Bash focuses on my eyepatch for a moment before he looks back at Elas, and the Nu’vak’s face softens in understanding.
“You probably want to punch me, yeah?” Elas asks.
“Yeah,” Bash agrees, setting his jaw as he stares up at Elas’s eyes, a full foot above his.
Elas breathes a laugh and drags his hand over his chin, then nods to himself. Ronan stares at him with his mouth agape as Elas lowers himself to the ground. His face is still at Bash’s shoulders, even kneeling.
He nods at Bash’s hand. “One free swing, human.”
I scoff and roll my eye. Bash is a gentle soul and a horrible fighter, and violence is never his solution to anything. He releases my hand and takes a step closer, never breaking eye contact with Elas.
No one is more surprised than I am when his fist meets Elas’s jaw.
“Oh, motherfucker, that hurt!” Bash shouts as he shakes out his hand.
I rush forward to throw him behind me, but Elas only belts out one of his deep belly laughs. He didn’t even flinch through that punch, but Bash is cradling his hand like it’s shattered. I take his wrist and inspect his knuckles, and he obediently flexes his fingers.
Lillith grips Elas’s shoulder and grins toward Bash. “Should’ve asked for a champion. I’ve been looking for an excuse to throw hands with this giant fucker.”
“You just punched me yesterday,” Elas complains as he stands.
Lillith chuckles, smiling fondly at the memory. “Yeah, I did.”
I glance between everyone, searching for any signs of hostility. “Are we good here?”
Elas dips his chin in a nod, and before Bash can say anything else, a blur of blond hair comes rushing over. Elas’s attention is stolen completely as August gently touches his jaw, rubbing over the spot that one hundred percent was not affected by Bash’s weak punch.
Once he’s convinced his mate is unharmed, August turns to us with a broad smile.
Bash stares at him, zeroed in on the color of his eyes as his nostrils flare in annoyance. A pit of discomfort forms in my stomach as I tug on Bash’s wrist, but he doesn’t tear his eyes from the hazel ones staring back at him.
August reaches over and grips my upper arm, looking me up and down and assessing my condition, and I cringe as I take a half step back.
He means well, always, but is fucking clueless about jealousy. There have been many times he’s casually touched me in front of Elas. He’d grip my arm or hold me still to examine an injury, and I found endless entertainment in the snarls Elas would throw my way afterwards.
Now, though, being with my mate and knowing he’s feeling that same jealous anger?
A heavy dose of guilt knots my stomach at the realization. It makes me wonder what else I’ve been too arrogant to notice over the years.
“August,” I say, squeezing Bash’s wrist again, “this—”
“You must be Bash,” August interrupts, his smile spreading further, and Bash grunts as August pulls him into a hug. “We’re so happy to have you here. When Xeni left, we weren’t sure…”
August trails off and releases Bash, whose eyes are even wider now than before. August glances between us, his gaze dipping down to my grip on Bash’s wrist, then his eyes move back up to our faces.
“I… shouldn’t assume anything,” August says carefully.
Bash huffs a quiet laugh, flipping his hand to take mine. “Assume all you want. We’re here.Together.”
His pointed glare goes right over August’s head, and I breathe a sigh of relief as Elas steps forward and puts his arm over his mate’s shoulders.
Bash glances up at Elas before sheepishly pursing his lips. “I, uh, probably shouldn’t have hit you…”
“Are you kidding?” Ronan chimes in, flipping his hair as he cuts a fierce side-eye toward Elas. “Give up a free swing at that punchable face? Please. I’d be suspicious if you hadn’t hit him.”
“Let me get everyone out here,” I say, glancing back at the SUV where Sakane’s wide eyes are visible in the dim lighting. “We can make introductions.”
Bash and I step away from the group, and he leans close as we walk.
