Page 28 of If You Give an Artist a Killer Muse

I groan, “What?”

Oscar and Nat exchange looks, and I don’t like it.

“What?” I repeat through gritted teeth.

Nat has the grace to look ashamed, “Nothing. We know you'll still pursue him regardless.”

“We're gonna be together forever.”

Oscar coughs, and Nat elbows his side.

“We made a bet,” she chuckles. “Oscar thinks you’ll be the one to bring him down on his knees, but I think he might be the one to calm whatever’s happening in your head.”

I know she’s joking, but I can’t help but stiffen at the last part. “Whatever’s in my head?”

She glances at me and shrugs, “You don’t become our group’s secret weapon with a clear head.”

“That’s what you think,” I scoff.

We all pause when we hear a weak thud coming from the trunk of her car.

We all groan. Looks like our new buddies are waking up.

“Seriously, though.” Nat continues as we both watch Oscar open the trunk to punch the men to unconsciousness again. “Rurik’s different, Briar. He’s not part of our world. I really don’t think he’ll understand what we do. Even Oscar has to hide shit from him.”

Nah, fuck that shit.

Rurik may not know it yet, but he was meant to come into my life just as I was meant to go into his. While he may appear as the golden boy to many, the past few weeks have given me a glimpse of the real Rurik Campbell.

And I fucking love it.

“Promise me, Briar.”

I blink and turn my attention back to my best friend. “Huh?”

“Promise me that you will leave him alone.” Nat looks worried. She never worries.

I stare at her, confused as to why she is so determined about me leaving the golden boy alone.

“Let him go so he can live his life.”

My eyes narrow. Why do I get the sense she's hiding something from me? I open my mouth to demand why she's asking me to do this when she's never cared about who I pursue, but the serious expression on her face stops me.

I swallow hard and nod. “Yeah. Okay.”

*-*-*-*

Okay, so I lied.

What?

I mean, I’m technically not lying. I agreed to let him live his life, and I have been. I just happen to be there, watching him from afar, ensuring my angel is safe from harm.

Seriously, he doesn’t know this, but I saved him multiple times from assholes who tried to jump him from behind. I’ve noticed that he has this terrible habit of taking shortcuts in dark alleyways with no streetlights to guide him. People see this man who is alone and not paying attention to his surroundings because his eyes are always glued to his damn phone, and expect he’s an easy target.

But they don’t realize I’m also there, watching over him.

So, whenever assholes try to touch my Rurik, I don’t hesitate to attack them first. Quietly, of course. I don’t need my angel freaking out when he sees unconscious bodies dropping behind him.

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