4
ZOEY
Ishouldn’t feel disappointed when Leone’s fingers still only a few inches from my panties, but I do. The urge to push my hips forward to make them graze my clit is strong. My body is waking up in a way it never has before. There must be something wrong with me. I’m throbbing between my thighs.
When I felt his hard cock press against me, something inside me was triggered. For the first time in my life, I felt sexy. I’d turned a man on. Not just any man, either. The most handsome one I’ve ever laid eyes on.
I must be in shock or something. My emotions are all over the place. That has to be part of the reason why I’m feeling this way. I saw a dead man a few minutes ago, and now I don’t know where my sister is, and Bentley might be in danger. My body and mind are overloaded, and that’s why I’m reacting this way. Has to be.
“Your cat? As in a pet?”
I nod. It’s hard to find words with his fingers resting on the inside of my bare thigh. All my thoughts keep going back to his touch when there are a million other things I need to be worrying about right now. “I’ll send someone to collect him.” He pulls his hand back.
I release a tortured breath. I ignore the voice in the back of my mind screaming to make him put his hand back.Focus on Bentley, I remind myself.He needs you right now. He’s always there for me. I can’t let him down. He’s the only one I can always depend on. Everyone else has a knack for disappearing on me and coming back whenever they feel like it. I’ve become accustomed to it over the years. When I was younger, it used to hurt my feelings, but not so much anymore.
“I have to go. He’ll hide from anyone else. Plus, he can be a bit fickle at times.”
“Fickle?”
“Okay, he can be an asshole.” I whisper, but only because Bentley isn’t here to hear me call him that. “He’s a biter.” I chomp my teeth to show him. His lips twitch. He won’t think it’s so funny when Bentley takes a chunk out of him.
“I can’t take you back to your place. It’s not safe. I promise one of my men will be able to handle your cat.”
I shake my head. “Please,” I beg. Tears fill my eyes. It’s all too much. “Bentley is all I have left. We need to go now if you think someone might show up at my place.” I swipe at the tear that escapes. I hate crying. Why can’t I be strong like Xanny? I’ve never seen her cry.
“If I agree, will you stop crying?”
I nod.
“Fine,” he grumbles, not sounding happy about it. “Change of plans,” he tells the driver. “We need to go to her place first. Give him your address, little one.”
I rattle it off.
The driver makes a quick turn at the next light as Leone pulls out his phone. His fingers move quickly across the screen. I’m guessing he’s texting someone. “You live in a shit part of town,” he mutters, sliding his phone back into his pocket.
“It’s not that bad,” I lie. He shoots me a dark look that tells me he knows I’m lying. “Okay, it’s not as bad as the last place.” We lived in an apartment building before. I always felt trapped. So many people came and went from the building. At least at the trailer park, there is some space. No one can try to corner you in a hallway.
“It doesn’t matter. You won’t be staying there anymore.” We have a stare-off. Where the heck will I stay then? If my sister isn’t back by the end of the week, he might be right. Rent will be due then, and I don’t have the money to pay it.
“We’ll see,” I finally say, breaking the stare-off because his eyes are too damn intense.
“Sure we will, doll.” He taps the end of my nose. A small, frustrated growl comes from me. Leone lets out a deep, sexy chuckle that vibrates through my body.
“We’re here, sir,” the driver says. I turn to look out the window to see our trailer. The door stands wide open. My stomach drops at the sight. Tears fill my eyes thinking that something bad has happened to Bentley. I go to grab the door handle, but Leone beats me to it, lifting me off his lap and sitting me down in the other seat.
“Stay put,” he orders.
“But-” I go to protest but shut my mouth when he levels me with a stare. This one is different from all the others. It doesn’t scare me for some reason, but I also know this isn’t the time to push back. I sit still. He slips out of the car, telling the driver to stay put and make sure nothing happens to me. The driver doesn’t look like he wants to listen, but he does as he’s told.
Leone pulls a gun out before entering into my trailer.
Time drags by so slowly. “You should go check on him,” I tell the driver man, starting to worry. What if he gets hurt? Leone has already saved my life once tonight.
“I have my orders” is his only response.
The second I see Leone step back out the front door, I’m out of the vehicle and running toward him. Without thinking, I throw myself at him. He catches me.
“I told you to stay in the car,” he growls at me.