36. Reagan

Chapter 36

Reagan

I step out into the cool air, searching for Reese or Iris and Oakley, anyone that isn’t going to tell me a dick joke or football metaphor. As I round a corner, I spot Ramsey sprawled on one of the outdoor patio sofas, his eyes glued to his phone.

I approach him quietly, curiosity getting the better of me, and peer over his shoulder. On his screen, I see a security camera feed from inside the house. Reese lies on her stomach on the floor of a spare room I recognize as being on the first floor, her petite frame surrounded by colorful beads sorted into neat piles. She hums softly to herself as she works on what appears to be friendship bracelets. She likes to put little sayings on them and give them to people she cares about. I look down at the one on my wrist that she gave me earlier today that says Mrs. Blackwood and is adorned with red and black beads. I smile because she’s the cutest and I’m thankful she doesn’t have to grow up as quickly as I did. Ramsey takes a deep breath, and I’m brought back to the current situation, and if the way he’s looking at her is any indication, I’d say he doesn’t want her to remain alone much longer.

“Hey!” I smack Ramsey on the side of the head, making him wince but not look away from the screen. “What are you doing? Why are you watching my sister?”

“Ouch, go beat your husband, not me,” he mumbles, rubbing the spot where I hit him. “Clearly I should have been watching you sneaking around instead of watching Reese.”

“Fucking Blackwood men,” I mutter under my breath, rolling my eyes. The intensity of his gaze on Reese reminds me of the way Jeremiah bores holes into Oakley’s skull until she finally looks at him. It’s the same way Lincoln watches Iris when she’s organizing a room that the guys have destroyed and isn’t giving him the attention he thinks he deserves from her.

“Look, Reagan,” he says casually, still not looking away from the screen. “I’m just keeping an eye on her, making sure she’s safe and all.”

“Safe?” I scoff, crossing my arms. “She’s making friendship bracelets, Ramsey! What could possibly happen to her?” I swallow hard after the words leave my mouth because I don’t need to be putting that sort of challenge out into the universe.

“I mean, she did get kidnapped,” he replies, grinding his back molars, finally meeting my gaze. I didn’t spend much time with him before the day he helped me save my sister, but he always seemed not to have a care in the world. But now it’s as if something has snapped, and his only fixation is my sister’s safety.

“Reese is my little sister,” I remind him sharply, because I don’t need him sizing her finger for a permanent wedding ring any time soon. Or fucking ever.

“I’m aware,” he smirks, his eyes glinting with mischief. “I know everything about her. Her favorite color is blue, but not bright blue or navy blue, more of a periwinkle, even though she calls it blue. She says her favorite food is Thai, but it’s really pizza. Not just any pizza, stuffed crust, extra pepperoni, light sauce. I’ve read every single post she’s ever made on social media, including the Tumblr she has using a fake name. There’s nothing you could tell me about her that I don’t already know.”

I’m speechless.

I watch, rather incredulously, as Ramsey grins and stretches like a cat that’s been caught napping in the sun. “I’m just making sure she’s safe,” he says nonchalantly.

I roll my eyes. “And I’m making sure she’s safe from you.”

“She doesn’t need protection from me,” he replies, his voice smooth as silk.

The conviction in his tone makes me pause. There’s something more going on here than simple attraction or curiosity. He sits up, his eyes darkening, and leans forward to speak with an intensity that sends shivers down my spine.

“I will never let anything happen to Reese,” he promises, and I can’t help but believe him.

“She has a boyfriend,” I tell him, even though I know deep down she only sees Niall as a friend. Their relationship is bound to fizzle out eventually, but for now, it’s a convenient excuse to keep Ramsey at bay. Niall is safe kind of, and Ramsey is a Blackwood.

“Niall Hargrove,” he muses, leaning back against the plush cushion of the sofa, seemingly unfazed by the news. But then he looks at me, his eyes conveying the same psychotic rage I’ve seen in Penn when another man comes too close to me. “It would be such a shame if he turned up missing or dead.”

His words hang heavy in the air between us, and I can’t shake the feeling that he knows something I don’t. There’s a predatory glint in his eye, a hunger that I’ve seen before from the other Blackwoods.

“Rams,” I say slowly, trying to choose my words carefully. “Whatever you think you feel for Reese, you need to be careful. She’s not like me. She’s sweet and a bit na?ve, and I don’t want her getting hurt.”

“Reagan,” he replies, his voice a low growl. “I would burn the fucking world down before I let anyone get close enough to hurt her. That fucker who took her is the last man who will ever get close enough to breathe near her.”

“You don’t even know—” I start, but cut myself off because he apparently does. Arguing with a Blackwood never ends well, and I’m afraid he’s going to start rattling off her social security number or worse, her bra size.

