“Same thing.” With a shrug, I sealed the container again and shoved it in my bag for when I could get a fork back at the house. “Thanks, Jesper.”
Jesper ran a hand over his face, muttering, “I didn’t mean for you to use it to poison yourself.”
“It fills my reserves,” I said, softer this time.
“Oh. I guess that makes a lot of sense.” He nodded, but then his expression shifted, as if something heavy weighed on him. “For the record…Darian might be my cousin, but we are nothing alike. His mom’s great, a saint, honestly. Just like my mom. I don’t even know how she raised someone like him.”
Before I could reply, April appeared as if she’d been waiting for her cue, practically glowing as she rushed up beside him. “Jesper! There you are. I finished my new mission briefing summary!” Her gaze flicked to me, lips curling into a sneer. “Oh, did you tell her? About how Darian cheated on her the entire time they were together?”
The words landed like a slap.
I froze, blinking at her, before moving my gaze to Jesper.
His wince was confirmation enough.
“Wow.” I laughed, sharp and humorless. “Guess it’s a good thing I was never that into him.” I shrugged even though heat pricked at my chest.
Darian’s betrayal was way worse than I’d thought. If he was cheating, why was he so far up my ass when we were together? When did he get the time?
Zuko’s hands rested on my hips as he stepped close behind me. “Well, of course you weren’t. He couldn’t make you come twenty-three times in a night.”
My face burned hot.“Zuko!”
“I thought it was twenty-seven?” Slater furrowed his brows. “I can give you more tonight, though.”
“Bullshit.” Zuko rolled his eyes. “I can give her more than you.”
“Bet?” Slater’s red eyes twinkled with a challenge.
My core clenched, and I knew my arousal soaked the air.
Jesper nearly choked. “Oh.”
My face was on fire as I turned to Jesper with a sheepish smile. “Jesper, um, have you always been good at cooking?”
Jesper nodded as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Cooking is something I picked up from my mom. It feels like home.”
I couldn’t hide the smile that spread across my lips. “You’re very good at it.”
April, though, wasn’t smiling. She stood stiffly at his side, eyes darting between us with thinly-veiled jealousy. Okay, not very veiled at all, to be honest. Her hand inched closer to his arm as though staking her claim, but she never made contact because he shifted a step away from her.
“Rune…” His brown eyes met mine finally. “I want you to know that I’m not like him.”
I bit down on my bottom lip, searching his gaze for any hint of deception.
“Of course he’s not,” Zuko scoffed before turning to me. “The thought of Jesper and you together doesn’t piss us off.”
“Yeah,” Slater agreed; it made me wonder when they’d had that conversation. “The thought of Darian makes us murderous, though.”
“Valid.” Koa nodded, and I saw Dimitri nod along with him out of my peripheral.
Knowing these guys felt the same way about Jesper’s innocence made my heart flutter.
“I know you’re not like him,” I whispered, tiptoeing and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.
A deep flush crept over Jesper’s face, but a smile spread across his features, causing his brown eyes to crinkle. “G-Good. The last thing I want is for you to associate me with him.”
koa
