Page 115 of Massacre Monday

“Hunter will go in the ground.”

“But why haven’t we done that yet?”

Aiden relaxes his shoulders and licks his bottom lip. “Because Father hasn’t given the order yet.”

“And why do you think that is?”

His jaw clenches for a moment. “It may cause other issues.”

“Exactly. Olivia would then get appointed to someone else… Someoneworse. Hunter is a controllable asset. If he’s out of the picture, we may not be able to stop what comes after. If you kill one of the Freidenbergs or a Marauder, the revenge they’ll seek will seep through the ranks. There will be war betweenDeltaandThetafor years. And over what? Some bruises I could get in a rough hockey game?”

A pause of silence passes. My brother lifts his chin and nods slightly. “You going to tell Dad that?”

“I’m sure he’d agree with me, but yes.”

“Fine.”

“Okay?”

“Yes, okay.”

I watch him carefully for any sneaking signs that he’s going back on what he’s saying, but he seems to have agreed.

“Great. Give me a hug.” Aiden’s different from most people, devoid of most feelings that are soft. He’s more about getting a goal accomplished in any way possible. But he’s notuncaring.Not for his family, anyway. And I know that will include Pen when the time comes.

As I lean forward, he gives me a short pat on the back, but deepens it for a moment, then sits back and stares at me. “If they had done worse?—”

“Yeah, I get it. Be glad they didn’t.”

When my brothers leave, I phone my father for a tense conversation about what happened. He’s not pleased to be in the dark about things, but I feel proud that he admitted I was right. No one should mess with the Marauders.

“Not yet.” He ends the call ominously.

I don’t tell Pen that, because I’m hoping by the time they see us together, that our families are united, everyone will calm down about this silly situation.

Pen gets a funny look on her face when she returns from locking the door. One hand rests on her hip as she studies me from the foot of the bed.

“What?”

Instead of answering, her smirk widens as she crawls up the bed seductively, and my cock jumps underneath the sheet, watching her body sway like a tiger toward me.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Playing with you.”

“Fuck, baby. I would love that, but I’m out of commission.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t have fun.”

My breathing rapidly accelerates, making my chest ache with pain and a wanton desire for whatever it is she’s thinking about doing to my body. I wave toward the full erection tenting the fabric at my waist.

“Have at it, pink cheeks. It’s yours to play with.”

The tip of her dusky tongue slips between her plush lips to lick the bottom one, and my dick seeps with urgency, desperately hoping she does the same move to it.

She hooks a finger under the sheet to draw it back, along with my boxer briefs, while holding my gaze. Her plump tits dangle beneath her V-neck T-shirt, and if I stare really hard, I think I see the tops of her puffy nipples.

I help her drag down my shorts by lifting my hips, settling back into a comfortable position against the headboard.