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16
Had he really just done that? Declared that she was his to all of Wishingbone? Okay, not the entire population. But about a lot of the town was here tonight.
Reuben was going to explode.
“Sorry I did that.” He crouched next to her. “Juliet?”
He was sorry? Because he didn’t mean it? Or because Reuben was going to murder him?
“Did you just say you were sorry you claimed her?” Kiesha scowled at him. “Why? Because you didn’t mean it?”
“No,” Brick snapped back. But he didn’t explain himself further. “We should have this conversation in private.”
“I don’t think so,” Kiesha said.
The other women all nodded and he noticed that the sheriff had moved closer with a frown.
Brick sighed and looked around. “I would rather get out of here, Duchess.”
“Duchess?” Cleo asked. “Why Duchess?”
“None of your business.”
Juliet frowned at him. These were her friends.
He grimaced. “Sorry. I don’t have the best social filter.”
“You want us to trust you with Juliet, then maybe you should start talking to us,” Isa pointed out.
“She isn’t going with you until we know she’s going to be okay,” Kiesha added.
“I would never harm her.” Brick gave them all an insulted look. Of course, he wouldn’t.
“Not physically,” Cleo said pointedly.
“Why did you claim her if you didn’t mean it?” Kiesha demanded. “We’re not going to let you play around with her feelings.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t mean it,” he told them. “Just that I was sorry for blurting it out like that. We’re meant to be going slow.”
She smiled at him. Or she thought she did. It was hard to tell when her face felt kind of numb. She pressed her fingers to her lips. They were definitely curled up. Oh good.
“Also, Juliet is capable of making her own decisions.”
They all gave him surprised looks while she sat up straight. She was capable, wasn’t she? And she would just have to tell Reuben that this was her choice. She was an adult. And he could just butt out. Okay, she wouldn’t say it like that.
She whispered to Kiesha, “Tell him I won’t let Reuben kill him.”
“She said that she won’t let Reuben kill you,” Kiesha repeated.
He eyed her. “Nobody is killing me. I’m guessing she doesn’t drink much?”
“No, never,” Kiesha told him. “But it isn’t because she’s drunk that she’s worried about Reuben killing you.”
“Yeah, you should be worried too,” Cleo told him dryly.
No, he shouldn’t. Because she would protect him.
Irritation filled his face. “I don’t know why you all have this strange fear of him. He’s just a man.”
