Vicious Rebel (82 Street Vandals #2) - Heather Long Page 0,54

he delivered to Rome. “You might be safe, but does that safety extend to her?”

“It does.” The answer from Liam sent a jolt through Rome that I felt more than saw, but it was Jasper I kept my attention on. The corners of his mouth turned down, his eyes narrowed, and for the briefest of seconds, I swore there’d been hurt present.

“Well, that’s just fucking gravy,” Jasper said, sneer firmly in place. “You still don’t get to decide this. She’s under our protection. That means she belongs in Vandals territory. With Vandals.”

There was so much he was saying without words. It was like every answer I needed vibrated silent and unspoken in between the syllables of that possessive and rather insulting description. The slate gray of his eyes held an icy kind of heat as his gaze collided with mine.

“It’s time to go,” he said, not releasing my gaze. “I can’t protect you here.”

“Maybe she doesn’t need your protection,” Liam snarked, and that pulled Jasper’s attention away, freeing me to breathe. Even as the two men muttered at each other, I turned his request over in my head. Despite the growl in his voice and the expression he wore, Jasper had been asking.

Maybe that was how he asked.

Tilting my head back, I stared up at the ceiling. We’d come here because someone had come looking for me at the body shop. I swallowed, then said, “Maybe the Vandals would be safer if I wasn’t there.”

That shut Jasper and Liam up. Both bloodied men stared at me like I’d sprouted a second head. Rome turned his head to glance back at me.

I threw my hands up. At least Rome didn’t look at me like I was an idiot. “There’s a lot about me you don’t know,” I told them, aware that they each had pieces of the puzzle. “Or maybe you already know and I’m trying to protect you for nothing. But it’s worth saying that Rome’s already had to kill for me twice, and I don’t know if the threat will be greater or worse. Especially after this last one.”

Liam gave me a slow nod, and I could have sworn there was just the barest suggestion of approval in his eyes. But Jasper sliced a hand through the air. “If they come for you, then they’re coming here to die.” Well at least he wasn’t splitting hairs on that. “I told you, we will keep you safe. Maybe I’ve…demanded that you let us protect you, but, Emersyn, Swan…you’re safe with us. I need you to come back with me, now. We have Freddie home…”

I straightened and tapped Rome’s shoulder, and he shifted so I could hop off the counter. “Freddie’s all right?”

“He’s doing well enough,” Jasper answered. “Doc cleared him to leave the clinic, and he’s got the drugs out of his system. But it always takes him time to adjust.”

“I’m glad. I was worried about him.” I frowned, then glanced at Rome. “I want to go see him.”

“Then we go back.” Rome nodded. “I’ll get our clothes.” He walked toward the doorway and both Jasper and Liam went stock-still and stared at him, then me.

“Your clothes?” Liam repeated, with the barest hint of a teasing smile.

“She had blood on hers, and we needed to shower. Don’t be an ass.” At the curt words, Liam raised his hands.

“I was just checking. Besides, she looks good in your stuff.” Liam gave me a slow smile, one where the blood oozing from his split lip really killed any charm he might have possessed. Then again, the last time someone hit him that I knew of, it had been me socking him in the nose.

Rome shoved his brother with a less than friendly push, and Liam laughed as the two vanished around the corner, leaving me alone with Jasper.

Folding my arms, I studied him. “Do you want to clean those up?” I nodded to his bruises.

He shook his head. “I’ve had worse, and I needed that.”

Surprise rippled through me.

“Did the guy at the shop do that to your cheek?”

I raised a hand to my face. I’d almost forgotten about the bruise, but the moment he mentioned it, the faint swelling over my cheekbone throbbed. “He caught me with a backhand, but I was getting away. Him yanking my hair hurt worse.” I shrugged. “But Rome got him.”

“Good.” Jasper took a step forward, then raised his bruised hand. “May I?”

More curious than anything, I nodded. He brushed his fingers gently against my jaw, then