Page 52 of Protect Me

“You didn’t tell D,” he points out.

I sigh. “No.”

“You want to explain to me why not?”

“Because D has politics to worry about,” I say. “And we have Sway.”

Kill grunts an agreement. “We need help if we’re going to keep constant watch.”

And if we want to convince her to be with the three of us, we need to spend some time together as a group. We both think it though neither one says it out loud.

“See if Brad, Lex, and Fiona want to pitch in for some overtime,” I say. “It’s in the budget. D won’t care.”

“Will do,” he says aloud. And then through the bond, “Tell Duncan what you told me.”

“Tell me what?” Duncan replies immediately.

We exchange a glance, and then he peels off to get it done. Through the bond, I tell Duncan everything I just told Killian.

When I’m done, Duncan doesn’t argue with my decision about keeping it from D. If anything, he sounds relieved. He’s calm as fuck too, which only means he’s strategizing with more determination than ever. When Dunc goes quiet, that’s when the world should watch its back.

What we don’t say out loud—or even through our bond—is that, by not telling D about those fuckers looking into our pasts, we’ve just made a choice to put someone else before him. I have no idea when or how it happened, but in this moment, Sway is more important to all three of us than anyone else. Even D—who has our undying loyalty. I feel the significance of our decision like a weight on my chest, but I can’t bring myself to feel guilty. All that matters now is her. And all that’s left is to convince her to let us love her.

Chapter13

Sway

Ipace my room like a caged animal, blood pumping, heart racing, and adrenaline sending me soaring. My thoughts race a mile a minute as I try to breathe and calm down. But it’s a useless attempt. I have to move, to work off the excess energy. Being in the spotlight, knowing how many people watched me perform tonight—it's like a drug.

A high I never want to end.

Unable to remain inside this room, I march to my apartment door and fling it open, no real destination in mind. Immediately, I stop short at the sight of Duncan leaning against the opposite wall.

He looks up from his phone, and our eyes lock.

A zing of electricity crackles between us.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, shoving his phone away.

“Wrong?” I look back at him, wondering for the millionth time what would have happened between us the other day if his brothers hadn’t interrupted. “Nothing is wrong,” I assure him, breathless with how much I mean that statement. For once. Nothing is wrong.

“Then what—?”

“Tonight was incredible,” I tell him. “I don’t think I can stay in this room, though. I’m so freaking wired.” I start for the stairs.

“Whoa, where are you going?” His boots padding against the carpet tell me he’s following. Not that I needed the sound to do that for me. I canfeelhis presence. Just as I can sense when Killian and Bracken are near. Energy pours from these men.

Raw.

Carnal.

Delicious.

“I heard the other performers say they were headed to the carnival after,” I say, stopping so I can face him.

Hesitation flickers in his sharp eyes. He glances down at the rest of my body. “The carnival’s dress code is a bit more casual than that.”

I look down and realize I’m still wearing my costume.