Page 31

After Cal stores most of the meat in the permanent root cellar, we make some tea. Rex and Devon have stripped out of their winter gear and are sitting at the kitchen table.

Cal places a mug of tea next to Rex. “So, you’re one of the two friends from a few years ago?”

Rex nods. “You’ve grown up.”

Cal smiles.

“Back off.”

Devon’s lip curls, shifting so he now sits in Rex’s lap, glaring at Cal, and finally it makes sense.

I chuckle. “Really?”

Rex groans. “Don’t start.”

Cal looks between us. “Am I missing something?”

“Seems Devon is Rex’s companion of sorts.”

Rex wraps his arm around Devon’s waist when the young man tries to spring up, then my friend looks at me. “Not my companion. My boyfriend.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me. You? In a serious relationship?”

This seems to piss everyone off. And I mean everyone, including Cal, who looks like he wants to punch me in the face.

I raise both hands. “Got it. Serious relationship. With Satan’s spawn.”

My friend chuckles. “Yeah, that he is.”

Cal slips into the chair beside me, placing a cup of tea on the table. He fidgets in his seat as if uncomfortable, and I don’t care for it one bit.

Rex raises a brow. “Looks like you’re one to talk.”

“Meaning?”

He juts his chin at Cal. “Boyfriend?”

Cal tenses, and now I seem to match Devon’s energy, only Rex is my target. “He’s mine. End of story.”

Because I’m not exactly sure what we are. Just that he belongs to me.

Rex sips his tea, then coughs and clears his throat. “Colt owes me a blowjob.”

Devon whips around, looking like he’s about to flat out murder Rex, who just laughs. My gaze narrows on my friend, waiting for him to explain.

“We made a bet about whether you’d catch feelings for Cal.”

I bark out a laugh. “And if I remember correctly, I get to fuck your virgin ass based on our bet that you’d never fall in love.”

Everything happens so fast. One moment, I’m laughing, teasing my friend. The next, a knife slices through the skin fold of my middle and ring finger, blood leaking onto the table. Cal launches himself across the table at Devon and both boys tumble to the ground.

Rex and I jump out of our chairs as our boys punch each other, and when Devon pins Cal, I kick the fucker in the chest, then grab him by the shirt and toss him against the wall, his head hitting with a loud thunk.

But when I go to help Cal up, I’m tackled to the floor by Rex, who grabs my throat with one hand, squeezing hard while he punches my face with the other.

Damn. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a good brawl.

I buck him off and grab his thumb, pulling it back, then put him in a wrist lock, kneeing his ribs.

“Stop!”

Cal tries to push me off, but I shove him away.

Another grunt cuts through the air, chairs clattering as Cal and Devon go flying again.

Fuck.

“Get your boy, now!”

Rex shouts at me.

I climb off and grab Cal, who lands a punch to Devon’s bad eye, as Rex grabs Devon, then we separate to opposite sides of the now messy kitchen.

“Are you fuckin’ serious!”

Rex’s face is red, and I’m not sure if he’s about to let his grip on Devon go—both of them look like they’re about to attack again. “Devon’s hurt, you stupid fuck. He’s got a severe concussion, and you slammed his head against the wall!”

“He stabbed Mac!”

Cal lunges forward, but I tighten my grip around his waist.

“Easy, Little Fawn.”

Cal’s body trembles, most likely from adrenaline, but he eases back into my chest. I pin my friend with a stare. “Get your boy under control. Won’t have that shit going on here.”

“You’re not fucking him. He’s mine!”

Devon’s voice is full of venom.

My head tilts, eyes narrowing. “What makes you think—”

“Because I know you used to fuck.”

The look on Devon’s face changes, no longer full of just anger but also . . . insecurity.

Cal tenses in my arms. Fuck. Not the piece of information that needed to come out, not when we’re working through whatever it is we’re trying to figure out.

Rex grabs Devon’s nape and pushes him forward. “We’ll be upstairs in my old room. I’ll calm his ass down.”

I nod.

When they leave, Cal pulls away and starts to clean up. I reach out to help him, touching his hand, but he jerks it aside.

“What?”

He doesn’t respond.

“Cal.”

I grab his shoulder and force him to look at me. “What?”

“Maybe you can fuck your friend since you don’t seem to want me anymore.”

He steps into my space, his face inches from mine, his voice laced with anger. “Guess I’ve been fooling myself that you were just a chicken shit rather than facing the truth.”

My pulse thunders in my throat, my hands so clenched, I’m not sure they’ll ever come undone. “And what fucking truth is that?”

“That you’re bored of me.”

His face is red, muscles ticking, nostrils flaring. “Guess I don’t have to run away this time. My replacement’s here, so it’s only a matter of time before you kick my ass out.”

Nothing is further from the truth. But enough is enough, he pushed too far, and now the beast is going to bite back.

I bend to lift him, throwing him over my shoulder as I practically run to our bedroom. “You wanna go, Little Fawn. Fine. Let’s go.”