Page 27 of Rooster

"We wouldn't do that during the day," she says before covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening comically big. "Plus, we've only had sex once so far today."

"It's eight in the morning, Kaylee! Just arguing that it's only been once tells me how often it happens multiple times before most people get out of bed!"

She spins around, aiming her back at me as she busies herself making a cup of coffee.

"I have got to get out of here," I mutter as I walk to the fridge and put the orange juice bottle back inside.

"We could see about a spa day," she says.

"I need to go home."

I have her full attention when she turns back to face me. I swear I see genuine terror in her eyes as if I had just told her I met a prince online and was uprooting my entire life to go live with him in a third-world country.

"I don't think—"

"I can't stay here."

"Because there's a guy not falling at your feet?"

I tilt my head, my heart hurting a little that this is how she sees me, but I'm not really in a position to argue. As my best friend, she knows about almost all my dalliances, meaning she's well aware of my not-so-kind track record with men. I'm not going to go so far as to say that Robert is different because he may not be. I do know that the lack of flirty attention is very much responsible for my current mood.

"Wow. Okay," I say. I carry the glass of orange juice to the sink, knowing I can't handle bitter juice on my tongue right now after this conversation. "Tell me how you really feel."

"Nope," she says as she lifts her cup to her lips. "Don't gaslight me, Morgan Spence."

I clamp my mouth closed, knowing she's right.

"Maybe consider going back to work, like I suggested before. I don't think going home is safe."

"At a minimum, I have to go back and get more clothes. I hardly had time to pack anything before we came here."

I look down at my mismatched t-shirt and leggings, wondering if what I was wearing last night made Robert not interested.

I'm so fucked in the head. I may need to schedule some intense therapy sessions and worry about work and going home at some other point. Clearly, all of this is fucking with my head.

"Talk with Ellis about having someone escort you, please," she says.

"I will," I promise, knowing as much as I want to go home, I don't see myself ever feeling safe there again.

Chapter 10

Rooster

"I don't think it's a good idea," Twisted says, his arms crossed over his chest as he closes himself off to the other guys in the room.

He hasn't glanced my way once since he walked in here, and although it feels very childish, I don't get to dictate how the man behaves.

"We can't hold her prisoner," Bandera interjects.

"We can, at a minimum, have someone watch her house if she goes home," Heathen suggests.

"Is that a Cerberus thing?" Whiskey asks as he looks at each guy in the room. "There's only four of us."

"Five," I interject, needing the man to eventually realize I'm as much a part of this team as the other guys who work in the field.

"Five," he corrects. "If we put someone on every woman who might be in danger, we're going to run out of the ability to help anyone."

"She's in danger because of me," I remind him. "I think until I know what Henry's plans are, she deserves our protection."

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