I couldn't get that bathroom door open quickly enough. “Give me fifteen minutes to get into some clothes and I’ll meet you out front. Deal?”
And as his eyes slithered down my body, a flush radiated down my spine.
“Deal,” he said.
Before quickly turning on the balls of his feet and striding for my bedroom door.
Three
West
She was beautiful. As my eyes lingered upon her curves, I ignored her bruises and took in the sheer electric sensations that her perfection offered for me. My cock twitched. My hands balled up into fists to keep from physically reaching for her. Seeing her wrapped up in nothing but a towel, dripping wet from her bath, stirred something within me that I didn’t have a right to entertain. Her dirty blonde hair shimmered in the lighting of the bathroom while her oceanic blue eyes stared me down. Her curves tugged at the sides of the bath towel, threatening to burst open the second Chloe decided to move.
I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, so I quickly turned on my feet and left.
But the idea of having her pressed against me for a bike ride stiffened my dick against the zipper of my jeans.
“Come on, get it together,” I growled.
I didn’t like hearing her upset. I wanted to cheer her up in any way possible. Ever since we saved her from the cartel, I had wished for their blood to spill. I wanted to slaughter them. I wanted to string them up by their big toes, slit their throats, and watch them gurgle out protests of mercy while I bled them like a stuffed fucking pig. My protective instincts kicked into high gear every time my eyes wafted over her bruises or every time I watched her grab her side in pain as she tried to stand. Or move. Or generally exist.
I didn’t try to deny the fact that I was attracted to her.
But I’d never act on it.
Hell, I hadn’t been with anyone since my ex, Tiffany, and that was so many years ago that it almost felt like a completely different lifetime. I had been a different person in a different phase in my life. I was rebellious, attempting to prove myself. I thought I was unstoppable. I thought no one could touch me.
They touched Tiffany, though.
And I’d never forgiven myself for it since.
I don’t deserve Chloe when I couldn't save Tiffany.
“Hey! West!”
Frost’s voice caught my attention and I turned to face him. “Yep?”
He pointed toward Chloe’s bedroom door. “Were you just checking up on her? She okay?”
I nodded. “She’s fine. Still hurting. She was in the bathroom, so I gave her space.”
“Good. Hopefully she took that bath Lexi recommended. Maybe that’ll help her soreness a bit.”
Doubtful.“Yeah, I just told her through the door that if she needed anything, don’t hesitate to let me know.”
Frost sighed. “You think she’s only fractured that rib? Because she looks like she’s in a lot more pain than that.”
I chuckled. “Clearly, you’ve never fractured a rib.”
“I broke my thumb. Does that count?”
I barked with laughter as I wrapped my arm around his neck. “No, it really doesn’t. Fracturing a rib is a whole different ball game. That shit moves every time you fucking breathe.”
I walked him away from her bedroom in the hopes that we could scoot by everyone and out a side exit on the other side of the warehouse. Chloe needed a moment to breathe away from the recycled air and the chaos of the crowd, and to be honest, I needed that time as well. Being around all of these fucking people day in and day out was getting bothersome. I missed my own bed. My own place. My own apartment that overlooked the city. Most of the guys in the crew thought my place was too upscale for someone like me, which didn’t make a bit of fucking sense, but whatever. I liked the view, I liked the open floor plan, and I loved the fact that I could park my bike in an underground garage so that no one could fucking touch it.
I missed home more than I cared to admit.
“Well,” Frost said as he snaked from beneath my arm, “just keep me updated. Lexi and I have our hands full with Natty right now because she’s pretty confused, but it isn’t as if we’ve abandoned Chloe. We’re just as worried about her.”
