“My shift,” he says tersely. “Get some sleep.”
For a moment, neither of us moves. Asher’s gaze flicks to me, something unspoken passing between us before he steps back with a nod.
“Right,” Asher says. “Good night, Mia.”
I don’t trust myself to speak, so I just nod, my hands gripping the counter behind me for support. Asher gives Zane a look I can’t quite read before he walks out of the kitchen, his footsteps disappearing into the quiet of the house.
Zane doesn’t move from the doorway.
“I—” I start to say, but Zane cuts me off.
“Go to bed, Mia.” His voice is flat, his jaw tight.
I swallow hard. Without another word, I slip past him, my pulse thundering in my ears as I climb the stairs.
As I reach the landing, I glance back, just for a moment. Zane is still in the kitchen, staring out the window, his shoulders tense.
I close the bedroom door behind me and lean against it, my chest heaving.
This isn’t just about Jason anymore.
Whatever’s happening with Asher, with Zane, even with Damon, I’m in dangerous territory.
And I don’t know how to stop myself from falling deeper.
CHAPTER 13
ASHER
Through the grainyfeed of the security monitor, I watch Zane crouch in the backyard with Emma and Ella. He’s demonstrating some basic self-defense moves, dressed up as ninja training. His scarred face softens as he shows them how to “strike fear into the bad guys.” The girls giggle, their little fists punching the air with exaggerated grunts.
I should be out there. It’s usually my job to keep them entertained. But after last night… I can’t do it. Not after seeing Mia and Damon on the floor like that. Just the thought of it, their clothes shoved down below their hips, Mia’s legs around Damon as she comes down from the last throes of pleasure, makes my stomach twist painfully.
The image of them together is seared into my brain. The way he looked at her, like she was the only person in the world. Like she belonged to him.
Jealousy? Is that what this is?
I don’t get jealous. That’s not me.
I rub the back of my neck, watching the screen as Zane crouches down to let Emma climb onto his back. She wraps her arms around his neck, giggling, and for a moment, I manage a small smile.
Zane’s good with them. Better than I gave him credit for. Maybe too good.
A flicker of movement on another screen draws my attention—a car pulling into the next block, pausing for just a second too long before driving away.
My jaw tightens, the familiar surge of protectiveness kicking in. But when I glance back at the monitor showing Zane and the girls, that protectiveness twists into something else.
It’s not just Damon.
What the hell is wrong with me?
The door creaks open, and Damon steps into the room, his usual calm demeanor in place. He nods toward the monitor. “Everything clear?”
“Yeah,” I say, keeping my voice even. “Zane’s got the girls.”
His gaze flicks to the screen, lingering on Mia as she steps onto the porch to call the kids inside for lunch. “She’s doing okay. Better than I expected, given the circumstances.”
I grunt in response, not trusting myself to say more.
