“Doesn’t mean you know shit about teaching,” Wolfe said.
For some reason, she giggled at that. Somehow, without meaning to, Wolfe had lightened the mood.
“You could have told me,” Aleki said quietly. “I would have understood.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. It was hard for me to talk about.”
He nodded, sympathy in his gaze. Then he turned to his laptop.
“Ten minutes to go,” Aleki said. “Micah’s guy is walking in now.”
And just like that, the blanket of darkness surrounded her once more.
“Wolfe, any word on Marilyn?” Caleb asked.
She half-turned to look up at Wolfe who was frowning and shaking his head. “No one has seen her. When Hux went to her apartment, it was still full of her stuff but she wasn’t there. They’re trying to track her down. But I don’t understand how she disappeared. It’s like someone tipped her off or is hiding her.”
The others frowned and started talking through possible ways she could have been tipped off. Vivi remained quiet. Truth was, she had bigger things to worry about than Marilyn.
“So that’s how he’s playing it,” Caleb said thoughtfully as Aleki turned off the television. He’d hooked up his laptop so they could view the feed through the camera that Micah’s guy wore. She hated to think what it was costing the guys to have people watching her father. It was especially frustrating when they were getting no answers about what was going on.
After the funeral, her father had held a brief press conference. He’d looked haggard. Exhausted. She might feel sorry for him, if he hadn’t put her through hell these past eight years.
All the questions had been about William’s successor, who he’d said he would name soon. And about her.
Where was she? Why wasn’t she at the funeral? Why hadn’t she been seen?
“He made it sound like I had a breakdown,” she said.
“The only way he could explain your absence and why you won’t be seen for a while,” Caleb told her gently. He looked over at her, but she couldn’t meet his gaze.
She wasn’t sure why she was so out of sorts. She shouldn’t be upset by William’s death. He was almost as bad as her father. Or why she was upset at her father’s lies. He was hardly going to say she’d run from him and he couldn’t find her.
She rubbed at her chest, her heart was beating over time.
Wolfe moved beside her. About halfway through the funeral, he’d reached out his hand to her. She’d wrapped her pinky around his, keeping a tight hold of Piggles with her other hand.
“What if my father finds out I’m here?”
“Nobody will get to you,” Wolfe told her. His eyes darkened. His face was like stone. People underestimated Wolfe. They saw Aleki with his big, powerful body. Caleb with his muscular build. But they didn’t notice Wolfe.
That was their mistake.
Caleb came and sat on the coffee table in front of her. “I don’t want you to worry about this. I know it’s hard and you’re working on faith here. But we are going to do our best to keep you safe.” He grabbed hold of her chin, tilting her face up. “What most worries you?”
“Something happening to the three of you,” she said immediately.
Aleki swore quietly.
“Always worrying about someone else,” Caleb murmured. “Our gorgeous, sweet girl. We’ll be fine. We can take care of ourselves and you.”
She knew that. She still worried.
“I know we made a mistake trying to keep you in the dark,” Caleb told her. “We’re trying to keep your stress levels down while you’re building up your health. But if you need to know anything, ask.”
“All right.”
“And remember, we’re badass motherfuckers. Wolfe’s a sneaky fuck, Caleb has mad sniper skills, and I can crush skulls with my hands.” Aleki flexed his muscles and to her shock, she giggled.
“I’m not sneaky,” Wolfe protested. “I’m stealthy. There’s a difference.”
“If we stick together, then we’ve got this, okay, jelly bean?” Caleb asked.
“Yes, okay.”
An alarm went off on Wolfe’s watch. “Time for bed. It’s late.” He got up.
“You scheduled an alarm for your bedtime?” she asked.
“No, for yours,” he replied as though he couldn’t understand why that might be weird. “I made it later tonight for the funeral. You’ll need a nap tomorrow.”
She sighed then gasped as Caleb scooped her up. “Say goodnight to everyone, jelly bean.”
“Goodnight everyone.”
Wolfe and Aleki both said a quick goodnight before Caleb carried her and Piggles into her bedroom, and shut the door behind him.
“Reward time,” he sang. “What does my girl want to do?”
He dropped her and she bounced gently on the bed. He winced. “Shit. Is your arm all right?”
“It’s fine. I don’t even feel it now unless I move it suddenly.” She placed Piggles on the bedside table so she could grab him later.
“Good. Don’t want to have to let Aleki kick my ass for hurting you.”
“Let him?” she teased.
“Of course, if I put in an effort, he wouldn’t have a chance.” He grinned then started crawling his way up the bed, leaning over her. Bending down, he nibbled at her neck. She sighed with pleasure.
“Are you too tired? We can just sleep if you are.” She loved the way he always took care of her. She was tired, but she also knew she wouldn’t sleep yet.
“I’m not too tired.”
“All right, so what would my jelly bean like as her reward, hmm? Would she like something for her Little? Wolfe dressing in a princess dress is still on the table.”
She giggled.
“Or would she like something for her Big? Maybe she wants me to play with her nipples, to suck on them until they’re swollen while I spear her with my fingers. Or maybe she wants me to kiss every inch of her body before I lap at her pussy with my tongue. Or perhaps she wants my cock inside her?”
“I want it all.”
Caleb looked down at her. “Now, now, can’t be greedy. You haven’t done enough to earn Wolfe in a princess dress singing show tunes and me taking you.” He grimaced. “And let’s never do that at the same time, okay?”
“I mean . . . I want you to touch me, my nipples, my pussy. To take me. Please, Caleb. Fuck me.”
Heat flooded his face. “Hell. Yes. I can do that. I’m going to eat you out until you come on my tongue and then I’m going to take you. How does that sound?”
“Like you need to stop talking and start doing.”
“Mouthy brat. I think that deserves some punishment.” Drawing back onto his knees, he carefully rolled her over and popped her bottom a few times. They weren’t hard, there was just a slight heat that had her clit throbbing.
Holy. Hell.
He stopped to massage her ass. Damn. That felt so good.
“Let’s get these off.” It wasn’t a question but she murmured a yes in response anyway.
He slid off her bottoms and panties, baring her ass. She turned her head to watch him. His gaze was riveted on her ass. “That’s a real pretty sight. Open your legs.”