Page 169 of Pretty Broken Wings

“Is the steak okay?” I ask.

“Delicious,” Gage says on my right. “Now try some.”

“Nah, I ate while I was cooking,” I shrug.

Silence. Then, Gage’s low voice drones, “Did you just ‘nah’ me?” His voice is unbothered, but the quiet heat behind it has me stiffening.

I glance to my right, narrowing my eyes at him.

“She definitely did.” Axel’s hand drops heavily onto my thigh on my other side.

“Wanna rethink that?” Gage asks, his look hooded. There’s a flash of something before it’s gone. That flash of something makes me want to push back. Gage is usually so submissive. Now he wants to challenge me?

I raise an eyebrow. “It’s the truth.”

“You need to eat dinner.”

His tone brooks no argument, which surprises me further. What has gotten up his ass? “Need?” I ask, turning so I can look straight into Gage’s eyes. He doesn’t blink.

“Is there an echo in here?” Axel squeezes my thigh, and then his lips are at my ear. “I’d suggest you do as he says.”

“And I’d suggest you don’t tell me what to do.” I drop my hand over the one on my thigh and squeeze back hard. “I’m not hungry.”

There’s a moment of stillness that’s loaded with energy. It makes heat curl across my skin as I feel their undivided attention on me. Both of them feel like Axel right now, and with Axel, I usually lose control in a way that makes me feel like I’m in control, but I’m really not.

Then, Axel chuckles, and slowly, Gage stands up. His chair pushes back with a scrape, and adrenaline rushes through me. I poked the bear. The bear that’s normally a dog and rolls over on its belly for me.

I stand up, but as soon as I do, Axel wraps his arms around my torso and yanks me back down onto his lap.

“Hey!” A mixture of arousal and anger flushes under my skin, and I fight his hold. But Axel’s grip is firm, holding me tightly on his lap. He’s firm, but his grip doesn’t hurt.

“What the hell?” I sputter.

Gage sits on the table slightly in front of me, muscled thighs spread. He says nothing; he just grabs my plate and starts heaping food onto it.

“Axel,” I swing my head around to glare at him.

He just raises an eyebrow.

“Please, I–” I don’t know how to feel. Aroused, definitely. But there’s still a hum of frustration. Usually, I’m in control. They’re taking that from me.

Gage turns back to me, plate on his leg, the pieces of meat all chopped up. “Pizza or steak first?”

I let my gaze travel up his thigh to his torso, then meet his gaze. Slowly, I arch an eyebrow. “What do you think you’re doing?”

If I expected him to roll over and show me his belly, he doesn’t. “Feeding my woman.” He motions at the plate. “Steak or pizza?”

“Is there an echo in here?” I ask. “It’s your birthday. I should be doing this for you.”

His gaze flashes briefly. “Right. It’s our birthday. So why don’t you be a good little present and give us what we want?”

I huff out a breath of air, trying to grasp any strand of control I can get. “Your ass is gonna pay for this later. You know that, right?”

Axel chuckles under me, and I feel the vibrations through my back.

Gage leans down, fixing his gaze on me. I meet it with a mixture of anger, confusion, and a bit of fear.

Slowly, Gage reaches his hand out to touch my face.