“Why are you—” My voice caught. “It’s fine, I don’t mind—”
“I do. Chase would. You’re under our protection now, Annie, no matter what... You’re in this, you get that, right? And we protect our own, even when we aren’t blood.”
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
“Bottom shelf.” He winked and then walked over to the cupboard, grabbed a plate, and handed it to me. “Take your time.”
He had no way of knowing.
It was the first time I’d eaten something after classes that wasn’t rushed, including eating at Eagle Elite.
It was the first time I felt like it was okay to enjoy something, to sit and think about my day without wanting to cry tears of frustration, fear, and pain.
I took the white plate, set my sandwich on it, then slowly went to the barstool, and pulled one out.
“Better.” Phoenix nodded. “Let Chase know I stopped by if you see him. And Annie?”
“Yes.” I paused with the sandwich halfway to my mouth.
Phoenix’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “Give him fucking hell. He deserves it.”
“Who?” I played dumb.
“Forget about the fruit snacks, and I’ll be very disappointed.”
I found myself smiling. “I swear to steal every last one.”
He barked out a laugh. “Sure you aren’t a De Lange?”
“Positive,” I answered easily.
Because I wasn’t.
I was much, much, worse.
According to my dad, the devil had sired me.
I averted my eyes and took a bite as Phoenix gave me his back and left the kitchen.
I finished my sandwich in silence, put my dish in the dishwasher, then walked past the pantry only to backtrack, open the door, and move the maple syrup.
A smile spread across my face as I grabbed the box and dumped the remaining five fruit snack packages into my hands, leaving the empty box for him to find.
Satisfaction coursed through me.
It was a small thing.
Petty really.
But it would make Ash react.
And for some reason, I felt alive again, like maybe the world wasn’t against me, maybe I could hope a little bit more.
I went to my room to stash the fruit snacks and had every intention of doing homework when I heard Serena’s voice as she basically yelled to herself in passing my bedroom door.
Silently, I followed her as she stomped down the hall and then took the door to the left, leading to the home gym in the basement.
Curiosity piqued, I watched an entire drama unfold as Junior and Serena fought. My skin got hot as he threw her on her back.
What did that feel like?
To be so dominated?
Protected?
Memories of that night assaulted me.
“Beg me.” Ash gripped my wrists so tight that pain started radiating down my arms, but I loved it, craved more as his body poised over mine, ready to take me. Primed.
“Please, Ash, please!” My voice was a harsh whisper as he thrust into me, filling, owning, commanding.
The world had never felt more perfect.
“You’re mine.” His mouth moved down my neck.
“Yours.”
“Until the stars fall,” he vowed.
A tear slid down my cheek colliding with the pillow. “Until the stars fall, Ash. Until they fall…”
My head jerked up when suddenly Ash was stomping away from the ring, his face pale, mouth in a taut straight line like the world had pissed him off again.
He didn’t even see me until he was right in front of me.
He stopped.
I lifted my head.
“Innocent little Annie coming down here to spar?” he sneered.
Innocent little Annie was seconds away from kneeing him in the junk. Instead, I pasted a bland smile on my face. “I don’t think I’d last five seconds.”
He snorted out a laugh. “Make that one second.”
“You should teach her.” Maksim suddenly appeared, earning a giant stay the hell away from us scowl from Ash. “What? She’s in this whether she likes it or not, and it’s your ass if she gets hurt.”
“Why’s it my ass?”
Maksim pointed up.
Ash groaned. “Because God says so?”
“Bro.” Maksim shook his head in disappointment. “No, because she’s under your roof, ergo under your protection. Simple math.”
“Sometimes I wonder if you’re too smart to even do simple math,” Ash grumbled and took a look at me, then another, a closer one, like an idea was forming.
I remembered Phoenix’s talk.
And then I remembered the fruit snacks and stupidly gave Ash a knowing smile.
His eyes dropped to my mouth.
Maksim cleared his throat. “Soooooo, what do you say, Ash?”
“Huh?” He shook his head.
“Sparring.” Maksim did a few jabs with his hands. “Making sure she knows how to fend off predators…” He grinned at Ash. “You being the predator in this scenario.”
“Got that, thanks,” he barked.
“It’s okay…” I offered lamely. “It looks like Ash already got his ass beat today…”
I had no clue where that came from.
Maybe the blood on the corner of his mouth.
Or the fire in his eyes.
“The hell did you just say?” Ash moved so fast I nearly fell back on my own ass; we were chest to chest.