Chapter 21
21
COLLINS
I growl. This fucking girl. I can’t believe she called me Daddy. The sass coming out of her today is going to earn her a punishment. “Keep it up, Penny…”
“Or what?”
“You might just find out what happens to bad girls.”
“I hope you try,” she says, echoing my previous phrase.
She doesn’t believe me, and that just makes me more impatient.
When we get up to the patio, Penny and I separate. I really don’t need any suspicion drawn to me that I’m doing anything more than being the dutiful bodyguard.
It is taking all of my energy to contain my grin, already annoyed with my lack of self-control that exposed itself just moments ago when I openly gawked at Penny while she threw around the word “daddy” at her family’s fucking barbecue. Her body was made for the sunshine, so I can’t fault her for wanting the rays to kiss as much exposed skin as possible. Problem is, I want to kiss it as well.
Graham moves to stand beside me, cutting off my internal monologue. He sets Angie down, smacks her on her backside, and then smiles to her as she scurries away to be with the girls, who are huddled up together near the buffet.
It makes me so twitchy when they get together.
One of them is hard enough to handle.
But put together all three, and they form an impenetrable girl squad.
“Seriously, man, how did you manage that?” Graham asks.
When I look over at him with confusion, he clarifies.
“How did you get Penny to accept you toting her around like a little princess?”
I nearly choke on my own spit.
Penny is my little princess.
And I have my ways.
I pour some water into a cup from the dispenser and take a sip. “I don’t give her much room to decide against me.”
“Nic’s right. You must have the magic touch.”
I cough into my arm. Recovering as smoothly as I can, I try to act normal—whatever that is supposed to look like.
“I think she just accepted that I wasn’t going anywhere.” I mean, it’s not like I can say we ran into each other at a sex club twice and she convinced me through bad decisions to sign a contract with her, while I maintain the one I still have with him. I can’t tell him that now we are unable to be in the same room together without wanting to rip each other’s clothes off.
Yeah… I can’t say any of that.
Reaching his hand out, Graham waits for mine to shake. After we connect, that all too familiar rush of guilt floods my system, making me question if this is all worth it.
But then when I look across the patio, on the other side of the pool, and can hear the faint sounds of Penny’s laughter as she spins a tube inside the cotton candy maker—I know this is all worth it.
To spend any amount of time in Penny’s presence would be worth anything compared to a life where she wasn’t in it.
And that there is what will be my ruin.
I am in way too deep as it is, and there’s no end in sight other than the confidence in knowing that it will destroy us both.
“Just keep her safe and out of trouble,” Graham says, leaning in closer so there’s no chance anyone but me can hear. “Any updates?”
We just met recently to discuss everything, but I can tell that he is anxious to ask again so soon.
I clear my throat and shove down the hatred for the fucker that nearly caused the entire Hoffman family’s demise. “I’m working on getting more eyes inside.” It’s honestly what’s been keeping me up late at night—besides Penny. “Tanner needs to stay out of solitary if we want stronger access points for delivering messages. The last little fight nearly got him protection for a week, and he plays such a good victim that he could be up for an Academy Award. The next hit on him needs to be impactful.”
“Tanner better…” his words trail off as the girls get near, holding pink and blue cotton candy on sticks. “Let’s meet up again soon to discuss.”
I nod my understanding. Part of the reason I was hired to watch over Penny was because she visited Mark Tanner at the prison. Even locked up, he is still tormenting her life.
Shifting my posture, I smile at the girls who seem so relaxed and are enjoying the holiday together.
“Want some cotton candy?” Angie asks us, handing over some for me.
“Oh, no thanks.”
“No?”
When she pouts, I just accept the offering and rip off a piece to pop into my mouth. It’s way too…
Potent.
I would much rather have one of the iced star cookies with the sprinkles, but I’m also trying to make sure I have room for real food and not just junk. Plus, there’s the flag cake that Penny spent most of the morning on.
“What’s wrong, Collins?” Penny snickers. “Too sweet?”
“Maybe.”
She lowers her voice. “I thought you liked sweet little things.”
I narrow my eyes at her. She’s being extra bold. “Oh, I do.”
“Then why not this?”
“Well, when the only ingredient is straight-up sugar, what do you expect?”
“Just live a little.” She bumps her shoulder into me, but as she walks away, she turns back and stuffs some cotton candy into my mouth before I have a chance to stop her. Luckily no one sees. “It might be fun.”
I chew it up and then whisper, “No. Fun will be having you draped over my knees later while I take out my frustration on that cute ass of yours.”
Penny’s eyes grow when she realizes I’m being serious.
“As long as you promise to kiss it and make it feel better. Then we have a deal.”
Dammit. Why does she always seem to have the upper hand?
Little temptress.
“Mr. Hoffman,” a masculine voice greets from behind me.
I turn my focus to find a tanned guy, about my height but probably a decade younger.
He’s not family.
“Please call me Germain, now that we aren’t in the office.”
Donna has a hand resting on the small of his back and is all smiles as she guides him closer to us. “Everyone, this is my friend’s son, Ivan Moreno, who also happens to be Germain’s new apprentice.”
“Nice to meet you,” Angie and Claire say in unison, causing my arm hairs to stand on end, when Penny’s attention shifts from me to tall-dark-and-tanned.
“My pleasure,” Ivan says, scanning through all the members present.
And then his eyes catch fire when they settle right on Penny.
