Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CARTER
Iwalk into the kitchen the next morning and find Heather sipping her coffee, with Knox across from her at the dining room table. Killian is by the coffee maker, watching them with a menacing expression.
“Are you almost ready?” I ask her, as I make my way to the kitchen and grab my mug, pouring myself a cup of coffee. I turn and find her staring at me with a raised eyebrow, spotting my bow.
“Are you planning to shoot me again? I thought this was just a quick trip to grab some of my stuff.”
My lips pull up into a smirk as I take in her sassy expression.
“No, Little Heathen. This is for your protection, since we will be crossing your family’s property.”
She rises to her feet and places her hands on her hips, tilting her head as she narrows her gaze at me.
“I can protect myself, Carter.”
Knox shakes his head at her and says, “Don’t bother arguing.”
“I’m bringing my bow. I won’t take any risks with you. It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.”
She glances between the three of us, pulls her blonde hair up into a high ponytail, and relents.
“Fine. But-”
She points her finger at me, as she lectures me with a serious expression on her face.
“If we encounter someone, the kill is mine. You do not intervene unless absolutely necessary.”
I fight the smile threatening to show on my lips, and nod in agreement.
“Anything you say, Heathen.”
She’s fucking perfect, and even though I know she’s a capable, strong woman, I won’t take any chances. Not with her.
I have no doubt she can take these men one-on-one. I’ve seen her do it more than once. But what happens if multiple men surround her? I bristle at the mere thought.
I may be sick in the head and no good for her, but losing her is not a fucking option.
Knox gets up from the table and walks over to her, pulling Heather in for a tight hug before kissing her on the forehead.
“Be a good girl, Tesoro.”
When he releases her, she grins at him.
“I’m always a good girl.”
Killian snorts.
“Says the Killer.”
She darts a glare at him and turns toward the door with a huff.
“Says the killer,” she grumbles under her breath, clearly annoyed by his comment.
We walk out the door and I follow beside her, pretending I don’t know where she’s going. I’m not sure how pissed she’d get if she knew I had been watching her while she slept. And while she made herself come.
Fuck. That was beautiful. The memory makes my cock hard.
“Does it bother you when Knox kisses me?” My Little Heathen asks, bringing me back to the present.
“No,” I answer honestly, as we cross the street and head east to the tree line. I’m assuming she’s trying to avoid anyone spotting us.
“What if Killian kissed me?” She asks, hesitantly. The thought is funny, because I can’t imagine them being able to stop arguing long enough to make out, but my answer is the same.
“No.”
She abruptly stops walking, and gazes at me with a disappointed expression.
“So I can fuck any man, and you don’t care? Yet, you’d ‘kill for me’?”
She says, making quotation marks with her hands, clearly mocking my previous declaration.
I fold my arms over my chest and glare at her, as the gentle breeze blows through her hair.
“You asked about my brothers. Any other man that touches you, dies. I know I can’t give you everything you need, so I’m fine sharing you with Knox.”
“What about Killian?” She immediately replies, taking me aback considering the way those two get along, but I answer since she’s now mentioned him twice.
“Killian too, if it ever comes to that. If it’s anybody other than my brothers, I’ll fucking kill them, Little Heathen.”
She starts walking again, and I move quickly to close the gap between us.
“You’re never going to let me touch you, are you?” She asks, dejectedly. “Not even once you trust me?”
As we approach the water, I say, “Take a seat, Little Heathen. I’m going to try to explain.”