Protect Me (Broken Heroes 2)

“Sure, this way,” Keira beams and leads her to the back.

My gaze flickers to the girls on stage. I expect to find them dancing, but instead, they are all looking at me like I lost my fucking mind.

Jesus Christ. I definitely need a drink. As I sit back down in the chair, the side entrance door opens again. Diego fist bumps Hero as he walks through the door.

I smile. “Hero, you just missed the show. We had some great girls audition today. Would’ve been nice to have your help selecting a few.” I smirk, wiggling my eyebrows. Elyse walks closely behind him.

He shakes his head, disgust filling his features. “Next time. Maybe.”

Elyse apparently doesn’t think anything I’ve said is funny and elbows him in the ribs. He holds his side, pretending it hurts, and I almost roll my eyes. As much as I hate affection of any sort—except showing Keira love—I really do care for Hero and Elyse…which is weird to think about since I tried to kill Elyse at one point.

“Keira just took the wedding planner lady to my office. They’re making final decisions today or something,” I tell Elyse with a shrug. I pretend like I have no clue what’s going on, but I’ve helped Keira select everything she wanted for our wedding, down to the damn napkin color.

Elyse smiles, but I still see the lingering sadness in her eyes. Even though me helping track Hero’s father down probably saved her life, I still don’t think she likes me very much, but she tolerates me, and that is good enough in my eyes. She’s been through hell and back, and I cannot imagine how I would feel if something like what happened to her happened to my Kiera.

“Yay. Let me go help them then.” Elyse gives Hero a kiss on his cheek before heading toward the office.

Hero sinks into a chair beside me and watches Elyse walk away. Once she’s out of earshot, he speaks. “I’ve never really thanked you for what you did that day. I mean, without you, I might have gotten there too late.” I hear the anguish in his voice. Finding her like that broke him, ripped him apart inside, almost more than killing his stepfather.

“You’re welcome.”

“While she was in the hospital, we found out she’s pregnant.”

My eyebrows lift in surprise at his confession. Holy fuck, Hero is going to be a father? The idea seems ridiculous, but the more I let it sink in, the more it makes sense. Hero and Elyse are having a baby. Keira and I are getting married. Two ideas that would have been nothing more than a joke a few month ago are now a reality.

“Congratulations, Hero.” I slap his back, recalling when he told me loved her. How stupid I thought he was. Now look at me. Funny how karma comes around.

Hero smirks. “You’re next.”

I shake my head. “No. I want to enjoy Keira for a while on my own.” I don’t dive into the technicalities of the marriage. I’m sure Hero has thought up his own reasons for it, reasons that probably make me look crazy as hell being that the last time he saw me with her I was a raging dick.

“I didn’t think I’d want kids. Like ever. Not after everything with my own father.”

I clench my fist, understanding far fucking more than he thinks. “Love changes people,” I state, looking him head on.

“Sure fucking does,” he chuckles.

I guess it’s never too early for a glass of whiskey—not with all the happiness surrounding us. It’s almost like we’re fucking normal, instead of overrun with crime and drugs.

“Candy, bring me two glasses of whiskey, please,” I yell over my shoulder.

Hero’s eyes go wide. “When did you start saying please?”

I grit my teeth. Fuck, he noticed.

“Recently. I’m trying to be fucking nicer to people. Not everyone deserves my dick tendencies—or at least that’s what Keira says.”

I can tell Hero thinks it’s funny as hell, but he’s just as whipped and in love with his woman as I am.

Candy appears with two glasses of whiskey. I grab one and hand the other to Hero. He eyes me for a moment, waiting until Candy is out of earshot, then he lifts his glass for a toast.

“To being pussy whipped.” The shit eating grin is a permanent fixture on his face, and I can’t fucking believe I’m toasting to this.

I shake my head and raise my glass to his, and we clank them together. “To being pussy whipped.”

The whiskey burns my esophagus, blanketing my belly in warmth.

“Are you excited to be married?” Hero asks after downing his drink in one gulp. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. He’s still working for me, but not as much as before—and I understand why now.

I shrug. “It’s marriage. I doubt anything between me and Keira will change.”