Page 41 of Punish Me

“What?”

“When you question or deny if she’s your woman...you’re a goner,” Alessandro says.

I open my mouth to refute the statement, but I see Rob pull Brynlee closer. She places her hand on his chest, trying to put space between them.

The growl that comes from my throat sounds strange. My cousins laugh, and Alessandro says, “DeLuca through and through.”

“Sounds like the savage coming out to me,” Marco agrees.

Their teasing may be true, but it doesn't stop me from getting my ass out of the chair and stalking over to her.

“I need a word with you, Bryn.”

“Relax, Ambrose. It’s a night to celebrate, not to focus on work,” Rob says.

I turn my glare at him and snarl, “Was I fucking talking to you?”

He drops his hold on Brynlee, throwing his hands up while stretching his eyes wide and saying, “I’m sorry. I meant no disrespect, Mr. Charles.”

I stand on the dance floor with my fists balled, watching as he walks away, muttering something I can’t hear over the music.

Turning back to Brynlee, I ask, “You okay?”

“Don’t know how to feel about you going all caveman on me,” she replies with a flash in her eyes.

“Just making sure that you’re okay.”

“I am. Not that I can’t take care of myself. I think I’m ready to head back to my hotel, thanks to Mr. Hands and Caveman creating an embarrassing scene,” she says, referring to Rob and me.

“I’ll escort you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Not having you travel back there alone. Besides, I’m heading to the same place.”

“I said no.”

“And. I. Said. Yes.” I snarl in a stare-off with her, anger punctuating my words.

“Fine. What about your cousins?”

“I’ll say goodbye, and then we’ll leave.”

I’d danced with her once earlier in the evening and spent the rest of the night talking business with my cousins. We say our goodbyes to everyone at our table and catch a Lyft to the North Springs Marta station a couple of blocks away.

“Why are we getting out here?”

“I thought it would be nice to catch the train as far as we can at this time of the morning, then catch another Lyft to the hotel.”

She nods, shaking her head. “Okay.”

The ride to the train station is almost silent.

“Could I ever be enough for you, Ro?”

My heart aches at her words, and I grab her hand, turning her to face me as the driver pulls away from the curb.

“You were always enough for me, Bryn. More than enough. Then and now.

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