Page 52 of As Thick As Thieves

He smiled, giving me a nod. “You will. You’re paid up for a year, so come and go as you please. You know the code to get in. It was good to see you.”

“You too,” I replied, giving him a wave as Cruz led me outside with Drake and Knox trailing behind us.

“He wants to fuck you,” Drake said flatly once we were in the car, his eyes firmly on the door as if Owen was going to chase after us.

“He already did,” I answered, all of them turning to glare at me as I got comfortable in the backseat. “What?”

“You didn’t think to mention that before?” Knox scowled, a frown tugging at my lips.

“Why does it matter? It was just sex, and it was a long time ago. It wasn’t a relationship or anything.”

Knox was fuming, but Cruz sighed. “We really need to teach you better social skills so you read people better.”

“I’m good at reading people, I grew up in a pit of snakes. It’s not my fault you’re insecure and think he can take me from you,” I sassed, pulling my phone from my pocket, trying not to react when I noticed an unknown number had texted me. I knew exactly who it was though.

Unknown: Can we talk, Princess?

The guys would tear Stone apart if he went anywhere near me, so I deleted the message and put my phone away.

“I’m not insecure,” Knox grunted, and I raised an eyebrow.

“Really? You freaked out and hate-fucked me because you and Drake—”

“Bite me, Whitlock.”

I rolled my eyes, snuggling into Drake as he moved across the seat to sit closer, and Knox drove us out of Stoneleigh in silence, apparently done with being social.

Nerves hit me as we pulled up at Beckett’s house to find multiple cars in the driveway. I’d never been here before, but I knew she lived with Maddox and Jett.

“It’s just them here,” Drake said quietly when he noticed me freaking out a little, and he took my hand to steer me towards the front door. Cruz let himself in, and we followed behind, my muscles relaxing as I spotted Zavier leaning against the kitchen counter. He grinned, pulling me in for a gentle hug.

“Hey. Are they looking after you?”

“We just went to the gym in Stoneleigh. They met my friend, so now they’re feeling territorial and grumpy,” I whisper-yelled, making Knox snort.

“You’re lucky I didn’t go back in there and pummel him into the ground.”

Zavier chuckled, stepping back. “Noted.”

Beckett stalked out, my eyes going wide when she came straight for me, and confusion washed over me as she plucked my phone from my pocket. “Unlock it.” I wasn’t going to argue with her, giving her what she wanted, but I relaxed when she continued. “I can appreciate you being a pal and not adding my guys on social media apps, but Jett’s driving me insane with his whining. Be besties, text about the weather, I don’t care. Anything to make him stop. He can’t believe his boyfriend’s girl won’t even try to get to know him.”

She pulled her own phone out and accepted my friend request, surprising me when she added her number into my phone before handing it back.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, guessing by the amused look on Drake’s face that he was the apparent boyfriend, but she was already over it and moving onto another subject.

“We still don’t have any leads on the shooting. It’s one of many that are unresolved, and my parents are starting to get pissed. We figured the shootings we’ve had at Devil’s Dungeon were unrelated, putting it down to some wannabe crew, but now we aren’t too sure. It’s been quiet for the past month with Penn gone, but now we suddenly get shot up again? That can’t be a coincidence.”

“Wait, you think this is because of me after all?” I squeaked, making her roll her eyes.

“We aren’t sure, but we didn’t have a single issue in your absence. Mom’s looking into your father, but so far, he’s still content that you’ve been sold, and he has no idea that the money was fake. He’s an arrogant piece of shit.”

“If he found out, he’d get someone to kill Ander and Zavier, right?”

“Your daddy runs in a corrupt crowd with a lot of connections, but our connections are better. Zavier’s pretty known to be in our circle now, and as much as I hate to admit it, Ander isn’t someone to be fucked with either. Only an idiot would target them.”

My eyes flashed to Zavier who gave me a crooked grin. “Don’t worry about me, Whitlock. I’ve got friends in high places like Daddy Whitlock. Exhibit A.” He motioned to Beckett, and she rolled her eyes.

“One day, we’ll say no, and you’ll be screwed.”

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