Page 58 of Arm Candy Warrior

“Because Johnny told you to, or because you have a vested interest?” Oscar challenges.

“Both.”

I take a step back, getting sick of this. “Listen if you’re going to fight, fight. Let me know. I’ll grab some popcorn. If you’re not, I should really get dressed in case anyone else wants to come into my apartment unexpectedly.”

Oscar and Magnum glance over at me. Their heated stares collide with my flush body. The bra and panty set I grabbed isn’t sporty. In fact, it’s the sexiest set I own. It’s damn near lingerie. It was in one of the bags Glo brought over right before she tried to kill me.

Magnum’s throat works. I can tell he’s trying not to peek. He’s trying to be the gentleman in the room and not take an eye full, but he’s losing the war with himself. “Yes, you should get dressed,” he finally says.

I pad back into the bathroom, picking an outfit as I move past the closet, then disappear behind the bathroom door and lock it behind me. I turn off the shower since I left it pretty rapidly when Oscar barged in to carry me out. Then, I start to get ready. I pull on the pair of jeans and shirt I grabbed, then work on my hair and makeup.

A half an hour has passed by the time I exit the room. Oscar and Magnum are no longer in my bedroom, which is fine. Better, probably. Though, being in a quarterback-bodyguard sandwich sounds like good times. Yum.

I walk into the main living area to find Magnum in the kitchen and Oscar sitting on the couch. Magnum brings a mug over to me, and I can tell by looking at it that he must have gone back over to his own apartment to get me the good hot chocolate. I confessed the other day that his was better than the stuff I had at my place. Oscar has his legs propped up on the coffee table, feet crossed at the ankles. Magnum eyes him, distaste evident on his face. It looks like everything about Oscar pisses Magnum off, which is kind of funny.

Magnum slices Oscar a look, but then turns toward me. “I was coming over to see what you wanted to do today. I heard Johnny and his dad left this morning.”

“Where did they go exactly?”

“Chicago. They have some business dealings there.”

“I knew that,” Oscar pipes up like a petulant child.

“Yeah, and you wasted no time trying to put Kyla in jeopardy once you heard they were gone.”

A look of absolute rage transforms Oscar’s face. His hands ball to fists. “I would never put Kyla in jeopardy.”

I’m struck he didn’t call me Princess, but more than that, his emotions are one hundred percent real and true.

I place my hand on Magnum’s arm and squeeze, telling him silently to lay off him. Oscar turns his attention to where I’m touching Magnum though, so I pull my hand from his shortly after. “Wait until Brawler hears this,” Oscar says, laughing to himself.

I swallow. “Hears what?”

“How Mag wants you too. If you thought he was pissed when—”

“Okay,” I say, silencing Oscar. I shoot him a look, trying to tell him Mag doesn’t want me and the only thing he’s doing is making it awkward as fuck for all of us to be around each other. I run my hands through my hair. “I was hoping to get some freedom out of Johnny being gone,” I hedge, staring at Mag.

He nods. “I thought you’d want that.”

“By the way,” Oscar says, pulling out my cell phone. “Brawler texted you. He says he’s wondering if you’re going to school today, which is probably code for, ‘I can’t stop thinking about you. Come suck my dick.’”

He lifts a brow at me in challenge, and I stalk forward, yanking my phone from his grip. I don’t get very far because he grabs my hand and pulls me into his lap. He settles me there until we’re staring into one another’s eyes again just like we had after I sucked his dick. I’d planned on telling him not to fucking read my texts, but instead, it comes out, “Don’t read my texts.” For good measure, I throw in, “Asshole.”

He grins.

Magnum clears his throat behind us. I scramble out of Oscar’s lap and try to figure out what I want to do.

“I know you probably want some freedom, but I just ask that I drive you places and that I’m around wherever you want to go, so I can make sure you stay safe. Things tend to get a little less formal when Big Daddy K and Johnny leave, but I need to make sure you’re secure.”

“No,” Oscar answers, his tone haughty. “I can keep her safe.”

“Oscar,” I say, rolling my eyes at him.

Oscar lowers his voice. “I was thinkingwecould hang out today.”

“I won’t intrude on any private moments,” Mag says tersely. “But I’m going with Kyla wherever she goes. She’smyresponsibility.”

I fix him with a look. “As long as I get some freedom, I’m fine with that.” Magnum is more like a friend than security personnel right now, anyway. “You know what I’m dying for?”

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