features look ten times more menacing than attractive.
“Just breathe, asshole. This is Finn’s girl,” Easton announces, sliding a pizza box our way. “Sorry, kids, but the pie is cold. You two sure do take a long-ass time to fuck each other’s brains out,” he mocks, pulling out one of his trusty cigarettes.
“If you don’t, then I pity the girl who falls for your charms,” I reply overtly sweet, batting my eyelashes at him in sarcasm and ignoring the other asshole at his side.
“Always with a comeback. I knew I liked you.”
“Yeah? Sure didn’t act like you did when you came to Big Jim’s warning me to stay away from your best friend,” I bark out bitterly, still sore that he acted as if I were no good for Finn.
“You did what, now?” Finn hollers as he lunges at Easton’s throat, but his dark-haired friend just chuckles, swiftly running to the other side of the large island to keep his distance from my pissed-off boyfriend.
“Hold on, big guy. Don’t get your panties in a twist. You had been sulking for days because she wouldn’t go on a date with you, so I figured a push was in order. A little reverse psychology and poof—you got your girl. You’re welcome.” Easton has the audacity to wink at me.
“You played me?” I retort in amusement, oddly impressed by his scheming ways.
“Kind of, yeah. It worked, didn’t it?” Easton wiggles his brows as he lights up a cigarette.
“I don’t know if I should slug you or kiss you.” Finn laughs.
Finn’s heartwarming smile is plastered all over his face, as he pulls me closer to him, wrapping his arms around my waist and putting his chin on my head, clearly happy that his friend’s interference in our love life paid off.
I can’t say I’m mad either. If it wasn’t for Easton’s meddling, I probably would have stuck to my guns, hoping Finn would abandon his ultimatum. I’d be missing out if that had happened.
“Keep your lips for your girl, asshole. I’m just happy you’re not moping about anymore,” he adds with a cocky smirk, sending small rings of smoke up into the air.
“Guess you’re not as much of a jerk as I thought you were. That’s good. Otherwise, hanging out with you was going to be tricky.”
“Oh, you’re not out of the woods yet. That title has been taken by this motherfucker beside me. Ain’t that right, Colt?”
“Blow me, you dick,” rebukes the foreboding friend, standing at his side with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Sorry. You’re not my type,” Easton mocks, making Colt look even more sinister.
If I were him, I wouldn’t poke the bear. Colt might look like he should be on the cover of Vogue or something, but so did Ted Bundy at one time or another.
“Finn, take your girl home. We’ve got to talk,” he announces hauntingly, and if we weren’t indoors, I would have sworn a dark-gray cloud loomed above us just from the chill of his voice alone.
“Stone is staying,” Lincoln deadpans, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
“Then I’m leaving,” his cousin retorts, grabbing his car keys off the island countertop as he walks toward the door, throwing a distasteful glare my way.
Easton was right. Colt is a major dick.
“No, you’re not, Colt. You’re staying,” Lincoln orders, sidestepping in front of him and putting himself in the line of fire.
“Linc, step aside.” Colt seethes through gritted teeth.
“I can’t do that, brother,” his cousin replies, his expression just as serious.
Colt sneers but stops when Lincoln takes something from his back pocket, tossing it to the middle of the marble countertop. All eyes fall onto a black envelope, and before anyone can tell me what it is, I ask, “Is that one of The Society’s letter?”
“The fuck?!” Colt snaps his head accusingly over to Finn. “How the fuck does she know about The Society?”
“I told her,” Finn explains point-blank, not one bit intimidated by his dark, brooding friend.
If I wasn’t completely sated from our venture into the woods, I’d climb him like a tree trunk just with the confidence he’s displaying now. Colt is the very definition of an elitist bastard that thinks he can order people around. I’m glad Finn is immune to his temper.
“You dumb motherfu—”
“Enough!” Lincoln belts out, gaining the attention of all of us. “She’s here to stay, Colt. Stone is Finn’s, and therefore family. Deal with it.”
I watch the two cousins, stare each other down, and I know who I’d give my allegiance to. Lincoln has all