weeks. Weeks.
A sudden urge washed over me I couldn’t avoid. I jerked back the chair, standing in a huff.
“What are you doing?” Gabriel asked, a sly look on his face.
“I’m going to Jacksonville and I’m bringing her back.”
“What if she won’t come with you?” Maverick was doing his best not to laugh.
I headed toward the door. “She will. And do you want to know why?”
“Yeah, I do.” Hudson already had his fist pumped. What the hell?
“Because I’m her master and she will obey me. Or else.”
Reese
The bell rang.
We were one of those schools that had an old-fashioned bell. Every time I heard it, I jumped. And why? Because for some crazy reason, it always reminded me of Kendrick. I had no idea why.
The last few weeks had been both grueling and heartwarming. I’d only recently returned to my apartment knowing that Briana was in good hands with my parents. We talked every day and after only three weeks, light had started to return to her eyes. Now at two months in, she was talking about going to college.
She’d been one of the lucky ones, never touched by one of the men of the Privileged. And why? It would seem Franklin had had a conscience after all. Yes, he’d lured her to Miami, but he’d ensured she wouldn’t be auctioned.
The why didn’t matter. All what did was that she was healing day by day. And we were friends.
“Alright, guys. Remember your homework. I need book reports on my desk in the morning.”
The collective groan made me smile. As they started to file out, I returned to my desk to grab my things. A knock at the classroom door caught my attention.
“Ms. Murphy. Someone would like to see you.”
