Max stared at me for a good few seconds. “You better fucking not, cousin or no, I won’t be able to get you out of it if you start shit in here.”
“Noted.”
Talis and Axel left next, not looking at each other as they disappeared from sight. I had a sinking feeling I knew what the problem was there, but I didn’t have the headspace to think about it right then. With the others gone, I finally allowed my gaze to drift to Gabriel.
He’d moved to the bar again while I’d been watching Talis and Axel.
Nick leant on the surface, half in his space, laughing at something Gabriel had said. He glanced up and caught me watching them, a smirk curving his lips. I didn’t realise I’d curled my hands into fists until Max got in my face and took one of my hands in his.
I wasn’t small, but he had a couple of inches on me and was broader across the shoulders. He effectively cut off my view of Gabriel. “What the fuck are you doing, Rys?”
“Nothing.”
“So you’re not acting like a jealous twat and thinking of a hundred ways to get rid of the lovely Nick.”
“I only need one,” I muttered without thinking, and Max snorted.
“Gabriel told me you two had a thing over ten years ago.”
“A thing?” I almost laughed at the understatement of the year. But maybe that’s all it had been to him.
“Was it more than that?”
I bit my lip, the words on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t tell him. Couldn’t dump that secret on him and expect him to keep it from his partner.
And Gabriel could never know.
“No. Nothing more.”
He huffed and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t believe you, but I don’t have the time or patience for this shit right now.”
Thank fuck.
I knew his reprieve wouldn’t last forever, but I’d deal with it later.
I shot one last glance at Gabriel, breath catching when I met eyes so dark they looked black. There was nothing warm in his expression, not like when he’d been laughing with Nick. The rational side of me knew I shouldn’t expect it after the way I’d been treating him, but fuck, if it didn’t still cut me deep.
I want him to look at me that way.
I never want to see him again.
Fuck.
I closed my eyes, sucking in a lungful of air that was so full of foreign scents it made me want to gag. “I need a drink.”And not from this fucking bar.
Max gestured behind him. “Bar’s right there.” He had a challenge to his tone, as though he knew all too well that I had no intention of lettingNickserve me. Ugh, even his name grated on me.
“I think I’ll take another look around.”
“Suit yourself. Me and Gabriel are staying here to watch the door.”
I nodded and went to walk past him.
“And Rys?” He caught my arm. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
I grinned at him, all teeth. “You know me.”
“All too well,” he mumbled as I left him watching the arch and headed for the stairs and the upstairs bar.
