Ryder
Watching the way Kelsey stomps away from Hayden makes me both relieved and vibrating with rage. I silently hope she will leave and go back to the safety of her own home, but at the same time, I want to beat the shit out of my brother for kissing my girl and pissing her off like this.
My hands fist the balcony railing until my knuckles turn white.
Hearing her giggling while she was riding on Hayden’s shoulders shouldn’t have made me feel like this.
I glance over the side of the house, but with Jessie’s balcony being on the side wall, I can’t see it from here.
Once Kelsey had disappeared back in the house, I turned and re-entered my room, closing the door behind me.
Normally, I would leave the door open to listen to the commotion from below, but I want to listen for my Little Bird’s footsteps coming up the hall.
I press my ear to the solid oak door, just as I hear the harsh creaking of the stairs from her angry steps.
She’s huffing and mumbling angrily, the words unintelligible.
When Jessie’s bedroom door slams shut, I bite my lower lip, fighting the grin that lifts the corners of my mouth.
I take a deep breath, attempting to clear my mind.
I can’t get attached to her. She isn’t safe here in the game I play. The sooner this ends, the better.
Grabbing my cellphone from my nightstand, I pull up a name I know won’t refuse.
Meet me by the fire in three minutes.
Lexie:
Already here ;)
I’ll achieve one of two things by using Lexie.
I’ll either piss Kelsey off so bad she’ll leave and never show her face around us again, or I’ll give her a taste of her own medicine for what she pulled with Hayden in the pool.
When I get down to the fire, Liam and Theo are already seated, and each has a girl on their thighs.
Lexie runs over to me, pulling me by my wrist till we reach the empty chair, then she pushes my shoulders, backing me into the chair until I sit.
I don’t like touch, and she knows that, but I’m allowing it for the show I’m putting on for the girl I know is watching from above.
“What’s up, man?” Theo greets, just as Liam says, “I haven’t seen you all night, where have you been?”
“Had some business to finish up at the office.”
“Gotcha. Well, glad you made it. Let me know if you need some help with him.”
I know the guys have been bored without any active tasks, but this one is all mine.
I’ll remove each of Lester’s fingers until he gives up all he knows about the underworld.
I know he’s been working for them all his life, and he’s fifty-four years old.
I need to know who runs it, because I’m fucking tired of people trying to kill me around every corner.
Lexie plops down on my thigh, crosses her legs, and leans into my side. I hear the door slide open from the balcony above us, but my back is turned, so I can’t see her. Lexie’s arm curves around my neck, and my body tenses, wanting to shove her away, but this is all a part of the show.