Page 24 of Victorious: Part 3

“It’s fine, Clo. We’re just gonna have a chat. Man to man.”

She sits taller, her fingers gripping around Phoenix’s arm like he is her lifeline, but his hand comes out gently, pulling some hair away from her face to comfort her. “It’s okay. You should get some rest. We’ll be fine.”

She narrows her eyes on him. “You sure?”

He smiles, leaning in to gently kiss her forehead, which instantly makes me wrack my jaw from side to side at the sight. “Yeah, Clo. I’m just gonna talk to your husband.” The word feels bitter on my tongue as I say it.

Phoenix’s arm tightens around her instinctively, and she hesitates like she doesn’t want to leave us alone. But I shoot her a look that says go, and with a reluctant sigh, she pushes to her feet.

“If you hurt him, you hurtme, okay?” she states as she walks past me.

I lower my voice, annoyance flowing through me. “Get some sleep. You need it.”

She nods again, her eyes softening this time. “Night, Mav.”

I don’t say it back. Instead, I wait until she disappears down the hall and out of earshot before I turn to Phoenix.

He stands, straightening his spine like he knows this is coming. “Look—”

I hold up a hand. “Don’t. Just let me talk.” He nods, but his jaw is clenched. “I’m mad,” I start, voice low but steady. “Fuckingfurious, honestly…” I pause to gather my anger and calm myself down, though I’m not sure it’s working.

“You were supposed to protect her, and she got taken. You married her in Vegas without telling me. You’re bothtoo damn youngto be making forever decisions like that when the ink’s still wet on your adulthood.”

Phoenix doesn’t argue. It’s the only smart decision he’s made in the last couple of weeks.

“But…” I drag a hand down my face, the anger giving way to something heavier. “You brought her back…” I manage to take a centering breath to ease my rage somehow. “And I’ve seen the way you look at her. The way she looks at you. She choseyou.” I hesitate for probably a moment too long before I say the next part, “And… I can’t in good conscience stand in the way of that.” His brows pull together, unsure where this is going, so I step closer, squaring up.

“Thatdoesn’tmean I trust you…yet. It certainly doesn’t mean I’m not fucking furious… but, it does mean I’ll try. Not for you.But for Clover—”

Phoenix tries to talk, but I raise my hand, stopping him, because I amnotdone. “And if youfuckinghurt her…” I pause, feeling my blood pressure reaching boiling point, my hands instinctively clenching at my sides.

Phoenix nods slowly, finally taking my inability to speak as his shot. “I don’t expect you to forgive me overnight. But I do love her, Mav. I’d die for her.”

“Yeah, well… don’t fucking die, Phoenix. She’d never recover from that.”

We stand for a beat, the silence loaded.

Then I jerk my chin toward the bar. “Go grab a drink. You’ll need the liquid courage for the war we’re about to fight. And don’t let her stay up too late.”

His lips twitch. “Yes, sir.”

I roll my eyes and walk off, muttering under my breath, “Smartass.”

But as I head toward Montana and that promised beer, a part of me, a small, reluctant part, starts to ease.

Maybe this won’t be a total disaster.

Unless he gets herpregnant.

Or he does die in this fight.

Oh fuck, now I really need a damn drink!

Chapter Six

ALPHA

The Next Day