Page 33 of Taming Bull

Carly didn’t see Wasp sneaking up behind her, but I did. I smiled as he wrapped his arms around her, settling his hands on her belly. “Now, that’s not true, Dove. I’d rather have you in my bed, naked, with your feet hiked up for the next thirty years or so.”

Chiding him for being an overprotective, horny brute, she tried to slide out of his grip, but Wasp tickled her until she stopped squirming. Giving up, she leaned against him. He slid her hair behind one shoulder and bent to nuzzle her neck.

Loneliness hollowed me out again. Not wanting to torture myself by sticking around to watch the lovebirds, I prepared to make my escape. But Wasp pinned me in place with a look. “Hey, Lil, how are you?” he asked.

What was it with these people and all their concerns about my well-being? Dodging their questions was getting old. “I’m good. Carly’s glowing.”

He grinned. “Oh, I know she is. She looks damn good pregnant, doesn’t she?”

Carly blushed.

“Yep. She’s gorgeous.”

Wasp’s smile was redirected over my head. “Bull,” he said with a nod. “Hey brother.”

Bull?

My heart sped up and goosebumps rose across my arms at his presence. I could feel him behind me for fuck’s sake! Forcing myself to stay put—and not turn around and throw myself at him—I held my breath and waited.

“Hey, Wasp. Carly,” Bull said. “Mind if I steal Lily for a few minutes?”

He wanted to steal me, and by God, I wanted to be stolen. But something was happening to Carly. It was like she started morphing before my very eyes. Her smile vanished, stealing away her ethereal radiance. Eyes narrowed to slits and burning with hellfire, she ripped free of Wasp’s arms and took an aggressive step forward. She’d gone from glowing to raging in one-point-three seconds flat, and I was so damned shocked, I didn’t know what to do.

“That depends. Exactly how big of an asshole are you planning to be to her?” Her voice reminded me of Sigourney Weaver’s demon possessed character inThe Ghostbusters. I fully expected the next words out of her mouth to be,‘Are you the Keymaster?’

If Bull turned and ran for his life, I wouldn’t have blamed him one bit. Instead, he stepped beside me and grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers. Not expecting the contact, I hadn’t braced for it, and I felt everything. The callouses on his hands rubbed against mine as little sparks shot up my arm, zinging me right in the heart. If he kept affecting me like this, I’d need a defibrillator soon.

Then again, maybe a pair of heart paddles would shock some sense into me.

The man had sister-zoned me, brushed me off, and treated me like shit. I should be angrily washing my hands of him, but instead, it was all I could do not to close the rest of the distance between us and lay my head on his shoulder. I hated myself for the way I reacted to his touch, but I was powerless to resist his pull.

“No, ma’am. Being an asshole to Lily is not my goal,” Bull said.

Carly’s hand sprung up and her index finger landed smack in the center of Bull’s chest, hard enough to bruise. “Don’t you try that charming southern shit on me. It might not be your goal, but it better not be an unfortunate side effect, either. Hurt her, and you’ll have me to deal with. I’ll find you, and I will destroy you.Capisce?”

Now, I couldn’t tell if Carly was channeling Liam Neeson fromTakenor auditioning for the nextGodfathermovie, but I was sure glad her animosity wasn’t directed at me. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Wasp’s spawn had her acting all whack-a-doodle, but this behavior was so out of character, I was concerned she might need an exorcism.

Bull winced, but didn’t back down. Letting her drill his breastbone with her index finger, he released my hand and slowly raised both of his in surrender. “Yes, ma’am. I hear ya loud and clear.”

I simultaneously missed his touch and hated myself for being so damn needy.

Carly’s gaze shifted to me, and a little of the fire and brimstone ebbed from her eyes. “You don’t have to go with him if you don’t want to.”

I’d never admit it aloud, but watching her go from girl-next-door to demonic mobster to defend me was nice. Her protective—albeit concerning—behavior reminded me that although Grandma was gone, several strong, amazing women had my back. I wasn’t alone anymore. I hadn’t been for quite some time. Regardless, I didn’t need Carly, or anyone else, fighting my battles. “It’s okay; I want to talk to him.” I gave Bull a little side-eye action, letting him know he wasn’t out of the woods yet. “We’re overdue for a conversation. Thank you, Carly, but I’ll be fine.”

Reaching out, she grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze of solidarity. “You sure?”

I nodded.

“Okay, but if you need me, I’ll be right here.” She cast another glare in Bull’s direction. “And you… you remember what I said, buck-o.”

Wasp put his hands on Carly’s shoulders and reeled her in. As usual, his eyes were full of mischief, and a lopsided smirk tugged at his lips. “Come on, my little firecracker. As hot as it is to see you all worked up like this, I don’t think it’s good for the baby. Let’s go sit you down, put your feet up, and see if we can’t lower your blood pressure a little.”

Carly hesitantly let her husband lead her off. Once they were out of ear shot, I turned toward Bull and waited.

“Carly used to like me,” he said, still staring after the couple with his sad bullmastiff eyes.

“I’m sure she will again. She’s protective, and well… pregnant.”

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