Her Boogeyman Bodyguard #2
“Don’t go too far, and ring me if you have any trouble.” His eyes stayed on me while he dished out instructions to her. “Any trouble.”
Without waiting for a response, the savage leaned in and dragged her against him like she was about to walk straight into the wolf’s den. Well, the Boogeyman’s in this case. His arrogant ice-blue gaze tracked back over to me before he looked down at her, smiling.
Gross.
Did he not see what an utter twit he became around her?
Did he have no pride at all? Not that I had much room to talk, but I’d never pretended otherwise.
I never acted like the biggest brute in the room.
And loathe as I was to admit it, he was a dangerous assassin who’d put the fear of death into every creature he crossed.
But around her, he was a shameless and besotted nincompoop.
Dare I mention that it was quite literally sickening how often he put his hands on V like she was his possession.
Barbarians, every single one of them.
Phillip kissed her so long and so explicitly I found my eyes straying, unable to stomach the sight. Even the she-demon let loose a sigh of resignation, clearly agitated by yet another display of unnecessary affection. I rarely agreed with Her Evilness, but in this case, my sentiments exactly.
My skin crawled whenever one of these brutes publicly claimed V’s lips like she was theirs and no one else’s.
I noticed it was happening more and more lately.
Their obvious obsession with her was like a vice grip on my throat every bloody time.
I found myself wishing it was my lips dragging soft gasps from her throat; that it was my mouth she craved.
That it was me who she wanted when she could have quite literally anyone else.
I’d kissed her once. I shouldn’t have. It didn’t coax the reaction I wanted, but it was as if I was possessed.
I thought about that brief, stolen kiss every time I caught sight of her, and I worried one day I’d steal another.
One day, the previous me who took what he wanted might resurface and steal what wasn’t freely given. And then I’d lose her.
Bloody hell…
I retrieved my mobile out of my pocket and pretended to be bored.
Hip out, I flipped my always-perfect hair back and ignored a racing pulse that gave all my secrets away.
My heart hit with a little more insistence inside my chest, unfortunately aware of their heated kiss and banter-heavy exchange when all I wanted to do was leave and pretend she wasn’t attached to men who didn’t deserve her.
That, instead, it was me she wanted.
I tapped on the text screen I shared with the red-haired beauty currently having her soul sucked out through her mouth.
Then I quickly typed my usually on-point commentary about the brutish demon who didn’t deserve her—whose entire agenda was to ruin my life.
And of course, I added the usual assortment of emojis because they made her smile and giggle in a way that got my blood pumping.
She’d tried to hide it—naturally—but my experience as a spy meant I caught every emotion she tried and failed to conceal.
She wasn’t as accomplished with disguising her reactions as the other Hunters.
Thank the gods for that because it was the only reward I received in the company of so many barbarians.
I turned my head just in time to watch V push Phillip off her.
Her spiteful glare said it all. She wasn’t amused by his possessive nature.
She thought he was being a child. He wasn’t winning her over with his tantrums, and I couldn’t be prouder of my darling.
She saw right through his distasteful playboy tactics. Only she ever could.
I didn’t manage to hide my grin as she tossed the barbarian another scathing look before stomping over to me. Snatching my arm, she headed to the front of the house, grumbling under her breath about assholes. It wasn’t the smile I’d yearned for, but it was just as satisfying.
I grinned in victory as I was manhandled all the way out the door. When I cleared my throat, trying not to laugh, she stiffened and released my arm.
“Sorry. Where is it you wanted to go? You mentioned something about our contract and said there’s something I needed to know about Harmony? Since you’re the only one willing to tell me anything right now without patronizing the shit out of me, you’ve got my attention.”
Grinning at my darling, I eyed the sinking sun off in the distance. “Cheers. Let’s go somewhere we won’t be followed by that brute inside. Do you trust me, or do you need his permission for that, too?”
I nearly missed the smile creeping across her lips before she ditched it for a glare. “Shut up. Even if I didn’t, you can’t do anything to me I won’t find my way out of.”
Saucy bird.
I noticed she didn’t outright deny trusting me, though. She walked around it like the clever little thing she was, but her words suggested that, at least to some degree, she did. Maybe not as much as I’d like, but it was a step in the right direction.
“Fair enough, love. Unlike that overprotective barbarian inside, I’ve learned my lesson after the first time I crossed you. I won’t be idiotic enough to do it again. Trust at least that much.”
Her smile hit like the first rays of sunlight after a long, dark night. “Guess you’re not totally hopeless then, Cash.”
“I should think not,” I complained without feeling.
Watching her giggle to herself, I smirked because it was all I could do to keep from leaning in and kissing her sweet mouth. Instead, I grabbed her hand and snapped my fingers not presently tangled with a goddess. Magic swirled around us in a dizzying dance, taking us somewhere we could be alone.
Finally.