I’m out of my own truck like a shot, following him across the lawn toward Penny. Up ahead, I watch her shoot to her feet, a tiny squeak leaving her mouth.
“You’re scaring her,” I growl. “Slow the fuck down.”
“Ah, now. She’s not scared of us,” Zeke drawls. “Are you, baby?”
Her hands are covering her mouth, but she drops them now and shakes her head. “No. Never.” Her fingers curl in her nightshirt. “What took you guys so long?”
* * *
Zeke
God. Damn.
As an ex-Army brat, I’ve been all over this planet—from Tokyo to Russia to the Florida damn Keys—and I can confirm, there’s nothing hotter or sweeter than Penny. The night I swore to be her protector, I deleted every female’s number on my contact list. I’m done. Not looking any further. She’s everything I was too young and too wild to know even existed. When I look back at my life, it’s just a sea of faces that changed every time I moved. Even my own parents had faded right into that sea, seeing as how they booted me out when I turned eighteen. I don’t know a commitment from a hole in the wall. But the first time I laid eyes on Penny, I knew I wouldn’t budge from her side until this world stopped turning.
I’ve held her and guarded her as she slept. She’s looked up at me like I’m her superhero. And if it means I have to kidnap, steal and murder, I’m not letting her get away. This girl is mine for life.
If this old fucker Nick would take a hint, I could bring Penny back to my apartment and get started making her happy. First order of business is helping my lieutenant understand that I have no intention of sharing. Then I’m going to take her home and bury at least a damn gallon of come between her thighs. Been keeping it just for her, because nothing else will do except that tight pussy. Spent two days in the hospital fighting guilt over watching the sheets twist up around her waist as she slept, but I know she’s a virgin. Wouldn’t be surprised if she’s never even put a pinkie finger in it.
What took you guys so long?
I’ve been so intent on getting Penny back to my truck, I forgot she asked us a question. “Sorry, baby.” Ignoring Nick’s growl, I step closer and give her a wink. “I’m here now. Why don’t you go get your things?”
“I-I…” Penny looks back toward the house. “I can’t just leave.” She gives an adorable flutter of her hands, before clasping them at her waist. “Can I?”
She hasn’t talked much since the night of the fire. Just hearing her voice free of the soot makes my pulse start to pound. God, I want to hear it every day of my life. “Your father asked me to protect you. I can’t do it from out here.”
“He asked us to protect her,” Nick cuts in, stepping up beside me. “Don’t go twisting his words to suit yourself.”
Anger tightens bolts in my neck. “That’s not what I’m doing.” I square up and meet his eyes. “But she ain’t going anywhere with you.”
He faces me slowly. “And if you think I’ll let her leave with you, you’ve got a fucking screw loose.”
“Excuse me, gentlemen.” Her chin lifts. “I’ll decide where I’m going, thank you very much.” For the first time since we arrived, she no longer seems relieved. No, she looks troubled and I don’t like it. “Is it my fault you stopped being friends?”
“Yes,” Nick grunts, but he frowns at the sad sound Penny makes. “We weren’t close before or anything, sweetheart, but we worked fine together. It’s just…”
“He doesn’t have friends,” I supply. “He’s the house asshole and everyone avoids him. That’s what he’s trying to say.”
“You’re both mean.” She spins toward the window in a cloud of blonde hair. “I’m going back inside.”
“No,” Nick and I say at the same time. We both reach for her. My hands close around her waist, Nick cages her hips…and I’m shocked to find it as natural as breathing to sandwich her in between our two bodies. My cock has been hard since she climbed out of the window and I caught a flash of white panties, but it pounds with blood now. Over Penny’s head, I can see Nick is in the same condition, his eyes squeezed shut, his nose sifting through her hair to smell her. My instinct is to rip her away. Put her behind me so I can fight Nick. But something happens. She presses her face to my chest, then Nick’s, laying light kisses. And I can’t move.
“I would have been so scared if you two hadn’t been in the hospital with me,” she whispers, going up on her toes to kiss Nick’s cheek. “Nick, you made sure the doctors were never late and that visitors didn’t overstay.” My surge of murderous jealousy dies when she turns and lays pouty little lips on my cheek. “Zeke, you made me want to laugh, even if I couldn’t show it.”