Page 132 of His Reckoning

“So you’re the reason Sawyer’s been impossible lately,” Dean says.

“About what?”

“Well,” he says easily, “mostly about how you managed to make Sawyer completely unbearable this week.”

Across the table, Walker snorts.

Roman mutters, “He’s not wrong.”

Kayla glances toward me, one eyebrow lifting slightly.

“Oh,” she says sweetly, “has he been grumpy?”

Dean laughs. “Grumpy is putting it lightly.”

And before I can stop him, he reaches over and lightly touches her arm.

Jealousy hits hard enough to make my grip tighten instantly. My glass hits the table harder than I intended. The entire group goes quiet for half a second.

Lincoln leans toward Roman. “Here we go.”

Roman grins while Kayla notices my reaction.

Of course she does.

And the worst part?

The corner of her mouth lifts slightly, like she’s enjoying this.

The rest of the night continues exactly like that. Dean flirting and Kayla pretending she doesn’t notice. Everyone else watching me slowly lose my patience. Even Colton joins in eventually.

“You know,” he says casually, “you could stop glaring at Dean anytime.”

“I’m not glaring.”

“You absolutely are,” Melissa whispers.

Kayla laughs again at something Dean said, and my jaw tightens.

The entire night, I can’t stop watching her. Noticing the way she talks with her hands. Or when she tucks a loose piece of hair behind her ear. And her red lipstick keeps pulling my attention back to her mouth.

By the time we finally leave the bar, I’m already on edge. And when Kayla says she’ll take a cab?—

“No,” I say immediately.

She looks at me. “I can get my own ride.”

“I’m taking you.”

My tone leaves no room for argument.

The ride home is quiet—very quiet. Kayla tries talking twice; I barely respond. In the end, she gives up and looks out the window.

Probably deciding I’m being an asshole—which is fair because, right now, I am.

The ride up in the elevator is silent. Not the comfortable kind. The kind where silence feels one sentence away from disaster.

Kayla stands beside me with her arms crossed, staring straight ahead at the metal doors.