Page 157 of Psycho

“No. You’re wrong.”

He couldn’t love me. It was too soon, and a part of me wasn’t sure a man like Micah was capable of loving me.

Being obsessive and possessive of me… yes.

But love?

The thought would have been laughable if it wasn’t so fucking sad. Especially since I could feel myself falling for him a little deeper with each day that passed.

I closed my eyes, unable to take the intensity of Roman’s gaze on me anymore.

“You can deny all you want, Lainey. But I know my brother.”

“Not very well,” I said, opening my eyes and looking at him.

His lips twitched, and I felt myself relaxing a little from the sudden change in mood.

“For what it’s worth, I’m glad he found you. I was worried he wouldn’t find anyone. That he would only live for the club.”

I frowned. “Micah doesn’t just have the club. He has you, too.”

I didn’t know their relationship very well, but I had a feeling Roman was the one man Micah trusted the most in the world. Otherwise he wouldn’t have put his contact information in my phone, or have him take me home, or hell, even give him the key.

Roman confirmed it when he nodded. “He does. He always had me. And for the longest time, we were all the other one had. It makes it hard for Micah to see me as someone capable of protecting himself.”

“You?” I was surprised. “But you’re huge!”

He didn’t say anything, though the glint in his eyes gave him away. For a moment, he looked so much like Micah. I was hit with a yearning so strong for him to be here with me, even if it hadn’t been all that long since I’d last seen him.

I just wanted this day to be over, and to be in bed with Micah holding me close in his arms.

“Thank you,” Roman said with a small laugh, making me blush. “Still doesn’t make Micah less protective. In case you haven’t noticed, he’s really protective of those he considers his, and I have a feeling you’re at the top of the list.”

I shook my head and looked down at my lap.

“No? You don’t think so?” Roman asked.

I didn’t answer him.

He stayed quiet for a moment. Then, “There are some shits from our childhood that we both carry to this day. I won’t go into much detail because this is as much my story as Micah's, and my brother can tell you about it soon. But it affected us. Him, more so than me. I got the better end of the shit stick for having been born after Micah. He had to play my protector for so long, I think he sometimes forgets that he’s supposed to be so much more than that. That hecouldbe. He’s not known asthepsycho for no reason. Your dad is Ozzy Reyes, no?”

I nodded and looked at him.

He smiled softly, making himalmostlook approachable.

“Then you grew up knowing about the King’s Men. You know about our reputation, and I’m sure you’ve heard all sorts of shit about the enforcer.”

I couldn’t deny it. It was true that the name Micah Stone had run in synonymous with the Boogeyman.

“He’s different with you, though,” Roman said. And there was something in his eyes that I didn’t understand. Something intense, something that almost looked like pain, but not. “Thank you.”

I startled back. “For what?”

“For making my brother human again.”

26

LAINEY

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