Both Jack and War had been keen on Ray when they’d first met her, but with her runaway mouth and often-sharp tongue, the fascination had died fast. So now they tortured her any way they could.
I thumped his shoulder and rose. “Be nice.”
“Wait—” Jack called out, his gaze flickering to Ray and back to me. “You coming back to the house?”
He was a good bud, always looking out for me. Rocking on my heels, I slipped my hands into my jeans pockets. “No, I’m covered. Call me if you want to ride the waves.”
“Lucky dog,” War muttered. “After a vacay of hot, wet, pus—er, bodies, it’s like a damn desert here.”
“You are all dogs,” Ray said in disgust. “You idiots seem to think everything revolves around your dicks. Hopefully, you both caught gonorrhea over spring break. On that satisfying thought, let’s go, Maximus.”
“Witch,” Jack teased.
“If I were, I’d make sure the gonorrhea happens,” Ray shot back, making them cringe. “Hey, my great-gran on my dad’s side was a Wiccan, and she’s Irish. Maybe I’ve inherited some of her capabilities. I’m gonna check it out. If anything happens down south, know it was me.” With an evil grin, she stalked off.
“God, she’s terrifying.” Jack glared at her as she wove her way through the crowd. “Put a leash on her, Sinclair. I happen to be quite fond of my dick.”
“So you and Ray, huh?” War asked me.
“No, he’s not.” Jack gave me the eyebrow lift I detested. “Bro code, bud.”
He was fucking with me. They were as protective as me with Ray.
Snorting, I followed Ray, my thoughts on Logan. If they knew the truth, they’d pity me. I didn’t care. Though I doubted my amber-eyed hedgehog even remembered my name.
Ila
A dull thud echoed in the silent house as I entered, followed by a pained groan.
Oh, no! With the spate of break-ins recently, terror flattened my lungs as I sprinted toward the sounds. And came to a grinding halt at the open study door, feeling as if I’d been struck in the stomach with a crowbar.
No—no!I shook my head in denial, unable to breathe, pain ripping my insides apart.
Simi lay naked on the desk—a desk I’d chosen for him—her thighs spread. Devyn, his pants around his ankles, stood between her legs, hips pumping. He groaned out loud.
A choked cry escaped me. Simi looked my way, her expression engulfed in lust. And smirked.
I jackknifed awake, her taunting grin filling my head. Unable to bear the agony, I curled into a ball, pressing my wet face into my pillow, trying to shut off the horrible images burned into my mind.
Bumping into Simi last night at the bar and having to witness her triumphant smile again had dropped me straight back into the pits I’d lived in for two years…
Devyn glanced back, shock flooding his bronze features. He yanked up his pants. “Ila? What the hell are you doing here?”
Unable to speak, agony squeezing my chest, my engagement ring digging into my palm at my fisted fingers, I spun away. He grabbed my arm. “Ila, wait. This didn’t mean anything—”
Something inside me snapped. I shoved him hard, stunning him into silence.
“You want her, you can have her.” I pulled off my engagement ring and flung it at her. It hit Simi on the chest and fell to the floor.
He picked up the ring and came after me. “Ila put the damn ring back on!”
“Go to hell, Dev!” I walked out. Tears fell. But nothing could stop the gut-wrenching pain…
When the thudding of my heart slowed down, and the hollowness inside me eased a little, I searched in the bedside drawer for Advil. Nothing. With sleep a distant memory and no other way of easing my throbbing head, I shoved the bed covers aside and padded downstairs.
I entered the living room and stumbled at the sight of Max lying on the couch, wearing nothing but black sweats. He had an arm thrown over his brow. The dim light from the foyer cast a soft glow over him. He appeared like some fallen deity, all golden skin, pale hair, and sleek muscles. Heck, he was a far better sight than images from my nightmares that took delight in mocking me.
Dragging my gaze away from him, I crossed to the kitchen and switched on the light. I got the pain pills from the cupboard, took two, and swallowed them with some water. One hand braced on the sink, I rubbed my temple with the other, trying to rid myself of the memory of the awful night that had torn my life apart.
