Page 89 of Praised
“It’s cute that you think that, so I won’t tear that fantasy away from you just yet. But what I will do is tell you that I am exhaustingly tired of hearing your name come up, and even though I’ve only seen you once, I’m already tired of your face.”
“Oh, myGodddddd!” Drake whisper-yelled in my ear, very nearly jumping up and down in place. “I tried to tell him that earlier, but he wouldn’t listen.”
My pulse skittered, and I held on tighter to him, worried I was going to fall. Soft material brushed up against the backs of my thighs and I looked over my shoulder, finding Grayson right behind me, with Rob behind him, and Archie and Owen to the side. Dalton filled in a gap beside Drake, arms crossed in front of his chest. All of their eyes were focused on the back of Flynn’s head.
“I know you’ve already been told to leave Rose alone, and since you’re out here harassing his best friend, I imagine you haven’t taken that warning to heart. And if you don’t think I have the interest or ability tomakeyou, then you are sorely mistaken.”
“I don’t even know who you are,” Cody croaked, realizing a flank of men had come to stand behind me.
To stand…for me.
With me?
“I’m the man who is reaping the benefits of your mistakes, for one. I’m also the man who is about to get you blacklisted from this club.”
“Already done,” Rob said.
Cody’s eyes went wide and his mouth fell open like a caught fish.
“I’m also the man who knows more about you than you think possible, so if you come around here again, if you bother Rose again, or any of his friends, I’ll be calling your father and letting him know that the way you treat men isn’t a once-off, but a trend.”
Wait.
What?
“What?” Cody repeated my thought out loud, and Flynn shook his head.
“I’m a man who does my research, Dakota, and I would much rather take Rose to bed than make that phone call, so please don’t make me.”
“All that from a license plate,” Grayson mused.
“Are we good here?” Flynn asked, fishing his cell phone out of his pocket.
“We’re good.” Cody raised his hands and took a step back from the table.
“I thought so.”
Flynn kept his phone out until Cody was gone, then he turned to me, almost all the bravado gone. “Please don’t hate me for that,” he said quietly.
“Hate you?” An unexpected laugh tumbled out of my mouth and I jumped into his arms. He caught me, stumbling back before righting himself and holding me up with his hands on the backs of my thighs. “I don’t think that’s anything in the realm of possibility, Mr. Galloway.”
CHAPTER29
FLYNN
“That was really fucking hot,”Rose’s friend Drake said, fanning himself as I lowered Rose back down to the ground. “If you weren’t already spoken for—”
“He’sveryspoken for,” Rose said, spinning around and smacking Drake in the face. The two of them laughed, and then Rose leaned back against me with a quiet sigh.
“Well, I think it’s only fair.” Drake steepled his hands together in front of him and tapped his fingers.
“What is?” I asked.
“Rose was here tonight to officially meet your friends.” He gestured at the group of them who’d gathered during my talk with Rose’s shitbag ex, Cody. “So now it’s time for you to officially meetme.”
“I’m tired, Drake,” Rose whined, head dropped back against my chest.
“Just a burger and shakes, like we used to? Quick and dirty. Like me.” Drake grinned, looking as devious as Rose had the night we met.
