Page 82 of Love Me Fierce

He caresses down my back one last time, ever so slowly, like he’s memorizing the shape of my body, then pulls back and sighs. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”

After helping me climb off his lap, he stands up and puts the cover on the fire pit, thrusting us into darkness. Everett takes my hand, and we walk toward the house.

“Do we have to go?”Mateo whines as I finally get him moving toward the door.

“You have school tomorrow, remember?” I open his coat, and he slides into it. “Can you thank Logan and Everett for having us over?”

“Thank you,” he says grudgingly.

“Sure,” Logan says. “It was fun.”

“I’ll walk you guys out.” Everett opens the door and Mateo and I step outside.

“Next time Logan said we could build a fire station,” Mateo says, skipping to the gate.

The motion triggers the lights over the garage, illuminating the edge of the yard and my car.

I freeze.

Written across my hood in giant, cobalt blue letters is a word so crass, so demeaning…

Everett is helping Logan with the gate latch, so he doesn’t see it right away. I try to say something to stop him and Mateo, but all that comes out is a garbled cry.

Everett whirls around, his face instantly alert, then he follows my gaze.

In a flash, he’s stepped between Mateo and the driveway, blocking him from moving forward.

“Let’s get back in the house,” he says in a firm voice.

“Why?” Mateo asks, frowning up at Everett.

Everett scoops him up. “I need to go check on something.” He ushers me closer to him and together, we walk back to the house.

Once on the porch, Everett shoots me a quick glance, but tears are stinging my eyes, and I can’t look at him.

Inside, Everett plants a kiss to Mateo’s head. “I’ll be right back, okay?” he tells us.

After snatching his keys from a hook next to the door, Everett gives my hand a quick squeeze, and then he’s gone.

Chapter Twenty-Three

EVERETT

I whipout my cell phone the second Vivian and Mateo are inside. Though I keep a gun locked in a safe inside my bedroom, the one in my rig is closer, so I hurry toward it.

“Rumsey,” Zach answers. “What’s up?”

I scan the driveway and my quiet street on my way past Vivian’s car, but there’s nothing out of place. Most of my neighbors have kids, and it being a school night, I’m not surprised none of them are outside at this hour.

“You’re on duty tonight, right?” I ignore what’s scrawled on the Kia’s hood, but my fist clenches and there’s a tight sensation in my chest, making it hard to get a full breath.

SLUT.

How the fuck did this happen?

“Yeah.” His tone has turned guarded.

“Can you swing by my place? Looks like someone vandalized a car in my driveway.”

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