Page 22

Silas

The beginning of the week had started so well.

The sex had been fucking mind blowing. Or why else would he have offered his throat like that?

Why? It wasn’t like he wanted to be mated like Taylin!

The only reasonable explanation he’d concluded was his wolf spirit had been to blame, taking over in a moment of weakness.

Yeah, it was all me, it scoffed at him like it’d done repeatedly through the week.

You’re obsessed with the snake.

As are you!

He couldn’t deny it. And his obsession had only increased since Monday, but Ziggy had switched things up.

He’d demanded answers and after the mind blowing orgasm Silas hadn’t wanted to spoil the mood by talking about the situation with Frey.

Who could blame him for wanting to linger in the moment and not spoil it?

Ziggy, it seemed. He was keeping his distance, and yes, he no longer worked directly with Silas, but that didn’t mean they’d not see each other through the day, or in the evening when everyone went home.

Wrong.

The trip to Ziggy’s office after he’d caught some of what was on Wilder’s iPad had found Frey there and back were the damn insecurities around his trust issues. What did Frey have that Silas did not?

Had Silas seen Ziggy since then? No. Ziggy had miraculously evaded him, which only made matters worse with the clusterfuck going on inside his head.

His whole fucking life felt like it was in turmoil.

First his parents deciding to retire, him being the figurehead, then the shit happening with Booker and him, add in whatever was going on with Frey and Ziggy, Silas’s life was a shit storm. Was he going to catch a fucking break?

You’re acting like a sullen teenager, no wonder Ziggy isn’t interested in you. There is also the fact you said you were gonna talk about Frey, then became too scaredy cat and never answered his questions. Instead, you flicked him off, like he wasn’t important. That his feelings didn’t matter to us.

I’m not doing this again with you!

Silas slumped in his seat at the kitchen counter, doing his best to act like nothing was wrong for family night that he, along with the others, had been hijacked into the second they had stepped through the front door.

Popi had been waiting for him and his brothers.

The only one escaping was Taylin because he was at Hollis’s.

He noted Booker wasn’t home yet, but he wouldn’t escape.

All corralled into the kitchen, the pizza oven was on, giving out delicious smells of cheese, tomato, and spices. Silas’s stomach snarled in hunger and for the first time all week, he felt some of his inner tension ease being amongst his family.

He took a sip from the beer Dad had given him before he’d sat at the long counter next to Kari, who was on his phone, his eyes not leaving the screen for a second.

“What’s holding all your attention?” Silas nudged closer when Kari moved the phone out of his line of sight.

“Work stuff,” Kari muttered, then pressed the edge of the phone, making the screen go black, before tucking it into his suit trousers.

“Didn’t look like work stuff,” Silas teased, when he was sure he saw pictures of children's toys.

Kari didn’t answer and picked up his own beer. “I’ve gotta say, I’m glad it’s Friday. It’s been a long fucking week.”

“I feel you,” Silas replied, clinking his beer bottle against Kari’s, though for Silas it wasn’t because of work, but having no opportunity to catch Ziggy. Two whole days off. What would Ziggy be doing with his time?

Booker wore the same resigned expression as everyone else when he walked into the kitchen, only it quickly reverted to grumpiness when his gaze swept the packed kitchen.

Silas grinned for the first time all day as Laken glowered at Booker before he’d taken two steps towards the empty seat next to him.

“About time you dragged your sorry ass home,” Laken snapped, his upper lip curling into a sneer. “Popi’s tortured us with divine smelling pizza for the last half-hour, waiting for you to get your hairy self home.”

Laken, for the most part, had sat quietly, nursing his beer until he’d seen Booker. Whatever had pissed off Laken, it most definitely got thrown at Booker.

Silas eyed his brother. “Who chewed on your ass?” Silas took a sip of beer, his gaze moving between the two men.

“Don’t ask me. I’ve seen no fucker this week, been too busy,” Booker ground out, temper sparking in his eyes.

“Don’t I fucking know it. You held Monty hostage while my work has been piling up,” Rue stated, sounding as pissed as Laken.

Silas actually sucked his inner cheek to keep his laughter in check. All week he’d found nothing to be amused about. Family night looked like it would have its perks after all, especially when Booker eyed the empty seat between Rue and Laken like it would attack him.

“Boys, behave. I want a nice family evening.” Popi’s reprimand came with a stern look before he went to the large pizza oven he’d gotten especially for pizza nights. “I want there to be no talk about work tonight.”

Popi established this rule years ago when they’d all started working for the company and gotten into too many fights at the dinner table.

Dad rolled his eyes at them all and Silas was back to chewing the inside of his cheek, while Dad said, “Listen to your Popi.”

Jupiter rested his elbows on the countertop, a sly look appearing that caused Silas to raise his bottle to take a large mouthful of beer, knowing Jupiter would have some comeback that could require alcohol.

“Then what are we gonna talk about? Sex?”

Beer snorted out of Silas’s nose as he coughed out what he had drunk.

Mother-fucking-asshole! He spluttered and wiped his chin, glaring at an unrepentant Jupiter with little heat, accepting he was the dick for taking a swig in the first place.

Silas acknowledged that after Jupiter’s reaction to the news about what Booker had found in Drinkwater with the omegas, it was good to see him acting like his usual self.

