it is what it is.
My eyes shift to Enoch when he stands. He says something to Giana that has her nodding before he walks away.
Dipshit.
I turn to Captain. “Aye, let me take Zoey on Sunday.”
He frowns. “You know you can come with us. Always.”
I grin.
Fuck me, love to hear that, not that I need to. They never throw it in my face, never try to sneak away alone. We might have added to our threesome, but it’s got no effect on how tight we are.
They know me and are fully aware I give a fuck-ton about their relationships.
In fact, they’d kick my ass if they knew I didn’t have plans on days I pass on their outings, but I’d take it if they found out because I want them to have the time they deserve with their girls, always.
I love my brothers as much as I know how, but the love they get from their equal halves isn’t one I can match. It isn’t one I’d ever cut in on either.
“I know, brother.” I nod. “But I want her to my damn self. I’ve gotta score back some points since Uncle Dick over here keeps sneaking stuffed trains in her room.”
Captain swings his frown to Maddoc.
Maddoc’s glare snaps my way, and he tosses a bottle cap at me.
“You said no more stuffed animals,” Cap calls him out.
I sit back, grinning with Raven and Victoria while Maddoc does his damn best to justify Zoey’s need for every fuckin’ thing she wants. And more.
What neither of them know is I rented out the entire Build-A-Bear Workshop for Sunday night for the princess.
I grin thinking about it, a grin that widens when Katie Kline slides up with a heavy coat of lip gloss and a long, slow blink.
The table goes back to their own conversations while I focus on Katie.
“You ran out on me pretty fast the other night,” she says with a small smirk.
I ditched her, and she still came back. I’ll reward her for that, even if this little stopover is as purposeful as the leak of every single celebrity sex tape.
It’s cool though, I’ll play her little game of show and tell, her objective: let me show you who I played with, now go tell all your friends.
I kick my leg out.
Never willing to pass on an invitation, she lowers her ass onto my left thigh.
“Come on now, Katie K.” I tilt my head slightly. “Don’t front like you expected me to stay.”
She brings her upper body closer to mine. “Doesn’t hurt to hope you might.”
“It should.” I grin, squeezing her thigh. “It should sting real good.”
Katie laughs, swaying her knee back and forth. I glance to Raven to see if she’s noticed the clear shot up her skirt, but her focus lies on the far side of the cafeteria.
I know that face and skim the room. I don’t find anything that would give the girl a reason to harden though. “RaeRae.”
My slow and tight call of her name has Maddoc’s head snapping toward her with concern.
Her eyes dart to his first, quickly moving to mine only to swing right back where they were. “New flavor, you say?”
Only when a group of freshmen with trays in their hands start walking again, do I spot what she has—short silver hair parked right in front of a dead pitcher walking.
Enoch fucking Cameron blocks her from me. The only glimpse I get is a half shot of sleek-ass shine teasing at the edge of an exposed shoulder that wasn’t exposed earlier.
Enoch slides behind her then, and at the slight angle I have, it looks as if he’s gripping on to her arm. He’s definitely saying something.
Talking to her.
Right near her fucking ear, like I was only hours ago when I realized she smells like sunshine and wicked red wine.
The sweet with a bite that follows.
I put my hands on Katie’s outer thighs, ready to move her ass and stand, but then Mac is there.
He slaps a hard hand down on the back of Enoch’s neck in a good old friendly gesture that says ‘get back motherfucker’ and uses the move to turn his body sideways. Away from Brielle. The potential—and very likely—fuckup, and Mac now facing each other.
Mac smiles spewing something and Enoch grins back, lifting his fist to give him props.
There you go, my man. Play him right, get him where we need him tonight.
Mac slowly eases between the two, and then dismisses Enoch altogether, turning toward Brielle.
She’s got her shades on