Page 28 of Devil's Valentine

I straighten my spine and shake my head before turning and sliding the first tray of cookies into the oven. My heart is threatening to crack in half, but I hold it together. For now. It’ll fracture if anything Kiki has said about my Dean is true, but I’m not going to jump to conclusions.

That would only cause more trouble.

“You need to learn your place,” Kiki tells me, everything about her haughty as fuck.

“What the fuck are you saying to my woman?” Dean’s voice is filled with venom as he steps into the kitchen, his eyes narrowed and staring down Kiki.

“I was just saying that she needs to know her place.” Her eyes flit to me again and then down her body. “The kitchen does seem like a good place for her, baby.”

She reaches for my man’s arm, but he doesn’t let her touch him. “No,” he barks, “don’t touch me.” The look he’s giving Kiki should have her shaking in fear, but she just bats her eyes at him and puckers her lips as if he would kiss her.

I know he won’t.

“Kiki came in here and started verbally harassing Miss Scarlett,” Billy informs Frenzy. From the look in his eyes, that is who is in charge right now, not Dean. “Kiki also said that you’ll get bored of Scarlett and how she’s been the one who is in your house a few times per week.”

The oven timer beeps and I’m not at all upset about the distraction. After pulling the first pan of cookies out of the oven, I put the second one in.

“Why are you in my house, Kiki?” The threat in Dean’s voice has me looking over at him with curiosity. His jaw is clenched tightly and there’s a vein throbbing on his forehead. It’s kind of hot. “Tell the truth,” he demands.

Kiki’s wide eyes are filled with fear. Huh. I’m not even a little bit afraid of Frenzy. No, my panties are too wet to be afraid.

“I was there to clean. Mostly dusting since you don’t spend a lot of time there,” she whispers with her head down and her eyes screwed tight like she hates having to admit the truth and inadvertently admit that her inferences to me were all bullshit.

I pat Dean’s chest and smile up at him, my voice soothing, “I didn’t believe her bullshit, Frenzy.”

His eyes flash with delicious promises and my thighs clench. When he slams his mouth down to mine, I gasp, and he takes full advantage. The way he kisses me, without caring about who is watching, has me clinging to his broad shoulders.

When we come up for air, we’re alone in the kitchen and the oven timer goes off at just the right time because I need to spend time with my man. Alone.

CHAPTER 12

FRENZY

When my phone chimes, I silence it quickly. I have the late shift tonight for watching over the bakery. Even though Hammer got the bakery up and running in three days, which was just enough time for Hacker to be able to work his security magic, we still have someone watching over Crescent Sugar all night.

It’s never easy to leave my woman in bed, but I know I’m doing it for her. She knows too. It’ll be a matter of hours before she’s up and meeting me there. Then I’ll watch her work her magic in the kitchen. I’ll never miss an opportunity to watch her work.

She’s so focused when she’s in the kitchen and the pleasure she gets from baking radiates from her. I’m almost jealous of her love for baking, but I push that aside because I know she loves me too. Just like I love her.

Even though it’s been three weeks since we first met, we haven’t said the words. Sometimes the way I feel about her wants to burst out of me. It’s almost impossible to contain myself. I want to shout for the world to hear how much I love my woman.

But I’m not going to rush her. I want to make sure that she’s ready to hear just how much I love her. It’ll happen soon anyway because her property cut has come in.

I’m planning on slipping it on her on Valentine’s Day which is only in a matter of days. She’s been working so hard; she deserves a little pampering and that’s exactly what I have planned for her. I know how cheesy it is, but I figure I might as well take advantage of a holiday centered around love and romance.

Cupid got me good this year and I’m fucking ecstatic about it.

Before I slip out of my room in the clubhouse, I kiss my woman’s forehead, and she lets out the most adorable little sigh of happiness. This woman. My heart swells with love for her.

She’s everything I’ve ever wanted and so much more. The way she cares about my brothers and is always baking things for everyone to enjoy has made her a favorite within the clubhouse. The only person who hasn’t warmed up is Kiki, but she’s kept her distance.

What I’ve enjoyed the most has been seeing the way my woman’s confidence has blossomed. She’s all fire and sass now, even with the biggest of my brothers. She’s not intimidated by them and if anyone tries to steal treats before they’re done, she’s right there to tell them off. Seeing a brother walk away from her with his tail tucked between his legs, thoroughly chastised, is hilarious.

Everything is quiet when I get to the bakery. I walk around the building, making sure no one is hiding in the shadows, and then take up a strategic spot a few shops down. This way I can see both the entrance to the alleyway behind the building and most of the sidewalk in front of it. I’m not too far if something happens and am mostly shrouded in darkness.

The hours pass slowly, but I spend my time watching over my woman’s dream and that gives me a sense of accomplishment that I’ve never felt before. Sure, I hate not being snuggled up to Scarlett’s curves, but this matters.

I refuse to allow the look of devastation I saw on Scarlett’s face when we arrived at Crescent Sugar that morning again. Not on my fucking watch.

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