Page 107 of On a Fault Line

She doesn’t believe me, and that just makes me more impatient.

When we get up to the patio, Penny and I separate. I really don’t need any suspicion drawn to me that I’m doing anything more than being the dutiful bodyguard.

It is taking all of my energy to contain my grin, already annoyed with my lack of self-control that exposed itself just moments ago when I openly gawked at Penny while she threw around the word “daddy” at her family’s fucking barbecue. Her body was made for the sunshine, so I can’t fault her for wanting the rays to kiss as much exposed skin as possible. Problem is, I want to kiss it as well.

Graham moves to stand beside me, cutting off my internal monologue. He sets Angie down, smacks her on her backside, and then smiles to her as she scurries away to be with the girls, who are huddled up together near the buffet.

It makes me so twitchy when they get together.

One of them is hard enough to handle.

But put together all three, and they form an impenetrable girl squad.

“Seriously, man, how did you manage that?” Graham asks.

When I look over at him with confusion, he clarifies.

“How did you get Penny to accept you toting her around like a little princess?”

I nearly choke on my own spit.

Pennyismy little princess.

And I have my ways.

I pour some water into a cup from the dispenser and take a sip. “I don’t give her much room to decide against me.”

“Nic’s right. You must have the magic touch.”

I cough into my arm. Recovering as smoothly as I can, I try to act normal—whatever that is supposed to look like.

“I think she just accepted that I wasn’t going anywhere.” I mean, it’s not like I can say we ran into each other at a sex club twice and she convinced me through bad decisions to sign a contract with her, while I maintain the one I still have with him. I can’t tell him that now we are unable to be in the same room together without wanting to rip each other’s clothes off.

Yeah… I can’t say any of that.

Reaching his hand out, Graham waits for mine to shake. After we connect, that all too familiar rush of guilt floods my system, making me question if this is all worth it.

But then when I look across the patio, on the other side of the pool, and can hear the faint sounds of Penny’s laughter as she spins a tube inside the cotton candy maker—I know this is all worth it.

To spend any amount of time in Penny’s presence would be worth anything compared to a life where she wasn’t in it.

And that there is what will be my ruin.

I am in way too deep as it is, and there’s no end in sight other than the confidence in knowing that it will destroy us both.

“Just keep her safe and out of trouble,” Graham says, leaning in closer so there’s no chance anyone but me can hear. “Any updates?”

We just met recently to discuss everything, but I can tell that he is anxious to ask again so soon.

I clear my throat and shove down the hatred for the fucker that nearly caused the entire Hoffman family’s demise. “I’m working on getting more eyes inside.” It’s honestly what’s been keeping me up late at night—besides Penny. “Tanner needs to stay out of solitary if we want stronger access points for delivering messages. The last little fight nearly got him protection for a week, and he plays such a good victim that he could be up for an Academy Award. The next hit on him needs to be impactful.”

“Tanner better…” his words trail off as the girls get near, holding pink and blue cotton candy on sticks. “Let’s meet up again soon to discuss.”

I nod my understanding. Part of the reason I was hired to watch over Penny was because she visited Mark Tanner at the prison. Even locked up, he is still tormenting her life.

Shifting my posture, I smile at the girls who seem so relaxed and are enjoying the holiday together.

“Want some cotton candy?” Angie asks us, handing over some for me.

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