Deep Pockets (Kings and Rivals #1)

Chapter 23 – Lance

23

GOING STEADY

LANCE

Silas: You have your head on straight?

Ever since that little visit with my brother last week he’d been checking in with me.

Me: I haven’t hunted down my brother if that’s what you’re asking.

Silas: Let’s keep it that way. You could start a war.

The truth was a hard pill to swallow. Silas had a point. I was willing to kill Hector. He was too close to Morgan.

Silas’s warning rang like an unwanted chime in my head. You don’t get the girl.

No. This time I did get the girl. It was worth the risk, and I was the one to protect her. If she stayed by my side, I could physically protect her.

I’d also brought on Blake Security for basic distance protection. She would never see them. But I needed to neutralize him and keep her safe at all costs.

If I can do this for others, I can damn well do it for the woman who meant so damn much to me.

Careful, that sounds like you’re keeping her.

That’s because I intend to.

There was no point pretending that everything was different now. This wasn’t just about longing. I couldn’t walk away from her if I tried.

Besides, I didn’t want to try. While the idea of my awakened beast terrified me. There was a part of me that believed I could keep her.

There was her safety to consider. But I had access to whole security teams. Blake security had been on her since my run in with Hector and she was none the wiser. It hadn’t’ interfered with her life at all.

Not to mention, right next to me was the safest she could ever me.

And fuck, I just plain wanted her here. I wanted to hear her off tune singing in the shower. Watch her face at the first taste of sugary cereal. I wanted to watch that determined tongue sticking out face of hers when she was designing or sewing something difficult.

I wanted that every day. In a way I didn’t dare let myself dream of. But I could see it. Hell I could practically taste it. If I neutralized Hector, that could be our lives.

If she never has to meet the monster inside.

Morgan’s laughter rang down the hallway, soft and sweet like honey. I listened from the kitchen, pretending not to be completely distracted by the sound of her voice, trying to focus on the task at hand. I had several reports to review for Atticus and turn in.

What the hell was making her laugh so much? Micah wasn’t that funny. Her friend Amber’s loud squeal and giggle started a round of chatter about how many dicks in a romance were too many.

Just what the hell were they reading?

When Micah had flown back yesterday for a meeting, they’d immediately planned a book club meeting. She had asked me to join. And I would have, but she’d been holed up with me for weeks. Doing friend shit was important.

And I was happy to host. Micah had given me a sideways look when he arrived, but otherwise said nothing. Which was great, but I knew I’d have to endure the peanut gallery questions in the group chat later.

Her friend Amber seemed nice enough. I didn’t know much about her. She’d given me a once-over that made me feel like a steak. I ignored her appraisal, though. Maybe she didn’t know Morgan was mine.

And you are hers.

She fucking owned me. I knew that. Question was, did she know that?

Micah’s voice boomed out from the living room. “Now that’s what I’m talking about! He’s finally laid it all out there. No more secrets.”

“About damn time,” Morgan agreed, her voice softening. “She deserves to know he’s all in.”

I swallowed hard, my grip tightening on the counter’s edge. She was talking about the book they were reading, but hell if it didn’t feel like she was talking about us. I turned my head to glance toward the living room, where the three of them were wrapped up in their latest novel discussion, the one where the hero finally declared his intentions. Was that what she needed from me?

Something more than stolen moments in the dark? I wasn’t one for grand gestures or flowery speeches, but I’d be damned if I let her think I wasn’t serious.

The idea formed in my mind before I could second-guess it. I grabbed a pen from the drawer and a Post-it Note, my heartbeat hammering in my chest. I stared at the blank square for a moment, then scribbled Morgan, let me take you out properly. A real date. I want to show you what you mean to me. Say yes? —Lance

I stuck the note inside the back cover of the book they were reading and slid it back toward where she’d left it. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but I couldn’t shake the nerves tightening my gut. I’d faced down worse odds, but asking Morgan out on a date felt like walking a tightrope without a safety net. She could laugh it off or say no, and then what?

But I had to try. And we’d have security following, so she’d be safe. She deserved a date.

Amber left first. “Oh my God, this has been so much fun.” She turned to me, her smile tight. “Lance, thank you for hosting.”

I gave her a friendly nod, something was raising my Spidey senses about her.

Or it could be that you’re reading she doesn’t like you. Maybe she can see right through you.

When Amber was gone, Micah finally stood up, stretching his arms. “Well, it’s been real. But I’ve got an early start tomorrow. Lance see you in the morning,” he said with a knowing smirk, his gaze darting between me and Morgan.

I knew that meant I’d get the third degree soon enough.

I waited until he was gone before I turned back to Morgan. She was still on the couch, legs tucked beneath her, the last book in their discussion pile resting in her lap—the book with my note.

“Good book club tonight?” I asked, leaning against the doorframe, trying to sound casual.

She looked up, her eyes meeting mine with that familiar spark of amusement. “Yeah, Micah has some interesting insights on the difference between love and lust.”

