Page 33 of Cold and Broken (The Titans of Founder's Ridge 1)

“Peasant,” Connor stares me down. “Truth or dare?”

“Truth.” I don’t trust these guys and their dares.

“Do you feel safe with me?” Connor asks with no expression on his face.

I have to think about it for a few minutes. I felt safe today when he and Griff saved me from Ferguson. Other than that I don’t think I’ve ever felt safe in his presence. I decide to go with brutal honesty.

“No.”

Our gazes stayed locked on each other, both battling for the other’s truth. He wants my submission. I want his capitulation. Neither of us will win but both of us may fall.

He nods with his signature stony glare. “I’m going to bed.” Then he walks out of the room.

Ivy is still perched in my lap and we share a puzzled look.

Griffin looks at me with a raised eyebrow as he follows Connor out the door.

“Let’s go Ives.” Levi holds out a hand for her. “You’re my ride home tonight.”

“Are you okay being alone tonight?” Ivy gives me a concerned look.

“I’m fine. My dad is home anyway.” I give her a hug.

Levi wraps his arms around both of us. “My favorite girls,” he pretend weeps then presses a kiss to my head. “Seriously, though, hood rat. I’ll have my guys watching your back from here on out.”

“Gonna keep me safe from Connor, too?” I joke.

“Eh,” he grimaces, “I’m not sure I have to worry about what Connor is going to do to you. Your dad probably should though. He’s gonna try to punch that V card.”

Ivy smacks him in the stomach. “Shut up. Let’s go. I’ll pick you up tomorrow to come get ready at my house.”

“Our house, Ives.” Levi corrects.

11

Connor

I have Lilith bent over my bed with her uniform skirt pushed up around her waist and panties tangled on her ankles. She’s moaning my name and begging to come as I thrust my cock in and out of her perfect little pussy. I feel the first tremble of her walls as she starts to come-“

I throw my phone across the room as it interrupts one of the best dreams I’ve had in years. Fuck, my dick is so hard it hurts. I close my eyes as I wrap my hand around my cock and begin to stroke it. I think about how her skin flushed and her pulse picked up last night when I talked about what she’s been doing to me. I wasn’t lying when I told her I’ve come harder than ever before thinking about her. I’m not by any means a cherry picker but hearing that she’s still a virgin makes her that much more desirable. I finish with an unsatisfying and hollow orgasm, happy birthday to me. I clean myself off and roll out of bed.

I pick my phone up from where it ricocheted off the wall and see I missed a text last night.

Peasant: I lied. I do feel safe with you. I’m just not sure I should.

I’ll be damned if I can stop the smile from creeping across my face. A pleased warmth expands in my chest reading that text. I try several times to come up with something to reply with but can’t find the words. If I’m being completely honest, she’s safe from me but in some ways being close to me puts an even bigger target on her back, not just at school but from dad’s competitors too.

I overheard him and Michael speaking about security concerns last night and the death threats against my father have ramped up considerably. Volkov Industries did not always focus on green energy. In fact, my father was the first to branch out from oil by investing in some of the earliest wind turbines in Europe and North America. Our family also has assets in the West Siberia Oil Fields that we’re just sitting on right now. So basically everyone in the energy industries hates us. My dad doesn’t give a fuck, nor do I, but it does paint a big ass target on our backs. I don’t want that bleeding over to anyone else in my life.

Coming down the back staircase I hear feminine voices carrying. For a split second I think maybe it’s mom and Claire but when I walk through the door I see Delores and Peasant working together on my traditional birthday breakfast. They’re turned away from me so I watch from the door while Delores guides Peasant through the recipe for french toast.

Peasant has another one of those tiny pairs of shorts on with a work out tank with a slit in the back. When she reaches across the counter for something I catch sight of a bruise on her back. I’m behind her in two strides lifting the back of her shirt to check her over. She spins as soon as she feels my hand on her back.

“What are you doing?” Her bright blue eyes are wide.

“Checking your bruising.” I try to step around her to get to her back but she side steps me again.

“I’m fine.” She locks eyes with me and then glances at Delores like she doesn’t want to have this conversation in front of her.

---