Page 33 of For Wrath and Redemption
I shoot Claire a glare, then point at Brynn. “The movie never covers everything you need, and we don’t cut corners.”
Brynn sighs. “Fine. But once my report is turned in, can we watch the movie?”
I nod. “Sure. Now get out.”
Brynn laughs and says thank you, and I watch quietly as she and Red walk out the door, leaving me alone once again with Claire.
“How old is she?”
I turn and find Claire staring at the door, a tiny smile playing on her lips. It makes me want to smile too. Brynn has that effect on people.
“She’s nine.”
“Nine?” Claire shakes her head in surprise. “She’snine? I didn’t readThe Outsidersuntil middle school.”
“Yeah.” My smile slips, pride surging through me even though Brynn’s not my kid. “She’s fucking smart. Keeps Levi and Sav on their toes.”
“Seems like she’s keeping you on your toes, too.”
I avert my eyes and shrug, then sit down at the table to eat. I try toignore her, but she doesn’t move. She just keeps staring. I sigh and look over at her.
“What do you want now, Trouble?”
She arches a brow at the nickname, but she doesn’t comment on it. Instead, she nods to my chest. “Contacts?”
It takes me a minute to realize that she’s talking about my glasses hanging on the collar of my shirt, her question from last night circling back into my mind.Surprised to see you with brown hair and glasses. Do you wear contacts?
I turn back to my plate, shove a forkful of omelet into my mouth, then answer while chewing.
“LASIK.” I swallow and take a drink of my coffee. “I just need them for reading now.”
We fall back into silence, but Claire still doesn’t move. I can feel her eyes dragging over me, her attention scanning me for information like some sort of enemy agent. I sigh again, louder.
“What, Davis?”
“Nothing.” She shrugs in my periphery. “You have twenty minutes to eat and shower. Then we get back to work.”
11
JONAH
When I walkinto the bedroom, I’m surprised to see Claire messing around on my side of the partition.
With my towel around my waist, I round the privacy glass and watch her. She’s got a tripod with a ring light set up, and she’s laid a black silk sheet over my mattress. An image of fucking her on that silk sheet and recording it with that tripod pops into my mind so quickly that I flinch. I shake my head to clear it.
“What are you doing?”
Claire jumps and whirls on me, pressing a hand to her chest. “Christ, Hendrix. You scared me. You’re too big to be that quiet.”
I smirk and open my mouth to say something snarky, but I see one of my concert guitars and a portable amp next to the bed. My curiosity spikes.
“This isn’t a sex tape, is it?”
She rolls her eyes at my question and moves to the tripod.
“Get dressed. Something normal. Jeans and one of your band tees.” She looks up at me and purses her lips. Her attention drops to my collarbone and hands. “Put your necklace on and any rings you usually wear for concerts. Your watch, too.”
I nod and let go of my towel. Her eyes snap shut before it even hits the ground, and I chuckle as I pull jeans and a T-shirt out of my suitcase.
