Page 99 of Mine to Protect

Peters nodded, his thumbs flying across his screen as he typed out text. “I’ll let you know who I can get. In the meantime, I know you don’t want to hear this, but we could use John’s help. He can fill in for me until we get you some backup.”

I grumbled into Alta’s shiny, soft hair. Her head tipped back, allowing me to see the smirk pulling at her lips. “Fine. But not until you leave.”

Peters smiled as he shoved the phone into his shorts pocket. Striding past us, he tugged on his coat and grabbed the keys from the side table. “Running to the store. I’ll get enough food for an army so you don’t have to run out again. I agree with what you said earlier, too many unpredictable scenarios out there. This guy is upping his game, which makes me think he’s planning to move fast. His end game is in sight.”

Her.

Lady.

My Lady.

The moment the door shut behind Peters, I strode forward, Alta’s hand never leaving mine, and flicked the deadbolt. Every step through the house, I tugged her behind me, not daring to let her out of my sight—hell, out of my grasp. The nightmares from last night were quickly becoming a terrifying reality.

“Is that necessary?” she asked around the thumb between her teeth. Her eyes flicked between the loaded assault rifle and shotgun. “You’re already armed.”

“Yes.” There weren't enough guns in this house to make me relax. “I’m not taking any chances. Peters was right—he’s circling, focused on his end game. The past year has built to this, and I’ll be ready the second he makes his move.”

“Does this mean showering together is out?” Two of her fingers pressed beneath my chin, lifting my attention from the guns to her.

I pursed my lips. Vulnerability swirled behind her hazel eyes. Rejecting her would hurt her and me, but keeping her safe was always priority number one. “I’ll be out here.” Her gaze fell to the floor. That time it was me who drew her attention back up. “It has nothing to do with not wanting to.” Reaching forward, I gripped her hand and pressed it against the hard-on I was sporting beneath my mesh shorts. “I’d fuck you until you begged me to stop, but when I’m inside you, when you’re with me, I’m only focused on us. Nothing else matters, and that can’t happen right now.” My eyes slammed shut as her fingers wrapped around me over the shorts. “Lady, get in the damn shower. Now.”

I missed the heat of her palm, the closeness of her body the moment she stepped away, smirking. “Fine, have it your way. But so you know….” She paused at the door and turned to wait until I looked up, giving her my undivided attention. “I’ll be thinking of you.”

“Go,” I said through gritted teeth, the word barely recognizable with my restraint stealing the strength from voice.

The hiss of the shower turning on tensed every muscle. Not being in there with her was the hardest thing I’d ever had to do, but I wouldn’t cave. No, I’d stay strong for her to remain clearheaded and alert.

Beneath my shorts, my dick throbbed.

“Fuck,” I groaned against the hand over my face. The scrape of facial hair against my palm centered me.

I would be strong.

I’d resist the beautiful, naked woman in the next room.

I’d resist in order to keep her safe, even if it physically hurt to hold back.

I’d resist because her life depended on it, which in turn meant mine did too.

34

Alta

Two days.

Two long, dull days sitting around the house under Cas’s protective, fatigued stares. Sarah arrived the same day Chandler left, providing a bit of a distraction from everything, but being stuck inside was suffocating. Sarah had the privilege of going out into the real world for her shifts at the local coffee shop in town. John escorted her to work and home, with Sadie at his side each time.

Sadie’s curious side-eye glances and outright stares grew creepier each day—or maybe it was my imagination running away with me since I had nothing better to do.

And I meant nothing. Cas hadn’t laid an intimate hand, tongue, lips, nothing on me since Chandler left. He said I was the one distraction he couldn’t afford, whatever the heck that meant. So not only was I bored but also horny. I kept telling him it was cruel to give me a glimpse of the good life only to retract his gorgeous body from my touch—and bonus, I still had to look at it every day. I didn’t even get a chance to seduce him at night. Sarah took up shop in Cas’s bed with me each night. John and Cas rotated shifts, and when Cas’s time for sleep came up, he made it a point to fall onto Chandler's bed, fully clothed.

He said one positive was that even his mind was too exhausted to drum up the normal nightmares.

So there we were, day three of lockdown. Sarah left around five for an early morning shift, meaning I woke up at five due to the loud racket she caused while getting ready. No wonder her friend in Denver kicked her out.

Unable to go back to sleep, I tossed on Cas’s marine’s sweatshirt, sweat pants, wool socks, and my running shoes, then tiptoed to the bedroom door. I cringed at the creak it gave as I pulled it open an inch to scout the living room.

Empty.

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