“I know,” he said, looking back out the window. “You two have been so kind to me. But really, it’s okay. I won’t be participating, but I want to be here with you all. I really like it when we’re all together like this. I would come to every family dinner, but it’s the twins who don’t want to. In a way, Ro coming up with this helps me, since I like spending time with everyone, and Hayes and Hudson would never pass up shit like this.” He laughed, easing my mind.
I grinned. “They really wouldn’t. Damn freaks.”
Oliver’s smile widened as he elbowed my side. “Hey, those are my freaks you’re talking about. Be nice.”
Before I could respond with another quip, Dorian stepped back into the room, looking thoroughly satisfied with himself. Josh followed a second later, cheeks flushed a deep, vibrant red. His lips were swollen and glistening, and his hair was slightly mussed. Even if we hadn’t heard it, it would’ve been crystal clear what had occurred out in the hallway.
Josh refused to make eye contact with anyone.
Which, naturally, meant everyone stared. And when his eyes finally flicked up, he was mortified to see the knowing amusement painted on my nephews’ faces.
He sucked in a breath, then nervously asked, “Were you all listening?” When no one answered with anything but smirks, he had his answer. “Oh my god,” he muttered. “Oh, my god.”
Hudson shrugged. “You were loud. Although you’re obviously not the one to blame for that,” he snickered.
Dorian rested a possessive hand on the back of Josh’s neck. Josh glared at him from the corner of his eye, but was ignored. Instead, Dorian looked around the room and announced, “We’re all good. Let’s continue.”
Hayes and Hudson disappeared into the dining room before anyone else could move, let alone say anything. It was plain to see that they had been getting impatient.
A moment later, they reemerged, each dragging one of the accountants. Both of the men stumbled along, pale and shaking.
Hudson spun Jeremiah toward the foam board with cheerful efficiency, and Hayes shoved Mills beside him.
“Face the wall,” Hayes said pleasantly.
Neither man argued.
They stood there, shoulders trembling, backs facing the rest of the room.
Ronan stepped forward, eyes glittering with that look he got when he got his hands on a cool new weapon. “So, who wants to go first?” He grabbed a tail and the blindfold from the table, holding them up with excitement.
Hudson’s hand shot up immediately. “Me.”
“Me,” Hayes said at the exact same time.
Hudson turned slowly toward him. “Excuse you?”
“You’ll cheat,” Hayes replied flatly. “I should be first.”
“Fuck you.”
Greyson raised a hand without even looking at them. “Children.”
The twins fell silent.
Lane giggled into Greyson’s shoulder.
“Why don’t we let Josh go first?” Grey suggested, a slight smirk tipping up his mouth.
Josh blanched, a bead of sweat appearing on his brow. “No,” he said, voice tight and high. “No. I’m just going to watch.”
Greyson tilted his head just barely, staring into him with piercing eyes. “Oh? What a shame…”
Josh looked like a man who had just been informed he’d been selected for a firing squad. “I—no. No, I absolutely—”
Dorian tightened his grip slightly at the back of Josh’s neck, making him freeze.
Dorian leaned down slightly, murmuring something in his ear that the rest of us couldn’t hear. Whatever it was made Josh’s ears turn bright red.
