Page 26 of Saddled in Secrets
As if she can guarantee that, but I’m not a total dick. My boots inch backward to give her an arm’s length of freedom. That’s all she gets after the stunt she pulled earlier. Last thing I need is to lose her in this sea of bodies.
Her dissatisfaction huffs loudly above the music before she whips back around. There’s already a dull ache stabbing into my skull from the noise, but this is Bianca’s element. Sugary sweet words of gratitude signal the arrival of her martini. I’m forgotten as she gets lost in the feel-good energy. Her shoe taps along to the popular Riley Green song that’s playing. She smiles at fellow patrons while sipping on her drink. Men openly admire her lush curves in the stretchy material she’s wearing. Her outfit is entirely black and looks painted on.
They probably don’t notice how her right side dips in deeper. Or that she’s perched herself slightly off-center to alleviate the uneven pressure from her hips and pelvis. Whenever she stretches slightly, it’s to ease a discomfort that’s blooming somewhere. There’s probably a dull ache spreading from themuscles around her crooked spine right now. Seats with a backrest are much better for her condition. Massages are very beneficial as well. The list goes on—all factors of her scoliosis. What she considers a major imperfection is a piece that makes her even more special. I worship every part—even those she considers flaws.
One dude is willing to risk his life, turning until their legs brush. Red tints the edges of my vision. I’m about to intervene again when someone clamps a hand on my shoulder.
“You owe me fifty bucks.”
My attention shifts from Bianca to her brother beside me. “Why’s that?”
“The wife bet that we’d find you here. I was certain Bianca stayed home tonight. Couldn’t give me a heads-up to stack the odds in my favor?”
“She tried to run off,” I tell him. “This was a last-minute decision. Really more of a compromise.”
Brody almost smirks, but then he notices Paisley doesn’t have a chair. It takes a single glare to change that. The guy responsible for testing my limits moments ago wisely surrenders his stool to her. It’s the Benson impact. She offers her gratitude before sliding in beside Bianca.
“I think this is yours.” Paisley sets a recognizable phone on the counter.
Emerald eyes roll at the failed tactic. “Thought I was being so clever. Let him track a decoy instead of me for a change.”
Brody’s wife glances at me. Whatever she sees on my face has her laughing. “Never gonna happen, sis. That man is hooked on you like a trailer hitch.”
“More like an incurable disease.” She winces and hangs her head. “Shit, that’s super insensitive after what he shared.”
“Which is?” Paisley rolls her wrist.
“That’s his story to tell.” Bianca buttons her lips.
Affection warms my chest and spurs my heart into a gallop. Fuck, this woman gets to me even when she’s not trying. She’s considerate of my feelings whether she realizes it or not. I couldn’t care less if she blabs about my father’s illness, but she didn’t and that means something.
“You need a drink before we dive into the latest shit storm Colton created.” Bianca signals for the bartender.
With them taken care of, Brody gets our conversation back on track. “Where was she going?”
I shrug. “Didn’t get that far.”
He bobs his head. “It’s not as easy as it used to be. She’ll get away eventually.”
“Not if I can help it.”
“Taking this new role seriously. I respect that.” The admiration reflects in his tone.
A grunt is my only response. Bianca is much more than a job. He probably already knows, but that doesn’t mean I’ll admit it. A confession like that could cost me everything.
Or Brody could surprise me again. I stare at the thick braid hanging down Bianca’s back and consider that possibility. His sister is a delicate subject. One of his only weaknesses. We have that in common. The rest is up for debate.
But that doesn’t sit well. Even at the beginning, Brody didn’t treat me as less than. My father likes to assume the Bensons aren’t decent people. The truth is that they’re far more. Their entire family—excluding that bastard Jimmy—are the superior sort everyone else should aspire to be.
I’d been barely scraping by after leaving my father’s crew. Brody gave me a job when I needed it most. Down to my last dollar and zero luck. A punk from the wrong side of town didn’t deserve his trust, but I worked hard to earn it. After two years of proving myself, he granted me access to his inner circle. That’s when I met my biggest downfall. The rest is fucking irrelevant.
Bianca was only eighteen when I first saw her. Barely legal—definitely too young to pique my interest—but I couldn’t fight the obsessive need to stay close. That’s why I settled for watching over her in secret.
Only seven years separate us but our life experiences put us on opposite sides of the scale. She’s too innocent and soft. A princess. I’d ruin her. More than I already have.
The day will come where she meets a man actually worthy of her. I’ll have to let her go. It’ll cleave me in two—the thought alone is painful—but she’s not mine. Not how it truly matters. I swallow thickly and avert my gaze. Just so long as he treats her right, unlike the mysterious Scout. That coward has yet to show his face.
I haven’t pried about the dude’s identity, but I haven’t forgotten either. He’s probably a troll from the internet. They probably had an online relationship of some sort and kept in contact. That’s the only explanation I can manage. The alternative flexes my hands into fists.
