But oh…he was good, catching her off guard by laying a little quid pro quo on her, no doubt in hopes that she would open up to him—trust him. “You sound exactly like Willow. In fact, I’m pretty sure she said that same exact thing to me.”
An unfamiliar prickle rose inside her, but she refused to recognize the emotion. It couldn’t be jealousy. She was just confused, but Pen couldn’t help asking, “Who is Willow?”
“My little sister.”
And dammit, she bit the carrot he dangled in front of her. “You have a sister?”
“Yep. The bane of my existence and the person I love more than anything. She represents my greatest success and my worst failure, all wrapped up in one-hundred-twenty-pounds of pig-headed determination.”
“It seems an odd way someone would describe a relationship with their sister.”
He grunted in agreement. “That’s because I’ve been raising her since she was fifteen years old. In many ways, she’s been more like a daughter to me than a sibling. It’s made our relationship complicated to say the least, and as a result, I’ve made mistakes—mistakes I’m not sure we’ll ever come back from.”
Kyle’s revelation didn’t exactly jive with the preconceptions she’d had about him. And she suspected that was exactly why he was laying this bit of information on her, because Kyle Scott didn’t strike her as the over-sharing sort.
“Why are you telling me this?” she called him out, digging deep to keep those walls up, because she had the feeling that if anyone could tear them down, this man could. “I don’t even know you.”
He shrugged. “I disagree. I know a lot about you. I know how you like to be touched. I know how your body feels against mine. I know you don’t like to give up control, but I think, deep down, there’s a part of you that wants to. You just haven’t found the right man to trust yet.”
He reached up and brushed his thumb over her cheek and she closed her eyes against the onslaught of emotions rioting inside her, afraid if she met his stare he’d see the truth looking back at him. He’d see that she was a broken, scared little girl, running from her past. And for the briefest moment, she felt her mortar begin to crumble.
“I’m telling you this because I want you to trust me, Pen.”
Surprised by his honesty, her gaze lifted, locking on that sapphire stare. Honest to God, it took her breath away. She didn’t know whether to hug him or run from him, because this man was dangerous on a whole other level that Pen had never encountered before.
“I know fear and mistrust when I see it. And it’s staring back at me right now. I’ve been to hell and back with Willow. Other people may buy this tough, I don’t need anybody act, but sweetheart, you don’t scare me. I don’t know what your demons are, but they’re nipping at your heels. Everybody deserves to have someone in their corner fighting for them.”
She gave an unladylike snort. “And you’re offering? Is that it?”
He laughed, but the husky bark held no humor. “I’ve got the feeling that you wouldn’t let me close enough to even try.”
He was right. And why did that thought leave her with such a painful, lonely ache in her chest? He doesn’t know you, she reminded herself. If he did, he wouldn’t be standing here right now. And it was that reminder that had Pen taking a step back, pulling away from his touch and proving him right when a part of her just wanted to move closer and take the comfort he seemed to be offering.
“I think you should go.” She forced the words from her lips, barely above a whisper. She might have thought she feared Kyle Scott before, but now he terrified her, because there had been a brief moment when she’d considered trusting him with the truth.
Exhaling a sigh that sounded a lot like disappointment, he dropped his hand, allowing the distance she’d put between them. “That’s what I thought you’d say.”
Chapter Eight
So, this was going about as well as Kyle expected. And Pen had a valid point. Why the hell should he care what happened to her? Because that pitch he’d just laid on her sounded like he absolutely did. And the scary thing was, none of that had been his intention when he’d come over.
He’d actually planned to bitch her out for having such a low opinion of him, and for risking his reputation by accusing him of harassing her. He could screw his own career up just fine, thank you very much. He didn’t need her help by painting his public image as a goddamn stalker. But when she opened the door and he saw the surprise and genuine fear on her face, something inside of him just…shifted. The anger and indignation melted away in the face of her panic.
Despite Pen giving him little reason, he genuinely liked the woman. After reading those messages and seeing what some sick bastard was putting her through, Pen’s anxiety and disdain were perfectly understandable. Not that he wanted to remain on the receiving end of it now that they’d cleared the air but obviously, this was going to be a baby steps situation.
“If that’s what you want, I’ll go,” Kyle conceded, knowing from experience when he’d pushed hard enough. Raising a willful teen had taught him a lot about women, and the experience of fucking up more times than getting it right had been a painful learning curve. He was about to leave when her phone went off. He glanced down to where it sat on the counter, the message popping up in the display.
You fucking whore! Get rid of him or I will.
Fury blazed though Kyle like a wild fire, burning up the filter between his mouth and his brain as he glanced up at Pen to find her wide, fearful eyes fixed on the text.
“Sonofabitch!” He stormed toward the door, which would have happened a lot faster and more gracefully if his knee wasn’t shredded.
“What are you doing? Where are you going?” she called, limping after him.
“That sonofabitch knows I’m here. He’s out there, Pen. He’s watching you!” If Kyle had taken two seconds to think this through, his actions might have ended with a different result. He was out the door and in Pen’s front yard before she could stop him. Surveying her middle class suburban neighborhood, he searched for an anomaly, anything that didn’t belong—movement in the shadows, a suspicious car parked on the road, a driver loitering behind the wheel. There was nothing. But that bastard was out there watching them. He could feel it.
