Page 114 of Heir

“The way she always watches and waits for me to eat first. Or how she’ll put more food on my plate.”

His brow smoothed out, and he leaned back against the chair. “Oh, that. Like I said, she has a unique relationship with food. She has food insecurities, not because she couldn’t afford it, but because it wasn’t always available to her growing up. Feeding those around her and making sure they don’t go hungry is the way she shows love. Just go with it. She likes to cook for people, and it’s not a hardship to eat it, because, as I’m pretty sure you already know, she’s a damn good cook.”

And now the lasagna thing made sense.

I was starting to see just who Gemma Gallagher was. And fuck me, it wasn’t enough. I wanted to know more.

I wanted to know everything, and I wouldn’t stop until that was the case.

I wouldn’t stop until I owned everything.

* * *

I crouchedon the floor beside her and cupped her head.

Her eyes fluttered, and I waited for them to open. Her skin was still a little red and blotchy, and her eyes were swollen, but she still looked beautiful to me.

“Hey, pretty girl.”

There was a softness in her eyes before the memories of the day came back to her, and I fucking hated the way the light dimmed. I moved back when she sat up. She looked around the small office.

“What time is it?”

“Just after six,” I answered.

“Are you done for the day?”

“Yeah, baby. I’m gonna take you home, and you’re going to let me take care of everything for you.”

Her brow furrowed, and I smiled softly at her. “You’re going to let me feed you, bathe you, then put you to bed.”

“You make it sound like such a hardship to let you take care of everything for me,” she said, her voice a little coarse. But I could hear a slight teasing.

I smiled and stood. Holding out my hand, I waited until she placed it in mine, and then I helped her up to standing. Every molecule in my body screamed at me to protect the small, delicate girl.

“Oh, it’s going to be so fucking hard, baby,” I said, kissing the tender skin on her neck. I sucked it, marking her.

Mine, mine, mine.

She was mine.

“But I’ll be good,” I whispered against her skin, smiling a little when she shuddered against me.

“What if I don’t want you to be good?”

“Don’t tempt me,” I growled. It would be so easy to fall into the routine of losing myself inside her. But I didn’t want her to think this was just about sex.

Where this was going, I still didn’t know.

She laughed, making my heart clench in the best way possible, and I led us out of the bar. It was in full swing tonight, and I could see a couple of brothers sitting around, drinking beer and having a good time. I ignored them and everyone calling to me.

The only thing I wanted was to get my girl home and take care of her as best as I could.

We came out to the parking lot, and I brought her to my black Dodge Durango R/T.

I opened the passenger side door and let her climb in before closing it behind her and hurrying to the driver’s seat. Fuck me, but I didn’t want to let her out of my sight, even for the moment it would take to climb inside the car.

The parking lot wasn’t well-lit, but it was enough for me to make out her silhouette and a hint of her facial expression.

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