Axel’s phone dropped an inch. His face drained of color, like someone had pulled a plug. “That’s not funny.”
“Oh, I think it’s hilarious.” Dakota’s smile was pure evil, wrapped in sunshine. “Especially the part with the?—”
“Okay! Okay!” Axel shoved his phone in his pocket so fast, he nearly dropped it. “Video deleted. Never happened. We were never here.”
Dakota walked away with a smile that could have won wars, her heels clicking against the floor with satisfied precision.
“You were joking though, right?” Axel called after her, actual panic creeping into his voice. “You would never actually tell people about that, right? Dakota? Right?”
She didn’t answer, just waggled her fingers over her shoulder in a little wave.
Blake watched Axel trail after her like a kicked puppy, then turned back to us. “Owned by a tiny woman. Never thought I’d see the day.”
“Glass houses,” I said, nodding toward where Dakota was leading Axel around by his metaphorical balls.
Blake actually snorted. Almost like a laugh.
He looked between Faith and me, something shifting in his expression. Acceptance maybe. Or just exhaustion from fighting theinevitable.
“Fine,” he said finally, like the word physically hurt him. “But if you hurt her?—”
“You’ll remove my spine through my nose. Got it.” I pulled Faith closer. “Same goes for Tessa, by the way. You hurt her, and I’ll get creative with a law degree.”
Blake’s lips twitched. “Fair.”
Faith looked between us, shaking her head. “Are you two actually bonding over threatening each other?”
“It’s how we communicate,” I said.
“It’s a love language,” Blake added dryly.
We stood there for a moment, the three of us, finding a new equilibrium.
“One condition,” Blake said suddenly.
I tensed. “What?”
“No PDA in front of me.”
Faith laughed, the sound bright and free. “No promises.”
Blake groaned, but there was no real heat in it. “I’m going to need so much therapy.”
“I know a guy,” I offered.
“Of course you do.” He turned to leave, then paused, looking back over his shoulder. “Ryker?”
“Yeah?”
“Welcome to the family.” The words sounded like they were being extracted via dental surgery, but they were there. “I guess.”
He walked away before I could respond, probably to preserve what was left of his tough-guy reputation.
Faith turned in my arms, her eyes bright with amusement and something softer. “That went better than expected. You’re not even bleeding.”
“Night’s still young,” I said, but I was smiling.
She rose up on her toes, pressing a kiss to my jaw. “Come on, Counselor. Let’s go scandalize them with some PDA.”