“You want me gone, asshole?” he yelled into the air, his voice carrying down the street and echoing off the lineup of houses. “Come make me leave!”
His only answer was the distant barking of a dog down the block. Fucking coward…
“No?” he taunted, raising his arms to welcome the fight. “I’m not going anywhere! You want her, you’re going to have to go through me!”
“Kyle.”
Pen’s voice was soft and wary as she tried to get his attention. But his sole concentration was fixed on all the visuals around him, searching for that person who didn’t belong coming out of the shadows or maybe exiting a car. He didn’t give a rat’s ass that many of her neighbors were now staring at him, frozen mid-task, caught in whatever outside activity they’d been working on.
“Kyle,” she tried again. Her hand touched his arm, slim fragile fingers wrapping around his biceps. “Come inside. Please.” Her tug was as gentle and persistent as her voice.
“He’s out here, Pen. I can feel it. That bastard’s watching us.”
“I don’t doubt it. But this isn’t safe and you’re making a scene. The neighbors are staring.”
The thought crossed his mind to pull her into his arms and give them all something to stare at—including the asshole harassing her. And the adrenaline running through his veins made him just reckless enough to do it. But Pen had a point he couldn’t easily dismiss. Kyle didn’t know the predator stalking her, and it wasn’t safe to leave her standing out in the open. He needed to get her inside.
Slinging his arm around her shoulders, he tucked her against him, shielding her with his body as he led her into the house. Damn, she was tiny. So fragile. But Kyle knew her looks were deceiving. Pen was a fighter,
and maybe it was that kindred connection—one fighter’s heart to another—that drew him to her when every rational thought was telling him to leave.
Once inside, she pulled away. He forced himself to let her go, preparing for the ass-chewing he was no doubt in store for. Pen was not the kind of woman who let someone else fight her battles, and that stunt he’d pulled out there had been pure alpha male. He’d known it, he just didn’t give a shit.
Slamming the door, she spun around to face him, fists braced on her hips. “I don’t know whether to kick you or kiss you!”
His brow arched, wry amusement tugging the corners of his mouth. “Considering you’ve already got one ankle out of commission, my vote is for the latter.”
But she did neither as she stood there staring at him like she was trying to figure him out and just couldn’t quite fit the pieces together.
“How about next time, instead of yelling into the wind, you try pissing on my front step. Maybe that will keep him away.”
Yeah, she was definitely mad, but so was he.
“If you think it’ll work, I’m game if you are. Better yet, maybe I should move in. The asshole wants me gone so bad, we’ll see how he likes it when I never leave.”
Her ire morphed to shock as she stood there staring at him like he’d lost his mind. Which was a very real possibility, because even he couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth.
“You’re not serious.”
“The hell I’m not.” And there they were again, just flying on out with no consequence.
“Kyle, you can’t stay here.”
Even as she protested, he couldn’t deny the crazy idea had merit. She was in danger. She needed someone to protect her, to keep her safe while they figured out who the hell was doing this. “Well, not permanently, but until this shit gets settled.” He nodded, liking the idea more and more by the second. “Congratulations, Pen. You’ve got yourself a boyfriend.”
Oh, no. No, no, no. Whatever she’d said about the devil you know, she took it back, because no one said anything about dating that devil. “Wait a minute.” She held up her hands and took a wary step back. “I don’t want a roommate, and I sure as hell don’t want a boyfriend.”
He gave her an exasperated look that shouldn’t have been as sexy as it was. “It’s not for real, Pen. But think about it. You have no idea who this guy is, right? And if people think we’re dating, maybe he’ll lose interest and move on. Maybe he’ll realize fucking with an MMA fighter isn’t as fun as terrorizing a defenseless woman.”
“Or maybe he’ll come after you and get rid of the competition like his text just threatened to do.”
“Better I become his target than you.”
Pen wasn’t sure she agreed with that philosophy. She also didn’t think she could do this, pretending to date someone. Furthermore, she sure as hell could not live with another person—especially Kyle. When the nightmares hit and the walls closed in, she didn’t want him here witnessing that.
For as long as she could remember, her life had been about enduring—enduring those glances, the unwanted touches that made her skin crawl and bile burn the back of her throat as she prayed for it to be over. But it didn’t stop. For years, she’d suffered abuse and depravity at the hands of her stepfather. Everything had become twisted in her mind until she not only hated him for doing that to her, but she hated herself.
“It’s your fault…” he’d told her over and over again—for being too pretty, for dressing too revealing, for smelling too good. He accused her of trying to tempt him, blamed her for his weakness.
Even now, the intrusive memory made her feel like she needed a shower, but the filth that resided inside her would never be washed away, no matter how much soap she used, or how hard she scrubbed her skin raw. The stain of her abuse would never be cleansed. The scar on her wrist was a constant reminder she would never purge the darkness inside her.
