Page 18 of Lockout

No. I wasn’t. I had myself under control…most of the time. I could live here with her nearby and not touch her again. There was no need to make shit messy for her when she tried to leave again.

As if he could read my mind he continued, “Otherwise, some of us might have to take it upon ourselves to help out.”

“Don’t even fucking think about it.”

“Why?” he asked with a smirk. “I seem to remember you doin’ the same when it was me buryin’ my head in the sand.”

Fuck. He had me there. I had given him and Seek both pushes to get them to get together. Not to mention some of the other guys. But that was because it was what they needed at the time. I didn’t need shit.

“Just think about that,” Hush suggested. “And don’t take too much time, Lock.” He shoved out of his chair and wandered out of the room as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

Fucker. He was lucky I wasn’t in the mood to pound on him right now. Sighing, I pushed out of my own chair. It was time to go see Keely. This time I was keeping my fucking hands to myself.

CHAPTER 8

Keely

Our impromptu girl party ended as the guys started piling out of the back hallway. It was getting near dinner time anyway and these women had families to feed. I made sure to get another round of hugs, and this time Isla didn’t escape my embrace.

“You people hug too much,” she muttered, but her arms closed around me as she squeezed me tight.

I gave Toxic a warning look as he wrapped his arm around Billie and called out, “I still expect you to take care of her, Toxic.” I made a fist and dragged my thumb over my throat, threatening him. I was only half serious. I knew from Billie’s happy chatter over the last couple of months that Toxic was smitten with her. Though he’d never use that word and would be horrified if he heard me say it in connection with him. But I’d called and threatened him once before and I didn’t want him to forget thatif he ever slipped up, I’d be there to thump him on the head and set him straight.

I’d do the same to any of these guys. Well, almost any. Butterflies fluttered inside my stomach as Lockout stalked out of the hallway, eyes pinned on me. Why did he always look so intense? And why did he elicit this reaction inside of me every time I looked his way?

Of course, this time it was stronger because now I knew I was basically going to throw myself at him.

What’s the worst that could happen?

Billie’s question sounded in my mind once more. He could embarrass me. He could turn me down. He could sleep with me then treat me like a club bunny. Ugh. The ways in which this could go badly were many. But I’d promised to try. And my heart wasn’t going to let me get away with keeping him at arm’s length anymore. Not after what happened to us this afternoon.

I gave him a tentative smile as he stopped in front of me. “Church go well?”

He searched my expression and gave a clipped nod. “Let me show you to your room.”

I fell into step with him as we headed upstairs. It didn’t surprise me that he didn’t tell me anything about church, or do more than acknowledge that they’d had it. He only told me what was strictly need to know. That was fine. I didn’t need to be involved in their club. I had my own stuff to deal with most of the time, now especially.

We passed the door to the apartment I’d stayed in before. Space was getting tight with all the men and their families living in the bigger apartments now. My steps slowed as we headed further down the hall toward his apartment in the back. “I’m not staying with you, Lock.” Though it would make it easier to seduce him if I did.

His eyes flicked my way before he stopped at a door right next to his. He opened it and waited. “I want you close by.”

I was going to have to give my heart a stern talking to, because it leapt so high it was in my throat. I couldn’t fall in love with him. Even if we did sleep together there was no guarantee that Sloane and Isla’s plan was going to work. He could still walk away at the end of it, and I’d be left with a shattered heart if I completely gave it to him.

Going into this, I needed to protect myself until I knew what was what. Then maybe I’d start opening up to him. Not jump in like a love sick fool and end up drowning.

I walked into the small apartment and looked around. It was cute. Small. Which was fine for me.

“Figured I could always knock out a wall and add another section to my apartment if I needed to,” he said, motioning toward the little studio apartment.

“It’s perfect. Thank you for letting me stay.” I turned to face him. Neither of us were going to mention the fact that he’d practically forced me to come with him. It didn’t matter. “Did the club agree?”

“Of course,” he answered. He didn’t need me to clarify that I was talking about helping me out. He knew. “You’re a part of our family, Keely.”

Sighing, I turned and saw that he’d set my bags in the little living room area. Just like all the other apartments Priest and Jenny had this one decked out with everything I’d need to live here. “I don’t want you, or them, to think that I don’t appreciate this, Lock, because I do,” I said, turning to face him again. “But this is big. The things these guys do…” I raised my hands then dropped them immediately. It was a gesture of hopelessness. “I’ve seen a lot, being a criminal defense attorney.” I gave him a wry smile. “I like to think I have a stomach of steel. But the photos…”

The one of a body half dissolved in a barrel of acid still haunted me. And that was only a fraction of the things I’d seen working on this case. Going through all the case notes and reports of the agents working on various killings and kidnappings had shown me a lot. “I’m worried about you.”

One light brown eyebrow shot up as he studied me. “You’re worried about me?”

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