He just grunts and walks over to Ronan. They talk and I’m sure it’s about me by the way that Bruin keeps looking at me, but I can’t pay attention to that. No, Bree asks me a gazillion questions and when I answer each one of them honestly, it’s as if she’s made a decision that she gives me her approval.
She looks over at Bruin. “I like her.”
He looks between us, and with his eyes on me, he says it. It’s almost a whisper, but I know I hear him right. “Me, too.”
Bruin
I knew exactly why Bree had Ronan bring her here. They made the excuse to drop off food, but I know it’s because my cousin wanted to check Penny out. She was only here a short time before she saw what she wanted to see.
“So, Penny, what are you going to do when all this is over?” Bree asks her.
I look at her, wondering how she’s going to answer.
Penny looks at me with a sad expression on her face. “Uh, I don’t know really. The plan right now is they are selling me back to the Eaters…”
But that’s as far as Penny gets. Bree jumps up. “No! There’s no way Bruin would do that, or Ronan would let that happen.”
I just look between them, neither confirming or denying it. Bree throws her hands up in the air and walks over to Ronan. “Ronan, surely the club won’t…”
Ronan looks at her and even I can see him softening. He’s been like that since he met Bree. He used to be the one that gave out orders and did everything by the book and for the club. Since he’s been with Bree it’s like he looks at things differently now. But still, he wraps his arm around Bree. “Honey, it’s club business.”
Bree just rolls her eyes, like she’s heard that a million times. “Ronan, you can’t just stand by…”
I stop her then and walk over to Penny. The urge to put my arms around her is strong, but I don’t. Right now standing next to her, feeling her heat, smelling her scent is enough. “Bree.”
She keeps arguing with Ronan and I say it again. “Bree!”
She flips her hair and looks at me angrily. “What?”
I hold my hands out, palms out. “Do you trust me?”
She instantly nods her head, not even second-guessing it.
I cross my arms across my chest and tell her in a voice to let her know this is the end of it, “Well, then trust me to do what’s right.”
She looks between Penny and me. I know she wants to argue more and I don’t blame her. Actually, it makes me feel good to know that Penny has someone else on her side. Well, someone besides me. Finally, Bree nods her head.
Ronan changes the subject then. We bring in the food from outside and talk a little bit but then he makes an excuse for them to leave and we all start to say our goodbyes. Bree walks up to Penny and wraps her arms around her, whispering into her ear. I try to hear what Bree and Penny are saying, but I can’t. I know when Bree pulls away, Penny’s face is red and she won’t look at me. I’ve always done what’s right by the club or what the club expected of me. Now, I’m getting anxious knowing that I might make an enemy of them instead with all of this.
No sooner does the door shut behind them than I hear Penny ask me in a soft voice, “What does that mean? You’ll do what’s right?”
Chapter 7
Bruin
I’ve listened to her these past few days. I may act like I don’t believe her, but in my gut I know she’s telling the truth. I called some of the guys to check out the details of her story, but even before they get back to me I know what the answer’s going to be. She hasn’t been acting like some blood-thirsty Eater; in fact, she’s proven to be just the opposite. That’s how I could tell Bree to trust me to do what’s right.
And that’s just the tip of it. I’ve guarded her room every night. I’ve told myself I had to, that I need to make sure she doesn’t run. I know she can break free from the binds on her arms, but I didn’t have the heart to put anything stronger on her. So I’ve set in her room every night in the chair across the room from her bed. Unable to sleep, I’ve watched her, stared at her. Memorized every sweet noise she’s made. And the whole time, every night, I’ve been hard. I wasn’t ready for last night, I wasn’t expecting it. But when I heard her moan my name with her hips flexing, I knew she was dreaming of me. Fuck, me too, baby girl. Me too.