Page 20

The salt and pepper twins were here. That was fast.

They were both tense, and their green and blue eyes immediately found me and stayed locked on me. They came right to me, ignoring everyone else in the store. Both Trenton and Simon moved away from me, fading into the background like good little bodyguards.

Abel leaned into me and cupped my cheek gently in his big hand. His green eyes shone brightly with his concern as they roamed over my face, searching for something. “Pretty girl, tell me you’re okay. I need to hear your voice.”

I smiled sweetly up at him. My pepper twin could be absolutely adorable when he was being serious and staying out of trouble.

“I’m okay,” I told him honestly. “I promise. I don’t know what Trenton said to you on the phone, but there’s a shifter named Clover here to see you and your brother. She’s brought her family with her.”

I turned away from him and gestured toward Clover on the other side of the counter. Her hands still covered her flat stomach lovingly. She had a small, curious smile on her face as her eyes darted back and forth between Abel and Addison.

Addison rounded the counter and came right up to me like his brother had. He placed his big hand on my hip and pulled me into him. Abel grunted in amusement as Addison’s lips came down on mine, and he kissed me like he needed me to breathe life into him.

When he pulled away to smirk down at me, my cheeks were heated with a blush, and my lips were parted and likely slightly swollen.

I turned on Abel and pointed my finger accusingly at him. “Why didn’t you kiss me like that, huh? I think my salt twin is winning today, mister. And, in case you didn’t know it, that means you’re losing.”

Both twins laughed outrageously, like neither of them took anything that came out of my mouth seriously.

Abel crossed his thick arms over his wide chest. “What exactly is it that my twin is winning, Ariel? Tell me, I want to know.”

Shit.

Now why had I started this game in the first place? I’d likely be the one losing. Neither of them played fair.

“Well…” I paused as if I had to think about it and tapped the tip of my finger against my bottom lip. “Me, I think. Yes, that’s right.”

Abel’s eyes flared, and I knew he understood exactly what I was talking about. But he was nuts if he even thought for one second that I’d ever take his brother without him. They were a package deal, and I’d never try to separate them. Not ever. It was fun to tease them though, they both deserved to be played with from time to time.

And that was exactly what I had in mind, playing with them.

I winked at him. “Date night tonight in my apartment. With me and Addison. I’m in charge, and if you’re a good boy, you can join us. Only if you’re a good boy though.”

He could never be good, neither of them could be. It’d be fun to watch him try.

Addison laughed, and his brother flipped him his middle finger and waved it around.

Someone cleared their throat, and my head snapped in their direction. Four adult shifters and one child stared at us with varying emotions on their faces—surprise, amusement, relief, curiosity.

Son of a bitch.

I had completely forgotten about everyone else but the twins, and now I was more embarrassed than anything else.

5

“You’re just okay with leaving them there with those people?” Simon asked me incredulously from his place in the front seat of the SUV.

Someone wasn’t very happy with me, that was for sure.

I dropped my phone onto the seat beside me, not bothering to answer him. I could have told him I had just finished texting not only Quinton, but Rain as well, and now they were both on their way to the shop, but for some reason I really didn’t feel like sharing.

I hated having so many people to answer to all the time. It got annoying and on my nerves, and if I thought for one second that the twins were in any sort of danger, then no way in hell would I have ever left them alone withthose people.

I only texted for backup because these were unsafe times we were living in, and it never hurt to be too cautious.

“Will you take me to the super store really quick?” I asked Trenton who was driving.

Simon turned around in his seat to give me the stink eye while Trenton mumbled a stilted, “Of course.”