Mastered by Malone (Haven, Texas 6)

“Go to sleep, babe,” he growled at her, hoping to scare her into doing as she was told. He needed to get back to her avoiding him and him ignoring her. Yep, that would be the best idea.

And he had very little chance of that happening. His protective instincts were well and truly stirred. He wasn’t used to feeling this protective of a woman. But then he’d never had one live with him.

“Thank you.”

Fuck. She was killing him.

7

“Mia, wake up.”

She slowly drifted out of the fog of sleep and blinked up at the blurry face of Alec Malone looming over her. She let out a gasp and tried to sit up, but he placed a hand in the middle of her chest.

“Easy, babe. Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”

How could him in her bedroom not startle her? But wait . . . this wasn’t her bedroom at the ranch. Where was she? Oh, shit. Oh, no.

“Fuck,” she muttered to herself.

“Again with the swearing. I don’t like it.”

“I’ve heard you swear plenty.”

“Don’t like it on you. Someone who looks like you shouldn’t have filth spilling out of their mouth.”

“That is a horrible double standard.”

He sighed. Glared down at her. “I’ve gotta get going, got work to do, but I need to talk to you first. And not about my double standards.”

Wait. What time was it? She looked around for a clock, spotting it.

r /> “Oh, no, I’m late. Breakfast!”

“Boys have already been and gone.”

“I’m so sorry!” Her one freaking job. The only way she had for paying him back—she knew it was a pretty shitty payment—and she’d slept in.

“I’m so sorry. It won’t happen again. It’s just . . . I don’t . . . hell.” She tried to get up and once again, he held her back.

“Stop apologizing. I don’t have time for it.”

She frowned up at him. “Are you always this grumpy when you first wake up?”

“I’ve been awake for hours.” He stared down at her for a long moment. “How often do you have panic attacks?”

“Not very often,” she lied.

His gaze narrowed. “What was the rule about lying, little one?”

She heaved out a much-put-upon breath and tried to move so she was sitting, since she felt at a decided disadvantage. To her surprise, he arranged pillows behind her back as though he cared about her comfort.

Don’t let it lull you into a false sense that you mean anything more to him than you do.

“Fine. I have them every now and then.”

“Anti-anxiety medication helps you control them?”

She stiffened. What? How did he know about that? She looked over at the bottle he picked up off the bedside table.