A wicked grin spreads across Ramsey’s face, and my heart clenches with unease. “What would you like to know about her?” he asks.

“God, you’re just like your cousin,” I huff, crossing my arms over my chest defensively.

“Which cousin?” Penn asks, striding out on the patio with a smirk on his lips that tells me he’s been eavesdropping far longer than I realized.

“All of them,” I shoot back, glaring at both Penn and Ramsey. “You’re just all alike, and that’s not a good thing.”

My words only seem to amuse them, and they share a laugh, the sound grating on my nerves because I know I’ll never win against them. That’s how they are. They bicker amongst themselves, set each other up for a laugh, but they stick together no matter what.

Penn wraps his arm around me, pulling me in for a hug and rubbing my back as if he missed touching me. Despite my irritation, I can’t help but lean into his warmth, trying to ignore the way my body responds to his touch. Before I think better of it, my hand moves to his stomach and slides up to rest on his chest. The feeling of his heart beating against my palm is comforting in a way that I probably couldn’t express to him even if I tried.

Reese suddenly appears in the doorway, holding up a friendship bracelet proudly. “Finished the one you wanted,” she announces, her eyes sparkling with excitement and I’m almost afraid to ask what Penn could have asked my sister to make because his chest is already bouncing with silent laughter. Before I can ask, Reese says, “Oakley said you’re a liar, but I definitely think you’re taller than Jere.” She shrugs and hands Penn the bracelet, which has beads spelling out ‘The Biggest Blackwood.’

I watch as Penn’s eyes light up with amusement, and I shake my head, trying to suppress the groan of annoyance I want to let out. There’s something oddly endearing about their banter, even though it makes me worry that I’m going to wake up one morning and their warped senses of humor will have rubbed off on Reese. But for now, I swallow my concerns because she’s been so relaxed since she’s been here with me. It’s been nice seeing her without worry or anxiety, just enjoying herself and trusting everyone around her.

I can’t help but roll my eyes at his smug grin. It’s clear that he picked the phrase ‘The Biggest Blackwood’ for a dig at this family, but my sister is completely oblivious to the meaning behind the words, her innocent expression only fueling my irritation with Penn.

“Are you happy with yourself?” I snap, smacking him on the chest as he laughs and slips the bracelet onto his wrist. “You’re such an ass. ”

“What do you think, wife? Am I a liar?” Penn asks loudly, his eyes dancing with amusement. I narrow my gaze at him, refusing to give in to his childish antics.

“I don’t know about the biggest, but you’re definitely the most obnoxious of them,” I retort, crossing my arms over my chest.

Ramsey shakes his head, chuckling as he interjects, “You’ve never seen Lincoln with a stomachache if you think Penn wins most obnoxious.” His comment earns a laugh from both Reese and me, and it’s only for a split second, but I swear Ramsey’s expression softens when he hears her giggling.

“Where’s my bracelet?” Ramsey asks Reese, a playful pout forming on his lips. Reese grins back at him, mischief sparkling in her eyes.

“Come make one with me. What should it say? Hockey Hunk?” she replies, extending her hand toward him and she’s trying so hard not to grin. Without a word, Ramsey stands up, scoops Reese up like she’s a rag doll, and tosses her over his shoulder. He casually walks back into the house with her, leaving Penn and me alone on the patio.

I shake my head, torn between annoyance and amusement at their antics. A small part of me can’t help but feel grateful for the levity they bring to our lives.

“Promise me you won’t corrupt her,” I say to Penn, my tone a mixture of teasing and seriousness. He smirks, raising his right hand as if taking an oath.

“Scout’s honor,” he replies, the glint in his eyes betraying his outward sincerity. I scoff, but a small smile tugs at the corners of my mouth despite myself.

“Good,” I murmur, reaching up to wrap my arms around his neck. “Because if you do, I’ll make sure you regret it.”

“Is that a threat or a promise?” Penn whispers, his breath hot against my ear, sending shivers down my spine. Before I can respond, he captures my lips in a kiss.

When we pull apart, Penn murmurs, “I missed you,” his lips brushing my earlobe as he pulls me close. His hands roam over my back, tracing the curve of my spine down to where it meets my hips.

“You can’t distract me, Penn Blackwood. Stop asking my sister to make you big dick bracelets,” I retort, trying to keep my tone light despite the heat rising in my cheeks from the way he kissed me.

“You think I have a big dick?” he counters, his eyes locked on mine, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

“Shut up,” I huff, aiming for indignation but failing miserably as a laugh bubbles up from deep within me. “You’re such an idiot.”

“Ah, but I’m your idiot,” Penn teases, his fingers dancing along the sensitive skin exposed by the neckline of my shirt. A shiver races down my spine at his touch, my nipples tightening into hard peaks beneath the fabric. “Now kiss your husband like a good girl.”