alling for my boyfriend’s Navy brother
Chapter 83: Asher
The cat de home is quiet.
sher in the passenger seat, conled into herself, one aim armsi her body like the’s trying to keep it i docan’t sprak Idon’t either. I need in get a grip before I say something wrong. I’m tạn angry | their hands ons ben, and at myself fe not being thrie tantri.-
tras atgry at Tøler, at whoene the be
So I count my breaths. Ging the string wheel tighter every time I feel a fresh wave of fury roll through me. Remind myself she’s been the safe the
By the time we pull up to her house, my jaw hats from bose band I’ve been clenching it.
She doesn’t wait for me to open her alone. She gets out slowly, head dosen, like she’s afraid if the lifts her eyes everything will come nothing hark
she allows me ride, still silent, trailing a few feet behind. I leave the door open longer than necessary, not listening in her footsteps. When it times. heads to the kitchen like she’s moving undervatn.
She gets a glass. Fills it. Hands shaking
“Penny,” I say softly
She doesn’t look at me. Just shakes her head, her back still turned. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
I step closer. “We have to.”
She stiffens. I don’t wait for her to argue. I reach forward, hands gentle but firm, and it her by the waist onto the kitchen counter. She gaps, startled, but doesn’t push me away. Doesn’t tell me to stop. I stand between her knees, close enough to feel the tension humming off her like heat.
*Start small,” I say, voire calm, trying not to scare her. “How much did you drink?”
She blinds, like the question surprised her. “Not much. Just half a cup. That disgusting panch.”
I nod. “Okay. So not drunk.”
“What happened with Tyler?”
She hesitates. “He played beer pong. Then that game. I tried to stop him, Asher. I told him it was too much, but he wouldn’t listen.”
1 nod again, though it’s not what I’m really trying to get to
She looks at me then. “Why’d you have him there?”
“Because he made a lot of had decisions tonight,” I say, no hesitation in my voice. “It’s safer that way. For both of you. He needs to sleep it off and think of what he’s done tour. And I wasn’t about to bring him home and let him sleep under the same root as you after what happened “
She nods, the tiniest motion.
Then I take a
a step closer.
I feel her breath catch. Her legs tighten all around me. Her eyes flick to my chest and back
k to mine.
i lower my hand to her thigh, thumb brushing over the angry red mark. “Tell me what happened here.”
She’s breathing hard, staring at my hand on her leg. Her shoulders slump a little. “Some drunk gay.
- y. Outside. He wouldn’t back off.”
1/3
Chapter 83: Asher
My jaw tenses, but I don’t speak, fost listen.
“He kept touching nr. 1 tried to push him away. Then this girl–this random girl–pretended she was my girlfriend. Told him to get lost.” the late, put a vela little laugh “Saved my Dr. She had piercings and the coolest pants I’ve ever seen”
I nod, the corner of my
– corner of my mouth twitching
She looks down, Smile fading
Then I take her wrist,
Her and tren
“What about this?” I ask, voice low, even. Not because I’m calm. I’m
I’m barely holding it But I need her to know I’m not angry at her. Never at her.
She doesn’t answer
1 step even closer. My knees touch the counter new. Her legs part more, letting me in. I reach up, two fingers under her chin, biting her fare until our eyes
meet.
“Penny,” I saw again, quietly but firm, “Who did this?”
She opens her mouth. Closes . Then, finally, in a whisper: “Tyler”
I hit like a sucker punch to the gut.
Her eyes drop. Her voice is almost inaudible. “I tried to take the drink from him. He grabbed my wrist. I don’t even think he meant to hurt me, he was t so drunk
I feel the rage start to rise again, hot and fierce, but then her hands touch my chest,
“You’re shaking.“) she says
I realize I am. My muscles are locked tight, fats clenched.
I exhale, press my forehead to hers. She stills. Her hands remain pressed to my chest, not pulling away.
I breathe her in. Vanilla and something else–something warm and faintly sweet. Her.
She’s here. She’s safe. And right now, I don’t need to explode. I just need to make sure she feels that safety.
I take her hands from my chest and place them gently around my neck. Then I slide my hands under her thighs and lift her off the counter. She lets out a tiny noise and catches me tighter, like she’s afraid of falling. Like the trusts me not to let her.
I carry her upstairs. Slowly, Carefully,
When I reach her bed, I set her down gently. She still hasn’t let go of my shoulden.
I crouch. Untie her bouts. Slip them off. Then her socks. Her legs are red from being out in the cold tou long. They also incredib myself for even having that thought right now.
Another bear slips down her cheek.
I reach up and wipe it. She doesn’t flinch. Just watches me. I like that she’s getting used to me touching her.
I move her slightly further into the bed, polling the covers back and tucking them around her. I start to move away toward my bod
and I kick
Chapter 83: Asher
Her hand shoots out, Grabs mine.
She shippen. “Sly.”
I hesitate
She adds, “Please.”
I sigh, rub the back of my neck. Then I climb in beside her,
We lie on our sides, facing each other. There’s a good six inches between us that her eyes search mine, and I can see the fear stilving there.
So I close the gap-
My hand finds her waist. Her breath hitches. I pull her gently toward me, and she doesn’t rist. Just let me gather her in like mething fragile and
precious
1 tuck her head under my chin. My other hand brushes through her hair.
“Thank you,” she says softly. “For getting me out of another bad sifa
I nod against her hair. “Always.”
There’s silence for a bit. Her breathing even out
Then, faintly, almost like a prayer: “Please don’t leave me alone tonight.
I pull her closer, tightening my
my grip around her waist. “You don’t have to worry about that.”
She exhales, soft and slow. And for the first time in what feels like hours, she relaxes.
So do 1.
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