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“Why do you seem gobsmacked?”

Clearing my throat, I turn away, lowering my gaze before murmuring, “I didn’t think… I mean with—” I have to pause.

Warm fingers caress my jaw, gently lifting my chin until I’m peering into sympathetic eyes. Seeing them hurts. I don’t deserve this emotion from him.

“You didn’t think what?”

Mumbling, I reply, “—that you’d want anything to do with me.” Something passes in his gaze, but it’s gone too quickly to register what it is. “I mean, how… why?” I move back from his hold. “You shouldn’t be this welcoming. You should all be angry with me… like I’m angry with myself.”

This time, I catch it—sadness. It pours off of Colter in waves. It smacks me with such force I nearly topple over. But it’s still not what I expected. The Jacobi twins are not forgiving, especially when it comes to Farrah. They protected her with the force of the Jacobi name, and if that wasn’t enough, their reach knows no bounds.

Before he can say anything, Cooper and Stefano step into the kitchen, breaking whatever moment Colter and I were having.

“You’re still here?” Colter all but growls.

Stefano chuckles. “Still the friendly host, I remember. See you next week fucker. I’m out of here until then.” Then, his focus lands on me. “Finu a quannu ci ritroviamu, bedda.”

“Out before I break your arm, ending your lacrosse career, fuckface,” Colter hisses with no semblance of the earlier jesting.

Cooper sighs, massaging the bridge of his nose like this is a classic occurrence between these two. Maybe my initial assessment that Colter is angry is wrong. “Will you two chill out before I put you both in timeout? Fucking children.” Cooper grumbles as he passes by his brother.

“He started it,” Colter whines, and I have to cough to cover up my amusement.

“What are you five?” Cooper snaps. “He started it,” he mimics, and this time I can’t hold back my cackle.

I missed this—the easy banter between two brothers.

“Find me amusing, do you?” Colter inquires, moving next to me, and I don’t react fast enough when he reaches out to tickle my side.

Shrieking, I jump from my seat, but it’s too late. Colter’s arms wrap around me as Cooper attacks my neck.

I’m laughing so hard, I’m afraid I might pee myself. “Still ticklish,” Cooper taunts. “Let’s see if it’s in all the same spots.”

The mischievous glint in his icy-blue gaze is enough warning for me to know I won’t be escaping them. I seek Stefano’s help, but when I look, he’s nowhere to be found.

Fuck. It’s me and the torture twins.

Squirming, I try to twist my body out of the clutches. “Guys, come on,” I squeal, but it’s to no avail. Neither brother lets up.

“Come on, keep going?” Cooper jokes.

“Yup. That’s what I heard as well, brother,” Colter adds. Then, I’m lifted into the air and thrown over someone’s shoulder before being carted upstairs.

I kick, trying to break free, but I’m just greeted with someone’s muscular back. “Be still, or else.” I think it’s Coop who rattles off the warning, but I can’t be too sure hanging upside down.

Never one to follow their instruction so readily, I double my efforts, banging my fists against his tone ass.Shit.When did he develop this yams?

“Ouch,” I shout when one of their palms cracks against my ass.

Momentarily in shock, I hang limply, thinking of other times we’ve goofed off. But I come up empty. We’ve played rough like this before, but neither of them has ever touched me anywhere that could be misconstrued as inappropriate.

I’m dropped on a bed before I can process what it could mean. My body bounces and then settles just as someone captures my foot.

“Now, let’s see how long you can keep this up.” I stare into Colter’s smug eyes as he holds my legs up, wrapping an arm around them, and begins to tickle the soles of my feet.

“Ahhh,” I squeak, catapulting off the mattress.

I’m set to take aim at my attacker when Cooper grabs my arms. “We can’t have that, Evie,” he tsks.