Page 54 of Living Without

GYPSY

He walked to the door of Saxon’s room, looking in at the group resting on the bed. In the middle, Nary sat close to Saxon’s side, eyes on the TV. Saxon had his hand on her wrist, absently circling it with his thumb, holding her in place, not that she had any intention of going anywhere, his eyes also on the TV. Kelsey, on the other side of Nary, had a pillow bunched underneath her head. Even though he hadn’t made a sound, those pale blue eyes were fixed firmly on Gypsy.Me.

It was always like that. Didn’t matter where they were, or what was going on around them, she found him. With her eyes, or sometimes, and fuck but he loved when she did this, she’d sidle into him and get close. If he initiated, she’d let him hold her hand, and even when he could feel the pulse of her fear pounding in her wrist, she’d hold on. Leaning into him if he slung an arm over her shoulders, the quiver in her muscles feeling like she was fighting flight, but Gypsy knew it wasn’t escape from him. The depths of her fear made it so he tried to keep himself clamped down, fighting against going hard from the nearness of the woman.

She needed a change, and he knew it. Saxon knew it, too. He was the only one other than Mason that Gypsy had talked to about her. Standing there quietly, he gave Kelsey a chin lift, one shoulder wedged against the frame, and she offered him the sweetest smile. Beautiful, so fucking beautiful.Fuck, I’d do anything to make it so she had a thousand reasons to smile every day. Gypsy indicated the hallway with a tip of his head, and she glanced up at Nary, then back to him. With a murmured excuse, she rolled off the bed and walked out of the room.

He was waiting. She got close, staring up at him, and he suddenly wondered if she understood what it did to him when she did that. Trusting without saying a word, getting close so she could feel just a bit safer, because he was the one who made her feel safe. Ever since that first day, Gypsy had felt the weight of that trust like a blessing, balancing it against the lust he felt every time he touched her. “Wanna talk to you,” he told her and watched as her eyes widened. Not in excitement. Fear.Fuck. “Come with me, Kelsey.”

Lips pressed tightly together, she nodded. “O-okay.”

“Nothing bad, darlin’. Promise.” His words seemed to give her a little relief, and she nodded again. Not giving her a chance to avoid his touch, he reached down, stroking her arm from elbow to wrist, then clasped her hand. He waited, eyes on hers, hoping she saw what she needed in his. It was slow and shaky, but she did it, and Gypsy smiled proudly at her when her fingers curled around his. He’d killed for her, and yet she never feared his hands on her.

Leading her through the house and out back, he stood, looking up at the stars for a moment, marvelling again at the difference in the patterns. Without trying to sort his head out, he started talking, “My boss, president… Mason, he sent me on this gig, you know. He’s a good man. He’d like it here, I think.” Gypsy knew he was rambling, but he was so fucking nervous he couldn’t control his mouth. He’d been a damn cop who had interrogated murderers and racketeering mobsters and still couldn’t find the words to talk to this woman.Because she matters, he thought.Because I want her.

“Sounds n-nice.” She was trembling again, and that killed him.Give anything to make it better.

Time to move this forwards. Gypsy kept his voice gentle when he said, “I like it here.” Smiled when she squeezed his hand, then frowned as a shiver wound down her body. “Darlin’, you’re cold. Shoulda said something.” Tugging on her hand, Gypsy urged her towards him, and she came, one trusting step after the other until she was close. He shifted so her back was to his front, and slowly, so slowly she could have easily avoided him if she wanted to, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, cradling her slight body to him. “Better?”

“Y-yes.” Her head was tipped to one side, hiding her face against his arm. Gypsy stifled a groan when he saw the arch of her neck, delicate and beautiful, and made for his mouth to fitthere, just where the muscles of her shoulder created an angle.Perfect for me. Fuck. He pulled up a memory of her rescue. Bruised and frightened, struggling out from under that bastard, and only moments later she had trusted him.Me. Strong, and braver than she knew.

He had to get this right, couldn’t risk frightening her with what his body wanted from hers. Curves she hadn’t had when they’d met pressed against him, and he nearly released a groan when she shifted, her ass against his cock. She’d been a slave for weeks… months. He couldn’t expect her to come back all at once.But I can help her get a little farther, every single day, he thought.

“I like it here,” he repeated himself, then finished, “but I gotta go home.” As if she’d been shot through with electricity, she stiffened, freezing in place. “Not right this moment, but soon, Kelsey. Very soon.” So still in his arms, and he wasn’t sure if the heart he heard pounding was his, or hers.This could go so wrong, he thought.Or it could go right. “Home for me is America. Have you ever thought of visiting, darlin’?” Hair trailed across his skin as she shook her head; beautiful and dark, her hair was so sleek. “Not thought of it, or wouldn’t consider it?”

A shrug, her shoulders lifting and brushing across his chest in a caress she didn’t even know she offered. “Darlin’.” Gypsy didn’t know what he wanted from her, but it was more than that simple movement. He needed her to make a choice, a clear decision to go with him.Please, baby.

“Never th-thought I could.” That at least was not an outright rejection, and might speak to a desire.

“Would you want to? Want to come with me?” Gypsy’s throat clenched tightly, and he had to force a swallow to continue. “Want to come home with me?”

“You… you won’t l-leave me?” Her voice broke, and that tipped the scales for him. She might fear many things, but she wanted to be with him more than anything else.She picked me.

“What’d I tell you the first time I saw you? Huh, baby?” He didn’t wait for Kelsey to find the words because they were written on his heart, and he desperately wanted her to know he remembered. “I ain’t goin’ anywhere. Not without you.”

Chapter Twenty

NARY

I watched the bedroom door open, and Kelsey came through. I couldn’t quite work out the expression on her face. It was a mixture of concern, relief, and excitement. Though my attention was dragged from her when Saxon stood from the bed and said, “I’ll let you both get ready for bed, and talk.”

Talk?

We had to talk?

About what?

The way Kelsey flicked her gaze around the room, not meeting my eyes, and the way she nibbled on her bottom lip told me the talk, I knew nothing about, was going to be big.

Had Gypsy upset her? I’d hurt him if he had.

Actually, I couldn’t see him even trying. He’d been wonderful with Kelsey. So much so, I was sure he had feelings for her.

My body jolted when I heard the bedroom door snapping closed. Saxon had already stepped out.

“Nary,” Kelsey whispered. She walked to the end of the bed and finally met my gaze. “Um, I-I have something I need to say.”

“Are you okay, honey?” I asked, climbing to my knees.

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