Page 192 of Zero Chance

Burying his face in my neck, he sniffed.“I could’ve stopped it.”

Stroking his hair, I couldn’t feel so regretful.He’d gotten his best friends and become the man he was today because of the decisions we both made on that fateful morning we met.And I don’t think I ever would’ve watched him as closely as I did and been able to see what a good, honorable person he really was under all his immature, obnoxious, hound dog ways if we’d remained in the same group.I never would’ve been able to appreciate him as much as I did now.

“It’s okay,” I assured, kissing his temple.“I’m here.You’re here.And we’re both okay.”

He sniffed and nodded, resettling himself against me to get us more comfortable.Relaxing deep against me, he murmured, “I love you.”

I covered his hand with mine.“I love you too.”I closed my eyes and let his warmth and safety sweep over me.

We didn’t speak again as the night lulled us into our separate dreams.

And from there, I slept.

45

KEENE

After the day I’d had, I slept hard as soon as I finally conked out, and I’m sure I would’ve stayed unconscious the rest of the night, cozy and comfortable against Waverly until?—

“Keene?”A hand gripped my shoulder and shook.“Hey, Keene.Waverly’s mom is here.”

“Huh?”I mumbled, trying to recapture my sleep as I spooned myself tighter against my woman, drawing all her warm softness right back into my lap.Only for Damien’s words to finally register.

“Oh shit.”I bolted upright.“Your curfew.”

Waverly murmured something unintelligible before stirring and beginning to sit up as well.“What time is it?”

Glancing at my watch, I hissed a curse.“Twelve-thirty.Dammit.Shit.Fuck.”I leaped out of bed, finding my jeans on the floor and yanking them on.“We gotta get you home.”

I’d been determined to make all her stupid, idiotic curfews because no matter how much I was coming to despise her mother—and after today, I pretty much fucking hated her guts—she was still Waverly’s mom, and I knew exactly how much not having a mom sucked.My girl was not going to lose a single member of her family because of me.I was just going to suck it up and figure out a way to win Ms.B over by being the perfect future son-in-law.Like following her stupid curfew.

But I was already botching my amazing plan.

“Where’s my damn shirt?”I muttered, dropping to my knees to scour the floor, only to find all of Waverly’s clothes and toss them onto the bed for her to get dressed too.

When she said, “I’mwearing it,” I paused to look at her, only to suck in a breath because—dear Lord—she looked really good, all sleepy and rumpled with her hair a mess as she wore nothing but my shirt.

“And I drove here,” she added, not reaching for her clothes as if she had all the time in the world to dawdle.“You don’t even have to leave the house.Relax.”

I blinked, forced to calm myself under her Mistress order because she was Waverly—my anchor—she always had that easing effect on me.I turned to my dresser drawers for a fresh shirt.“I’ll follow you home, anyway, to make sure?—”

“Um, guys,” Damien broke in, still just loitering in the doorway.

“Dude!”I cried, shooing him along.“Get out.Waves has to change.”

“Yeah, about that,” he answered and stepped aside to reveal another person standing behind him.

My mouth dropped when I made out the silhouette of Ms.Breeker in my bedroom doorway, her outline backlit by the hallway light.

“Mom!”Waverly jumped to her feet beside me.

“I—” Ms.B sniffed, making it clear she was sobbing as she clutched what looked like a suitcase down at her side.“I brought you a change of clothes,” she said, her tone devoid of all the hatred and disgust she usually had whenever she was in my presence.Honestly, she sounded beaten and grief-stricken.

Oh, fuck.What if Thane had gotten her fired after all?

Next to me, Waverly shook her head in confusion.“What?”

Voice quivering, her mother stuttered, “I thought—I thought you had decided to stay here after he told you everything.It was after your curfew, and you weren’t home yet.So I—I assumed he’d turned you against me.”

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