“It’s not for him.” His mouth is at my ear now. “Do you really think James Lawson answers to anyone?”
Okay… so he may have a point.
“His intentions for you go way beyond that brilliant brain of yours, and you know it.”
“I would never…”
“He would, and I’ve already been warned I can’t lay a hand on his pretty-boy head unless I feel like getting thrown in jail.”
“Warned by who?”
“Lucien.”
“I have no idea who that is.”
“He’s a friend. Well, he’s more like a brother. He does what I do, but he deals with people even I won’t touch.”
“I didn’t realize you had friends.”
“He and his brother, Cain… They know everything about me. No one knows me the way you do, but I’ve let them get close.”
“Do they know about me?”
“Baby, they’ve been watching over you since the day I realized I couldn’t be everywhere at once.” His arms tighten around me. “Like when I had to go see my mom. You think I’d leave you completely alone?”
I spin in his arms and glare up at him because he must’ve lost his damn mind.
“Okay. It’s one thing to know you stalk me—fine, whatever,we’re already in that mess—but it’s a whole other level of screwed up to bring in people I don’t know to watch me.”
“It’s not like that.” His jaw ticks, but there’s no apology in his eyes. “I’d never give them access to your life, not really. They just keep watch and make sure no one gets too close when I can’t be there.”
“You can’t just?—”
“I can, and I will again if it gives me peace of mind.” He leans down, his eyes boring into mine. “You wanna be pissed? Fine. Be pissed. But don’t expect me to feel bad about it because honestly, I’d chip your tooth and hide a fucking tracker in it if you let me.”
“The way I would kick your ass if you ever?—”
“Like I said, you’d have one if you let me, but I don’t think you’re quite there yet.”
What.
The actual.
Fuck?
I need to remember that this is just who Phoenix is.
This is the full package.
Possessive, deranged, and morally questionable on a good day, yet somehow, I can’t imagine a life without him.
“Anyway,” he murmurs, leaning down to press a kiss to my forehead, “I’ll pick you up from here later.”
“I have a car.”
“We’re not going in your car.”
“Okay…”
