“Bet you’ve never seen a pair like these before,” she coos at him as she flashes him one more time.
He scoffs, and when he realizes that I’m in the room, takes special care to keep his eyes off the woman in front of him desperate for his attention.
“Hey,” she says, snapping her fingers in front of his face, “I’m right here.”
Penn slowly turns his gaze toward her again before he licks his lips, then hocks the biggest fucking loogie I’ve ever seen right into her face.
“Fuck off,” he tells her evenly.
Aiden starts laughing, Penn grins at her, then Beatrix slaps him across the face. “You’re gonna wish you never did that, you fucking prick,” she hisses at him.
That’s when I finish closing the gap between us. I grab a fistful of her hair and yank her away so violently that she stumbles a little bit, then falls onto her ass.
“What gives?” she shouts angrily. “I just wanted to play with them!” She begins to wipe Penn’s spit away from her face and I smirk as I cross my arms over my chest.
“They’re not interested,” I tell her in a soft tone. “And neither am I. Get your friend and get the fuck out before I move on the inspiration I’m feeling.”
She pushes herself to her feet, purses her lips, and puts her hands on her hips.
“Not until I get to play with them,” she counters giving me a level stare. “So get the hell out of the way before I get really angry.”
“It’s okay,” Penn whispers into my ear. I close my eyes for a moment. I don’t care for what he’s suggesting in the least, but I understand. I betrayed his trust with Lakyn, and now it’s his turn to get me back, so to speak, with this little whore.
When I open my eyes again, I feel a tear roll down the side of my face and I glance at him. He smiles at me, leans over and whispers something into my ear, and I nod.
“Hey,” Aiden says to me in her throaty tone. I’ll have to bring them water after. “Give me a hug and get out of here.”
I let out a loud laugh as another tear rolls down my face and she gives my stomach a gentle punch. “Stop being such a crybaby, Gray,” she teases, making a face at me. “We’ll be okay.”
I take a step back, facing them both and sigh. I trust Aiden, and this little hair-brained scheme that Penn just whispered to me, definitely has Aiden James written all over it. She winks at me, and when I’m finally ready to leave them alone in the room with Beatrix, Penn reaches forward and pulls me toward him. Before I realize what’s happening, he’s pressing his lips against mine. The one thing I’ve been desperate for—to truly taste him again—for some reason now, it feels like a good-bye.
“I love you, Gray,” he whispers when our lips part.
The sweetest thing he’s ever said to me.
The three words I would have given anything to hear, he finally says.
And I’m just scared that it’s for the first and
last time.
I run my hands back through my hair as I walk out of the room without repeating the sentiment. I know that if I do, I’ll burst into tears and refuse to leave.
I have to trust them.
Both of them, not just Aiden.
I have to trust Penn too.
“Bring it on, bitch,” Aiden snarls as I leave the room and slam the door behind me.
Sixteen
Adrenaline
Lakyn
Gray grabs me by the collar of my shirt and drags me toward the staircase. Before I have a chance to realize what’s happening, he lifts me up and tosses me down the flight of stairs with a very angry, caveman kind of yell.