Page 48 of Judgment Day

Grey watched as I glanced down at the screen and swallowed.

Great timing, Tatum.

TWENTY EIGHT

Lyric held her phone up,showing me Tatum’s name as if I needed an explanation.

I didn’t.

“I have to take this,” she said. “Ever since…you know… if I don’t answer, she freaks out and calls Lincoln. And if he doesn’t answer, she makes Leo hack into our security system to see what we’re doing.” She winced as if remembering a specific time that happened—a time I didn’t really want to think about. “It’s a mess.”

My lips twitched at how flustered I’d made her. “Take the call. We’ll finish this later.”

She mouthed athank youas she swiped to answer, then went inside.

I stayed out on the porch, soaking in the scenery and replaying the last twenty minutes in my mind. It took courage… and a certain vulnerability… to say the things Lyric said, to want the things she wanted. She loved him. I knew that. But she was drawn to me, just like I was drawn to her. I wondered if Lincoln knew what kind of thoughts had been floating through her dirty little mind. Had she told him the same things she told me? There was strength and weakness in her admission, and I wanted them both.

She was every fantasy I’d ever had since I was seventeen years old. I wanted a woman who could command a room with elegance and grace, smile at the crowd, knowing that under her designer gown there was a bare, wet pussy waiting for someone to take her into a back room and make her come. I wanted a woman with fire in her eyes, not afraid to stand up to one of the most powerful men in the world, but willing to be naked and on her knees for me when I got home. I wanted her strength. And her submission. I wanted her regal. And I wanted her filthy.

I wanted the lady.

And the tramp.

Those wants, my needs, seemed trivial, considering what I’d seen eighteen hours ago. There were women inside that house who would never be the same, and I was worried about my dick.

The dog stayed out here, with me. He let me rub his head while I called Mrs. McTavish to check on Ciaran. I hated leaving my son so soon after finding him, even if it was only for a couple of days.

She was in the middle of telling me how he’d helped Sam cook dinner tonight when Leo poked his head out the door. “You gonna sit out here and brood all night, or you coming inside to eat with the rest of us?” He glanced at my hand on Lucifer, then poked his head back inside the house. “Damn, Linc. This man stole your girlandyour dog.”

Lincoln yelled afuck youback at him.

I ignored them both, letting Mrs. McTavish finish her story. “Tell him I’m proud of him, and that I’ll be home tomorrow,” I told her, then we said our goodbyes.

“I’m not brooding.” I got out of the rocker and walked to the door, brushing Leo’s shoulder as I passed. “I don’t brood.”

“Yeah.” He chuckled and followed me into the kitchen. “Okay.”

The long, rectangular dining table sat twelve. There were fourteen of us. Leo and I were the outsiders, so we sat at the bar in the kitchen. It was a large open area. The living room, kitchen and dining room were one big space with a high, cathedral ceiling and windows that started at the floor and went all the way up. Chandler couldn’t have chosen a better place for these girls to find peace.

I watched as Lyric spoke easily to the girls. The girls we brought had showered and changed into sweatpants and oversized t-shirts. Some chatted back, laughing even. Some were more withdrawn. Lyric gave them all every ounce of her attention. Her emotions were completely genuine as they poured over her every word. She owned the room with her kind eyes and warm smile. No one would ever have guessed that minutes ago, she was on the other side of that wall telling me she wanted to be worshipped by two men.

“You want some advice?” Leo piped in, grabbing my attention.

I stabbed a roasted potato wedge with my fork. “I have a feeling you’ll give it to me, anyway.”

“As a guy who regularly participates in threesomes, take it from me. It’s only awkward the first time.”

I cut him a side-eye, then went back to my potato. “Noted.” This was none of his fucking business. Lyric wasn’t some random chick I’d conned into sucking my dick at a strip club.

“I’m just saying—” He paused to cut into his baked chicken breast. Juice ran out of the meat and onto his plate. “None of this is conventional.” He took a bite, talking around his food. “Chandler kidnapped Anniston, and now they’re getting married. Caspian and Tatum had to‘die’to be together.” He air quoted the worddie. “You three were thrown into a fucked-up situation. No one would blame you for doing whatever it takes to make the best of it.”

Outside of his technical nerd-speak, I think that was the most logical thing to ever come out of his mouth.

I glanced toward the dining table, where Lyric laughed at something and Lincoln watched our conversation with a glare. They were out of hearing range, meaning he had to be pissed off at his own thoughts.Or maybe Lyric told him.I hoped she did.

I cut through the golden-brown skin into juicy white meat. “I’m not the one who needs to be convinced.”

Leo shoved another bite into his mouth. “Nope. You’re just the one who needs to get laid.”

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