Page 18 of Beautiful Defiance

“The same week Henry left for DU.”

“What happened to his stuff?” I’m assuming this used to be Henry’s pad.

“Don’t know. The place was empty when I got here.”

“Where’d you move from?”

“Why the questions?”

“We’re neighbors.”

“And here I thought you were trying to be my friend.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“With a guy like you? Yes.”

“How’d you figure?”

“A girl can’t be just friends with you, Seven. They’ll catch feelings and you’ll either make them a temporary fascination or you’ll keep them firmly in the friend zone. Either way, the girl gets hurt and you get away scotch free. It’s the reason I’d rather have you as my enemy. It hurts less that way.”

Her eyes widen. She ducks her head and concentrates on scooping up her chicken noodle soup and spooning it into her mouth.

I sit back and slide my arm on the back of the empty chair next to me. It hurts less that way. Her words speak to me. Yeah, giving a flying fuck gives someone the power to hurt you. It’s the reason I haven’t let a girl get close to me.

What else do Leigh and I have in common? I should drop the idea of getting to understand her and her life better. I’m not in her life to make it wonderful and shit. I’m here to make her fall in line and accept the status quo. Before I get in over my head, I stop with the questions and focus on my high maintenance stomach.

Working out every chance I get in the home gym as well as daily practices on the field has upped my body’s demand for calories.

After we’re done eating, I clean off the table, insisting Leigh sit her ass down when she tried standing and listed off to the side. I caught her before she could hit the floor.

“What’s the next step?” I hold her upright with my hands on her shoulders.

“Shower, then bed.”

She closes her eyes and blows out a quiet breath. This protective surge crests over me. I pick her up, hold her close, and we make our way inside her bedroom.

We work as a well-oiled team. With her in my arms, I tip her low. She grabs a pair of undies and a camisole from her dresser. I try not to stare at the white undies and peach camisole she has clasped to her chest. The thin camisole won’t hide her tits from my greedy eyes. Her white underwear will draw my attention to the patch of dark hair between her legs.

Talking down my hormones, I set Leigh on her feet in front of the bathroom. One of her hands rest on my shoulder, and the other on the spot over my heart.

“Thanks for your help, Seven. Can you lock the door behind you when you leave?”

“I’m not going anywhere. Your couch has my name on it.”

There’s no defiance on Leigh’s part. Or complete acceptance, either. What passes between us is what I call a temporary cease-fire.

“I’ll wait outside the door, unless you would rather I come inside?”

I’m not a perv. I honestly don’t want her keeling over and hurting herself. I’ll never forgive myself if Leigh gets hurt on my watch.

“Out here is fine,” she says. “Thanks.”

While she takes her shower, I pace outside the door. Every nerve in my body stands on end, ready to fire the signal to my brain that I need to haul ass inside the bathroom at the hint of Leigh in trouble.

The water shuts off. Metal slides over metal. Then there’s silence, followed by the hair dryer. After she shuts off the hair dryer, the toilet flushes then there’s running water. She must be brushing her teeth. The door opens and I can’t stop staring at the scrape on her face or the cut on her bottom lip. Imperfections, and I’m seething. Whoever marred Beautiful Defiance’s face will pay for fucking up what’s mine.

Mine?

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