Uppercut Princess (The Heights Crew #1)(41)

“No, I’m sorry,” I say. It had less to do with the fact that he hurt me and more to do with the fact that I liked it. “It’s okay.”

He places his fingers back on my skin, quickly rubbing the ointment in this time before walking over to wash his hands in the kitchen sink. When he moves back over, he places a pad over my throbbing skin and then uses Band-Aids to make it stick.

When he finishes, his fingers trail down my back for a moment before he pulls away and takes a step back. “Done,” he says. “You’ll be fine, it’s just a few cuts that bled.”

I turn to look at the armchair, remembering I have to clean the blood up, but it’s already gone. Stepping off the stool, I face Brawler who’s packing everything back up. “You cleaned the chair?”

He shrugs.

“Thanks,” I mutter. The tension in the room thick like hovering storm clouds. Everything in me is telling me I can trust Brawler, but if I can and I take him up on it, I’ll just be sucking him into my story and that’s not good either. He doesn’t need to go down with me if this all turns south. “I’m taking a nap,” I tell him. “If Johnny told you you had to stay with me, you don’t. I’ll be fine.”

“I actually have to go do something,” Brawler says. He places the last gauze pad back in the box and stands. “I’ll tell whoever comes to stand outside. Okay?”

“Outside outside, right? Meaning outside the apartment?”

He nods.

“Thanks,” I tell him.

He turns away, avoiding my gaze. “Don’t mention it.”

I hesitate for only another moment before I head to my room, closing the door behind me, and flicking the lock in place. If someone else is coming over and it’s not Brawler, I don’t want them to have access to me.





15





Sometime later, someone knocks on my door. Not my apartment door, but my bedroom door. I’d been staring at the ceiling after taking a nap, going through different scenarios based on what happened today, but never really finding myself a way out except for the way I’d already planned. I know I just have to sit back and play the game.

“Yeah?” I call out, taking the now warm ice pack off my forehead. My voice comes out all raspy like I haven’t used it in a while.

“Babe?”

My heart stills. I throw the covers off me and stand from the bed only to stare at the closed door. Johnny’s on the other side of that door. Immediately, I will myself to move forward to let him in. I flip the lock back over and peek out.

He smiles when he sees me. His gaze drops, scanning the length of me, making me acutely aware of the thin tank top and booty shorts I threw on right before I laid down a few hours go. “Oscar said he hadn’t seen you in a while.”

“Oscar?”

Johnny pushes through the open door. “He’s been outside.”

I run my hands through my hair, trying to make myself a little presentable. “I hadn’t realized.”

Johnny looks on this side of the door, inspecting my lock. Then, he just lets the door stay open without comment. Out in the apartment, the footrest is being raised on the lone recliner I have in there. Probably Oscar.

“Where are your guardians?” Johnny asks.

“Not around,” I tell him. “They never are.”

He cocks his head to the side, his gaze still sweeping over me like he can’t possibly just look me in the eyes when I’m dressed like this. “They just let you live alone?”

“Is it weird that they don’t care?” I ask defensively. “I thought that was normal, especially when you’re used to being a ward of the state.” Really, I just don’t want him snooping around in my background. It’s as airtight as I could get it, but I’m sure the Heights Crew has far greater resources than me. That’s why I have to get them to trust me.

“I just feel bad for my girl,” Johnny says, stepping closer to me. He cups my cheek with one hand and moves the other around my back, hand slipping under my tank top.

I shrug. “I like being alone.”

He pulls me toward him possessively. “I hope you don’t include me in that.”

I raise a smile toward him. “Of course not,” I say, heart beating. Confusion grips me. There’s only one reality, but I get so lost in the other sometimes.

A groan pours from him. His hand moves lower, squeezing my ass. “I can’t believe you were hiding this body away. Fuck me, Kyla.” His hand kneads my ass, and I stand completely still. “Your hair has this just-fucked look,” he growls.

“It’s called just waking up,” I tell him, smiling, so he knows I’m teasing. Or, at least, I hope he does. This is my attempt not to poke the beast. I can’t fight back when it comes to Johnny, so I don’t need to be on the other end of his anger either.

“Whatever it is, it looks amazing on you.” He edges his chin down, staring at my cleavage. My skin heats at his attention. “I wonder if I should take just one look…”

I swallow, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth. If he looks, I’m afraid he won’t be able to come back from it. He’s already threading a dangerous line. “Do you want to torture yourself?” I ask, pulling his hands away from me and stepping back. “I bet your father has eyes and ears everywhere,” I say, nodding toward the apartment. Yep, I’m throwing Oscar under the bus, but I don’t care. “What happens if you have me before your father says you can?”