Page 111 of On a Fault Line

And then Ivan leans in and whispers something into her ear.

Don’t you fucking smile, Princess.

22

COLLINS

“Dude, are you okay?” Nic asks, detaching himself from being Claire’s water boy.

“Hmm?”

He gestures to my face. “You look a little pale.”

My attention has been on Penny and Ivan so much that I forgot I’m supposed to be pretending to be unaffected.

“I think it’s just the heat.” It’s not a lie. It is hot out here when not in the shade.

“Why don’t you all get in the pool to cool off while Germain cooks up some burgers and kabobs?” Donna suggests, overhearing our conversation.

Instantly my stomach sinks. The last thing I need is for Penny to be prancing around in a bathing suit while I try to conceal a hard-on. From the creepy look on the Colombian’s face, I doubt I’ll be the only one with the struggle.

I feel volatile.

If Ivan makes a move on Penny, I’ll detach his dick from his body, and he can throat fuck himself with it to get off. I don’t care. But he better stay away from what’s mine.

“The pool sounds fun,” Penny says sweetly.

Of course it does, with a capital F-U.

And let’s face it—I’m fucked.

If her skimpy outfit is any indication of what she chose to bring for swimwear, then I know it’s going to be some type of bikini.

Dammit.

I hope Penny knows who she’s coming home with tonight, because it isn’t going to be Mr. Iced Coffee. I made it clear I don’t share, but if I need to do a refresher course, I will.

“Collins, can I get the keys to your car so I can get my swim bag out?” she asks, holding out her hand in expectation.

“I’ll walk you there.”

“No need.”

“There’s very much a need,” I whisper, my voice gravelly, so only she can hear.

Turning on her heel, she walks across the patio toward the house.

“I’m gonna grab a bag from Collins’s car,” Penny says to Angie in passing, probably trying to draw suspicion away from our closeness.

I usher her up the deck stairs, allowing her to go first.

When we get to the top and out of view of the others, Penny spins around, her eyes alight with anger. “What has gotten into you?”

“I don’t want that asshole flirting with you.”

“Really? Now you’re name-calling? With age doesn’t always come maturity. You are the case in point.”

I sigh, placing both hands on the back of my neck and rubbing them upward to try to ease the building tension. "Penny, make him stop, or I will.”

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