Page 95 of Tore Up

“I’m glad this is your room,” I told him.

His eyebrows drew together. “Why is that?”

I licked my bottom lip and glanced at his door. “Because that night, when I realized I wasn’t dreaming and you were in my bed, I had come downstairs earlier during the party and the room down the hall had a topless blonde walking out of it. I went to bed wondering if it had been your room she had been in.”

A sexy smirk curled his lips. “Not mine, seems, I had reached the point where I was no longer interested in anyone else. Instead, I counted down the hours until you’d be asleep and I could sneak into your room and hold you in my arms.”

The next morning, when I walked into the kitchen with my hand in Bane’s, I was self-conscious. We’d not left his room yesterday—or I hadn’t left his room. He went to get food for us, but other than that, we watched a movie in bed and took a bubble bath together. Every time I’d tried to walk, he would scoop me up like a child and carry me around. He was determined I needed to stay off my feet and give the cuts time to heal.

The damage I’d done to my feet was not bad. I felt like it was his excuse to keep me to himself. I hadn’t been ready to let the rest of the world in either, and I enjoyed our little bubble. However, today, we’d had to escape the sanctuary of his room.

“Oh, thank fuck. I was beginning to think one of us needed to break down the door to make sure you were okay in there and Bane didn’t have you chained to the bed,” Than drawled with a teasing glint in his eyes as he looked over at me.

Bane’s hand tightened on mine, and his shoulders tensed. I had to defuse this before he got all snarly. The guys were going to say things. I’d prepared myself for that.

“If he had chained me to the bed, I’d have been more than okay with it. In fact, I’m positive I’d have enjoyed it,” I replied.

Oz looked up from his phone at me, and Forge began to choke on whatever he was eating.

Bane tugged me against him and put his arm around my shoulders, then kissed the top of my head. The tension was now gone from his body. I sank into him, happy I had handled that so well.

“Guess that clears up shit,” Oz replied with a smirk as he went back to his phone.

“Jesus, give a man a warning,” Forge said, still soundingstrangled. “I had a mouth full of bacon.”

Than looked pleased. Knowing this wasn’t going to be an issue with him gave me some relief I hadn’t known I needed. He’d been Crosby’s best friend after all. I’d worried he might not take this well. My sleeping in Bane’s bed and having a relationship with him. But that didn’t seem to be the case.

“You’re dressed.” Than pointed with the hand holding his coffee cup. “Ready to head back to the distillery with me again?”

“No.” Bane’s firm response was immediate.

I turned to look up at him, but he didn’t meet my gaze. Instead, he led me over to a stool and pulled it out for me to sit.

“She gets bored here all day,” Than told him.

Feeling like I needed to speak up, too, or he’d have me locked away in this house, where he could keep me safe from all things, I said, “I like working. It gives me something to do.”

“See,” Than added. “She wants to go.”

Bane looked down at me finally. “Don’t you like the horses? Going to the stables? Wouldn’t you enjoy helping me there? You could feed and brush Slingshot.”

Was he serious? My eyes widened. He wanted me to go with him? To the stables all day?!

“Yes!” I exclaimed.

His pleased grin turned into a smirk as he placed his hand on my shoulder. “Seems she’s got a new job.” His tone was smug. As if he’d just won a contest and I was the prize.

“Fine. Go and steal my help,” Than replied.

I felt a twinge of guilt then and looked over at him, only to see he was grinning over his cup at me. He wasn’t upset. Not that I would change my mind if he had been. But I would have felt bad about it. If there was a choice, Bane was always going to win.

Forty-Two

Halo

“That’s a good boy,” I cooed as Slingshot nuzzled his head against my hand.

I had missed him yesterday, although I could relive that day over and over again. Seeing my baby boy again and how much he’d grown had been wonderful. Listening to Bane chuckle as we watched him kick and move around like he couldn’t wait to be set loose was a memory I’d never forget.

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