“I couldn’t find a hat,” she tells me as she approaches. June stops in front of me, her feet on one side of the doorway, mine firmly planted on the other, that invisible barrier keeping us apart.
That rule forbids me from entering her space. What a stupid fucking rule.
“Why do I need one, anyway?”
“Here.” I pull the cap out of my back pocket and unfold its bunched condition. I place the thing on her head and move her hair out from her eyes. I tug the hat down and step back to look at her. “Perfect.”
“That didn’t answer my question.” She makes her own adjustments before stepping across that forbidden barrier.
“Do you trust me?” I ask her, but the second it’s out of my mouth, I’m afraid to know the answer.
She rolls her eyes. “With my life.”
I let out a relieved breath. It’s not with her heart, but her life is just as important.
June strolls down the expansive hallway, and I follow her closely, savoring the scent of her shampoo wafting back at me. It’s such a small thing, but knowing this is all I get from her is enough for now.
“Can I drink?” She walks over to the selection of booze between the sitting room and kitchen on their first floor.
“One.”
“Do you want a drink?”
I shake my head. “I’m driving, love.”
“We aren’t taking Alec?”
“No.” I study her features, watching as she tries to put the pieces of this evening together.
“Well, I won’t either then.” June sets the bottle of bourbon onto the tray and heads straight for the door. “Are we leaving through the garage?”
“Yes,” I catch her arm on the way. “But you’re allowed to have something if you want it.”
She stares up at me. “It’s my decision, not yours.”
That feisty girl I adore is rising to the surface.
I grin and let her go. “As you wish.”
We step into the garage, walking by all of the guys’ various luxurious vehicles. We pass an Audi, a Land Rover, a Maserati, and then finally arrive at my car.
“You drive a Volvo? How did I not know this?” June turns back to me.
I reach for the handle and open the door for her. "It's practical." Although, the blacked-out bulletproof windows and steel-reinforced doors were an addition I don't mention. One can never be too careful in this line of business.
The ride across town is quiet, my nerves getting the best of me the entire time. Is she going to like my surprise? Is it going to be what she wanted? Is she going to regret coming along and think this entire night was stupid? I chuckle at the fact that of all the concerns I could have, what she thinks is a priority over the guys finding out and having my head for taking her to a place like this.
June finally speaks up. “Magnus just text me, what do I say?”
Guilt hits me like a ton of bricks. I don’t want to ask her to lie, but I can’t allow her to tell the truth. Not that she even knows where we’re going yet. Magnus might be the only one of the three that would understand or even accept what we’re doing, but I can’t risk him freaking out or letting the other guys know.
“Be as vague as possible. Tell him we’re going to get something to eat and we’ll be home later.”
“Okay…” She thumbs a response and hits send. A second later, her phone buzzes. “He said to have fun, and to tell you to keep your hands to yourself.”
My fingers twitch, the single order going against everything my body wants to do. If she were mine, I’d have my palm resting against her thigh. I’d kiss her at every traffic light, hell, I wouldn’t even wait for the red to give me permission. I’d smother her with so much fucking love that she’d never question my intentions the way she does with them. I’d put her above my career, above my fucking life. I’d never take her for granted, and I’d spend every day making sure she knew just how much she meant to me.
ThreeGod damn men, and none of them make her feel secure in their relationship. Not a single one notices the post-traumatic stress that plagues her dreams and haunts her waking hours. They don’t see the weight she’s lost, the way her light has dimmed since they came into her world.