“What the fuck was that back there?” Bry blurts, glaring at Saint.
“I improvised,” Saint drawls, returning his glare. “And what difference does it make? You’re one of us now.”
“Or are you?” Galen asks, plucking the cell phone from my fingers and ending my fourth unanswered call.
“Don’t start with this bullshit again,” Bry hisses, running a hand back and forth across the top of his cropped hair. “I think I’ve more than proven myself at this point.”
“So, you shouldn’t care if we blow The Arrows supply warehouse to kingdom come then,” Caz says, smoothing my furrowed brow with his thumbs.
“I care because they’ll fucking know they have a mole and they’ll come after me and my family.”
“We’ll protect your family,” Saint says. “Unless that’s not what you’re really worried about.”
Bry pushes himself all up in Saint’s face. “Say what you fucking mean, asshole.”
Saint shoves him back a couple steps. “Get the fuck out of my face.”
Bry reclaims the space, pushing his chest against Saint’s. “We’re supposed to be a team,” he says through gritted teeth. “We should’ve discussed it first.”
“Improvisation means spontaneous, asshole,” Saint retorts, pushing him back again.
“I know what the word means!” Bry hisses, and his fists clench at his side, his biceps rippling as he prepares to let his fists fly.
I slide in between them. “That is enough.” I eyeball them, warning them to back the fuck down. I drill a hole in Bry’s face. “Saint is our leader, and we don’t get to question his decisions or his motivations. We will protect your family, but if there’s more to this, you need to tell us right now.”
“Like you told me your plans to get married?”
“That’s got nothing to do with this, Bry.”
“The hell it doesn’t.” He steps back, rubbing his temples. “You say we’re a team, but we’re not. I’m still on the outskirts. I’m always on the fucking outskirts, and I’m sick of it.” He throws his hands in the air. “Fuck this. I’m out of here.” He stomps off before I can stop him, leaving me wondering what the hell just went down.
“What the fuck is his problem?” Caz asks.
“I don’t know, but I still don’t trust him,” Saint says.
“He’s hiding something,” Galen agrees.
“He more or less admitted that to me one time,” I remind them.
“We should go.” Theo threads his fingers in mine, casting a none too subtle glance at the camera mounted in the corner of the room.
We walk silently out of the room and out of the building, and no one speaks until we’re back in the car. I sit in the back, in between Theo and Caz again, and Theo kneads my tense shoulders. “If Giana’s not picking up, call Diesel. See if he can find out what’s going on,” he suggests.
“I already sent him a text,” I confirm. “Because he didn’t answer my call either.” I stare at Saint through the mirror. “Please tell me she isn’t this stupid.”
Saint shoots me a sympathetic look. “Their relationship has always been fucked up. Maybe Dad said it to piss you off, or maybe it’s true. You need to prepare yourself for that.”
“She’s dead to me if she takes him back. I mean that. I’m done with her if she has such little self-preservation.”
“Let’s just wait until we have the facts,” Theo coaxes, pressing a kiss to my cheek as he continues massaging my shoulders, while Caz holds my hand in his warm, large palm, offering me silent support.
We ditch Ashley’s party, heading straight back to the barn, because we’re no longer in the mood. Instead, we settle in front of the fire, attempting to watch a movie as we drink some beers. But I can’t stop my brain from working overtime, and I need to be doing something to distract me. “I’m going to work out for a while,” I say, putting my beer bottle down.
“Is that wise?” Theo asks. “You’re still healing.”
I wish I could indulge in some vigorous kickboxing, as I really need to hit something, but Theo is right. My ribs are still sore, and it’d only risk further injury.
One of the first things Diesel taught me as a kid is that you’re no use to anyone, least of all yourself, if you’re not in prime physical condition. I’ve been slacking these past couple months. There’s been little downtime to work out in our home gym or to attend my usual weekly kickboxing class, and I’m feeling the effects. As soon as my ribs are healed, I’m getting in better shape. Although I’ve zero desire to return to my kickboxing classes now that my bestie is gone. I met Sariah there, and I can’t go back without her. All it would do is serve to highlight her loss, and I’m struggling as it is.
I’ll have to make do with our home gym and joining the guys on runs. And maybe I can convince Diesel to train with me again.
“I’ll just do some light running,” I reassure Theo, because I can manage that much. Hopefully, it will help to burn off some of this restless frustration.
“I’ll come with,” Galen supplies. “I need to rebuild my stamina and my strength.”
We change into training clothes, making our way outside to the smaller structure that houses the gym and recreational area. We run amicably side by side on treadmills, and I stare into the woods beyond the wide windows as I push my limbs faster, not really seeing the forest, because my brain refuses to switch off. I run until sweat plasters strands of hair to my brow and trickles down my spine and my legs feel like they might go out from under me.
“Here,” Galen says, leaning over the arm of my treadmill, holding out a bottle of water to me. I didn’t even realize he had stopped running. He uses his training top to wipe sweat from his face, tossing it on the floor before guzzling water. I watch his throat work, and it’s hot as fuck. Desire coils in my belly, and I switch off my treadmill, leaning back against it as I quench my thirst, never taking my eyes off my sexy husband.
“You keep looking at me like that and I’ll be balls deep inside you before you can blink.”
I lick my lips, recapping my water bottle and sliding it into the cup holder. “Is that a promise?” I arch a brow, pushing damp strands of hair off my face.
Galen’s dark chuckle reverberates through me, and a delicious shiver ghosts over my skin. “Damn fucking straight.” He grabs me off the machine, throwing me over his shoulder.
I admire his tight ass from this angle as he strides across the space before setting me down and pushing me up against the wall. His lips descend on mine, and he plunges his tongue into my mouth while his hips pin me to the wall. The feel of his big erection pressing against my pussy through my thin yoga pants turns me frenzied, and I claw at his back while I wrap one leg around his waist, thrusting my core against his cock.
He growls into my mouth before ripping my pants and panties away. Shoving his shorts to his ankles, he lifts my other leg until I’m snugly wrapped around his waist, at the perfect angle, and he pushes inside me in one hard move.
We fuck like savages against the wall, clawing, biting, and bruising one another, and I can’t get enough.