Page 84 of Stay Little Fighter

“No.”

“Ryker. Please be reasonable.” Kingston sighs.

“I am being reasonable. You’re the one that’s lost your fucking mind.”

“I want to come,” Chloe adds helpfully.

“In every other instance, what you want is the most important thing to me. But not in this one. Not when you could get yourself killed. Not when you’ve just recovered from almost dying!”

I’ve always prided myself at being good in a high-stress situation, but every time the idea of Chloe being in danger crosses my mind, my entire body locks up, and panic takes hold.

If this is what it feels like to not be a sociopath, I don’t fucking like it. I’ll take me and my murderous tendencies over this any day.

“The others agreed this is the best way forward.”

I turn my glare on Kingston once more. “You three made this decision behind my back and thought it wise to spring it on me at the last second?”

Their death is getting more and more likely by the second. How am I supposed to trust them with Chloe’s life when these are the kinds of decisions they’re making?

She steps forward and wraps her arms around my middle, her head coming to rest on my chest, and I can’t help but soften.

Goddammit.

Wrapping my arms around her, I hold her there for long seconds, breathing in her soft vanilla scent. I’ve been addicted to it since the first time she walked past me at the De Marco estate, and my obsession has only grown as time has gone on.

“I don’t want to split up, Ry,” she murmurs. “It’ll make me sick with worry if you’re in a different state and I’m stuck here hoping that you’re going to come home to me.”

“Siren, I will always come home to you. There’s nothing that could keep me away from you.”

She sighs. “You don’t know that, and if something happens…” Her words cut off on a sniffle. “I need to be nearby, and I need you to understand that.”

I tighten my hold on her and eye the motherfuckers behind her. I’m pissed as hell that they agreed to this without talking to me, but I suppose I get it.

Chloe bats those lashes at me, and I fold like a house of fucking cards.

“Fine. But you will follow every single order we give you. You will not run into danger. You will not get any ideas about rescuing us if shit goes sideways. You will stay where we put you, and I will not hesitate to chain you up if you fight me on this.”

Her eyes flare with heat, and I curse. This woman is insatiable.

I walked into the bathroom half an hour ago and found her bent over the basin with Kingston thrusting into her like he would die if he even considered pulling out of her perfect cunt, and truthfully, I get it.

I feel that way every damn time I slide into her slick warmth.

“I’ll be good, I promise.” She smiles up at me. “I’m not going to put you all in more danger just because I want to be involved. But I need to be close by if something happens.”

And by “something happens,” she means if one of us gets hurt.

We’re doing everything in our power to limit that possibility, but when you’re in our line of work, there’s never a zero percent chance of you dying. It’s the reality we’ve each accepted over and over, but it’s different now we have something to come home to, someone who loves us.

Dropping a kiss to the top of her head, I savor the feel of her in my arms for long moments before finally letting her go and eyeing the three fuckers by the front door.

“You’re all on my shit list for making decisions without me.”

Damon shrugs. “Like you can say no to Chloe when she asks you for something.”

I don’t argue, because the proof is in the pudding, considering I was vehemently against her coming and I immediately relented when she looked up at me through sad green eyes.

“Let’s get this show on the road. The sooner we get this done, the sooner I can retire and become a stay-at-home husband.”