Page 72 of Three

“Like I do that on purpose,” he growls and flips me off.

I have no choice but to flip him off back. And again, I feel strangely at home. The wicked trio reminds me of the dynamics between me and my bros. They would fit perfectly with my family. And Hunter, at my side. Mine. The idea makes me all weirdly tingly.

“My turn!” Ren takes the controller out of Ash’s hands. They’ve been trying to defeat me for thirty minutes now. But the Master is not only amazing at creating games.

“What are your intentions?” Dare suddenly asks me from his seat on the armchair, Fred dangling on his big bicep. Ren freezes.

“Intentions?” I slowly pronounce. Did I just enter a Jane Austen novel?

“He means with Hunter,” Ash explains, pausing the game. The wicked trio has turned all their attention on me. It’s unsettling.

“Um. Well, my intentions are very honest and very dirty.”

“Fucking gross!” Ash mutters.

“Hunter went through enough. Don’t fuck with him.” There’s a clear warning in Ren’s words.

“You got his back and will…try to make me pay if I hurt him. I understand.” I look at each face to get the point across. I hope Hunter knows how much these boys appreciate him. “It won’t happen. I promise.”

Dare sighs while the blonds nod.

“Good.” I turn to the screen. “So, who’s butt do I kick next?”

“Rami?” Hearing my name on Ash’s lips makes me snap my head toward him. The black eyeshadow on his eyes turns his gaze even more grave. “Keep your fucking promise. We turn unfriendly when people break them.”More than when I met them?Pfff.

It’s my time to nod and then to clear my throat. My eyes fall on George. “Do you need volunteers at the pet shelter?” I’d like to see it—I only have pics of it…from my research—and to spend more time with the trio. Since they are in Hunter’s life, it’s only logical to get to know them better.

“Always,” Dare confirms.

“Count me in, and I’m sure I can make some of my bros do it as well.”

My phone starts ringing.Right on time.I push the speaker button.

“Gremlin, need you to volunteer at a pet shelter,” I tell Lori.

His high-pitched voice comes through loud and clear. “Playing with animals and helping with adoption, fuck yes. Cleaning shit and puke, a bloody fuck no.”

All the wicked trio’s attention turns to my call.Better than having it on me, I guess.

But that’s what Lori always does, draws people to him while being loudly, shamelessly, and unapologetically himself. His eclectic wardrobe does that as well. It ranges from loose sweaters andcolored skinny jeans to shorts and skirts paired with knee-high boots. He has a sassy comeback for anyone who tries to bring him down and keeps walking with his head high and cute butt swinging.

It’s admirable and so damn annoying at the same time.

“Random question. I not-accidentally slipped an elephant-dose of laxative into an arsehole’s glass. Now I think he fainted inside the bathroom,” he conversationally says. I hear the sound of tapping on a keyboard. Is he at work? I thought they gave him a few days off.

“Are you talking about my brother?” Did he kill Gabe? No, you can’t kill a robot.

“Which one of the bloody Brady Bunch?”

“Bloody?” Ash mouths.

“Gabe, Gremlin.”

“Couldn’t unplug that twat ass even with a Godzilla-dose. No. It’s another arsehole from the office,” Lori explains.

“Are you sure he fainted?”

“I heard a thump and then silence for about…an hour now. Not going to check, mate. The bathroom must smell worse than a pigsty.” That weirdly makes sense to me.