Page 68 of Callow

And, well, that was how Callow started to live with us.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Callow

If you told me I’d go from no-contact with Sabrina for a whole week to living with her in a matter of hours, I would have laughed at you.

And as much as I wasn’t happy that she and Daph were being targeted by fucks who wanted to hurt me and the club, I had to admit that I was kind of glad to have more time with Sabrina.

As well as her not-so-subtly scheming daughter.

The ride back to their apartment was quiet, save for the song humming on the radio. Daphne was in the backseat, her face lit up by her phone screen as she frantically typed to, I assume, Allie about the book shopping trip we had planned.

I was actually excited for it. She’d fucking lit up at the idea. It felt good to be the source of that.

Knowing the kid was distracted, I reached over, grabbing Sabrina’s thigh as we drove.

Maybe it was inappropriate to keep touching her and shit when she was relying on me for protection now. But, well, I didn’t give a fuck. There was no way I was going to let one touch, one taste, be all there was between us.

Yeah, we’d keep shit PG in front of Daphne, but there would be times when we’d get some alone time. I wasn’t opposed to some making out. Or more.

I had a gun in my waistband and my head on a swivel as we made our way out of the car and into the building.

I wasn’t sure I took a proper breath until we were in the apartment and I’d checked all the closets to make sure no one was hiding out.

“Do I need to have a talk with Daphne about the gun?” I asked, waving toward where I’d set it on the coffee table in front of me after Daphne went into her room to look up the books Allie had suggested.

“I mean, she isn’t a little kid,” Sabrina said as she fussed around, gathering pillows and blankets for the couch. “But it wouldn’t hurt to put a little fear into her, just in case.”

“Hey, that’s enough,” I said, grabbing her wrist as she tried to start making the couch as I sat on it. “Come here,” I demanded, pulling until she dropped down next to me. “It’s gonna be alright,” I told her.

“The couch is too small,” she insisted.

“It’s fine.”

“Your legs are gonna hang off of it.”

“Well, only one,” I said, watching as her face went pink at what she felt was a thoughtless slip-up. “It’sfine, babe,” I pressed. “Believe me, I’ve slept in much worse places. I even get my own TV,” I said, waving at where she had put on some sort of baking competition show.

“You should take the bed.”

“I know that’s not an invitation,” I said, watching as her eyes went heated just at the mention of the two of us in the bed together. “But a man can dream.”

“Daphne said she’s totally fine with you sharing my bed,” she said, looking horrified.

“Fuck. Now I can’t,” I said, wincing.

“I know, right? This whole, ah, dating thing with a teen is… weird.”

“It’s kind of sweet how she wants to see you with someone,” I said.

“I guess.”

“And, hey, her preoccupation with your dating life seems to have mellowed her out a bit. So that’s a plus.”

“That’s true. I’m encouraging the hell out of this new book obsession of hers. Fictional adventures won’t keep me awake at night.”

“No, but they might give her a taste for those dangerous sorts of guys,” I said as I slid an arm around her.