game as weapons. Not once did we tell you to turn on each other and draw blood."
"But you said-" Deepthroat cried, but Blake cut her off.
"All I said was that the one holding the immunity stick after the timer ran out would be offered two weeks without punishments. You could have discussed it between you and decided who was most worthy of that prize. Instead, you decided to turn on one another, show how little you really care for each other and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have earned your places in the gutter." Blake stared down at them and they all shared a look, horrified by being tricked this way. But he was right. They had never been told to fight for the stick. And the expression on his face sent a delicious shiver through me. Damn he looked hot when he was laying down the law.
The crowd started laughing and jeering the Unspeakables and Blake jumped down from the table, snatching the immunity stick from Deepthroat and snapping it in two. He tossed the pieces on the ground. "Moral of the game: don't be a dick." Blake flicked her between the eyes then strode out of the courtyard.
Saint headed after him and I stood up with Kyan, following along behind them as Monroe moved to my other side, leaving the Unspeakables all licking their wounds and exchanging guilty looks.
"That'll stop any little uprisings they might have had in mind," Kyan murmured to me and I nodded, still shocked by what I’d just watched.
"They’re going to second guess any friends they thought they’d made amongst one another,” Monroe said with a smirk.
"Clever," I remarked. "And fucking psychotic."
"That pretty much sums up which one of us came up with this idea, baby," Kyan said, chuckling.
"Saint," I said simply, no question in my voice.
"Obviously," Monroe growled, his arm brushing mine and sending electricity rushing along my skin.
Kyan laughed harder. "I love that unbalanced motherfucker."
Blake paused as we reached the path which split around the lake and I realised he was looking out at it with his muscles bunched.
"Did that not cheer you up, brother?" Kyan called, leading me over to him. I glanced at Kyan with a question in my eyes.
"Why? What's wrong?" I asked, stepping to Blake's side.
"It's his mother's birthday today," Saint explained with no emotion to his voice. But I guessed the way he showed he cared was by setting up an elaborate death match for his friend to watch.
"Oh," I breathed, my heart clenching tightly in my chest. I took Blake's hand, squeezing. "I didn't know."
"I didn't say," he countered, looking to me with a shrug, but the pain in his eyes was impossible to miss.
"I'm sorry," I breathed.
"Not your fault, Cinders," he said, tugging me closer.
"You can kiss my wife if you want to," Kyan said seriously, pressing his hand to Blake’s back.
"Kyan, you don't get to give permission for that," I growled, glaring at him. Monroe shot him a pissy look that only I caught. I really needed to drive this point home once and for all.
"As your husband, I beg to disagree," Kyan said simply and Saint shot him daggers, not that he would ever lay a hand on me anyway, so I didn't know why it bothered him so much.
"I may be your wife, but I say who I kiss and don't kiss," I said firmly, moving to tip-toe up and offer my mouth to Blake. Kyan got between us, tugging me back against his chest and a snarl escaped me as I readied to fight him.
"This isn't funny, Kyan," Blake snarled, reaching out and taking my arms, trying to yank me out of his grip.
"Look, you can kiss her. Just know that I'm allowing it. As a gift," Kyan said, smirking like a dickhead and I elbowed him in the gut as he released me, pushing me into Blake's arms.
"Come on Blake, let's go for a walk." I caught his hand, tugging him away from the others and I was sure I heard Kyan saying you're welcome as I went, so I tossed him the finger over my shoulder.
We walked in silence, taking in the quiet lap of the lake against the shore. The air was slightly warmer, the promise of spring in it and the sky was a bright blue that was slowly starting to pale with the coming twilight.
Each of us understood the other's pain on a deep level. I knew he didn't want to dwell