Page 28 of Watch Your Back (Devil’s Backbone #2)

I didn’t go to Dr. Fox’s house with the intent to kill him.

At least…I don’t think I did? Royce maybe had murder on his mind, but I could see how triggered he was by thinking Carter intentionally hurt Ashes.

Still, Nate was with us and he’s usually the voice of reason so I figured we would just tie Dr. Fox up and force a confession then turn him over to the police.

I just never expected him to confess that much. To freely admit he’d pushed me into suicide and to sound so fucking smug about it. Like he knew we were decent people and would never actually hurt him. Well. I guess I proved him wrong.

Shit. I really shouldn’t be writing this all down. Talk about damning evidence. I’d better rip this page out and destroy it, to be safe.

T he idea of talking out our odd little three-way relationship was actually a lot worse than the reality of it.

Both Heath and Carter had already come to terms with it on their own and had just been waiting for me to come around.

They were both shockingly mature about the whole thing, but I had to wonder if their own brother-love played a part in that adjustment.

The arguments only started when it came down to where I would sleep.

Apparently, they were both okay with the poly-relationship in theory but weren’t willing to sacrifice their own desires to keep the peace.

Eventually, when things started to get really heated, Nate stepped in and put his foot down.

Which was how I found myself waking up Monday morning in Nathaniel Essex’s bed. Thankfully, without the devil himself, but still. Weird. His sheets smelled distinctly of him, but fortunately there were no feminine perfumes to betray Paige’s presence. Small mercies, considering everything.

I still had no clothes of my own, unless I was willing to put on my ball gown from Saturday night, so after I showered in Nate’s bathroom—not wanting to wake the rest of the apartment up—I wrapped myself in a towel and tiptoed out to the kitchen in search of a phone charger.

I needed to debrief Carly on all the things that wouldn’t get us arrested on a phone-tap.

“How’d you sleep?” Nate asked from the living room, and I jumped so hard, I nearly dropped my towel. “Sorry, figured you saw me.” He gave me a side-eye as he folded the sofa-bed mattress back into the cavity of the couch.

“I didn’t. Um, not bad…all things considered.” I winced as I said it, thinking back to everything that’d happened in the last two days. It was enough to turn me gray.

Nate hummed a sound of understanding as he neatly folded the quilt and stacked it beside the pillows he’d used. “You don’t always sleep well after covering up a murder? I do.”

I shot him a sarcastic smile. “Ha-ha, very funny. I was exhausted, okay?”

He snort-laughed at that. “Not surprised.”

Christ. Now I was blushing like a fucking virgin, thinking about how he’d probably heard Carter and me rocking each other’s bones all damn night after the party. Clearing my throat, I turned back to the kitchen and made a beeline for the coffee machine. Coffee would make everything more tolerable.

“Do you want coffee?” I asked, remembering my manners considering not only was I intruding in his apartment but I’d literally stolen his bed.

Nate huffed, striding across to the kitchen area of their open-plan apartment. “I’ll make it. You get dressed. The last thing I need is to have Carter come out here and start fucking you on the countertop.”

Just when I thought I couldn’t blush any harder, my cheeks proved me wrong. “I’d love to, but my full-length ball gown seems a bit overkill for Monday morning breakfast, don’t you think? I was just going to text Carly and ask her to send some stuff over.”

“Royce already did,” Nate replied with a heavy yawn, gesturing to the dining table. Sure enough, there was one of my duffel bags, full—presumably—with my clothes.

I left the kitchen, holding on to my towel with one hand, and went to grab the bag. “Thanks, that’s useful.” The bag was heavy, literally bursting at the seams with how much was stuffed inside. “Did he think I was staying for a month or that I was super indecisive?”

From the corner of my eye, I saw Nate roll his eyes. “The first one,” he muttered, then pressed the grind button on the coffee machine to drown out any further conversation.

Taking the hint for what it was, I carried my heavy bag back through to his bedroom and quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a form-fitting white T-shirt.

Royce had even remembered to include bras and panties, which was surprising.

Most guys I figured would totally overlook those minor yet significant aspects of an outfit.

Once dressed, I zipped up my duffel and parked it just beside Nate’s door, unsure where else to store it for the time being. I had a really strong feeling I wouldn’t be heading back to my dorm again tonight but obviously couldn’t kick Nate out of his room again… It was a debate for after coffee.

“Coffee’s ready,” Nate announced when I reappeared in the kitchen. “Are you hungry?”

My stomach rumbled, totally betraying me before I could say no.

“Yes, but I can grab something on my way to class.” I checked the time on my phone, which was now charging on the counter beside the coffee machine.

I still had ages before my first class, so I could probably meet Carly somewhere for food.

Nate shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He flipped open a cabinet door and waved a hand at the assortment of syrups inside. “Have at it, sweet tooth.”

He scooped up his own coffee, then disappeared down the hallway and into his bedroom. A moment later, the static hum of the shower started up and I nearly choked on my tongue when I realized I was mentally picturing him getting undressed.

