Page 55 of Beta Team-The Saviors: Part One

“You’re a dirty ass old man,” Keon replies. “No one was talking about your dick.”

“No. But now you’re thinking about it.” Keon shoves Ari in the shoulder, making Ari laugh.

“I’m glad you and your boyfriend made up,” I comment. “You were going to get wrinkles scowling all the time.”

Ari playfully glares at me. “I deal with Tyler’s bullshit enough. I don’t need yours.”

“If I have to listen to you talk about your dick, then you have to deal with my bullshit.”

“I wasn’t talking about my dick. Keon was.”

“I was talking about your ego, dumbass.”

“My ego comes from my ginormous co?—”

“Okay!” I plug my ears and can still hear them laughing. “You two are disgusting.”

“Oh, come on, Mama.” Keon gets up from the couch and walks over to where I’m sitting. He gently pulls my fingers from my ears and braces his hands on the arms of the chair. “Don’t get shy on us now.”

I can’t concentrate with him this close. My eyes latch on to his, and I map out his features quickly. The dark green around his pupil, the scar running through his eyebrow, and the way hisfull lips curl up on the side when he smiles.Pull it together, Kira.“I’m not shy.”

Keon gives me that panty-melting grin again and stands up. “Lie.”

Everything Tyler said earlier flashes through my head, and I can feel my face flame. I truly appreciate everything that he said. It meant the world to me, and for once, I actually believed someone when they said my scars didn’t disgust them. But now it has me thinking of Keon in a way I shouldn’t be.

Ari’s phone ringing breaks the intense way Keon is staring at me, and I don’t know whether I’m disappointed or grateful. “What?” he answers. He sits up on the couch, fully alert. “When? Where?” He listens for a minute, and the more he does, the more pissed off he gets. “Goddamnit, Axel. I could have told you Baxter’s team can’t handle that case. It took me over a year to bring them down, and that’s just when we thought it was drugs.” Ari jumps up from the couch and storms outside.

I’ve been in this life long enough to know when not to ask questions, and this is one of them. It’s none of my business, but Keon looks worried. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure yet, but it’s not good.”

“You know I would never say anything, right?”

Keon looks at me, surprised. “Of course you wouldn’t. It’s not that. I have an idea what it’s about but not the full story.”

Keon goes back to sit on the couch, and I try to get my heart rate under control. They’re here for a protection detail, not to be my friends or for me to drool over. But I already have a friendship with Gavin and Tyler, and Keon in anI want to jump his bonestype of way. That thought makes me choke out a laugh, and Keon looks at me with a raised brow. I ignore him and go back to my English homework. Ari comes back fifteen minutes later, looking a little more than agitated.

“What’s going on, boss?” Keon asks.

“The Dimarcus case?” Keon nods. “Axel put Baxter’s team on it. That’s what happened the other night. Fucking Michaela got mixed back up in it and called Axel.”

“Why didn’t he call you?” Ari’s eyes shift to me quickly and back to Keon. “Right. What was the phone call about?”

Ari surprises me by turning to look at me. “Whatever is said, stays here. Understood?”

I snort. “You know who my brother is. I know how to keep my mouth shut.”

Ari nods and sits beside Keon. “She got a tip and went to check it out. She got pinned down, and Axel had to go bail her out. She’s now in hiding with Baxter’s team.”

“What about her husband?” Keon asks.

“Apparently, she spilled the whole story after I left that night. He’s with them. Axel just wanted me to know what was going on.” Ari rakes his hand through his hair and sits back on the couch. “It goes much deeper than we ever thought.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Nothing. I won’t risk Kira just because Axel made the wrong call.”

“I have a question,” I throw in. “Isn’t Axel your boss? Why do you think he made the wrong call?”