Page 73 of Guardian
He looks away and then back again.“I…don’t exactly have a ton of experience with them.”
“In forty years?”
He shrugs.“Started dating the neighbor girl, Tara Porter, before I went off to boot camp.She cheated on me while I was away.After a few more failed attempts, I decided dating wasn’t my cup of tea.”
“And now?”
“Maybe tea’s not so bad.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Liam
“I hope he’s okay,”Ravi says as we pull up to the club.It’s late afternoon, so they’re probably not open for business yet.“He’s probably confused by the fact that I’ve been gone.”
“He’s a cat, Ravi.I doubt he’s got any idea.As far as he knows, he was starving on the street, and some guy picked him up and fed him, and now some other guy is feeding him.”
For all Ravi’s insistence that he’s a grown-ass adult, the way he pouts and crosses his arms is reminiscent of a petulant toddler.
“It’s going to be fine” I try as we approach the door.
Nothing.
In spite of the relatively early hour, there’s a bouncer outside.Not the one I saw before, and this one isn’t in a tux.He’s wearing jeans and a golf shirt, looking oddly like the handsome werewolf guy from that vampire show everyone used to fan themselves over.
“Fuck no,” the guy says when he sees me.
I plant my feet wide.“On whose order?I do have a membership here.”If he’s barring me entry on sight, does that mean he was specifically ordered not to let me in?Or is this simply because they’re closed?
“You’ve caused enough fucking trouble here.”
So it is me.
It doesn’t matter, because Ravi comes barreling in from behind me, striding right up to the bouncer before I can stop him.“Hi, Fred.You remember me, right?”
The piece-of-shit sentry’s smile is a little too fond.“Course I do, little guy.Glad to see you made it back in one piece.”
Every cell in my body bristles at the implication that I would have harmed Ravi in any way.Even knowing that’s the exact thing I was afraid of someone else doing, the accusation rankles.
“Did you get to see my kitten?Channing’s been watching him for me.”
“Oh yeah.”The guy laughs.“We’ve all seen.He’s fucking pissed.Don’t worry, though.He’s been feeding it and everything.Even gave it a bath when it got food all over its face.Real messy eater, that one.”
Ravi’s beaming brighter than the Florida sun right now, and I could swear the bouncer is giving me some smug fucking side-eye.Some kind of “Hey, look, I made him smile” or some bullshit.Fucker.
My usual patience is nowhere to be found right now.If I’m honest, it’s been thin on the ground since the day Ravi came into my life.Thinner since the day my cock started pointing his way like a divining rod.Now, when the bouncer seems to be issuing some sort of challenge?
Fuck this guy.
My hand goes to my gun.“How about you let us the fuck in so he can get his cat back, yeah?”
My other hand goes to the pocket with my cell phone.Still haven’t ruled out calling law enforcement.This place is shady as fuck.
When Fred’s face turns to stone again, Ravi has the audacity to reach up and tug on the guy’s sleeve.“Please, Fred?I’ve really missed him.”
There’s a prickly sensation at the back of my neck when the man steps back to push the door, allowing us entry.I’m not sure how I feel about Ravi aiming those liquid eyes of his at someone who isn’t me.My teeth could turn coal to diamonds right now.If I knew he was mine, I don’t think I’d have this itching inside me, but that talk we had in the shower didn’t cover everything.
He hasn’t agreed to belong to me.He hasn’t said the words.Until he does, I don’t think I’ll be settled.
