growls. “It’s not like we would keep something like this from you.”
“But you did. How long have you suspected she was our match?”
Dante looks away before reluctantly responding, “A week, maybe a little longer.” Ares, who had been looking out into nothing, snaps his head to the left, examining his brother. The blackness of his pupil expands, covering his eyes. “I wasn’t sure at first, she was standoffish. I didn’t know what to think. It didn’t take long to figure out she was clueless.”
“Hey,” I interrupt him. “I’m not clueless, and stop talking about me like I’m not sitting right here.” I lift my arms in a ‘what the fuck’ pose.
“No, not like… I mean you didn’t know about us. See?” He motions to me with his hand, looking at Ares, as if to say ‘see what I’m dealing with?’ “We started trying to spend time with her to figure out what was going on, but then we made the stupid mistake of actually touching her.” Dante snorts. “Milo’s been a grade a dick for the past few days, Oliver is floating around like he’s high on life, and I have shit I’m dealing with too.” He lets his head fall back on the sofa with a thump and stares up at the ceiling. “I was trying to make things easier on everyone, but it was obviously a fail. You’re pissed, Laura doesn’t believe half of it, and these two…” He shakes his head, not finishing.
Ares stands, moving behind the couch to pace. “You should have told me right away.” His scorn isn’t just for Dante; he gives each of the guys a poignant look. “I get why you might not have been making the most rational choices, but I should have been included.” He stops abruptly and turns so his back is toward me, and his shoulders rise and fall slowly as he lets out a long exhale. “Let’s just move forward.”
I shake my head. “You guys still don’t get it, arguing about this is pointless. I am not your centergist or whatever.”
“Synergist,” Ares corrects. “You are. Of that I have no doubt.”
There’s nothing I can do to convince them. “Prove it,” I challenge, completely suspicious. Ares takes a few steps in my direction and I hold up my hand up to ward him off. “No funny stuff, none of that mind mumbo jumbo.”
The corner of his mouth lifts before he nods his head in mock seriousness. “I would never dream of using my mumbo jumbo on you.”
Ollie sits up straight next to me. “What are you going to do?” He’s looking back and forth between Ares and me.
“I’m going to show her my identifier,” Ares watches me from under his brow, how he perfected this look while standing above me is a thought another time before continuing in a low and sultry voice, “and I’m going to find hers.”
I cast my eyes around, unsure where to look as Ares lowers himself to his knees in front of me. Slowly, he brings his hands up to the fitted vest over his chest and slides the top button open.
I swallow. “Uh, wh… what are you doing?” I glance back at his hands, there is only one button left.
“You wanted proof.” There’s a glint in his tawny eyes, the pupil, while large, doesn’t hide the smoldering gleam. Did I ask for this? The vest is left open as he tugs the bottom of his shirt free from his belted jeans. How far is he going to go? Using his right hand, he lifts his shirt, gathering the material and holding it up so his lower stomach is exposed. His belly button has a trail of dark hair leading down to his pants. My mouth goes dry and my eyes flash up to his. I expected to see him smiling, but instead his eyes are on my lips, no grin in sight.
“You know I could show her mine, right?” Dante mutters from the couch.
“You’ve had days to show her, it’s my turn,” Ares answers without looking away. His left shoulder lifts and he bites his lip. I’m so tempted to look down when his eyes lower, then rise back to mine in invitation. More shifting, and I lose the battle not to look.
Ares’s left thumb is hooked in the waistband of his jeans pushing them down. The swirls of a dark mark are just visible near his hip. As soon as it’s partially exposed, my breath leaves me in a huff. There’s