Coming back from the stockroom, I see Emma curled in a ball, on the floor. I can tell she’s having a panic attack, I’m just not sure what triggered it.

Standing, I pick Emma up and head for the stairs leading to my apartment.

“Avery, Amber, can you man the bar for a bit?” I call over my shoulder.

“YUUUP,” I hear them say in unison. The fact that they aren’t actually twins is weird sometimes.

I lock the door behind me and head straight to my room, maybe with some food and Netflix she’ll fall asleep and feel better.

“Jimmy?” she says as I set her down on my bed.

“Yeah, Little Bit?” I respond, bending down to take off the contraptions on her feet.

“He knows where I am. Antonio was here tonight. He will find me,” she whispers, a single tear trails down her cheek.

I cup her cheek in my hand, using my thumb to wipe the tear away. “Who is he?”

“Javier. The guy you shot the night you rescued me,” she tells me, staring down at her hands in her lap. “I don’t usually freak out like this, but he said he would kill me if I ever left. I don’t want to die.”

“I’ll never let anything happen to you,” I tell her with conviction. “I’m going to get you some food, why don’t you get comfortable and find something to watch. You’ll feel better after some sleep.”

I stand and head for the door.

“Jimmy?” she says.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you. For everything.”

With a nod, I leave her to get comfortable.

By the time I return to the bedroom with some food, she’s asleep. Her dress is on the floor next to the bed, and she’s curled up on her side, hugging my pillow to her chest.

She tried to let loose and have fun tonight, act like any other girl her age, but once she saw her ex’s goonie, it all came back to her.

Seeing that Jarhead touch her pissed me off way more than it should have. I have no claim to her, she’s free to do what she wants. But that’s beside the point, right now I need to protect her. At least until her brother comes home, then the job falls to him. I just need to keep my dick under control until then.

Setting the tray at the foot of the bed, I turn the light off and go back downstairs to close up.

Avery and Amber have everything under control by the time I get back downstairs.

“She okay?” Amber asks as I approach them.

“Yeah, she’s resting now. Do you mind sticking around for a few more minutes? I want to talk to Katie.”

“No problem,” they say in unison.

With just a nod at her, Katie slides off a bar stool and follows me toward the stockroom.

“Hey, everything okay?” Katie is a worrier by nature.

“The team comes home soon, right?”

“Yes,” she replies, surprised by my question.

“Can Emma stay with you until they get home? Once they get back, she can stay with LT, but she said one of her ex’s goons saw her here today. She isn’t safe here anymore.”

I don’t want to meet her eyes, for her to see that I’m afraid of what will happen if she stays.

I can feel her watching me, hear the gears in her head turning before she replies.

“Sure, she can stay with me.”

I release the breath burning my lungs. “Thanks. Can I bring her by in the morning?”

“That works for me, gives me time to get the guest room set up.” She turns to walk out the door but stops and looks back at me. “Are you sure this is what you want? I’ve seen the way you look at her.”

“Do I want her to leave? No, but unless she’s got a serious case of daddy issues, I’m too old for her. She deserves someone her age, someone to explore the world with. She has her entire life ahead of her, I would be holding her back.”

A sad smile lifts the corners of her lips. “If you say so.”

She leaves me alone in the stockroom, with my thoughts. All I can think of is how right she felt wrapped around me, I swear I can still feel her pressed to my chest, my dick against the heat of her pussy, her arms around my neck. I want her warming my bed, welcoming me into her body while she trembles and gasps in pleasure at the shit I want to do to her body.

She’s amazing, her smile makes her eyes sparkle. What I wouldn’t give to be the reason for her to smile. She’s been so happy the last few days since she started going back to school. I don’t want her to leave, I like knowing that she’s safe here, but my control is hanging on by a thread.

I shouldn’t have these type of thoughts about a girl less than half my age. With a sigh, I head out of the stockroom to get the bar closed up for the night.

The girls stay and help me clean up, which I appreciate, as I get the last of the stragglers out. Dragging my tired bones up the stairs again, I know Emma is in my bed again and I shouldn’t go in there, but tonight I want to be close to her.

Shrugging out of my clothes, I lay down and fall asleep.

I wake to the sound of Jimmy’s light snore, my head against his chest and his arms wrapped around me. I’ve never been as content as I am with him, with his arms around me.

Taking a deep breath, I wrap my arm around his waist and hook my leg over his hip before pressing a kiss to his chest. I’ve been dreaming about touching him, of him touching me. I run my fingers gently across his skin hoping not to wake him. I unconsciously roll my hips, finding his morning wood in the process. Jimmy grumbles, not really awake, and rolls on top of me, searching for my mouth.

Settling between my spread thighs, his erection is perfectly lined up with my aching core. One hand is still under me gripping my ass through my panties as he thrusts against me. His beard scraping my skin, as he punishes my mouth, bringing a new sensation to my already sensitive skin.

I grip his hair as I wrap my thighs around him, helping him grind on me. I’m so close, just a few seconds more and I’ll fly over the edge.

He growls, the sound being the final straw that forces my body to sing. I give myself over to the pleasure, shouting my trip to oblivion into the air.

Letting out a deep breath, he lifts his head and looks down at me. “Fuck.”

He rips himself off of me and storms toward the bathroom, leaving me cold and confused.

What did I do wrong?

I can’t lay here and wait, so I get up and rush to my room, I pull on some clothes and crawl into bed, cover my head and cry. Silent tears soak my pillow when I hear Jimmy stop at my door.

I hear him sigh before he says, “Emma?”

“What?”

“I think it would be best if you stayed with Katie until the team gets back.”

I thought things would finally be different after what we shared. After what he said last night, but just like everything else, it was a lie.

“Emma?”

“I’ll pack my things,” I tell him, sitting up and whipping my face.

“I’ll drive you over when you’re ready.” With that, he walks away from the door.

It doesn’t take me long to gather my things and get my bag in the truck. The drive to Katie’s is silent. Jimmy seems angry, more with himself than me, he regrets touching me. Who wouldn’t? He can have anyone in the world, why would he settle for a broken down nobody like me. Besides, this is for the best, my brother will be home soon, and it’s going to be hard enough to explain all the crap with Javier.

As we pull up to Katie’s, I reach for my bag and get out. Jimmy gets out of the truck, stepping toward me.

“You can go.” We don’t need to endure anymore awkwardness.

He looks at me for a minute before he nods and gets back into the truck and drives off.

Katie meets me at the door, wrapping me in a fierce hug before ushering me inside.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“Sure, I guess.”

“Why don’t we watch Tom Cruise play volleyball shirtless? I have plenty of ice cream, we can veg out.” I can tell she’s trying to distract me and I appreciate her effort.

“Do you mind if I take a shower first?”

“Yup, let me show you where everything is.”

I follow Katie up the stairs to the guest room, fighting tears. I don’t understand why Jimmy suddenly wanted to pawn me off on Katie, he said he was going to protect me.

“Here you go, there are towels under the sink.”

“Thank you, Katie. I really appreciate it.”

Katie gives me a shy smile before closing the bathroom door behind her. I turn the shower water on full blast and climb in, hoping the water will mask my sobs.