What the fuck was wrong with me?

Trauma must have been fucking with my head. Although, weirdly, I was nowhere near as shaken up from the weekend as I probably should have been. We’d literally covered up a murder…a murder committed by my boyfriend. One of them, anyway, not to say the other had clean hands.

I was starting to think maybe I had a type.

“Good morning, Squirrel baby!” Royce greeted me with a sleepy smile as he strode into the kitchen…

shirtless. Were they all allergic to clothing these days?

“Oooh, coffee for me? You shouldn’t have.

” He swiped my coffee from the countertop where I’d been topping it up with toffee nut syrup and took a gulp.

“Hey!” I protested as he gagged. “That’s mine, thief.”

“How the fuck do you drink that? It’s pure sugar.” He handed it straight back and nudged me aside to prepare his own without the sweeteners. “You look fresh this morning. Sleep well?”

I sipped my own caffeinated concoction and nodded. “I did, surprisingly. Thank you for the clothes. You saved me having to do the walk of shame back to my dorm in a borrowed T-shirt and shorts.”

Royce quirked a brow, raking his gaze down my outfit, then shrugging. “You’re welcome.”

I pursed my lips, watching him make his coffee in silence. “You sure packed a lot of clothes for just one night, though…”

His lips curved in a smile, but he just shrugged again and continued preparing his latte.

Carter was the next one awake, scuffing his feet into the kitchen while legitimately still looking half-asleep.

His messy black hair was all in his face, but he somehow locked on me like a homing pigeon and scooped me up in a hug that lifted me clean off the ground.

“Good morning, Spark,” he growled with a sleep-husky voice, making me tingle all over. “I missed you in my bed last night.”

Royce made an exaggerated gagging sound as Carter’s mouth found my neck and I let out a little moan.

Shit, could anyone blame me? It felt good and Carter was mind-blowingly hot.

Scorching. I was actually starting to worry about the future of my degree because, goddamn, it’d be tempting to just stay in bed with him and Heath twenty-four seven.

“Before this turns into an NC-17 scene, can I please remind you that you’re late for your finance lecture, Bass?” Royce tapped his wristwatch pointedly, and I marveled at the fact he’d put his watch on but not a shirt. Priorities.

Carter groaned, still not putting me down. “I don’t want to go,” he grumbled, face still buried in my neck. “I’m gonna stay here and eat Spark’s pussy all day.”

Oh. Wow. Um…I was okay with that.

“Good luck with that,” Royce replied, not taking Carter seriously, “Squirrel and I have Philosophy class at ten, and Carly’s expecting us to meet her for breakfast in half an hour.”

Carter’s arms tightened around me for a moment, then he lowered me back to the floor with a frustrated groan. “You’re such a cockblocker, Royce,” he muttered as he released me, then punched Royce in the shoulder on his way out of the kitchen once more. Presumably to get ready for class.

In his absence, I propped my hands on my hips and squinted at Royce. “You’re talking to my best friend behind my back? Rude.”

Royce gasped, looking mortified. “What? I thought I was your best friend. Double rude. Anyway, Carly helped me pack up your clothes last night so we made plans then. I grabbed your laptop from your room, but did you need anything else for classes?”

He raised his coffee mug to take a sip, and I could swear his biceps flexed way more than that motion called for. Come to think of it, should abs all be so very defined while relaxed?

I frowned suspiciously. “Are you flexing right now?”

His lips tilted in a grin. “Are you checking me out right now? Thirsty Squirrel.”

Fuck me dead, I was blushing again. Talk about selling myself out. “Are you going out like that? It’s a cold day. You might consider a shirt at the very least.”

Smug fuck just grinned wider. “Because you’re having a hard time containing yourself and that rapidly growing attraction to my sexy body? I get that a lot. But yes, I suppose I should get dressed.”

He took his coffee with him to get ready, and rather than hanging out alone in their kitchen, I decided to sneak in and wake Heath up.

His room was dark and quiet when I slipped through the door, and I held my breath as I tiptoed closer to his bed. He was fast asleep, one arm dangling out, and I nearly changed my mind. Then that arm shot out and grabbed me, hauling me into his embrace as I squealed in surprise.

“Mmm, good morning,” he mumbled, wrapping his whole body around me like an overgrown octopus. He was sleeping in just a pair of boxers and by the feel of things, I’d interrupted a very good dream.

“You scared me,” I admitted with a laugh. “I thought you were asleep.”

“I was,” he moaned, “but this is much better.” His hips rocked that hard length against me, and I cursed my fully dressed state of being. “Why are you wearing so many clothes, Ashes?”

“Such a good question,” I replied with a heavy exhale, arching my back as his hand slipped beneath my sweater. “I’m supposed to meet Carly in half an hour, I think.”

Heath paused, then rumbled a happy sort of sound. “Plenty of time. I’ll take it.” Then my sweater somehow teleported from my body to his floor. So weird. Oh well, may as well send my jeans to keep it company.

Carly would be fine waiting when this was my excuse. Royce…well, too bad.