Page 71 of Psycho

I took another sip of my beer, not saying anything.

He waited until I set it down before he spoke. “What are you doing here?”

“Why wouldn’t I be here?”

“I was sure you would be trying to make up with…”

He trailed off as if he thought I would provide him with a name.

Roman leaned back against this seat and crossed his arms over his chest, his brown eyes glinting. “It’s like that, huh?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You know, I remember how much shit you gave me when you realized I wasn’t going to kill Ryleigh, but keep her.”

“That’s because I was trying to protect you.”

He shook his head. “And I said it before. I don’t need my big brother to protect me.”

I shrugged. I didn’t give a damn what hethoughthe needed or didn’t need. It had always been my job to protect him. I would kill for him—had done it—and would fucking die for him.

And that was all there was to it.

Roman took a deep breath, but before he could say anything, I spoke first. “Are you going to spend date night here with me? I know you love me, but aren’t you afraid Ryleigh might get jealous?”

He rolled his eyes. “She’s very secure in our relationship. Besides, this isn’t the main thing. We just stop by for a quick drink before I take her to the movies.”

“You’re not the movie-going kind of guy.”

He shrugged. “No, but Ryleigh is, and that’s all that matters.”

I didn’t say anything to that.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

I finished off my beer but didn’t answer him.

I stood up, patted his shoulder, and walked out, heading to my bike.

I drove home.

Despite feeling like I was suffocating with her there, for some reason, I only wanted to get back home to her.

I arrived fifteen minutes later and opened the door quietly.

The house was dark and quiet, and though it was still early, I found her sound asleep on my bed, her entire body buried under the covers.

I didn’t know why I stood in front of the bed and watched her, or why it felt almost impossible to make myself walk away. Still, I did just that, moving into the bathroom and getting ready for bed. I couldn’t even remember the last time I went to bed this early, but I was doing that now.

I crawled under the sheets and pulled her toward me.

She let out a small, satisfied sigh as she snuggled closer to my warmth.

I didn’t go to sleep right away. I pulled out my phone and texted one of the boys from the club, and once I got a confirmation back, I put the phone away, pulling her tighter into my arms.

I stayed where I was and listened to her breathe, taking in the solid feel of her in my arms until I finally succumbed to sleep hours later.

14

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