Page 23 of Beta Team-The Saviors: Part One

“You know good and damn well that Ari is the one who did that,” Gavin says. “Now shut up.”

“Fuck off. I need to hear the words.” His head pops up, and he looks around the bar. “Where’s Keon?”

“You just noticed he’s not sitting here?” Gavin asks. “He left like ten minutes ago.”

“Where did he go?”

“It’s not my day to keep up with him.”

Tyler huffs and crosses his arm over his chest. “You’re an ass, and frankly, starting to hurt my feelings.”

“Oh, poor baby,” Gavin mocks. “You want a shoulder to cry on?”

I bust out laughing, and Tyler turns narrowed eyes to me. “I will find out, and when I do, I will make your life hell for not telling me.”

“No, you won’t,” Ari announces. To my surprise, he walks behind the bar straight to me. I can see the intentions all over his face, and he gives me a second to stop it. When I don’t, he hooks his hand on the back of my neck and jerks my lips to his. His kiss is not meant for public consumption, but I don’t fucking care. I hear several catcalls and drown them out because Ari just publicly claimed me.

“Holy shit!” Tyler exclaims when we pull apart. “Ari, you animal. Did you see what you did to his neck?”

“Yes. Because I was there,” Ari says slowly. “And I love the way they look.”

“You’re a dirty, dirty man,” Tyler says. “Tell me more.”

“You’re worse than a woman,” Gavin replies and then looks at us. “Congratulations. I’m happy for you guys.”

“We aren’t together,” I explain.

“I just kissed you in front of everyone, so that makes you mine,” Ari replies, his voice practically a growl.

“I don’t get a say so?” I ask, but my heart is doing flips in my chest from happiness.

“No.” He pecks my lips and starts backing away. “You have customers.”

Ari goes to the other side and sits beside Tyler. How the hell am I supposed to concentrate after all this? I start filling orders, picking up little parts of their conversation. It’s mostly Tyler asking questions and Ari telling him to shut up. I get several congratulations from my regular customers, and it’s still surreal. Does this mean Ari and I are together? Or was this for show? I’m so confused by the time I make it back to Ari, and he sees it written all over my face.

“Yes. I was serious,” he says before I can ask.

“How do you read my mind?”

“With ease, Sweet cheeks.”

Before I can answer, Keon comes running back into the bar. “We have to go. Now.”

All the guys go on high alert, and Ari jumps from his stool. “What’s going on?”

Keon’s eyes shift to me and then back to Ari. “Not here. We need to move.”

Ari gives me a quick kiss. “I’ll call you later.”

“What’s going on?” I ask, worried.

Ari exchanges a look with the other guys. “Not now.”

He kisses me one last time, and they all run from the bar, confusing me even more.

What am I getting myself mixed up in?

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