Page 27 of As Thick As Thieves

“I’ll be paying him back, I won’t have him buying my girl anything,” he said stubbornly as he started pulling his pants on, his eyes burning into me as I stripped out of the shirt and shorts I was wearing.

The bra was uncomfortable against the wounds on my back when I put it on, but I kept it a little looser than usual and the bandages stopped it from rubbing as much.

“What do you think?” I asked as I did a twirl, nerves kicking in. “Do I look okay?”

“Okay? You’re fucking gorgeous and you’ll be lucky if I make it through breakfast without shoving everything off the table and spreading you out on it instead,” he said seriously, my heart beating faster as he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth while studying me. He still hadn’t put a shirt on, and his muscles flexed as he walked towards me with a heated gaze. “You’re lucky I don’t rail you right here for your new friends to hear.”

“Stop being jealous,” I replied and put my hands on my hips, but a slow smirk spread across his lips as he dropped his arms around my shoulders, gently drawing me against him.

“I’m not jealous, I’m possessive. Which is much worse for anyone who fucks with what’s mine.”

A shiver ran through me at the tone, and I peered up at him from under my lashes. “How so?”

“Because I’d do anything for you. I know you might not believe me, but I’m never trusting someone’s word about you again. I’ll tear people apart with my bare fucking hands to get to you. That’s a promise,” he growled, leaning down to catch my lower lip between his teeth. I trailed my hands around his bare back, feeling his muscles bunch under my touch.

“I love you. Even though I’m mad you didn’t come and find me,” I murmured against his lips.

“I love you too, baby.” He surprised me with a heated kiss, his tongue teasing mine as he took control, and I groaned as his fingers wound around my hair to tug my head back further. His thigh pressed between my legs and I ground against him, both of us jumping in surprise when his phone rang.

He glanced at it from its place on the bedside table, sliding his eyes back to mine. “Do you want to see Drake?”

I was struggling with my feelings, but if I could forgive Cruz, I could forgive Drake. They’d had no idea what had happened, only Stone was to blame in this situation.

I nodded, and Cruz grabbed the phone and answered. “Morning. Want to meet me at the Squashed Melon for breakfast? I have a surprise for you.”

Chapter Six

Drake

“Did you even sleep?” Jett asked me as he drove through Rawson Grove, glancing at me with concern. “You look like shit, man.”

“I got a couple of hours,” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes. Sleep was hard to come by when I was working so much, but when I wasn’t, my mind kept me awake. Knox had been texting me until three in the morning, apparently not being able to sleep either.

“We didn’t keep you awake, did we?” he asked, making me chuckle.

“I think you guys could wake the dead. What did you do to her? Fuck her with your arm? She sounded like she needed help.”

“If I suggested fisting Beckett, she’d probably tie me to the back of the Mustang and drag me along the highway,” he shivered, finding a parking spot and killing the engine. “Did Cruz say what he wanted?”

“Nope, just that it was a surprise. You don’t have to come in if you don’t want to,” I sighed, a grin tugging at his lips.

“Are you kidding? This smells like drama, which I love. Besides, Beck and Maddox are out doing badass crew stuff today, so I’m only sitting at home alone bored out of my fucking mind for the next hour until my appointment. You’re doing me a favor.”

We walked inside together, but I stopped abruptly when I spotted Cruz sitting with Penn, my heart beating faster in my chest as a sick feeling started in my stomach. Jett ran into my back but I didn’t react, not taking my eyes off her. She’d lost weight but she was smiling wide as she talked a mile a minute to Cruz, and butterflies started in my stomach as she looked my way and her eyes lit up.

“Drake!”

I was frozen in place until Jett gave me a nudge, huffing under his breath. “She looks pretty happy to see you, so get over there.”

My feet finally started moving and she scrambled out of the booth, throwing herself at me and pushing any doubt from my mind as I wrapped her in my arms.

“What are you doing here?” I asked in disbelief, releasing my hold on her when she hissed out a pained breath. “Did I hurt you?”

Cruz turned in his seat with a grimace. “She’s got healing injuries on her back and stomach.”

“The fuck from?” I bit out, running my eyes over her. “Did you get out of the facility already? Just visiting?”

The thought of her leaving me again at the end of breakfast made me physically ill, and I frowned when Cruz motioned for us to join him at the table. “That’s a long conversation. Sit so we can order breakfast and talk.” He looked over at Jett, waving him over. “Stay, come meet Penn.”

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