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Right then and there, a protective instinct snaps through me

Payton

Despite my hatred and animosity toward her, I don’t want to see Payton die

I quietly stand froer toher to be quiet, and pull her up from the seat

Where we’re sitting, I have a view of the door; however, he can’t see us, so I quickly steer her out the back way

“Why are we—”

“Shh,” I cut her off

She listens to et back into the car

“What was that all about?” she asks, her voice laced with confusion

“Nothing that you need details of right now”

With her eyes locked on me, she watches ”

She pouts, and I sigh

“Fine I’ll get you some dessert”

Pulling the car onto the street, I weave h traffic until we are back on West Broadway, heading to my place

“Then why are we headed home?” she points out

“Because, believe it or not, Chef makes homemade ice cream for himself”

Fro open “How did I not know that?”

She sounds ive presentations to my staff, and I shouldn’t be amused, but I am

I shrug, changing lanes “Because it’s a secret”

“And you know this then?”

“It’s my house”

“But it’s his ice cream”

“Well, technically, it’s mine Duh My house”

There’s that cute grin on her face again, and daet the memo

Ifor tails It’s not a secret where I live, but I’d at least like to know if I have so in circles, she doesn’t comment

Finally, I pull up to , park the car in my spot, and lead her upstairs My hand touches the sh it

This need to protect her tonight was overwhel for ether and another for my sins to do so My world shouldn’t touch her life, no matter what my father caused me to do

We’re very quiet as we tiptoe into the kitchen, and I take her to a secret freezer hidden behind a cabinet door in the butler’s pantry

I browse through our flavor options “Chef has a personal stash here”

I grab one of his pre-scooped jars, filled with homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream, and collect two spoons from a drawer

“Taste it,” I demand

She takes the spoon out of my hand, dips it into the ice cream, and ss

An honest-to-God, full-on moan escapes her mouth this time

Dammit all to hell

That moan

That will haunt ht

Then she fucking licks her lips I watch the ry eyes