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I scanned the area, noting one of the men who’d stood behind me when the fight with Mason happened.

“Is that guy single? What was his name? Jocko or something?” I motioned toward the man over by the barn.

“Oh no, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Luisca grabbed my arm.

“Why not? I’m sure he’d like a little attention too. Maybehe’sthirsty.”

“You two aren’t even a week from your esposmata.”

Just then, Kaden lit up one of those smiles again, the kind that melted people. Chastity actually blushed under his attention. It was too much. It was one insult too far.

“He’s the one that left the day after the esposmata. If he’s not going to act like we’re mated, then why should I? I’m not going to sit here and be humiliated anymore.”

Luisca sighed but sat back, letting the fight go. “Young love. I’m not sure the lows are worth the highs.”

I walked over to where there were more drinks and filled a tankard, bringing it to Jocko.

I held it out to him with a smile. “You looked thirsty.” I smiled and flipped my hair to the side, hoping I wasn’t too sweaty or dirty to pull this off. Maybe I should’ve given this a few seconds’ more thought. Kaden flirting was embarrassing enough. Getting rejected as I retaliated would be a whole new low.

Jocko grinned, but it wasn’t quite a flirtatious smile.His eyes flitted over my shoulder, in Kaden’s direction. “I see what you’re doing, and I’m not so sure this is a good plan,” he said.

At least he was smiling. As long as he kept smiling, it didn’t look like I was being rejected.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I twirled a lock of hair around my finger.

“Anyone ever tell you that you’re not a very good liar?”

Way more than I’d admit to him. Didn’t matter—he was still smiling as he asked. It would do.

“Are you playing along or not?” I ran a hand down his bare arm, trying to think of what else to do. It wasn’t like I’d flirted much in my life. The only way I’d ever gotten a boyfriend before was by tripping over them.

“I’m not sure I’m going to have to play along at all. It seems you’re doing enough on your own if your goal is what I think.”

“What do you mean?” I sucked at this. There was no way around it. I couldn’t even understand what he was trying to tell me.

I could feel Kaden getting closer, and then he was standing right beside us. He stood close enough to make his claim obvious.

“Jocko, I need to have a conversation with my mate,” Kaden said.

Jocko grinned, a short little laugh escaping, before he nodded in Kaden’s direction.

It was bad enough Kaden made a spectacle with that girl, but now he had to interrupt me? My chest rose and fell as I turned, preparing to nail him with the meanest stare I could come up with.

I spun and then backed up a step, putting some distance between us until the barn was at my back.

Kaden followed me, planting a hand beside my shoulder. “What are you doing?”

I glared some more. He clearly hadn’t picked up on exactly how furious I was. “Me? I was in the middle of a conversation before you interrupted.”

He looked off to the side for a moment, as his chest rose and fell, before he looked back at me.

“I’m throwing up the white flag,” he said.

“For what? We’re not at war.”

“Really?” His brows rose in mocking surprise. “Because that’s what it feels like.”

“Well, we aren’t. You’re doing what’s good for you, and I’m doing the same.” I glanced over to find Chastity. She was lingering by a different guy, but she glanced our way more than once just in that short span of time. “Looks like your girlfriend is waiting for you.”