Page 92 of Prey

She gasped in outrage. “It didn’t just rip, you bastard. You cut it.”

I smiled at the accusing note in her voice as I worked to clean us up the best I could before setting her back in her seat and pulling the seat belt over her.

She shifted a little. “I might make a mess on your seat.”

“Don’t give a fuck about that,” I muttered.

“You didn’t use a condom,” she said, and I couldn’t tell what that tone in her voice meant.

“Don’t want anything between us.”

“But I’m not on birth control. Are you really okay with bringing a baby into this world?”

“What’s wrong with this world?”

“It’s fucked up.”

True.

“I’ll protect you and any children you give me,” I said, and that was the fucking truth. I would lay down my life for my family. And that was exactly what she was.

16

RYLEIGH

I squinted slightlywhen I felt the sunlight on my face.

It was becoming more of a common occurrence for me to wake up after the sun had risen.

I supposed, in a way, I felt safe with Roman’s arms around me.

We didn’t talk much after he drove me home.

We had gotten ready for bed as soon as we got to my apartment, and some time in the night, I saw Roman look at his phone before he got up and went to the front door.

I only heard a low murmur of male voices before the door was shut, and then he was back in the room, placing my car keys on my desk before gathering me into the safe cocoon of his arms once more.

We slept the entire night, and now it was morning.

Not late morning, but not early either, and even more surprising was that Roman was still here.

He was usually up or had already left the house by this time.

His hours were erratic enough as it was. I didn’t know when I would get to spend a lazy morning with him, so this was a pleasant surprise.

I frowned slightly at the memories of the night before.

Nothing was resolved.

I still didn’t know why he had been avoiding me for the last three days, and no matter what he thought, sex didn’t solve anything.

I didn’t want a relationship based purely on sex, and if I really thought about it, I didn’t think that was what this was, but that didn’t reassure me.

Roman was just so… unpredictable.

I was still frowning when he opened his eyes and looked at me.

His expression was soft, his lips tilted slightly upwards in a small smile.

---