Page 58 of Savagely Yours
He shook his head. “No, either Distribution or Operations. They give you the most access. Babe, you’re not going back to Sanitation. I won’t budge on that. Then, as mine, you’ll be untouchable, for the most part. That way, you’ll be able to get into more locations. I’m sure this system will be a rehash of something from the past.”
He was right.
Familiarity was often preferred over innovation. Hell, they’d mimicked a social caste-like system at Totten, so it was guaranteed the same would happen with this new “fraternization” order.
“Mistress means you’re still single,” I noted. “If someone comes along that you’re interested in?—”
“Tapley, let’s not go there,” he snapped. “So, if LaSalle decides he wants you, you’ll give him what he wants? What if ‘mistress’ and ‘whore’ means you’re expected to be,” his jaw ticked, “shared? Is that whatyouwant?”
“LaSalle’s interested in Leigh.”
He lightly pinched my arm.
However, it wasn’t pain that I felt.
“You know it’s not,” I said. “But wife might come with fewer privileges here, and that’s if it’s even a possibility between us.”
“Still, don’t ask me questions you already know the answer to.” He sighed and lengthened his strokes along my skin, each pass both gentle yet firm. “Look, Tapley, I get it. I don’t like being vulnerable either, and when it comes to the two of us, I’m protecting much more than my heart. But I didn’t take care ofyou out of oath or duty. I lied about that. I took care of you because you’re the only person whocouldcome along.”
I stared at him.
At first, he stared right back, but then he pulled me closer and pressed his nose against my scarf-covered head.
“Why do you keep sniffing my hair?” I asked, needing to change the subject to ward off the same vulnerability he’d mentioned only moments ago.
“Because it smells nice.” He took a deep inhale. “Like blueberries.”
“Did you wash it too?”
“Mm-hmm.”
I pulled away. “Seriously?You washed my hair?What did you do with it after you washed it?”
“Conditioned it.”
I poked his stomach.
“I asked a friend for help,” he clarified. “She braided it. It’s cute. You have the face for every hairstyle, I think. You’d be sexy even with a Beavis and Butthead type of situation going on.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.”
He laughed and tucked me back against him. “Larke, I did whatever I had to do to take care of you. Plus, I was so happy I found you, there were a few people I had to tell. Tell me you wouldn’t do the same for me.”
I couldn’t, so I didn’t.
Sleep called, and I smiled when he pressed his lips against my forehead. Because I wasn’t looking at him, I assumed the deep voice rumbling against my eardrum belonged to Real Dez. However, based on what he said next, I knew I’d definitely crossed over into dreamland.
“Larke, I love you.”
A pause followed.
“Larke? Fuck. Of course, she’s asleep. Damn it.Come on,Dez.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
DEZ
It was five o’clock in the morning, and I didn’t have to start rounds until seven. But today was officially the first day I was allowed to visit my “mistress.” It would also be my first time alone with Larke since she finished recuperating at my place. The only surprise was that I’d managed to walk at a normal pace from Woodhaven to Juniper.
