Series: Like Us Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 145257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 726(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 726(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Naked Sulli.
I tilt my head, eyes drifting. Spacing out. Bodyguard 101—do not drift. I’ve ripped into my men for doing what I’m doing. That glazed “where’d you go” feeling is all so…unfamiliar.
But so is seeing Sulli without panties. Or a bra.
I thought I’d want to toss clothes at her. Tell her to cover up like I’m some prude. Like I’m her brother. But I’m not.
I’m not her brother.
The fact has never been more firmly set in my brain. Like concrete, it solidified tonight.
Flinging clothes at Sulli didn’t even register. Maybe I was in shock. Yeah. I was definitely slack-jawed, stumbled-back shocked that she’d drop her towel in front of us. But I kept my composure. Inwardly, I felt more like a Looney Tunes character—where my heart ejected from my body, pumped five-times bigger, then went back inside.
While we walk to the motel, I’m still dazed. “How is she?” I ask Banks, then quickly remember the scorpion, how I left Sulli too quickly. “Shit, I hate that I had to run out on her like that.” I wipe a hand down my face. “It was right after I saw her naked too. She probably thinks I find her grotesque.” I groan and expel a cringing, nauseous breath.
And I’m expecting Banks to ask, You like what you saw? But he’s pretty quiet. I wouldn’t categorize him as a chatterbox, but whenever I bring up Sulli, he’s never silent.
Maybe what he said in the motel room is coming to fruition. He’s trying not to sway my feelings for Sulli one way or the other. But Banks yelling at me earlier has already chiseled me open. It’d be nice to have his advice, but he’s not my moral conscience.
He’s just my friend.
“You okay?” I ask him, making sure I’m not assuming too much. He had this same odd look when we were around the other guys and Jane.
Banks nods. “Sulli is alright too. Farrow checked her out.”
“I saw.” We stop on the stoop to the motel room. Bugs chirp in the night. I dig in my pocket for the key. He’s not avoiding my eyes. So there’s that. “How are we not talking about this?” I ask, dropping my voice. “When she was with the Rooster, we never hesitated to talk shit about him or discuss Sulli—and now she got naked in front of us and we’re acting like it’s nothing?”
He scans behind us. “You didn’t want to talk about the funhouse.”
“Just with her,” I retort in a cringe. “Which was stupid. I was scared.” Scared of change. But I’m more scared of losing her because…
Because you like her, Nine.
My chest knots, the key cold in my hand. I miss Banks flinging the topic of Sulli in my face, even if I end up telling him to shut the fuck up. I can’t lose Banks. I’m afraid of losing him too. “What was your first thought?” I ask him. “When you saw her naked?”
He wears a crooked smile. “Hell have mercy on my soul.”
My lips rise, then falter. He likes Sulli too. Maybe that’s why he’s being more guarded. I brush a hand through my hair and fit the key into the lock.
“What was your first thought?” Banks finally asks.
I go still. Remembering a very naked Sulli, her nipples perked—and I wanted to throw her on the bed. Tie her up. Kiss her places she’s never been kissed, until she’s writhing for more. Those weren’t my first thoughts though.
It was simpler.
And before I open the door, I say, “She’s a babe.”
Banks doesn’t pat my shoulder. Doesn’t look as happy as I thought he’d be for me. Here I am, breaking down walls he’s spent weeks forcing me to stare at.
He just nods.
I nod back, sensing his hurt. How much does he really like her? But I hesitate to even touch the subject. Because it’ll be a reason for me to slam on the brakes towards Sulli, and I’m just now hitting the gas harder.
I don’t want to stop.
He switches subjects. “Who called you? When you ran out of the bathroom,” he clarifies.
“Price.” I crack the door, seeing Sulli lying on a sleeping mat, then close it so we can talk outside a minute longer. “Apparently one of our temp guards tried to call Connor Cobalt for a corporate job recommendation. Which led to Price trying to wring my ballsac.” I seethe just recalling the Alpha leads’ patronizing voice. I tell Banks, “I don’t know how the temp got Connor’s number, but it made Kitsuwon Securities look like the Walmart version of Price’s firm, which he already thinks is Versace.” I exhale. “Hopefully your dad will be able to weed out the bad temps.”
Michael Moretti can’t come soon enough.
Banks whispers, “Is he still flying in?” I think he’s still expecting his dad to let me down.