Cass quirked a scarred brow at me. "A few."
He didn't elaborate, so I didn't push for answers. I'd never seen him speak to anyone other than me while we were there; he mostly just did his own thing while keeping an eye on me. So I could assume he wasn't currently training anyone else.
Outside our building, a familiar white convertible was parked with my perky, brunette friend leaning against the door.
"MK, babe! We're late. Did you forget?" Bree raised a brow at my appearance, all sweaty and exhausted, then eyed Cass with leering suspicion.
"Cut it out," Cass growled. "I don't fuck children." He stomped off inside, and I rolled my eyes.
"Seriously, Bree? We clearly just came from the gym. Not to mention he's probably got a good fifteen years on us." I glared at her, and she just shrugged.
"No judgments here," she replied with a grin. "He's hot. I'd do him... if I wasn't already taken."
I sighed, parking my hands on my hips. "Dinner and movies in Rainybanks. I had forgotten, sorry." How I'd managed that, I had no idea. Bree had literally reminded me less than three hours ago when she dropped me home from school. "Give me like five minutes to change."
My friend wrinkled her nose. "Maybe take ten. It's supposed to be a double date; you could put in, like, a fraction of effort."
I groaned heading into my building and pushed the call button for the elevators. "It's not a fucking double date, Bree. It can't be when Scott and I aren't dating."
Stepping into the elevator with me, she snorted a laugh. "Okay, sure, how's that denial going for you, MK? Because you're literally the only person who believes you're not dating. He's been all freaking over you this week."
Irritation welled up in me, and all the work I'd just done on the punching bag flew out the window. Scott had been acting like we were a couple all week, but I'd also been letting him. I’d thought he understood it was only in public and only for the sake of Kody and Steele... and Archer. But she was right. Scott wasn't getting the message.
"I'll have a chat with him tonight," I muttered as I unlocked my apartment and let her inside. "Kody said he'd hold off the dogs for now, but I think we both know that will have an expiration date."
"So what?" Bree shrugged. "You warned him. I warned him. Fucking Steele warned him when he slammed his face into a wall on day one. If he wants to stick his neck on the line over some misguided hope that you'll wake up tomorrow and realize he's your soulmate, let him. You need people on your team, MK. No matter what their reasons are."
"Disagree," I called out as I headed through to my bedroom to find some clothes. "I don't want to lead him on, Bree. He's been a good friend to us so far, but I get the feeling he could turn into a nasty enemy."
Bree wandered into my room and flopped down on the bed. "True. Okay fine, tone down the sexy tonight, and I'll make plenty of pointed comments about what great friends you are. There's no reason for him to be all handsy unless one of your guys is around."
I rolled my eyes at her calling them my guys... but I also couldn't stop the flutter of possession in my gut. Yeah, I was mad as hell, but they were still mine to punish.
Agreeing, I grabbed all my fresh clothes and took a lightning-fast shower to rinse off the sweat from my boxing session with Cass. I put minimal effort into my makeup—I would have skipped it completely, but in the back of my mind there was that possibility that one of the guys would see me. They did have a talent for showing up wherever I was.
Once I was dressed, Bree and I headed out of the building, only to run into Zane and another guy on their way in.
"Madison Kate," Archer's brother greeted me with a predatory smile. "You look nice. Hot date with the preppy kid, huh?"
My brows shot up. "You been watching me, Zane?"
His grin spread wider. "Of course. I keep eyes on all my assets."
A chill ran through me. That's exactly how he saw me, and I shouldn't forget it. I was an asset, a valuable one—right now—but nothing more. While I was under the Reaper's protection, I needed to get used to that mentality because I sure as shit wasn't one of them and Zane's sense of duty to his dead lover's daughter only extended so far.
"Well then. Yes," I replied with a tight smile.
Zane shifted his attention to Bree. "And your Wraith boyfriend too?"
Bree's face froze like a deer in headlights. If deer had perfect eyebrows, of course.
"Um," she replied, "yup. That a problem, D'Ath?" Her words were coated in enough attitude that even I gave her a double take. Where had all this spunk suddenly come from?
Zane stared at her for a tense moment, and the guy with him shifted uncomfortably, like he expected the worst. But then the Reapers leader tossed his head back and laughed.
"I like you, Brianna Graves. You ever get bored of that punk, Moore, you'd have fun with the Reapers." Zane shot my bestie a dangerous wink and carried on into the building with his companion. He paused before the door swung shut, though, and called out to me.
"Careful with the preppy kid, Madison Kate. His brother is on the wrong side of the coin."
I sighed as Bree unlocked her car, and we climbed in. Of course, Scott's older brother couldn't just be a nice, boring Shadow Grove officer. Zane’d just implied he was under the pay of someone, and I'd guess it was the Wraiths, based on the distasteful look Zane had given me as he said that.
"Well," Bree commented, turning her engine on and giving me a wide grin. "That was interesting."
My jaw dropped. "No way. Bree. Seriously? He was fucking my mom. Don't tell me you're interested!"
She cackled with laughter. "Oh my god, MK, you're too easy to stir up. Of course I'm not. Me and Dallas have a good thing going right now." She was quiet for a minute while she drove us out of the Reaper's neighbourhood and headed in the direction of Scott's place. "But you have to admit, he's hella fine for an old guy. Some lucky bitch needs to nail him and Cass both. Together." She made a growling sound, like a horny cat, and I couldn't stop the laughter.
I was at least eighty percent sure she was fucking with me.
"Oh my fucking hell, Bree." I groaned when my chuckles subsided. "Just concentrate on driving. Dallas would have a shit fit if he knew you were fantasizing about Zane and Cass."
Bree snickered. "True. But you have to admit... those D'Ath genes are something fucking else."
I sighed because she was right. As much of an infuriating bastard as Archer was, I couldn't deny my raw attraction. That—of everything—had never been an issue between us. We'd always had that magnetic connection, even way back on Riot Night.
Funny enough, that was a week before we’d been married. I’d just never known about it.
I pointedly changed the subject to something that hurt my brain considerably less than a certain D'Ath fuck who held my fate and fortune in his tight grip.
Rocket science.
If only I knew the first thing about it, I had no doubt it'd be a welcome brain vacation from Archer's mind games. Instead, I settled on asking Bree how her first week back at SGU had been. Changing the subject to anything that invited Bree to talk about herself? Always a guaranteed way to give myself a break from talking for a bit.