Page 81 of Smolder

It was always at this moment when I felt the closest to him. When we were both vulnerable and locked together.

He had become so important to me in such a short time. I was sure I could forgive him for almost anything.

•Thirty-One •

“All right, little brother. You’ve gone and gotten territorial.”

Sebastian

Holding Royal in my lap felt different tonight. Before, I’d enjoyed it. I’d fucking loved it. Craved it. The urgency to pull her tighter to me, lock her in my arms, find a way to keep her with me was gnawing at me now.

I’d called her mine. I had said it out loud.

And she’d orgasmed.

My arms flexed around her.

I’d thought we had a week, if not more. I should have known they’d find us sooner than that. The person who had called my burner from an unknown number didn’t say a word. To those who didn’t know better, they’d think it was a wrong number or spam. But I knew. They’d found me. Even if I destroyed the phone, the location had been locked, and it was too late.

“Are you hungry?” I asked Royal.

“Not really,” she replied.

After I had taken her over the table, we had eaten sandwiches, then showered together. She asked to come down here and sit. For a while, I’d read to her, but then I had wanted to hold her in silence.

“What are you thinking about?” I asked her, pressing a kiss to her head.

She traced a pattern on my hand, not looking up at me. “What will happen next?”

“You’ll stay with me.”

Her head tilted back, and our eyes met. “I can’t do that. I have Grams to think about.”

Haven House was fifteen minutes from Athens and seventeen minutes from Shephard Ranch. I knew her Grams would be better there than at home with Royal, but pushing that on her would be a mistake. She felt responsible for her grandmother and their home. Even if that was something that should have never been placed on her shoulders.

She sat up, her eyes going to the window, and a smile spread across her face. “It’s snowing!” she exclaimed before leaving me to rush to the door.

I was behind her immediately to stop her from opening it. I didn’t want to deprive her of the joy she seemed to be getting from the snow that had started to fall, but they were coming. I had considered loading her in the Hummer and leaving to some other location today, but I hadn’t had time to set it up properly. I wasn’t going to take her somewhere without knowing it would be comfortable for her. Not when she was in danger.

“Don’t open it,” I told her, and she turned to frown at me.

Then, understanding lit her eyes, and she dropped her hand from the doorknob.

“Won’t the snow make it hard for them to get to us?”

I’d like to think so. I fucking hoped a damn blizzard came, but I doubted we would be that lucky. It was just October.

“Depends on how close they were when I got the call.”

“Oh,” she replied, no longer looking happy. “I thought the snow meant we had more time.”

I started to say something when the faint sound of a boot stepping onto the porch stopped me.

“Go to the bathroom. Close the door,” I whispered in her ear.

Her eyes went wide, and she shook her head.

I grabbed her hand and moved her back, placing her behind me. “Now, Royal,” I hissed.

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