“Took you long enough.” I dusted off the crumbs on my hands and held out my arm to Liv. “Ready to go?”
Liv smiled. “I’m all set.”
Thirty-Nine
Her Predator
Sin
It was a beautiful fucking day. The sun was shining, birds chirped my goddamn ears off, and the traffic was thick. Heavy to the point I could smell gas fumes. It was a perfect time to take a pleasant stroll in the city with the girl I loved and needed to watch over now more than ever.
I scanned the people around us as we walked past each one, suspicious of everyone while Liv held my arm and Saint’s on the other side of her. We completely sandwiched her between us. Sheltered, protected, and secure. No one could swoop in and steal her away because we’d see anyone coming from miles away. We wanted to keep her safe, but she deserved normalcy, and we’d give her that.
“It’s gorgeous out here.” Liv smiled up toward the sunshine with her eyesclosed and the rays glimmered in her shiny hair. “I could stay out all damn day.”
“A walk was a great idea, man,” Saint added.
“All part of the plan, my friend.” I grinned.
I knew what was coming. My scheming mind was in motion, and I had missed this. I couldn’t help myself; I did something I shouldn’t have, and it was exhilarating. The idea was a good plan, and I lived for the thrill of following the one person I was obsessed with. The most beautiful fucking woman in this entire world who walked next to me and touched me.
Christ,shegave me the motherfucking chills.
The good ones that started where Liv made contact and moved her fingers ever so slightly. Back and forth she brushed, stopping and repeating all over again. A soothing motion that awakened me with ripples of delight flowing right down to my damn toes.
Liv made me want to dance on the spot and scream at the top of my lungs. We claimed her, and no one else could touch her. Not a hand or finger, not even bat a damn eyeball with a single thought of having her. Never. She wasours. Forever and ever.
That was how I came up with this brilliant idea. I didn’t want anyone touching her because they’d die, but I wanted Liv to open up and trust again. Toconfide in us. We had to start somewhere, get her out of the penthouse and back into reality. A massage was a great place to begin, but the only problem was people. Goddamn humans with hands, touching her with their gross fingers when the only touch should be ours.
Okay, yes, a massage was therapeutic, and fuck, I wanted that for her. I wanted Liv to relax, have faith in both of us, not some nobody stroking her and possibly getting off on her naked underneath a towel.
Jesus.
At first when the idea flew out of Saint’s mouth, I wanted to fucking punch him in the balls for being an idiot, but I couldn’t control everything in Liv’s life.
Or could I?
The answer was obvious because I was through screwing around and letting anyone close to our girl after we had failed her. I wouldn’t let failure happen a second time. Over my dead body.
We arrived at the Bliss Bar and Saint held the door for us to wander through. Liv had crept her hand down my forearm, tingles electrified my skin, and she intertwined her fingers with mine. She clenched my hand tight, and I didn’t want to let her go.
Liv was nervous, scared maybe, I wasn’t sure.
Sometimes Liv was good at concealing her feelings when all I wanted was for her to let us in. She held back. I wanted to break all those damn walls down and watch them crumble to the fucking ground.
Liv needed to open up. She required a push in the right direction to rely solely on us, to believe in the men who watched over her and who wanted to help her heal. But most importantly, she needed to have trust in herself, and that started in this goddamn spa crawling with eager hands. Desperate fingers wanting to knead her flesh for money, but that wouldn’t happen. We’d knock out some poor fucker before it did.
“Hi. Liv Sullivan is here for an appointment,” Saint said.
The blond bimbo at the front desk nodded her head and signaled for Liv to follow. Saint and I tagged along, but the damn prick had stabbed me in the back. I had business to settle with my friend, but Liv beat me to the punch and let go of my hand.
“Sullivan?” Liv whispered sassily.
“Yeah, darling.” Saint grinned. “Sounds good, doesn’t it?”
“No. My last name is Valencia. You lied.” Liv smacked him gently upside the head.
Saint grabbed her wrist and peered down at her intensely. “No, I didn’t. It’s going to be your name when I make you my wife.”