He mirrors her movements to a T. “So my studying for a stupid accounting test is more important than your health? Don’t bullshit me, Maya.”
“Hey, hey, hey,” I cut in, using my captain’s voice. “You have every right to be concerned, but why don’t we all take a breather?”
“I’m going to get another drink,” Maya says, pushing away from the table.
Sophie quickly follows after her while Jake and Cam mumble excuses about needing refills as well. That leaves just Elliott, Logan, and me—as well as a lot of tension—at the table.
So much for getting on Elliott’s good side tonight.
“So,” Logan says, breaking the silence. “Do you guys want to hug it out?”
Ignoring him, I meet Elliott’s icy stare head-on.
“She should’ve told me,” he reiterates, daring me to disagree.
I exhale loudly. “You know why she didn’t.”
His shoulders slump, his body deflating a little. “I’m not a kid anymore. She doesn’t have to pretend everything’s perfect all the time.”
“You’ll always be her kid brother. She’s never going to want you to worry.”
“I know that all too well.” He takes a deep breath, his chest expanding, his shoulders straightening, and levels me with another glare. “I’ve only seen my sister cry twice, and both instances were because of the book she was reading. Don’t be the third reason.”
A bolt of surprise flashes through me. I admire him for being protective of his sister, but I could beat the hell out of him with one hand tied behind my back. He may have the build of an athlete, but he doesn’t have the muscle to match.
Logan claps and shoots Elliott a rakish wink. “Threatening Berrett is my favorite pastime, so let me know if you need any assistance.”
I flash him a brief disapproving look but quickly return my focus to Elliott. My respect for him grows when he doesn’t flinch away from my assessing gaze.
If anything, my scrutiny emboldens him. “I like you, Berrett. I think you’re good for my sister. But if you do anything to hurt her, intentionally or not, I’ll use your skates to slice your balls clean off.”
“And use them as Christmas ornaments,” Logan adds with a devilish grin.Asshole. “Or fuzzy dice for his car.”
Despite my inexperience with real relationships, I know full well I’d never purposefully hurt Maya. “She’s safe with me.”
Elliott nods, holding eye contact. “Will you make sure she’s okay?”
“You don’t want to go talk to her?”
“I need some time to cool off,” he admits with a shrug. “And cornering Maya when she’s done talking about something is riskier than skydiving with a faulty parachute.”
Logan snorts loudly. “What I think he’s saying is good luck, buddy.”
Maya’s ire tonight is set on Elliott, so I figure my safety isn’t at risk. Still, I approach her slowly, taking in her tense shoulders and clenched jaw as I slide onto the barstool next to her. With a long exhale, I rest my elbows on the table and give her an expectant look. “Well?”
She swirls the remaining drops of her drink around the glass. “Well, what?”
“Are you done sulking? Or do you need a few more minutes?”
She snaps her head to the side, her face twisting into a scowl. “I don’t sulk.”
I pinch her chin between my fingers and move her head around like I’m examining her. “Yep. Just as I thought. The symptoms are all there. I’m sorry to say, ma’am, but you have a major case of sulking.”
Jaw clenched, she tries to fight off a smile, but a loud laugh breaks free. “Fine. Maybe I was sulkinga little. But there was no need for Elliott to freak out like that.”
“He’s your brother. I get that you don’t want him to worry, but I also get why he’s upset.”
She opens her mouth, ready to argue, but I hold up a hand to stop her.
