Page 51 of Vengeful Guard

“You want to?”

She looks up at me, curiosity evident in her green eyes. “Yeah, I do.”

“Stop flirting. I’m nauseous,” Sophie manages, and I laugh.

“Not flirting,” Paige mutters, and I roll my eyes as I get into the driver’s seat.

It’s about a twenty-minute drive, and on the way, the girls chat idly.

“You know, Ronan O’Malley was asking about you,” Sophie says, and I stiffen.

Ronan is well known to the Burke clan, and not for anything particularly good. They only hired Ronan when the shit really hit the fan because he’s vicious.

Paige looks at her friend. “Ronan’s hot, but I don’t know.”

My blood is practically boiling, and I clench my jaw. “You’re not going out with O’Malley.”

Paige gives me a scandalized look. “And what business is that of yours?”

“It’s plenty my business. I’ve been hired to look after you, and O’Malley is a thug.”

“Aren’t you a thug, too?”

“It’s different.” There’s a muscle ticking in my jaw, and I can’t seem to stop it.

Paige huffs out a breath.

I look in the rearview mirror, and Sophie is dry heaving.

“Shit.” I pull over.

She runs out and throws up in the bushes.

I narrow my eyes at Paige. “You guys aren’t allowed any more mimosas for a while.”

“You can’t tell me what to do.” Paige’s words slur slightly.

Maybe the shower didn’t sober them up at all.

Finally, Sophie feels better, and we’re able to drop her off.

Paige helps her inside, and then comes back to the car, giving me a death glare.

Whatever.

If she wants to be a brat, so be it. I’m just trying to protect her.

I’m not jealous of Ronan fecking O’Malley with his sleeve of tattoos and his stupid eyebrow piercing. He tries to go after Paige, and I’ll take him down. A slow and painful lesson not to mess with her.

“What’s your deal tonight?” Paige asks as we head back to her brownstone.

“Nothing.”

“Oh, it’s definitely something.”

“I just need to work out.”

Paige is quiet for a moment, but not long. Her silence is brief as always.

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