Page 56 of Property of Bones

“Good,” he says, smug and satisfied. “Means I’m doing something right. I’ll be home soon, baby. Stay safe for me.”

“You can’t make me hate you and lo…ike you in the span of a minute.”

Crap. What did I just say?

“Sure, I can,” he responds. “I could never hate you, but I lo…iked you the moment I set my eyes on your face. Was just too fucking stupid to claim you right then and there.”

“You can’t claim a person like they're a prize, Jack,” I say, ignoring the fact that he knew exactly what I almost said.

“Course, I can. You’re the prize I don’t deserve but will never let go of. Now, be a good girl, and don’t move until I get back.”

“I hate you again,” I laugh.

Freaking jerk.

Chapter Seventeen

Bones

I pull Tank’s truck up in front of my place, already anticipating the look on Sunny’s face.

“Need help, brother?” Maverick asks, coming around the side of the house.

“Figured you’d be gone already,” I grunt, cutting the engine.

“Nah, not needed anywhere else at the moment,” he says, grabbing a duffle in one hand and a TV box in the other. “How many TVsdoyou need, man?”

“I got one for every room,” I mutter, slamming the door shut behind me. “That one’s for the bathroom.”

Maverick laughs, loud and low. “Looks like Sunny’s got you by the balls, brother. Good. It’s about time.”

I grunt again, not denying it.

“Come help,” he calls toward the yard, and within seconds, I’ve got a whole damn parade of Shadows grabbing gear out of the back like we’re moving someone into witness protection.

Which… I guess we kinda are.

When we push through the front door, Sunny’s eyes go wide.

“What in the world is all this?” she asks, eyes ping-ponging between boxes and bags and furniture. “Five TVs, Jack?Really?”

“Don’t want you getting bored, baby,” I say, setting her duffel down beside the recliner. “How’re you feeling? You need your pain meds?”

“Yeah,” she admits, brow furrowing. “But I also need to stretch. I’ve been sitting in this recliner so long my spine might be permanently reclined.”

“I’ll help you in a second,” I tell her, nodding toward the chaos. “Let me tell the guys where everything goes.”

She rises slowly, one arm wrapped protectively across her chest. Then her eyes lock on something behind me.

“Wait… Is that myoffice desk?”

“Yep.”

“Jack,whyis my desk here?”

Before I can answer, someone shouts from the hallway, “Where do you want this bean bag chair?”

Sunny’s hands fly to her temples. “Is thatmybean bag chair?!”

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