Coward, my brain hisses. I internally scoff. Like I don’t already know that.
I nod, giving him what I hope is a reassuring smile as I hit the button to go downstairs. “I will.” I gesture toward her door, the one he’s barely restraining himself from plowing through. “Go get your girl, brother.”
As I step into the elevator, I catch his quiet parting words. “She’sours, Nyx. All of ours.” I’m thankful for the door sliding closed so he doesn’t see my face crumble.
If fucking only.
My head tips back, hitting the harsh steel with a thud, and I let my eyes fall shut. Images of Carolina and my mom flash through my brain with vivid intensity. My fists wrap around the handle along the back wall of the elevator, and I squeeze it so hard it creaks.
Blood, so much blood.
It takes two deep breaths before I can convince my face to even out and three before the rage and confusion battering around in my chest finally ebbs.
By the time the door opens, I’ve fully gathered myself. Maybe not for the entire night, but at least for now.
“Holy shit,” a voice chokes, and my eyes lock on Hunter’s just as Madd smacks the back of the kid’s head. Hunter whirls on him, shooting Madd a death glare as he adjusts his tux. “What? Look at him. He’s fucking hot,” he hisses.
Maddox narrows his eyes and grunts in disapproval. “Dude, that’s my family.” He shivers in revulsion. “Gross.”
I step out of the car and join them in the living room while we wait for the rest of our group to arrive. My eyes flit back and forth, watching their oddly tense interaction unfold. Not odd because of the aggression. It’s expected. The dynamics with Hunter now in the picture are...off, obviously.
But the tension between Hunter and Madd is different.
Charged.
Hunter’s lip tips up, and he leans against the wall like a cocky fuck. “You’re telling me you’ve never noticed that you’re surrounded by insanely hot people all day?” He chuckles, licking his lower lip as his eyes slide down one of my best friends. “You’re saying you haven’t wanted to, I don’t know, fuck around and find out?”
Madd sputters, then gags. He points an accusing finger at me, and my eyes widen.
When the hell did I get pulled into this shit?
“Heis like my brother,” Madd hisses again. “Has been since I was a kid.” His finger snaps to the stairs. “Stone’s the fucking same.” He gags. “And Gage is my literal blood relative, so no, Rockstar, I haven’t wanted tofuck around and find out.”
Hunter bites his lip and shrugs. “Your loss, prick. Guess I’ll have to keep all the fantasies to myself.”
“You can’t do that,” Maddox grunts, shifting awkwardly. My brows crash together, and my head cocks as I observe him. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he’s nervous.
That can't be right.
Hunter chuckles, and I don’t miss the way he blatantly checks out Madd, not even attempting to keep his attraction under wraps. “Thing is,” he murmurs. “I’m not related to a single person under this roof, so as far as I’m concerned, you’re all fair game.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to shout a loud,not fucking me, but I choke it back. I’m pretty sure they’ve completely forgotten they aren’t alone.
Maddox’s eyes go molten, and his body tenses. I see the rebuttal before he even says it, and I groan to myself, knowing shit’s about to blow up. He steps forward, closing the distance between the two of them with predatory intent.
Hunter’s smile wilts, and his Adam’s apple bobs. The room goes from tense to downright thick with electricity. My jaw ticks, suddenly unsure of what I’m watching.
Feels like fucking mating season at the zoo.
“Oh, yeah?” Madd murmurs, forcing Hunter’s back to flatter against the wall. “Fantasizing about my family, hmm?”
His eyes rake down Hunter’s body, taking in the fitted tux that matches our own. His dirty blonde hair is down and wavy, hitting his shoulders, and Maddox, being the freak he is, wraps it around his fist like he does with Ella, jerking the rockstar’s neck back painfully.
Hunter’s eyes go huge, and a tiny pathetic sound slips past his lips, making Madd grin.
“Tell me,” he purrs, tugging harder. “Is it all of us you picture in your pretty little head while you fuck yourself, or is just one of us?”
The other man sucks in a gasp and presses his body into Madd’s as though he can’t help himself.