Mother fucking hell.
Ivan’s eyes crawl all over her body like a rash. He’s being blatant about his attraction to Penny, and I hate every fucking second of the show of possession.
Who does this fucker think he is?
Can he be any more obvious?
Jealousy bubbles inside me, as anger competes to become the dominant emotion.
“Hi, Penny,” he says in a choked but rehearsed deep voice.
I can’t wait to hear what his voice will sound like after I actually choke the air out of his lungs.
And then he creeps closer like a slithering snake to envelop her in an I’m-going-to-detach-his-arms-from-his-body hug. Fucker probably has a boner, the way he is eyeing the girl, who no one knows is mine.
He clears his throat, backs up, and mumbles something in a fake deep voice. Is he trying to prove he hit puberty? Prick better watch himself or I’ll…
I’ll what?
Murder someone at the Hoffman residence?
What has gotten into me?
Penny giggles and says something to him that I can’t make out. Then she moves over to a lounger and wiggles until she seems to be perfectly comfortable.
I can’t keep my eyes off of her either, so I can’t blame others for appreciating her beauty.
But she’s mine to protect.
Mine.
The kid better watch where he puts his eyes if he wants to keep them intact. I tap out a message on my cell to Penny and hit send before I have time to think.
Collins: The kid better not make a move on you.
It takes her a minute to look at her phone, but when she does, I see the corners of her lips curl up. Of course she would find my response to another man sniffing around her humorous.
Penny: Not every guy that I encounter wants something to do with me. Just chill. Quite frankly, it will be refreshing if anyone actually pursues me. Let me enjoy this one-off occurrence!
Collins: I don’t like it.
Penny: You don’t like a lot of things…so it’s hard to take you seriously. You should be more selective so you can have a bigger dramatic effect.
I am trying to figure out what Penny is even talking about when my phone buzzes again. This time she sends me a picture of her damn Labor Day panties that she must have changed into when she went into the house with the girls during cornhole.
Where is she getting all of these spare clothes that I can’t decide if I approve of or not?
I read the caption: “Your Benefits Package.”
There’s an arrow pointing to her entrance.
Penny: Behave today and I’ll let you chew these off of me later.
Fuck.
Why is she trying to torment me?
I resist growling…
Our eyes meet from across the way.
Well, until Ivan steals Penny’s attention back and takes a seat right on the end of her lounger, making her bend her knees up to allow him space.
Fuck.
I’ll be damned if I become a third wheel to their little moment .
I’m going to burn those jean shorts when we get back home. If another inch of her thigh gets exposed, I’ll see if I can order a pair of pants and get them delivered here in the next hour. Maybe even a pair that go up to her neck with those adjustable straps.
She could use the extra coverage.
I’m not so emotionally inept not to realize that I’m jealous right now. I know I am. But that’s because I know how special Penny is. She’s one of a kind. It would be weird if guys didn’t notice her beauty that goes beyond her hair and eyes and lush body. At the core, Penny is sensitive and sweet. She’s smart and sassy.
“Ivan just got back from a trip to Colombia and brought us some iced coffee to try,” Donna announces, holding up a pitcher. “Make sure you all try some.”
Who brings iced coffee to a holiday barbecue? That spud. That’s who.
“Go easy on the caffeine, Claire,” Nic warns, as she pours herself a half cup.
“Only if you lay off the mom blogs that are full of wannabe doctors and keyboard warriors.” She turns to him with a big smile—albeit fake. “Plus, it makes the baby really dance.”
Anyone other than Nic can tell that she’s exaggerating and trying to make him get a little crazy. He brings it upon himself with his overprotectiveness. But that doesn’t stop him from topping off her huge refillable water bottle that is already three-fourths full from the dispenser and then bending the straw to her lips.
“Sip.”
I swear he says good girl under his breath after she complies.
Ironically, both Graham and Nic have found the most stubborn and independent women. Neither of these ladies are shy about going head-to-head with their possessive and overprotective men. It’s a sight to see.
And Penny falls in the same lane as their women do.
What have I gotten myself into?
“It’s good seeing you, Penny,” Ivan says, shifting his body to get a better view of her from his end of the lounger. He gestures with his chin toward the pool. “When are we getting in?”
And she fucking smiles.
“Soon.”
Taking out my phone, I shoot her another pointed text.
Collins: Quit flirting
Why sugarcoat my disapproval? Surely by now Penny knows how I feel about other men moving in where they don’t belong.
Glancing at her phone, she makes a subtle face then tries to shove it into her jean shorts pocket, but instead drops it on the ground.
And in swoops the hawk, saving the day.
“Here you go, Penny,” he says, nearly bumping heads with her when she leans forward to also try to get it.
“Thanks, Ivan.” As she takes the phone out of his hand, his fingers brush hers. She doesn’t react though, and that makes me happy—but he sure does.
Ivan looks like one of those Thanksgiving parade cartoon balloons that has the plastered-on smile.
He’s a demented clown head.
“Your dad was telling me the other day that you moved into the city.”
Does he have a mute button? I can see his game a mile away.
I should have fucking claimed her pussy today on the couch and in the car. Maybe the smell of another man’s cum all over her would deter him from thinking he even had a chance.
He doesn’t.
Penny is mine.
“Yeah, I think it was time to be on my own.”
And then Ivan leans in and whispers something into her ear.
Don’t you fucking smile, Princess.