“Am I?”
“Gross.” Drew stands, clamping a hard hand down on Kai’s shoulder. “And just when I was starting to like you again, man.” He shakes his head.
“My cock makes your sister happy,” Kai unhelpfully supplies. “You should do a happy dance, dude.”
“If you mention your cock and my sister in the same sentence again, I will pound your ass into dust.”
Kai laughs, lifting me off him and placing my feet on the ground. He stands, circling his arm around my shoulder. “I’d love to see you try.”
“Kai’s a legend in the ring,” I admit. “And he has quite the rep on the underground scene, or so I’ve been told.”
“Who said that?” Kai asks as we walk toward the elevator.
“Xavier told me the night we went to the Grid.” A pang of sorrow jumps up and bites me in the ass at thoughts of my bestie. Former bestie? I don’t know.
Drew slams to a halt. “He took you to the Grid?” His jaw snaps, and his eyes scream murderous intent.
“He didn’t tell you?”
“It seems, with you, Xavier kept most of it to himself.”
That helps.
But I need to have a conversation with Xavier to find out for myself.
I’ve been avoiding him, sending all his calls to voicemail, because I’m trying to build myself up to it.
I’m terrified his confession could be the last straw.
The last string to snap.
The final break which destroys me completely.
“How do you know Sylvia will even speak to you?” Sawyer asks Sunday night, when we’re convened in the warehouse for a catch up.
“I’ll blackmail her into it if I have to,” I calmly reply.
“How?” Kai asks.
“She was screwing her personal trainer last year behind Christian’s back. I’ll threaten to tell her husband if she doesn’t cooperate.”
Jackson chuckles, shoving his feet up on the table. “I’ve missed your devious nature.”
“Only because you weren’t on the receiving end of it,” Kai says, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Do you mind?” Xavier eyes Jackson’s feet like they are poisonous. “I eat off this table.”
“Do I look like I care?” Jackson makes a drama of crossing his feet at the ankles.
“No problem, man,” Xavier says, backpedaling as a slow grin spreads across his mouth. “I’ve also fucked on this table. Many times. Right about where your feet are.”
Jackson slides his legs down so fast he loses his balance and the chair wobbles precariously, throwing him back. Sawyer grabs the chair before it crashes to the ground, rolling his eyes. “Children. Grow up. Or leave the room and let the adults talk.”
Xavier flips him the bird. “You’re just cranky because now you’re picturing me naked being topped by some hot stud with a monster cock.”
“Jesus fucking Christ.” Kai buries his head in his hands.
“TMI, dude,” I say, attempting to smother a snort of laughter. It’s almost impossible to hold on to my anger when Xavier is genuinely one of my favorite people in the universe.
“I have no words,” Sawyer mutters.
“That’s because I’m right,” Xavier teases, rubbing his crotch and jerking his hips forward. “But you won’t confirm it.”
“All right. Comedy hour is over,” Drew cuts in. “We’ve got assholes to take down and plans to make.”
Everyone sobers up, but I’m glad for the light-hearted banter because it helps remind me who these guys are. “I need to bring something up,” I say, clearing my throat and preparing to eat crow. Because Drew will go postal times a thousand when I admit this. “Because we agreed no secrets.” I wet my lips and look my brother in the eye. “Don’t get mad, but IfollowedyouintothesexdungeonlastweekandIsaweverythingIshouldn’t.” I rush the words out fast before I chicken out of my confession.
“You what?!” Drew roars, slamming his palms down on the table.
“Back the fuck up there,” Xavier says. “You snuck into the sex dungeon?”
“How many other sex dungeons do you know?” I raise my hand as he opens his mouth to speak. “Nope. Don’t answer that. And, yes, I’m talking about the bastard sperm donor’s depraved sex club in the basement of my house.”
Xavier grins this massive grin, delighted I’m speaking to him again. But it’s surface level. Because we still have shit to discuss.
“Why the hell would you go in there?” Kai asks, and the face he wears is almost identical to my brothers.
“Because I wanted to know why my twin was dressed up as if he was going out at midnight on a school night.”
“Did nothing we discussed the last time we were here sink into that obstinate skull of yours?” Drew shouts, and I’ve never seen him so enraged. “Fucking hell, A!” He grabs fistfuls of his dark hair and starts pacing. “If they’d caught you in there…” He shivers uncontrollably.
“Well.” I wipe my clammy hands down my jeans, trying to prepare for the second detonation. “I was just leaving whencharliecaughtme.”
Drew storms around the room like a madman, racing to the wall and pounding his fists against it in a scary display of aggression. Xavier doesn’t call him out on the damage he’s doing because even he’s a teeny bit afraid of Drew right now.
Jackson and I trade similar tormented expressions.
Kai gets up, walking to Drew, and they converse in low tones.
“What are they whispering about?” I ask Jackson, leaning into his ear.
“Fucked if I know,” he says in a low voice.
“While they’re distracted,” I whisper again, pressing my mouth more fully to his ear. “You got any weed?”
“Is that a serious question?”
“Well, yeah, because I don’t see you smoking it much anymore.”
“I’m trying to cut back, but that doesn’t mean I’m not packing.” He slides a joint out of his back pocket, slyly passing it to me. “If you’re caught with that, I’ll deny all knowledge.”
“It will be long gone before I’m caught.” I just need something to take the edge off on nights when I’m bored and lonely in my bedroom.
“What are you two talking about?” Kai asks, dropping into his seat beside me.
I kiss him to distract him while I slip the joint into the pocket of my hoodie. “We were just wondering the same thing about you two?”
Drew is back in his seat, and while he appears under control, he still looks like he wants to throttle sense into me.
“We were comparing notes on how stubborn you are.” Kai levels me with a stern look.
“We were comparing notes on how overprotective you are,” I toss back with a fake sugary smile.
“We might as well call this meeting to a close,” Sawyer says, crossing his arms and sighing impatiently.
“I’m finding it entertaining myself.” Xavier scratches the side of his blood-red hair as he winks at Sawyer.
“You would.”
“Enough,” Drew snaps, pinning me with a frosty look. “Tell me and leave nothing out.”