“We can, you know that no subject is taboo.” Popi gave them all a glowing smile, one that made Silas wince. No way in hell was he talking about sex.

“Let’s go with baseball,” Laken said quickly, a stain of color appearing over the bridge of his nose.

“Like that’s much better,” Kodi exclaimed, reaching out to nab a slice of pizza before anyone else as Popi placed a large silver tray in the middle of the counter.

“Only ‘cause you support the banana’s baseball team,” Kari answered, chuckling and blatantly ignoring the dirty glare he got from his twin as he also grabbed a slice.

Booker wedged in between Rue and Laken, laughing. “Bananas,” he winked at Kari, “how can they play with no arms and legs?”

Kodi gave them all an unamused look, chewing and swallowing what he had in his mouth. “Sometimes I feel like I’m the only grown-up amongst the lot of us.”

Silas’s head tipped back as he shook with laughter. Kodi had little, if no, control over his impulsive need to release all his emotions on everyone.

Kodi’s eyes narrowed on Silas, the half-eaten slice halfway to his mouth. “What the hell are you laughin’ at?”

Silas jabbed a finger at Kodi to distract, then snatched the slice from his hand. “You. Mr. Kodi, I have no impulse control, what-so-ever, Starling.” Silas waited for him to retaliate.

“Ha fucking ha ha!” Kodi snarled, launching himself at Silas to grab his pizza back.

Everyone was laughing now, even Dad, though Popi attempted to hold back as he came behind Kodi to pull him back onto the kitchen stool. “Don’t let Silas rile you up. There is plenty of pizza for you all.”

Popi gave Silas a warning look as he handed him a slice of his own. “Behave, boys.” He gave them all an endearing smile. “Now, how are we getting on with the PAs?”

The silence that followed was deafening for a few seconds before Jupiter sat forward, took a slice, and licked at his lips. “Mine’s very… talented.”

“That’s good, I knew Ziggy would be an asset,” Popi replied, unaware of how close Silas was to launching himself at Jupiter and ripping his damn tongue out to shut him up.

Silas rammed the hot slice between his lips, feeling the cheese burn the roof of his mouth, but it prevented him from saying a word.

“No work talk, Popi,” Booker chastised while grinning at the unrepentant man, who simply shrugged. Booker plucked up a slice. “Did I mention the tenant I got for my house wants to buy it?”

Silas was never more grateful to Booker for his fast switch of topic when Jupiter winked cheekily at Silas.

The fucker was goading him.

When Silas glanced away, he counted to ten, willing away the urge to force Jupiter to explain himself. He caught Dad’s eye and his brows raised. There was a look of concern in his eyes that caused Silas to shift in his seat.

“How’s Ethan coping on the ranch without you?” Dad asked, and Silas breathed more easily. He latched onto the question like a man trying to stay on an unbroken horse trying to buck him off. If Dad noticed, he was kind enough not to mention it.

Several hours later, buzzed from one too many beers, Silas headed to his bedroom, full of pizza and the chocolate dessert Popi had made. He stripped on his way to the bathroom, dropping his clothes as he went. His skin itched with how tight it felt now he was alone with his thoughts.

Under the hot spray of his shower, he groaned as it lashed at his shoulders, heating the tense muscles.

He leaned forward, allowing the water to cascade down his face, neck and chest, before he reached for the lavender scented oil body wash.

He used it only when his brain wouldn’t switch off—something that he was finding more difficult with each passing day, with thoughts circling like piranha attacking his self-control.

Tonight, having failed to let go of Jupiter’s goading comment, he needed an outlet for his unease.

Skin slick with the oil, he stepped out of the shower into the steamy bathroom, reaching for a fluffy towel.

He wrapped it around his hips and water dripped down from his hair, but he didn’t notice as he ran a hand over the mirror to stare at his blurry image.

A more rugged outdoorsy look was what he had going for him.

A simple cowboy at heart. Ziggy seemed to appreciate that, like it even, judging by the comments he’d made about Silas’s work honed body.

He wasn’t beautiful like Jupiter. Would that beauty appeal to Ziggy?

The kink side of things would, for sure.

Jupiter was most certainly into kink, same as Ziggy.

Jupiter did the no strings sex, too. Which also appealed to Ziggy.

The tension radiated off him as he continued to stare at his reflection, weighing up all the possibilities of Ziggy fucking his brother.

Jupiter had stressed he didn’t shag the PAs he worked with, but Silas had firsthand knowledge of just how tempting Ziggy was.

And this was his problem, he finally admitted to himself.

Ziggy was more than just a fuck to Silas, which was why the idea of him touching someone else made Silas’s insides burn with jealousy.

It was galling. Lowering, when he was the one who’d not wanted more than what they had.

Finally, the truth.

Silas ignored his wolf, though it wasn’t wrong, and that realization left him feeling vulnerable. What happened on Monday had brought it all to a head, with how much he wanted to bear Ziggy’s mate mark, despite believing Ziggy had betrayed his trust.

He was in trouble.

“Fuck it all to hell and back!” He reached up, dragging his hands through his wet hair in frustration.

He knew himself too well to know he couldn’t switch off what had started inside Hidden Desires.

Abstaining after their first encounter should have been what he’d done.

Now he was up to his damn neck in all the feels, so what the hell happens next?

You know what happens next.