Page 76 of Penny & Royce

Some of the tension in her shoulders eased, though not all of it.

Apparently, his answer was enough for now, because she nodded and shifted closer. “How long until I can take you home?”

Her touch on his face was feather-light. Her expression softened when she took him in. He winced when she grazed a cut he had on his jaw, and she frowned.

“Hmm, I like that,” Royce whispered.

“Like what?”

“The way you made it sound like ours. Home.” He met her gaze.

“That’s because it is.”

19

PENNY

Penny watched Royce from where she leaned in the doorway. He was sound asleep with his hand resting on his chest. The T-shirt he wore didn’t hide the road rash on his arms, but the wounds were already starting to look better. Thankfully, he’d been wearing a dress shirt and blazer. His legs were worse for wear and would take longer to heal.

His phone on the end table lit up, buzzing to alert him of yet another text message. Penny frowned and slipped across the room to grab it. Royce hadn’t been sleeping well, and for good reason. She couldn’t imagine it was easy to get comfortable after the injuries he’d sustained.

She palmed the phone just as Royce let out a heavy sigh. He didn’t stir otherwise. Not when she sat beside him on the edge of the bed. Not when she trailed her fingertips through his hair at his temple.

In this moment, she was able to see rare evidence that he could experience peace.

The phone buzzed again, and she lifted it to see Lincoln’s name.

Apparently, Royce had it out with his brother and was more than happy to let his family sweat a little—similar to the way she’d treated her uncle. Though Uncle George hadn’t gone further than warning her away from the Meyers family in general. Perhaps he didn’t have enough evidence about her relationship. Or maybe he didn’t feel he was in any position to boss her around.

It was likely the latter, but she could never tell with her uncle. It was entirely possible he’d do something drastic just to stick it to Royce’s family.

Why did that thought suddenly fill her with dread?

A knock at her apartment door pulled her to the present. Still unnerved, she cut one more look at Royce’s sleeping form, then swept from the room. With the bedroom door closed quietly behind her, she quickened her steps until she stood before her apartment door.

Maybe it would have been better to open the door without looking through the peephole. Habit had taught her to always check, but now that she knew who was visiting, that dread worsened. It got so bad her stomach felt like it was getting knocked around on one of those unsafe fair rides—the ones people had to sign waivers just to board.

She rested her head against the door and wasn’t at all surprised when she heard him call through it.

“I saw your shadow through the hole, Penny. And you weren’t at work today. I know you’re there.”

Penny shut her eyes tight.

Had her uncle sent her brother to do his dirty work? If there was anyone who could talk her out of being with Royce, it was Mathew.

Not even her own parents would be able to accomplish that.

What did that say about her relationship with her brother?

That she trusted him.

He’d been through a failed marriage. He’d had to sign his name on divorce papers. He knew the sacrifices that had to be made when it came to being with another person.

With a deep exhale, she unlocked the door and pulled it open.

Mathew stood braced on either side of the doorframe, his hands gripping the molding. His jaw looked painfully tight, and there was accusation in his eyes.

He knew.