Page 70 of Séance

I know nothing about people, much less women.

Usually, if I want to fuck, I just join my brother.

That’s the extent of my interactions with the opposite sex. Normally, if one tries to talk to me, James intercepts them or Ijust walk away, completely uninterested in anything they have to say…until now.

So, as much as I want to spend time alone with her, I…can’t.

What if I fuck it up?

I can’t risk it.

With a sigh, I shoot off a text to my brother, knowing that I’m going to pay for it later. Being out in public with James is a struggle at the best of times. Add Rue in the mix, and it’s just asking for trouble.

With an even heavier sigh, I shoot a second text off to Gunner, asking him if he wants to join us. I don’t wait for them to respond, just shove my phone in my pocket and jump off the porch, heading toward the car, already knowing their answer.

By the time I reach Gunner’s car, James flings open the door to the house and bounds down the stairs. He launches off the last step, nearly crashing into me in his rush to get to the car first. “Fucker! You’re lucky you invited me to join you, or I might have been mad.”

I shudder at the idea of him in one of his moods, or what nasty surprises that might be waiting for me. Last time, when I went to bed, I slipped under the covers and slid into a bed full of shaving cream, and that was one of his milder pranks.

I watch him hover by the front door, then back door, before nodding and throwing himself into the back seat with a smile. Gunner slowly makes his way down the stairs, pausing by my side instead of crawling inside the vehicle. “You sure?”

My shoulders wilt a little as I blow out a breath, but I nod. “Yeah. Especially if there are any repercussions from last night. I don’t want to be caught alone with her without protection.”

Gunner grunts, his expression hardening as he clenches his fists. “No one will touch her.”

It’s both a vow and a promise.

Bruised and battered, he’s intimidating than normal.

A person would be insane to fuck with him.

We pile into the car, then head next door. Just as I park, the front door pops open and Rue exits the house in an outfit that has my cock demanding attention. A short black skirt flirts with her thighs with her every move, and I swear if she bends over, I’ll be able to see what color panties she’s wearing…if she’s wearing panties. A bright pink, fuzzy, short-sleeved sweatshirt hugs her every curve, the deep V-neckline showing off her breasts.

Knee-high black stockings are pulled up high, decorated with tiny pink skulls and crossbones. If that’s not sexy enough, she’s also wearing schoolgirl shoes on her feet with a chunky heel and straps that go over the top and around her ankles.

“Fuck me,” Gunner mutters, adjusting his jeans, struggling with the same problem as me.

“Right?” James murmurs, completely enchanted, and I swear he has hearts in his eyes. “She’s fucking perfect.”

A heartbeat later, he throws open his door and jumps out.

“Pookie!” James bellows, then he rushes up the steps with the biggest, brightest smile I’ve ever seen on his face, genuine happiness radiating from him as he snatches the dangling keys from her hand and locks the door for her. Then, before she can escape, he captures her hand and threads their fingers together.

As he guides her to the car, I wait for a sting of jealousy to bite me on the ass, but I’m just grateful that he’s here to pick up my slack—proof that I would have fucked this shit up because it would have never dawned on me to escort her to the car. Maybe with our two chaperones to keep her distracted, she won’t notice that I’m lacking.

James skips at her side, his whole body turned toward her as he regales her with a story that has her smiling, and something clutches low in my stomach. I would do anything to have one of her smiles directed at me, one where she lights up the world around her.

As if sensing my thoughts, she turns toward me. The smile she sends me isn’t as bright, a slight quirking of her lips, but it’s more intimate, and the knots tying up my insides loosen a fraction.

I absently fiddle with the ring on my pinky, spinning it around and around. I should find the tiny ring an annoyance, since I’m not one for jewelry, but the small piece of metal makes me feel more connected to her somehow. I’m not normally a possessive guy, but I would kill anyone who tried to take the ring from me.

As Rue passes by my window, my gaze falls to her neck, and the impulse to stamp my claim, around her pretty little throat is just too irresistible.

When we’re out buying rings, I’ll search for the perfect necklace, nothing gaudy or flashy. Something that says don’t fuck with me, I already have a master.

The door slams shut, startling me, and I peer into the rearview mirror. My eyes immediately connect with Rue’s calm teal gaze, and I start the car. James keeps up a steady stream of chatter, not even noticing that none of us are participating besides a nod or hum every once in a while.

I shouldn’t be surprised that Rue actually listens to everything he says. She focuses entirely on someone when they speak. She doesn’t space out or get lost in her own head. It’s a heady experience to be the center of her attention.

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