Page 65 of Sinful Like Us
This shuts up O’Malley for half a second. “The team isn’t paying for your travel expenses, Donnelly,” he yells. “How are you even affording this?”
“My good looks,” Donnelly quips.
O’Malley laughs with Tony, then nods back to SFO. “Still working that street corner?”
Christ.
“He gave that corner to you, O’Malley,” Farrow says easily.
Oscar chimes in, “We heard no one even wanted your freeblow jobs.”
Donnelly smirks. “Need tips?”
“From someone who’s had ten different STDs, I’ll pass,” O’Malley retorts, then outstretches his arms. “You want to keep going? It’s not changing the fact that Beckett ismyclient. It’s not changing the fact that I’m always—”
“O’Malley,” I growl.
I’ve already heard him sayI’m always cleaning up Donnelly’s messes.And I’m not letting him unleash that twice. I nail a patented stern look on himagain.
He cuts his gaze to me.
And in a split-second, I become the target.
Good.
“You remember what you told me on my first day?” O’Malley asks, trekking closer. Feeling how hot my blood is running, I cross my arms and step back.
Again.
And again.
“You said this was a brotherhood.”
I nod, my lungs burning, and my deltoids hit a punching bag. Nowhere to go, I stop in place.
He edges nearer, much shorter but he lifts his chin. “You said that we put the clients first but the people who haveourbacks are the guys to our left and right. You said that if I couldn’t be dependable, then I needed to pack my bags and leave. You remember that?”
I do.
Because as a lead, I gave that same speech to every man who joined SFE. My jaw hurts from bearing down on my molars, but I have nothing to say. Nothing to make this right.
I can’t apologize for falling in love with her.
I can’t call what happened a mistake. Gun to my head, I’d repeat every moment so I’d have the boldest, smartest girl next to me—a girl I shouldn’t have.
But she’smine, and I might not deserve her but I swear to God, I’ll never harm her, and I’d give my life to protect her. I know I’m not a prince.
I’m not a king.
But I’d treat Jane like she should be treated. She’s my princess, my angel, and my queen. Every morning and every night. I’d kneel at her feet and stand by her side.
“It was all bullshit in the end, right?” O’Malley is up against me, chest to chest. “You’re afuckingliar. I should’ve known that when we learned you’re a Marine.But I was stupid enough to defend your ass to SFE.”
“Leaving out some facts isn’t lying.” Banks sticks up for me, but I shoot him a look across the gym.
I’m not putting him in this mess.
He shakes his head and lets out a frustrated noise. He doesn’t want me to take the fall for all of it, but I’m ready to go all the way down.
