Chapter 14
Xan
Preston’s thumb traced absentmindedly over the back of my hand as we watched Shane stand outside the tattoo shop for a moment.
His eyebrows were drawn low over his eyes, and the corners of his eyes were pinched.
Something was bothering him. Had to be. Because Shane was always cool, calm, and collected.
Nothing affected the man. Nothing made him stress—at least, not openly.
Until now.
“Do you think he’s okay?” Preston quietly asked.
I shrugged one shoulder, leaving it at that. I could barely identify my own emotions, much less identify what was going on with Shane. How was I supposed to know if he was okay? He didn’t look okay, but I also wasn’t all that reliable of a source when it came to emotions.
“Ready?” Shane asked, turning to look directly at us as if he’d been aware of our presence the entire time. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had. A soldier could be taken off the battlefield, but the battlefield couldn’t be removed from the soldier. Or something like that.
Preston stepped forward, tugging me with him, and the three of us fell into step with Preston between us. Shane never moved his head to look around, but I knew he was tracking everyone and everything as we walked.
If this psycho was truly linked to me and not Shane, I was more than grateful that I’d begun stalking Shane and dragging him into our life, despite his reluctance.
He could keep Preston safe, and once I found out who this son of a bitch was, I could take care of them without having to worry about Preston’s safety.
“Where are we eating?” Preston asked.
“A burger spot not far from here,” Shane answered.
Silence descended once more, and Preston’s hand tightened around mine, growing clammy. I tugged him a little closer, hoping it would settle him.
“I’m sorry,” Preston blurted.
Shane turned his head to look at him, his brow arching in question, but he never uttered a word.
Preston sighed. “I’m sorry we dragged you into our lives and now you feel some sense of duty to protect me from whoever may be after X.
You didn’t ask for this. You clearly just wanted peace and quiet, and we disrupted that, and—”
Shane stopped, so we halted as well. And then, Shane gripped the back of Preston’s neck, and surprising the absolute fuck out of me, slanted his lips across Preston’s.
Preston froze, his hand going slack in mine, and then, my man—no, our man—was sinking into Shane’s kiss, his hand tightening around mine once more as if he wanted to make sure we also stayed connected.
Jealousy never reared its ugly head, not like it had a tendency to do when anyone—man or woman—looked at Preston like they wanted him.
Maybe it was because I wanted Shane, too, though I was sure I was going to face a much harder time getting Shane to want me in the same way I wanted him.
But I was fucking glad he’d caved to Preston.
Preston deserved all the love and adoration in the world.
I knew how fucking impossible it was to not crave Preston.
He was sweet and kind. Gentle and caring.
His smile lit up my world, even on my darkest and most unstable days.
I imagined Shane was faced with the same thing I was the moment Preston and I laid eyes on each other—the need to have Preston’s warmth filling our lives.
It beat the sun’s rays any fucking day.
“I…” Preston stared at Shane in both disbelief and wonder once Shane released him. “What was that?” he finally asked.
“You were rambling,” Shane said, pressing his hand to Preston’s lower back and urging us forward. “Stop overthinking everything. I don’t do anything if I don’t want to.”
Preston’s cheeks warmed, and he tried his best to hide his smile, but there was no mistaking how ecstatic Shane’s kiss and answer had left him.
“So… I get left out?” I asked, feigning a pout. But I wasn’t truly bothered. Sure, I wanted to be kissed and let in on whatever they had forming between them, but I wasn’t fucking delusional. I’d fucked up with Shane, and I was pretty sure he was only tolerating me for Preston’s sake.
“When you learn common decency, we can visit that,” Shane surprised me by saying.
I scoffed. “I’ll have you know I have lots of common decency.”
“And that right there proves you don’t,” he retorted. I rolled my eyes. He pulled open the door to a restaurant, and the scent of grease and damn good smelling food met my nostrils, making my stomach rumble. “Get inside.”
Preston pulled me with him, shooting me a look to shut my mouth.
I sighed in annoyance but obeyed, nonetheless.
Did Shane want a good boy? Because I wasn’t that.
Never had been. Never could be. If that was what he wanted, he was going to be sorely disappointed, and he would have to settle for less than what he desired.
Once we were seated at a table, menus were placed in front of us, and drink orders were put in, Shane looked at me. “We were followed.”
I blinked. What? When the hell had we been followed? I would’ve been aware, wouldn’t I?
Preston tensed. I wished I was sitting next to him so I could touch him, comfort him. “In here?” I questioned.
Shane nodded once. “Be normal. Be calm. I’ve got eyes on him, though I can’t make out features. He’s hooded. Do not look. Do not fucking engage,” he growled at me when I narrowed my eyes at him in annoyance. “Not with Preston here, understand?”
Immediately, I backed down and nodded once. I wanted to engage. I wanted to walk over to wherever the fuck he was and bash his fucking skull through the goddamn table for daring to come anywhere near my man. But Shane was right.
We couldn’t do anything now—not while Preston was present. Not when he could be hurt if things got out of hand. Not outside of an environment I fully controlled.
Shane pulled out his phone, sending off a rapid-fire text to someone. Preston looked like he was going to puke, his face too pale. His breathing was coming way too fast, a sure sign he was beginning to panic.
Shane leaned in and gripped the back of Preston’s neck.
“Look at me,” he ordered, and the command left no room for argument.
Preston’s head shot up, their eyes locking together.
Shane massaged the back of his neck. “You feel my hand?” When Preston nodded, Shane said, “Focus on that and breathe. No matter who is near, Preston, you are safe with me. I’ll slaughter anyone who fucking gets too close to you. ”
Preston’s breathing slowed in increments until finally, he leaned against Shane, his eyes shutting, no doubt exhausted. Shane wrapped an arm around his shoulders and met my gaze over the top of his head.
“You’re both safe with me,” he told me quietly.
I scoffed. “I don’t need protecting, Ghost.”
His lips quirked with an aborted smile. “Maybe not, Xan—” and I blinked at his use of my real name because I was positive I’d never told him— “but I will protect you just the fucking same. You’re both… mine,” he finally settled on.
I smirked. “Fuck all of a time for declarations.” But I liked that he was admitting he wanted us. Wanted this, even when he’d claimed numerous times otherwise. Even when he’d tried shoving me away and keeping me at a distance.
He just grunted and focused on his menu with the rest of his being still attuned to the rest of the room.
And I watched as the hooded figure walked past two tables over from ours and left the restaurant.
Shane watched him walk past the windows until he was gone from our sight.
“Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing,” he finally uttered.
I shrugged. “Good for now. Don’t want him around Preston.” A glance at the man in question showed he was asleep, his panic attack having drained him. When Shane moved to wake him, I gripped his wrist, halting him. Shane’s eyes snapped to mine.
“Leave him,” I ordered. “I’ll order for him and have it boxed up so he can eat later. He needs rest. Panic attacks leave him drained and exhausted. He’ll be irritable and a right pain in our asses later if we wake him right now.”
Shane nodded and dropped his hand back down to curl around Preston’s shoulder. I brushed my thumb over Shane’s pulse point, then dropped my hand and focused on the menu so I could find something for both me and Preston to eat.
Preston was safe and taken care of on Shane’s side of the table, and that was all I needed right then.