Page 317 of Blackwood

“It’s not really my call,” I admit. “And I just want to make sure we stand out. This round matters. It can make or break us for Worlds in Paris, and I’m not sure doing what everyone else is doing is the right move.”

Roman tilts his head. “You’re strong. If you feel something’s off, why don’t you change it?”

I laugh and shake my head. “Because you’ve clearly never met Javi.”

He starts to say something else, but is interrupted by Ellie’s loudmouth.

“Wait!” Ellie says, pointing across the table. “Do you all remember the Range Rover?”

I nearly choke on my pasta. “Oh no. Here we go.”

“The Range Rover?” Daniel asks, arching a brow.

“The girls stole my son’s car.” Clay replies sipping his drink.

Cal’s already grinning. “You didn’t even steal the right fucking car, Bells.”

Cade sets his fork down slowly and looks at me. “That was my car.”

“We were sixteen,” I say, smile creeping up like it’s got a vendetta. “Barely even a crime.”

“You stole my birthday present.”

“We thought it was Cal’s,” Ellie says with a dramatic shrug.

“He drove the white one,” Cade grits out. “You jacked mine and took it to a bonfire in the Hamptons.”

I grin, utterly unbothered. “It was a really good bonfire.”

“You came back at two a.m. with sand in the floorboards, a dented mirror, and someone else’s hoodie in my backseat.”

Cal snorts. “You mean Micah’s hoodie? She wore that thing for like two months.”

Roman leans forward, sipping his scotch, eyes flicking to me. “You stole a Range Rover?”

“It was more like a creative borrowing situation,” I say sweetly.

Daniel raises a glass toward Cade. “I’m just impressed she brought it back.”

“They abandoned it in the driveway with the engine still running!” Cade says, scandalized.

Savannah covers her mouth, laughing. “Give them a break, they were only sixteen.”

“And completely feral,” Cade mutters.

Roman tilts his glass toward me. “Remind me to never give you keys to anything that has significant value.”

“No promises,” I shoot back, raising my brows.

Lex stills. Not obvious or loud, just a sharp little shift in his jaw and a flick of his eyes toward me like the idea of me in another guy’s hoodie might kill him on the spot. I don’t say anything, but I see it. The tension. The tick in his temple.

Clay leans in. “You posted a photo of you two standing on the hood. Tagged Hamptons Vibes.”

I just shrug. “Got good engagement.”

Cade nudges me gently, eyes warm. “Sweetheart, remember when Ellie had a crush on your brother?”

Ellie groans. “Cade!”