Page 35 of The Price of Forever

“We brought breakfast,” Axel said, lifting the bags slightly. “Since it’s been, you know, hard to get this one on our schedule.” He cocked a thumb toward Jordan.

“Are you hungry?” Damian called out, dropping his bags on the counter before running a hand through his longish dark blond hair.

Another unintelligible mumble.

“I guess she’s doing her workout,” I said.

Axel hummed to himself as he arranged the bags on the island, tattoos peeking out from behind the cuffs and the collar of his shirt. His gaze swept my way, clearly sizing me up. “Damn, Seven. What’s your gym routine? I need abs like that.”

“It involves a lot of push-ups.”

Axel leaned closer, pointing. “I’ve never been able to get these divots. Do you think they help your skills as a bodyguard, or are they just to inspire confidence?”

I wasn’t afraid of laughing with the brothers. They didn’t threaten to unravel me and my very foundation if we became close. I cracked a smile. “I can’t answer that with a client in the room.”

“Fair enough.” He turned toward Jordan. “Okay, little sis, we’re gonna lay out the spread now.”

Damian got to work unloading the bags and filling up my kitchen island with boxes of food. The scent of eggs and pancakes hit me, making my stomach rumble. “I’m gonna go get dressed. Give you some, you know…time together.”

Damian sent me an appreciative look and I headed to my bedroom. Inside the quiet, dark haven, I let my towel crumple to the floor and heaved a deep sigh.

Living with Jordan wasn’t all bad. For how much of a brat she was, she kept to herself when she wasn’t flaunting her body and forgetting how doors worked. It made me wonder what the hell she was getting up to in her bedroom when she disappeared for hours at a time. But there was no way in hell I’d ever ask, because it would only take one more mention of her vibrator to break me entirely.

Even though I’d nutted in the shower that morning, it didn’t mean I was fully prepared for tonight’s shift. Jordan had a later shift at the coffee shop, eleven a.m. to close, and then the evening would be spent under the purple lights, watching her hump steel and shake her ass cheeks. Fuck, I was getting hard just imagining it. The more worrisome part of this arrangement was that now, when she sauntered onto other men’s laps and let them put their hands on her hips, heat prickled up my spine and across my shoulder blades. My hands formed fists without wanting to.

I needed to get my head straight—I needed time away from her, where I knew she wasn’t holed up inside my guest room. I just wasn’t sure how to get it.

In my closet, my gaze fell to the mess of woodworking tools I’d thrown inside hastily from my last carving session. I couldn’t stand leaving everything out, especially with how much dust and wood shavings it created. But I carved as frequently as I could. It was the one surefire way to get my mind calm and on track. I needed it more and more lately, it seemed. One of my base blocks tumbled out—balsa wood—and I stacked it back up for whenever I had a chance to work next.

I pulled out my standard attire—black button-up, black slacks, a belt. Contrary to Jordan’s beliefs, I didn’t have thirteen version of the same outfit in my closet. I had seven. It was a good number. Besides, there were minute differences in the clothing—different brands, different quality fabrics. Not that she’d know that.

I took my time getting ready. Maybe she’d open up a bit with her brothers. Her petulance around them irked me less since she’d snapped at me at the Ritz Carlton. Jordan had her reasons—and even though I didn’t understand them fully, I respected them. She was entitled to her own secrets. We all had them, were driven by them. But if they had a shot at reconciling and really connecting, this was it.

Once she flew the coop into her own place after this “interim stay,” I doubted she’d send check-in texts or make lunch dates with the brothers. Hell, once she fully recovered from the shock of the recent assault, I wasn’t even sure she’d keep me on as a full-time protection officer. I was prepared for her to call her brothers out of nowhere one day and ask to end my assignment.

I just couldn’t figure out if that would be a relief, or a disappointment.

I dressed slowly then brought out my laptop to check email and do what little work I could on my fledgling business. The most important part was the hiring process, so I created a decent help wanted ad and saved it. But that was all I had time for. Jordan would need to leave for work soon, and the day would melt away from there.

Out in the living room, Damian and Axel sat on the couches. Jordan was still on her mat, cross-legged, holding a plate of food as she shoveled a bite into her mouth.

“Everyone behaving out here?” I asked in my best bouncer voice.

Axel twisted to smirk at me. “You know, with those abs and that voice…”

Damian sent him a withering look. “Axel. Can you please stop objectifying Seven?”’

“I’m just asking for it, aren’t I?” I teased, heading for the open end of the couch. “I’ve heard that line before.”

“Are you hungry?” Axel tipped his head toward the kitchen. “We brought enough for everyone and their bodyguard.”

Jordan’s gaze sizzled on me. But when I flicked my gaze her way, she jerked her eyes to the plate in her hands.

“I’ll grab something on the way out,” I told him.

“He’s very particular about what he eats,” Jordan said, suddenly popping to her feet. “He has indigestion. Or maybe it’s IBS. Possibly various food allergies. Very dangerous to eat outside of his prescribed routine.”

Axel and Damian laughed under their breath as Jordan strode to the kitchen to drop off her plate.

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