Page 171 of The Invite
She doesn’t get the rest of her sentence out before I grab the back of her neck and haul her to me. “If anyone’s going to protect you, little prey, it’s me.”
The fact she would even suggest otherwise boils the blood running in my veins.
Twisting my fist in her hair, I yank her head back. She gasps as I speak over her trembling lips. “Have I not made it clear enough times today that I own you, which means you’re my responsibility?”
“But—”
“Did the message get lost when I fucked you twice? When I cooked you food or when we showered together? Or when I told you no woman except for you has ever been on my bike or ever will?”
“I’m not denying being yours, August,” she murmurs sweetly, catching my wrist and circling it. Her acceptance of being mine does something to me. “But you have Scarlett to protect too. She’s your family. I do not come before her. I… shouldn’t.”
She almost whispers the last part. Like she believes she doesn’t deserve to come first. Be someone’s one and only priority.
A metallic taste erupts in my mouth as I bite down harshly on my tongue to stop myself from saying I’ll be that someone. But I can’t. It’ll be a lie. Of all the things I’ve done to her and will probably do, lying will never be one of them.
I focus on discarding her concern.
“First, I need to talk to the others. If they agree with your plan,” which I’ll make certain they do unless they have a better idea, “then Maverick will stay with Scarlett while you stick with me.”
“Are you going to tell the others about me?” Her eyes go round with apprehension and she begins to worry her lip.
I tug it out and rub my thumb over the wet spot. “No.”
“Then how will you manage to stay with me?”
“Leave that to me.” I already know where I’ll keep her. It’s the perfect place. No point in revealing it to her because she’ll hate it either way. Besides, it’ll be more fun to see her reaction with my own eyes.
Well, at least, for me.
CHAPTER – 43
Nessa
I’m once again on the back of Augustus’s bike, wearing his helmet and jacket that drug me with his scent, as if he already isn’t holding all my senses hostage.
The chilling late-night wind blows against my neck, the twinkling stars guiding us, and my arms tightly clutching his waist.
While his words that I’m the only one who’s ever been on his thundering motorcycle roll around in my head.
I know he said the diner was a pit stop, so I’m curious as to where we’re going now. A random car or bike zoom past us on the otherwise deserted highway. Honestly, I don’t even care about our destination as long as it’s not my house.
I’m finally feeling like I’m living again. My place feels claustrophobic, no matter how hard I try to make it homely. Sadly, I don’t think I’ll ever find a house that does.
The slowing down of Augustus’s bike pulls me out of my depressing reflections.
I lift my head from his back and twist it to my right. I didn’t even notice when we left the expressway. A small decrepit shop on a lonely street comes into view. I frown when Augustus cuts the engine after coming to a stop in front of it. The slanted store sign—which the owner didn’t bother to straighten—at the top reads Kelsey.
He taps my thigh in a signal to get off.
Leveraging his broad shoulders, I dismount. I think I’m getting the hang of it without looking silly. He follows suit and slides his helmet off me. Combing his fingers through his wavy hair, he laces his free hand with mine. “Come on.”
“What are we doing?”
“Shopping.”
“Here?” My tone comes off as snooty, which isn’t my intention. But seriously, what could we possibly buy here? From the outside, it appears as a pawn shop.
Instead of replying, he leads me ahead and pushes open the door. Shock renders me mute as I gape around the inside of the store. It’s every biker’s dream shop, filled with every riding accessory and gear under the sun.
