"They may not be blood, but they consider you family." They're both protective of her. I don't like it because she isn't theirs to protect, but I get why. She's the kind of girl you can't help but want to watch over. I'm guessing that's why Alessi hired her so young. I'm also guessing she doesn't realize he watches out for her like an older brother. He put me through the third degree before agreeing to let me meet with her yesterday.

"They're just nice," she says.

"To you. They both threatened me with bodily harm if I hurt you."

The doubt in her eyes is obvious.

My lips kick up in a rueful grin. "Sebastian wasn't thrilled when I accused him of sleeping with you."

Her nose wrinkles. "I've never slept with Sebastian."

"Know that now. Didn't know it yesterday." I hesitate and then admit the truth. "I was jealous as hell he got to you before I could make you mine."

She looks at me like I'm some foreign species, speaking a language she doesn't understand. It's both adorable as hell and frustrating as fuck that she doesn't realize how goddamn perfect she is. That she doesn't know men fight wars over women like her. As much as I like to think I would have walked away and let Sebastian have her had they slept together…my gut says different.

"Sebastian's just a…"—she hesitates like she isn't sure what he is and then settles on a descriptor—"nice guy. I barely even know him. He barely knows me."

"He knows you better than you think, baby girl."

She opens her mouth to respond and then snaps it closed when our waiter appears.

I barely look at him or the menu, instead watching Liberty. She doesn't look at me, but I know she senses me watching her. Her cheeks are pink and she's jumpy again.

"Um, I'll have the chicken Florentine and a glass of Pinot, please," she says, holding out her menu for the waiter, a young kid with a gap between his front teeth and acne.

"I'll have the Caprese stuffed chicken." I hand my menu over to the kid too. "And a bottle of the Yuengling Gold."

Liberty's nose wrinkles like she finds my choice gross. Guess she's not a beer girl. I'll have to teach her how different good beer can taste.

"I'll have it right out," the kid says, grinning at her. Or grinning at her tits, rather.

"Her eyes are up higher," I snap at him.

He jumps like a young recruit caught acting up.

Liberty flushes bright red. Fuck. I didn't mean to embarrass her.

"Sorry," the kid mumbles before hurrying off. Little prick.

"Thanks," Liberty says before I can apologize for embarrassing her.

"That happen a lot?"

She shrugs, which is answer enough. Her tits are incredible. I'm guessing assholes are always staring at them, imagining what it'd be like to have their hands on them. God knows, I've thought about it a time or ten. I want to leave my marks all over them.

"What do you do when you aren't working, baby girl?" I ask, shifting the conversation back to solid ground. If I don't, we're not going to make it through dinner before I'm all over her. Sitting across from her without being able to touch her is pure hell.

"I mostly read or watch Netflix. Sometimes, I hike or go out for drinks with Summer."

"Summer?"

"Dom's wife." She smiles, her whole face lighting up. "They're so cute together. They just found out she's pregnant, so he spends all his time chasing her around the office, trying to boss her around. She never lets him do it though."

The image of her pregnant with my baby slams into me, stiffening my cock. It hits me right in the solar plexus, knocking me on my proverbial ass. Jesus, I want to see her belly round with my baby, see her cuddling him or her close.

I take a deep breath, fighting through the crippling ache in my balls. "You like Summer?"

"She's my best friend," she says, still smiling. "I love working with her."

Well, shit. I guess I will have to let her go back to work at some point, then. There's no way I can keep her from her friend, especially when she lights my girl up like fireworks. Maybe I can convince Alessi to let her work partially at my office and partially at his. I make a note to look into it later.

Right now, I have more pressing shit to deal with. Like convincing her to come home with me so I actually manage to sleep tonight.

Tags: Nichole Rose Claimed Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net