Page 88 of The Protection Agreement

“Thank God you’re back, Lexi,” he says.

I shoot him a look.

He laughs. Word got around. Fuck them.

“Good to be back,” Jola says.

We get home. She heads to my room to shower and change. Ice goes straight to his unit.

She comes out wearing my shirt, smiling.

“What’s for dinner? I hope Chef made something good. He’s great at testing my palate. Everything he makes for me is good.”

“He told me he likes when you critique him.”

She smiles. “Really? That’s cool. I do enjoy his cooking.”

“He knows. Come on. Let’s eat, and you can tell me how much you enjoyed New York.”

She looks beautiful like this. Hair down, no makeup, glasses, my shirt, slippers. Exactly, how I like her.

“Or you want to know how much I missed you?” she teases.

“You can show me that later.”

“Aren’t you tired? You look tired.” She cups my face. I pull her closer.

“Tired of you? Not a chance.”

She laughs. “Good. Let’s eat, and I’ll tell you about the apartment Jonah’s getting for me in New York.”

My arms drop.

Fuck. I forgot about that.

I take her hand and lead her to the kitchen. Maybe it’s better I hear everything now so I can figure out how to shut it down.

Chapter fifty-one

Bruce

She leaves the room, all excited, hollering to Ice, “He said yes!” I don’t hear his response, but I’m sure he’s going to come and ask me in a few minutes if I’ve lost my damn mind. I don’t like this idea at all. I want to tell her she can’t go, but that would dampen her joy. Lately, she has been relaxing, trying to have a bit of a normal life, though still guarded and riddled with rules she can’t deviate from.

She’s more comfortable with Smith now and gets some training from him. I don’t like it. I allow it because it’s essential. I know my brothers’ wives give her a sense of fictive kinship. She is happy to have friends, but their idea for her twenty-seventh birthday isn’t well received by me.

Doesn’t help that she’s a huge fan of Cole A and would do just about anything to meet him, and MAK is presenting her with an opportunity to hang out with Cole A. Fuck.

Maybe I get my brothers to squash this idea. Then it wouldn’t be me killing her joy, but them.

Bruce: You motherfuckers need to start explaining to me why you all think it’s okay for your wives to go clubbing with Cole A tomorrow night.

Declan: Ha! Ha! Ha!

Luke: Dele is over here rapping and picking out dresses. Ship already sailed on this one, buddy.

Daniel: Sorry, it was MAK’s idea to give Lexi a nice birthday bash with Cole A.

Adam: Can I come too? I want to hang out with Cole A too. I hear he’s a cool dude.