Page 61 of Cold and Broken (The Titans of Founder's Ridge 1)

“Tuck me in?” She smirks. “The big, bad wolf is going to tuck me in?”

“Yep,” I give her my cockiest smile, “since you won’t let me eat you out.” I pull the covers over her and tuck the sides in around her. When I look down at her face I see a look on it that’s hard to decipher.

“No one’s ever tucked me in before,” she says in a small voice.

“Really?” My brow furrows, even Victor used to tuck me in. “Your dad didn’t?”

“Uh, no. His was of showing affection and taking care of me is to teach me how to kick ass. This sweet stuff isn’t our thing.” She gives a half smile, like she maybe wants it to be but also loves her dad and their relationship as is.

“Full disclosure here, but sweet isn’t really my thing either. Cold. Aloof. Asshole. I can do. This,” I point back and forth between us, “is brand new territory.”

“I think I like it,” she whispers.

I lean down and give her a lingering kiss. “Me too,” I say as we break apart. “Sweet dreams, Lily.”

* * *

Ivy picked Lilith up for an early morning coffee date so I head over to Griff’s house to see how things actually went at school this week. According to Lilith everything was fine but she can be a bit oblivious and lets things go easily. Just another reason I’m ass over head crazy about her. Just about any other girl would have broken between the way I treated her and how she’s been treated at school. The sick part of me wonders how much more she can take. I’m not going to push her or hurt her ever again, but I do love watching her rise to the occasion time after time.

I punch in the code to Griff’s estate gates. Gated estates within a gated community, I scoff at how pretentious we all are. I park my new baby in front of the main house so Mr. Potter can see it. He’s a car fanatic like I am so I now he’ll appreciate it. Their landscapers are already winterizing the back yard and getting the pool ready to drain. A few of them try to make eye contact with me but most know to scurry out of my way. I’ve always been a dick so when I curl my lip up a bit into a half smile they don’t know what the fuck to do. Probably start searching the skies for flying pigs or some shit.

I walk into the pool house without knocking and go straight back to Griff’s room. He’s tying his tie while watching the morning show on his family’s news media network with a scowl on his face.

“Sasha Irons is so fucking stupid that I lose brain cells watching her. We might as well be faux news now. She’s just there for middle age dudes to whack off to her legs and tits,” he grumbles slamming the remote down as he turns the tv off.

“What? The season’s it nail polish color isn’t hard hitting enough for you?” I joke. “Who’s idea was it to lighten up the morning news show?”

“Sara and the gang of marketing idiots.” He walks past me to the kitchen. “Coffee?”

“Yeah.” I slide onto a stool at the counter.

“How was New York?”

“The usual. A glimpse into what my life is going to be. Forever.” I barely hold my shiver back. “I did convince Victor to sign the R and D team over to my leadership once I graduate college. I’m talking to MIT, Victor does not know about that.”

“MIT would be better for you, especially if you want to dip into R and D.”

“Yeah.” I take a sip of hot, black coffee. “How were things the past two days?”

“She’s put up with a lot of verbal abuse from Margaux, Leighton, and Darcy. Mr. Jameson pushed some boundaries, too. Lilith was completely oblivious to it as usual.” Griff rolls his eyes at her naiveté. “Your girl can run though. She kept pace with me along your trails for almost an hour Tuesday.”

“I wish she wasmy girl. Every time I am nice to her she gets this wary look on her face. She doesn’t trust me yet. It fucking sucks.” I brush invisible lint off my pants. “Maybe I just need to fuck her and then she’ll be out of my system.”

Liar.

There’s no getting her out of your system.

Griff looks at me under raised brows, his face saying everything my internal voice just laughed about in my head. “Right. Saying things like that, no matter how untrue they are isn’t going to help her trust you.”

“How do I do it? I’m used to a quick fuck and goodbye at the end of the night. I asked her if I could cuddle with her last night.” I scrub a hand over my face. “I don’t even know who I am anymore.”

“Lev will cuddle with you.” He smirks at me. “He could hold you tight in his big, strong arms and make you forget all about Lilith.” He laughs and ducks when I chuck an apple at him.

“Dickhead.”

“Oh,” he grabs his phone, “before I forget. Did you know Lilith’s birthday is at the end of next week?”

“Fuck. I had no idea.” That’s just like her, too, not to mention it.

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