in, his dark eyes shadowed. Brawler actually growls though. A low hum in his throat that is mighty impressive.
“Got a problem with that, initiate?” Johnny asks, immediately pulling rank.
I step on his toe again. He can’t be pulling seniority on these guys. We’re all equal in this aspect.
Johnny only smirks. “Don’t worry. I’ll help my father pick out some of the best initiation tasks we’ve ever had.”
“Bring it,” Brawler says, not losing face at all. “I did all of this for her, and I’ll continue to do it all for her. You can throw whatever you want at me. Hell, you can even try to kill me—”
“No one’s killing anybody,” I say, answering that right off the bat.
“Look at you pathetic assholes,” Johnny says, mirth clear in his voice. “You all agreed to what? Share her?” He laughs, and my body locks up.
“Yeah, I guess maybe we should’ve claimed her and pushed her around a little first,” Oscar deadpans.
Johnny’s laughter cuts short, and the viciousness in his gaze cuts me. “Fuck you, Bat.”
Oscar steps up to him. “I mean this in the most disrespectful way possible. Just fuck right the fuck off.”
Well, this is going well. Perfect, actually. Couldn’t have planned it better my-fucking-self. “Guys...”
“No, fuck him,” Oscar seethes. “Selfish prick. He thinks he’s better than us because we’re trying to do what’s best for everyone. For you.” He turns back to Johnny. “You don’t think I want her to myself? I’m just not a raging asshole like you. I want what’s best for her, too, not just to get my dick wet more often.”
Johnny moves so fast, I’m not sure any of us see it coming. He punches Oscar square in the face right after giving me a quick nudge out of the way.
Oscar doesn’t take it though. Not like the last time. He lunges at him, getting in retaliatory shots.
Mag and Brawler step back, watching this play out with glee on their faces. I glare at them incredulously as Johnny and Oscar roll on the ground, trading blows and each trying to get the upper hand. Finn and Jax peek out of the back room but disappear just as quickly.
I glare at Magnum and Brawler. “Seriously?” I ask them.
Brawler grins like the fight-fueled man he is. “What? I’m enjoying it. Bat took the words right out of my mouth.”
“For fuck’s sake,” I grumble. I tear at the first shirt I can grab, which happens to be Oscar’s. I pull him back while Brawler reluctantly steps forward, yanking Johnny to his feet. Both guys square off with one another, chests rising and lowering.
I go from annoyed to mad to upset in like point two seconds, and no, I’m not on my fucking period. It’s just everything that I thought could be is chipping away in front of me. What I want seems like an insurmountable task now. Killing Big Daddy K will be easier than this.
Mag moves forward, fingers tracing along my jaw. “Hey, it’s okay.”
I squirm out of his grip and face the rest of them. “When you guys hurt each other, you hurt me.” I turn my gaze toward Johnny, and my shoulders droop. I’m pretty sure we already had this conversation. He said he wouldn’t hurt them. Unless that was just to sweet talk me. But Oscar’s not in the right here either. They can argue all they want. Get shit off their chests, I don’t care. I just don’t want them physically fighting.
Johnny growls. “Fucking fine.” He lowers his voice as he approaches me. “He just caught me off guard. I’m sorry.” Louder, and with authority, he says, “What’s happened before and what happens in the future is between Kyla and me. It’s not up for discussion.”
“Same for us,” Brawler says, voice even, taking up his fighter stance that makes him look huge and deadly—not to mention hot as fuck.
Oscar arranges his shirt back over his body. “So, how is this going to play out now that big bad gang boss is here?”
“I don’t know what you fuckers are doing, but I’m fighting for her.”
“Expect the same,” Brawler says, eyeing Johnny up and down like he could take his ass on right now, leaving him unable to walk for a week.
I’m only used to seeing him this menacing during fights. I kind of want to throw myself at him right now.
“I think Kyla should have a say,” Magnum says, speaking up for the first time. He has a hint of a shiner that I’ve just