As long as she drew breath, that shame would always be there—her constant companion, leaving no place in her life for love. It was the part of herself she would never allow anyone to see. But if Kyle stayed here, if he got too close, he would inevitably discover the wreckage inside her and then everyone would learn the truth. It was a risk she wasn’t willing to take, because no one would ever look at her the same again—her mother certainly hadn’t.
“You can’t stay here, Kyle.”
He was about to argue and she cut him off. She couldn’t risk him getting too close. Something about this man snuck past her guard and threatened her resolve. Pen could deny it all she wanted, but there was a connection between them, one she needed to sever before it was too late. She’d felt it the night they’d hooked up, and she could feel it now. It made him dangerous, because she couldn’t allow herself to fall for him. Kyle Scott was not her happily ever after—as much as he was playing her knight in shining armor right now—fairy tales did not come true for girls like her.
“You know what your problem is?” she asked, already hating herself for what she was about to say, but it had to be done.
Tension stole over him and she recognized the subtle stiffening in his shoulders, that stubborn set of his jaw as he stood toe-to-toe with her, muscular arms crossing over his equally impressive chest.
“What’s that, Pen? What’s my problem?”
“You’ve got a hero complex. You took care of your sister, and now she doesn’t need you anymore, you can’t stand it. You need someone to save. You need a purpose. As noble as that may be, it’s also fucked up. I can’t fill her void, Kyle. I’m never going to be that damsel in distress.”
The curse that flew out of his mouth startled her. His icy glare was full-on daggers as he leaned into her, his presence so imposing it took everything she had not to step back. “You don’t have any idea what you’re talking about,” he growled, pointing an accusing finger at her. “First of all, my issues with Willow aren’t any of your goddamn business. Secondly, you’ve got a psychotic nutcase after you, and if you don’t wisen the hell up, you’re going to get hurt. And why do I care? Beats the hell out of me. For some reason that I can’t fathom, I happen to like you. And truth? You don’t make that a very easy thing to do. So why don’t you drop the I-don’t-need-anyone routine and just take the goddamn assistance.”
It was true, she didn’t make it easy, and most guys would have given up and walked away by now. In fact, that was what she’d been counting on Kyle doing. But nope. Apparently, Kyle Scott was the real deal—a freaking Boy Scout—and he was proving to be just as tenacious out of the cage as he was inside it.
“Pen, that text proves this guy not only knows where you live, but that he’s watching you. The threats in those messages are escalating and it’s only a matter of time before this comes to a head. You’re not safe here alone. Maybe you should stay with me. God knows, I’ve got plenty of extra space now.”
“I’m not leaving my home, Kyle. I can’t.” Disrupting her normalcy and losing her familiarity would only make the nightmares and flashbacks worse. At least here she could control her environment, reduce the triggers. No… Leaving was not an option. It would definitely be worse than gaining a roommate. “All right, Kyle. You win. There’s a spare bedroom down the hall. You’re welcome to it. But as soon as this is over, you have to leave.”
“On my honor.” He held up his hand in a Scout’s pledge.
Yeah, that’s what she’d thought—a freaking Boy Scout…
Chapter Nine
After a brief tour and rundown of the rules—which included her being adamantly clear they would not be having sex—Pen settled onto the couch and propped her leg on the end table with a pillow and a fresh baggie of ice. Foregoing the glass, she brought the whole bottle of wine with her this time, and set it between her legs as she turned on Gilmore Girls. She was almost done with the first season, and she was doing her best to avoid her new roommate, but Kyle Scott was not an easy man to ignore.
He’d gone out to his car and returned with a duffle
bag that must have contained a change of clothes, because after showering, he came out wearing a pair of navy gym shorts with white CFA lettering down the side—and nothing else. Perhaps they should have discussed some sort of a dress code, but she hadn’t counted on him walking around half-naked. With all that mouthwatering muscle on display, it was distracting, and she was having a hard time keeping her eyes on the TV and off her new roomie.
He said nothing as he passed by, heading toward the kitchen. From her angle, she couldn’t see what he held in his hand, but a moment later, she heard the crinkle of a wrapper and the beep of the microwave. She turned her attention back to the show, finding it difficult to concentrate, but she was determined to finish.
After a minute, the distinct sound of popping started up, and a few seconds later, the scent of popcorn began to waft into the living room. She could hear him rooting around in the kitchen and was tempted to go ask him what he was looking for, but with her ankle jacked up, she decided to let him figure it out for himself.
It surprised her when he came out a few minutes later and plopped down beside her, his thigh bumping against hers as he set the bowl of popcorn between his legs. “Hey, Gilmore Girls.” He tossed a handful of popcorn into his mouth and began munching away. Her gaze kept straying toward him as he watched the show. If he noticed, he gave no indication of it. She told herself it was because she was still in shock over the odd turn of events, not because she had a sexy half-naked MMA fighter sitting on the couch beside her, watching a chick show like it was a typical Friday night.
She finally broke the silence when he reached between her legs and plucked the bottle of wine from her lap, tipping it back to take a swallow.
In for the Win (Against the Cage Book 5) Page 7