Page 80 of Sweet Temptation

Her security had been violated, and even though it could’ve been much, much worse… there was a toll it would take, and she’d be paying it.

Victims always did.

She wrapped her arms around herself. “I hate being alone, Ronan. I don’t like being alone and under guard. It freaks me out.”

“That’s understandable. Here.” I placed my hands on her shoulders and gently steered her over to the pretty bench at the foot of her bed… touching her, which I’d told myself I wasn’t gonna do. There was no need to put my hands on her.

But I did.

I wanted to make her feel safe, and I’d do that any way I could.

She sat, and I took my hands back. I sat down next to her. “We can make some changes, to make this work for you. Whatever you need. You need to feel safe and secure in your own home.”

She nodded.

“What do you need, Summer?”

She took a breath. “I need to have my friends over. I want to have a party.”

I would’ve laughed, it sounded so absurd to me. But she was serious.

She looked up at me, and God help me, I was a sucker for those pale-blue eyes.

“Okay,” I told her. “Then we’ll have a party.”

Chapter Eleven

Summer

I thought I was okay. I really did.

But then Ronan left, and anxiety started to slip in through the cracks.

Yesterday, I flipped out over a “lost” key that wasn’t even lost. A key that didn’t even open any doors to my house anymore, since the locks had been changed. I even yelled at Maddox at the peak of my freak-out—and felt like a complete asshole afterwards.

Then Ronan returned.

On a motorcycle.

And holy shit, that was inconvenient.

I’d watched from my bedroom window as he parked and took off his helmet. The bike was big and badass and all-black. And the man riding it? He’d ditched his plain leather jacket in favor of a rugged black leather motorcycle jacket, his dress shoes in favor of boots.

And he looked waaay too hot straddling that machine with his muscular, jean-clad thighs.

I leapt back from the window as he got off; I wasn’t sure if he’d caught me scoping him out.

But when he appeared at my bedroom door, I’d almost flung myself into his arms.

How could someone I’d just met make me feel so damn safe?

Maddox didn’t make me feel that safe. He didn’t make me feel unsafe, either. I didn’t actually think anything was going to happen to me, in my own home, in the middle of the day, with him and his guys here. I knew, technically, I was safe. But I didn’t feel it until Ronan rode his bike into my driveway.

And then I heard him semi-yelling at Maddox downstairs.

Later, when Maddox and his guys left, I’d slipped him a nice, fat joint that I’d personally rolled with my favorite Amaretto-flavored rolling papers, and an apology. At least it didn’t seem like he was gonna carry any kind of grudge. I actually got more of a “he thinks I’m prone to hysteria, but cute” vibe.

After that, I’d been up half the night, at least, unable to sleep. Just feeling restless and uneasy. And jumping at every little noise from outside.

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