Page 137 of The Young & the Sinner

Mason

I didn’t even knowif it was a good idea to bring her here.

Logan suggested going here after work this morning, and I didn’t know why I wanted to bring Olivia with me at the time, only that I did, and I didn’t want to take it back.

I knew both Logan and Gage were hesitant to meet her.

I knew they didn’t think I should be pursuing this relationship with her. They thought this was a temporary thing, that soon the novelty of dating someone so much younger than me would wear off, and I would have risked my relationship with Max for nothing.

But what they didn’t know or understood was that nothing I feel for Olivia was temporary. There was just something about her that I couldn’t get enough of. Something I couldn’t walk away from.

So, I decided on the whim that it would be a good idea to introduce her to Logan and Gage and hope I didn’t come to regret the decision by the end of the night.

Looking at her, it was obvious that she was nervous. It was in the way she tightened her hold on me. In the way she faltered in her steps as we crossed over the threshold of the bar, and even in the way her eyes flitted from one place to the next.

Olivia had always been shy, but I had never seen her this reserved.

It was unnerving how much I want to carry her up in my arms and run out of there. I wanted to protect her from everything, even from the uncertainty she must be feeling now.

“Okay?” I asked, once the door closed behind us.

“Yeah. Sorry. I’m just a little nervous.”

“Don’t be sorry. And don’t be nervous. They’re going to love you.”

And I might be biased, but I couldn’t imagine anyone meeting Olivia and not loving her.

She’d pulled me in since the very beginning.

She offered a small smile before her gaze moved to somewhere past my shoulder. I turned around to see what she was looking at and saw Logan and Gage already at the bar, beer bottles in hand.

And they weren’t alone.

Two other women were sitting with them, but I knew those women didn’t come to the bar with them. They were probably on the prowl and picked Logan and Gage as potential targets.

My eyes moved back to Olivia. I doubted she had ever done any of that. To go out with the purpose of finding someone to take home for the night. The way those women stood next to the guys spoke of their experience. They knew what they were doing, and what they wanted.

It was hot, and while I could admit to that, I found Olivia’s innocence to be just as alluring if not, more so. To know that I would be the one to teach her everything about the act of pleasure. To know that she belonged to me in ways those women would never belong to Logan or Gage. And I knew it made me sound like a bastard to say that, especially since I was far from being as innocent as Olivia.

I led her to them. Gage saw us first. His expression was blank as his eyes moved from me, then to Olivia, where it stayed.

I didn’t like him looking at her.

I didn’t know when I got so possessive, but I was when it came to her, and it took everything in me not to growl at him and haul Olivia closer to me, so every dick within a five-mile radius knew just who she belonged to.

When we were close, Logan noticed us. He smiled brightly, and it worked to put Olivia as ease. At least he was good at pretending to be okay with this.

“Guys, I want you to meet Olivia. Olivia, this is Logan Cross and Gage Walker.”

I pulled her up so that she was slightly in front and felt her relax marginally into me. I was glad they weren’t rude to her. I would probably pummel the two assholes to the ground if they were.

Logan was definitely more open, whereas Gage was closed-off, not knowing how to react to her yet.

Olivia held out her hand to Logan first. The memory of our first official meeting came to my mind, where she had grabbed hold of my hand with both hands.

It was cute.

I watched as Olivia shook Gage’s hands. He was so gentle about it, as if he was afraid she might break with even the slightest pressure.

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