“Everyone knows he’s a sappy romantic,” I said, stepping closer. “It’s not exactly a secret.”

She laughed, and the tension in my chest loosened. But then she picked up the book and flipped it open. My pulse kicked up a notch as I watched her fingers brush over the pages. She stopped when she saw the Post-it Note. Her eyes scanned the words, and her lips parted slightly.

“What’s this, Lancelot?” she asked, her voice softer, almost cautious.

I stepped closer, my heart thudding against my ribs. I’d always hated it when my family called me that. It was always said with derision.

But when Morgan called me Lancelot it sent this zing of excitement through me. “It’s exactly what it says, Morgan. I want to take you on a real date. No games, no hiding. Just you and me.”

She looked up, and for a second, I thought she might tell me to forget it, that we were living on borrowed time and it wasn’t worth the risk. But she didn’t. Instead, she asked, “Why?”

“Because I’m tired of pretending like this is temporary,” I said, my voice steady. “I know there’s a lot going on. And I’m not trying to put a net over you, but I don’t want this to end.”

She stared at me, her expression unreadable. I could feel the weight of every second stretching out between us, like a taut rope that could snap at any moment. “You sound nervous, Lance. I didn’t think you got nervous.”

I forced a smile, even though my throat was tight. “You’d be surprised. You’re not exactly easy to read.”

Morgan’s lips curved into a slow smile. “Maybe that’s because you’re not looking closely enough.”

I laughed softly. “I look, believe me. More than I should.”

She shook her head, her eyes still on mine. “So, a date, huh? What’s the plan?”

“Just a normal date. Maybe a food tour all over the city,” I said, feeling a bit of relief seep into my veins. “All the courses, then there is this Cuban/ Jamaican fusion spot where the restaurant turns into a dance bar. And if you’re up for it, an all-night dessert spot in Williamsburg.”

“Normal?” she echoed, her smile widening. “That sounds like an epic date.”

“It will be. Just say yes.” I wasn’t going to beg, but I needed her to accept. Stepping closer until I was standing right in front of her, I said, “I’d like to know what it’s like to just… be with you.”

She studied me for a long moment, her expression softening. “You really mean that?”

I nodded. “I do. I know things are complicated, but I want you. You’re already mine. You just don’t know it yet.” I was waiting for her to balk at the ‘mine’ comment, but she didn’t.

Instead, her expression softened, and she took a deep breath. For a moment, I saw a flicker of vulnerability in her eyes. “Okay,” she finally whispered. “Let’s do it. Let’s go on a date.”

I felt a grin spread across my face, unable to hold it back. “Yeah?”

She laughed, a genuine, warm sound that made my chest ache. “Yeah. I want to see where this goes, too.”

Relief flooded through me, and I reached out, my hand brushing against hers. Her fingers were soft and warm, and I held them, feeling a connection buzz between us like a live wire. “Tomorrow night?” I asked.

“Tomorrow night,” she agreed, her voice steady, but I could see the hint of a blush on her cheeks.

I leaned in a little closer, lowering my voice. “Relax, Morgan, we’re going to have fun.”

She tilted her head, a teasing glint in her eyes. “Of course we will. I’m a spectacular date. Do you even remember dating at your advanced age?”

I chuckled, releasing her hand but not stepping back.

"I'll have you know, despite my 'advanced age,' I remember it quite well," I retorted, my voice light and the corners of my mouth twitching upward. My heart was still pounding an erratic rhythm in my chest, but her agreement to the date had loosened some of the tension coiling tight in my gut.

“Fair enough. I promise to have you home by 9:30. I know you, nearly thirty-year-olds, need your beauty rest,” she said with a laugh.

"Hey, I can pull an all-nighter with the best of them."

"And I," she said, her voice dropping to a husky whisper that sent shivers down my spine, " am the best of them."

“Then by all means, let me give you a demonstration.”

The twinkle in her eye was impossible to miss. That should have been my first warning. “You’ll have to catch me first.” And then she took off running.

Her laughter drifted back to me as she darted around a corner, her hair a dark blur. For a moment, I stood there in surprise, stunned by the sudden shift. Then, with a grin, I launched myself after her.

She was quick, darting around the couch, her peals of laughter reverberating off the walls.

But I was quick, too. I cornered her in the kitchen, and she laughed breathlessly, holding up a hand in surrender. “Don’t run from me, Morgan, because I really, really like to chase.”

She looped her arms around my neck. “Good thing I like when you’re doing the catching.” She pressed into me and made a shocked face. “Why, Mr. Lakewood. Is that a python in your pocket, or are you really happy to see me?”

I licked my bottom lip before giving her a soft kiss. “Why don’t you unwrap your present and find out.”

Her eyes glinted with mischief and anticipation, a mirroring of the anticipation thrumming through my veins. "Better watch it, Lancelot," she said, her voice teasing and sultry. "Such forwardness could get you into trouble."

"Don’t threaten me with a good time."