Even though I know Colt’s angry with me right now, I can’t help how my body reacts to his being so close. Everything in me lights up at the touch, and I have to resist the urge to rub myself against him.
Leaning down until we’re nose to nose, Colt rasps, “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I shouldn’t have used that tone with you.”
My lips part in surprise at his apology. “It’s okay.”
Shaking his head, Colt rubs my bottom lip with his thumb, and I’m kind of tempted to lick it, wondering how he tastes. Before I can give in to the odd urge, Colt moves his thumb to stroke my cheekbone instead.
“It’s not. I let my fear get the better of me, and I won’t let it happen again. The last thing I want to do is to hurt you, even with my words, in an attempt to keep you safe. The thought of you and Win out in our forests alone is honestly one of my worst nightmares.”
“Why?” I press. “What’s so dangerous about it?”
“We don’t have the numbers to guard all of our territory. The woods simply cover too much land for us to patrol the entirety of it. So, people who want to hurt us love to lurk in the forests and pick us off one by one.” Colt squeezes his eyes shut for a moment before opening them again. “Those are the same people who killed my mom, and I refuse to lose anyone else I care about to them.”
My heart feels like it’s about to beat out of my chest at him implying I’m someone he cares about. But the sadness I can feel emanating from him tampers any joy. “I’m sorry, Colt.”
“Not your fault, sweetheart.” He plants a lingering kiss on my forehead before reluctantly stepping back. “You better get the butter to Wes before he throws a fit about it not being the right temperature.”
“I can hear you, you know,” Wes grumbles, causing Colt to chuckle.
“You were supposed to, little brother.”
I huff a laugh and do what he says, hustling back over to Wes. He hands me a bowl and a butter knife, so I start slicing the butter and tossing it into the bowl.
As we finish up making dinner, I can’t help but wonder again what the guys are and why they have to be so worried about people attacking them on their land.
CHAPTER 19
LARK
“Everything looks great, Alice,” one of Colt and Remy’s dads rumbles.
With the introductions to Colt and Remy’s four dads and Hal’s three dads, I’m struggling to keep track of everyone’s names, so I’m only sixty percent sure his name is Elliot.
He has dark hair and a matching short beard. His dark green eyes are perpetually narrowed, and his face is set in a slight scowl. He’s one scary-looking dude, and I wouldn’t want to run into him in a dimly lit alley alone.
Colt and Remy’s dads are at one end of the massive dark oak table, with Hal’s dads and mom at the other end. The guys, Wes, Win, and I are in between the two groups. Remy is on one side of me, with Colt on the other. Hal and Rook are directly across from us.
“I couldn’t have done it without Win, Wes, and Lark.” Alice smiles at the three of us before she tucks into her food.
That seems to be the signal everyone was waiting for as the whole table begins devouring the spaghetti and meatballs. There’s garlic bread, a salad, and fresh fruit to round out themeal, and everything I try is just as amazing as what Charlie and Coop’s chef makes.
The table is silent at first as everyone starts eating. I have a few minutes of peace to enjoy my meal before Jacob, Colt and Remy’s blond-haired dad, asks, “Where’s Azrael?”
I freeze at the question, a meatball halfway to my mouth. While the question wasn’t directed at me, I know the answer won’t reflect well on me. I quietly hope that whoever answers will gloss over the nitty-gritty details. I want their families to like me, not think I’m a troublemaker.
“He had something come up,” Colt answers for the five of us.
Their redheaded dad named Wyatt, I think, with freckles, tilts his head as his sky-blue gaze bounces between the guys and me. “Strange, because Azrael never misses these meals. Does the reason he’s absent have anything to do with the girl?” He nods in my direction, just in case anyone was confused as to what girl he was referring to.
I quietly set my fork on my plate before hunching into myself, as if I could make myself small enough to escape notice.
The camaraderie in the kitchen confused me, but the interrogation and inevitable accusations, insults, and yelling is exactly what I’m used to. I’d really rather go back to the strange niceness than deal with this dinner turning out how I expected.
Remy notices and places his hand on my thigh, giving me a reassuring squeeze. I try to give him a small smile, but I’m pretty sure it looks more like a grimace.
Colt’s head snaps up at the question, and he pins his dad with a fierce glare. “Whether it does or doesn’t isn’t any of your concern.”
Their largest dad, who has curly brown hair and brown eyes so dark they look almost black, scoffs. By process of elimination, I can fairly confidently say his name is Alexander. “I can see whyAzrael didn’t want you getting involved with her. She’s already causing trouble between the five of you.”
