Page 130 of On a Fault Line

“Oh, trust me. I don’t plan on it.”

“So we have a deal?”

“Yes, Penelope.”

25

COLLINS

When I get out to the patio, I scan my eyes along the backyard, doing what I normally do when I walk into a space.

The girls and Ivan are huddled up around a table in the shade looking at photos of some sort. With the slow setting sun, the patio lights have kicked on, casting a warm glow to the entire area.

I want to go to Penny, but I also see her brothers making their way toward me so I resist.

The magnetic pull I feel when she is around is dangerous. Not only does it make me twitchy, it also makes me impulsive. And if douchebag Ivan doesn’t watch where he places his attention, I can bust both his eyes up so that everything he sees is through a lens of blood.

Ivan’s tone was pleasant earlier, yet the smug glimmer in his eye let me know he appreciates himself—and definitely a tad bit too much. He glances around the group, probably taking poll of everyone’s reaction. My teeth grit together at his attention on my Penelope, and there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it now without ruining the facade I have impeccably maintained.

I just hope she realizes that every grin she gives him is accounted for, and I will enjoy each lick I give her pussy to cleanse her mind of the fucker who wants to take what is mine.

But in the meantime, I slide my hand into my pocket and hit the button to send her a little pulse where it matters most.

And a reminder of just who she belongs to…

Her little gasp is muffled by a cough, and when she whips her body around to find me, I pretend I don’t notice.

When Nic and Graham catch up to me, they both gesture toward the girls, plus Ivan. “And so it begins…” the older Hoffman says.

Not on my watch.

“Well, that didn’t take long,” Nic snickers, his attention on his younger sister.

“Thoughts?” I ask, trying to gauge if we are on the same page or not.

Graham shrugs. “If you sabotage things too fast, it just makes Penny bitter and volatile.”

I nod. “This is true.”

But what they don’t know is that there is no way in hell I’m going to sit back and watch Ivan move in on Penny. We also have a contract in place that prohibits such during our time together.

“What are they looking at anyway?” Nic asks, moving closer to their table.

Graham and I follow, seeing that the photos are from the riverfront shoot—and they look amazing.

“Who would have thought the crying pictures would turn out like they did?” Penny mutters, holding one in her hand.

She’s right. They are phenomenal.

But her eyes tell a different story now, as I imagine she is trying to relive those moments at the water where she lost sight of reality.

I want to pull her in my arms and coddle her and make her understand I will do anything to remove that sad look from her eyes.

Anything.

“What if we did a Breakup Box?” Claire asks. “How cool would it be to help empower other women to find their new stride with the help of some revenge clothes and makeup? We can keep it comfy but also keep it purposeful.”

“I love that idea!” Angie says, her excitement building.

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