Page 12 of Indecent Lies

His first instinct was to grab her up and protect her with his body from all the deviants in this place, and he didn’t understand it whatsoever because for all intents and purposes he was a stranger to her. Though she didn’t look at him like a stranger.

She looked at him like he was a hero.

Far from it, little girl.

From behind her, he saw Axel’s daughter watching them with intrigue.

He wondered in his absence had the Butcher claimed the woman yet, he’d sulked over her for far too long already.

Switching his gaze back to Penelope he held out a warning hand before she did something stupid by throwing herself at him and he did something far worse by catching her. “Stay here,” he growled, darker than intended and she came to a sudden halt, hurt in her eyes.

And then he turned his back on her and continued to follow Chains to get this shit over with so he could pack her ass back on a plane and send her to her fiancé or husband, whatever.

This wasn’t his circus, nor his clown but he’d fix this mess for her.

Because at one time in their life, both him and Poppy were lonely kids who shared a loathing of all things Harrison society.

He let a thought build in his mind right before he walked into Axel’s office.

Had he not put his emotions into a viper of another girl, would he have fallen for a girl like Penelope? A sweet, loyal girl who looked at him like a hero and not a piece of scum.

He’d never know.

Life had taken Texas to a direction of his own making.

He didn’t shake Axel’s hand.

The man was about to shake him down for money, Texas wasn’t inclined to feel friendly one bit.

Luckily for Penelope, he had the means to set her free.

FOUR

“I didn’t know you could buy a socialite with Amazon Prime.” – Texas

“Texas is Tait? Why didn’t you say so before?”

Penelope heard Roux ask from behind her.

She was too busy dealing with her pumping heart to answer right away.

Her eyes still focused on the dimly lit hallway Tait disappeared down.

He looked different.

Less soft in his face.

All cut lines and sharp lips.

She knew he’d grow from cute to manly…rough. Somehow she’d known he’d age so well.

Locked around one single breath in her throat, her eyes still seeing his edgy walk even though he was no longer in sight.

He’d looked at her, not with a smile of recognition, but one of emptiness.

The stare robbed her breath because she somehow over the days, weaved a story in her head of how he’d play white knight and he’d be so happy to see her.

Stay here.