Page 2 of Reid
Realizing that my intensity was probably freaking her out, I forced myself to rein in the overwhelming possessiveness rattling around inside me.My fingers contracted around hers for a moment before I slowly released the grip I had on her hand.Unable to help myself, I skimmed my knuckle up her arm.“Hi.”
“Reid!”
Hearing Elias bark my name, I groaned.“That’s me.I’m Reid.And that’s my annoying baby brother, Elias, shouting for me.”
Amusement lit up those amazing eyes.Fuck, I just wanted to stand there and drown in that warm glow of honey in the center.That was my favorite color, I decided.
No, fuck that—it was the hint of green before it melded into the blue.
Was that navy or midnight blue around the outer rim?That was my favorite color.
“Evy!”someone called from the bedroom, frustrated and slightly out of breath.“SOS.I need assistance.This sheet won’t stay on the bed.”
“That’s me.I’m Evy.Everly,” she amended, nibbling on the corner of her bottom lip, causing a ragged groan to rumble out of me.“Only my sister calls me Evy.”
“Damn, that’s pretty.What do you want me to call you, sweetness?”
“Yours,” she whispered.
Ah, Christ.What little hold I’d gained over my self-control began to slip.I was one frayed thread snapping before I tossed her over my shoulder and carried her up to my apartment.Tying her to the bed would ensure she was never able to leave me, right?
Her blush burned brighter.“Damn it, I did not just say that aloud.”She pointed a finger toward my nose, her glower causing her nose to scrunch up in a way that was beautifully adorable.“You heard nothing.”
Taking her hand, I brought her finger to my lips, kissing the tip.Her mouth dropped open, a soft little whimper wrapping around my cock like a physical touch.“Too late.You don’t get to take that back, darlin’.”
“Reid!”Elias yelled again.Gritting my teeth, I debated how I could get away with murdering my brother without breaking our mother’s heart.“I know you’re here somewhere, asshole.Your truck is in its normal spot.I need an extra hand with this clogged pipe in unit eight.It’s already causing backflow.Gotta take care of this now, or we’re going to have multiple apartments flooded.”
That was right above my girl.I would have helped my brother, regardless.Eventually.But knowing the mess might leak down into her apartment and ruin any of her things had me reluctantly stepping back from her.“Gotta go, sweetness.”
Disappointment flashed in her eyes for a moment before she blinked it away, giving me a smile.“See you around, Reid.”
“Very, very soon, Ev.”I grabbed the door handle.“And then we’re gonna talk about you leaving this door open.That’s not safe.”
“I researched Creswell Springs’s crime rate before I picked this area.This place is Mayberry compared to Seattle.Or Los Angeles,” she said with a shrug, making me smile.
Creswell Springswassafer than Mayberry.On paper.Online statistics wouldn’t have flagged the turf war between my MC and Fontana when I was a kid.Or that fucker Santino.Or half a dozen other monsters who had tried to tear up our town and take over in the last three-plus decades.That wasn’t something that was public knowledge.
But she didn’t have to worry about those fucks.
No offense to the sheriff, who was married to my cousin, but Ben wasn’t why people stayed on the straight and narrow in our town.That was all the work of the Angel’s Halo MC.
“Besides, my sister needs the door open.It helps.”
Something in her voice had me hesitating, wanting to ask her a million questions all at once.I wanted to hear her entire life story, but I especially wanted to know why her voice held so much sadness.
“Helps with what?”I figured that was the most important question, for the moment.
“Reid!”
“Evy!”
Their insistent shouts had her taking a step back.I tightened my grip around the knob and reminded myself that her stuff was at risk.That was the only thing I was concerned about.“I need to go take care of the pipe situation and then kill my brother.In that order.”
Her laugh did crazy shit to my chest again.“Let me know if you need assistance.”
“With moving a dead body?You got experience with a life of crime, sweetness?”I teased.
“It’s a crazy world out there.A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”
