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“Don’t let the fear you carry become so heavy you don’t live.” She knew so little about me. About who I was outside the beige sponge-painted walls of the facility. About who I used to be. And yet her advice was poignant and spot-on. “Promise me, sweet girl. I lived ninety-six years, but I didn’t live nearly enough.”
The dark, scowling asshole. The iPad-wielding nerd. The huge, tatted emo boy. The gruff, gorgeous jock. They’d look like a ragtag team of misfits if they weren’t presiding over the parking lot like they own the damn place.
They’re not worth the hassle.” He nods at the beefed-up security dudes who are scowling at nothing. “Hmph. You don’t know whether I’m worth the hassle either, Emo Boy. Not yet.” He peers over his shoulder with hooded eyes. “I’m about to fuck around and find out.”
“Locke,” I scold. “Stop fucking around and lick it like a good boy. I want to come, then I need to see what you’re packing.”
“Are we in a pantry?” Locke hits me with another salacious grin, rubbing his thumb back and forth over his bottom lip. “This is where I keep all my best snacks.”
“I’m a quick learner,” he quips. “You said you weren’t sure where things stand between us, so now I’ll make it abundantly clear as often as possible.”
She’s not a threat. At least not in the way Decker is concerned about. He’s only looking out for me—ever the protector, even when it’s unnecessary—but there’s no point in him getting worked up about an impending hyper-fixation. I’m already fucking in it.
I’m close to unconsciousness when he whispers, so quietly I almost don’t make out the words, “You’re okay, Josephine. You can go back to hating me in the morning, but tonight, I’ve got you.”
“Wait.” I don’t want him to stop. But I have to make sure he understands. “I-I didn’t shower or clean up yet. We used a condom, but you might…taste him… down there. That doesn’t bother you?” Kylian hitches one eyebrow and smirks. “Baby, tasting him on you makes this even hotter. Stop worrying and let me work. No more talking. Unless you want to scream my name or tell me you’re coming.”
“You’re so needy. Such a filthy, needy girl, getting fucked by my best friend, then coming up here begging for me to give you more.”
“Say it again,” he demands. “Daddy,” I whimper without overthinking. “Please, Daddy. I need you.” He whistles. “Yep. That’ll do it. New kink unlocked.”
Eventually, he crawls up the bed and flops down beside me, turning and hitting me with a shit-eating grin. Or would it be a pussy-eating grin? “And that’s two,” he declares. Victorious.
“I didn’t know you were so competitive,” I tease, kissing his chest and melting into him. I know he doesn’t sleep well if I’m draped all over him, but I can’t resist a good post-orgasm cuddle. He strokes my hair, then snags a water bottle from the nightstand and hands it to me. “Just because I sit on the sidelines at the games doesn’t mean I’m not going to play to win in the bedroom, Jo.”
“Is that how this is going to end?” I ask, slightly panicked. “Between you and Locke… or whoever,” I add, wincing. “Someone will be declared the winner?” Kylian is quiet, and when I tip my head back to search his face, he’s wearing a slight frown that’s more thoughtful than upset. He meets my gaze and goes back to stroking my head. “I think that’s up to you. As weird as it sounds, we work well together. We’ve always been a team. I don’t know how this’ll play out; I just know I’m in.”
My gut instinct is to argue. No one else has limitations. And why do I have to report to him? But going toe to toe with Decker just for the sake of arguing doesn’t have the same appeal it once did. Instead, I accept him at his word, choosing to heed the concern I see in his eyes. He’s not just a bossy asshole. Being in control is his way of protecting his people. Does this mean I’m one of his people now? It thrills me to realize it does.
