I roll my eyes. “There’s no eye-fucking. We’re just friends.”
That causes both Tobias and Rachel to snort.
“Yeah, and I’m the Queen of England,” Rachel says with a look that screams,are-you-serious?“You’re either blind, in denial, or both if you think that you and Rhys are onlyfriends.”
Tobias nods and hums in agreement, his earlier mortification on the subject forgotten. “It’s obvious to everyone that there’s something more there.”
I scowl at both of them. Since when did my love life become the topic of discussion? Not that Rhys is a part of my love life or anything. We’re just friends. And I’m completely fine with that. No denial here. Nope. None.
Hands come from behind me to wrap around my stomach and pull me back against a hard chest. Ketchup squawks at being jostled, flaps her wings and flies off to where Elise is riding Bean further up ahead.
“What are we talking about?” Theo asks, his voice filled with mischief and curiosity.
“Noth—”
“We’re discussing the fact that Ollie and Rhys are eye-fucking one another while being in denial of their feelings,” Rachel says, cutting me off before I can finish.
I glare at her, but she’s utterly unrepentant, maybe even smug.Asshole.
Theo’s chest vibrates as he chuckles and tightens his arms around me. “I told you that you guys are supposed to be getting closer to one another,” he murmurs, his breathing fanning against the sensitive skin of my neck and causing me to shiver.
“I made it up to you, remember?”
“Hmm, you did.” His voice lowers into a growl.
Just thinking about the other night, about how good Theo’s cock felt as he fucked me, has my clit throbbing and goosebumps exploding across my skin. My breath catches in my throat at just howstrongmy reaction to the memory is.Fuck. I really need to get Alex, Theo, orbothof them alone so we can do it again. It’s been too long.
Judging from the hardness pressed against my back as Theo shifts behind me, he agrees.
“Alright, knock it off, you two,” Tobias says with a wrinkled nose. “I don’t need to see or hear my baby sister flirting.” Apparently his mortification is back.
“But you’re perfectly okay with discussing thewrongassumption that I’m in love with Rhys?” I shoot back with a glare.
“No one said anything about love. Just that you want to fuck each other,” Rachel says, that smug expression still on her face.
It makes me want to punch her, but I’m not stupid enough to do it. Punching Jerri—who is about my height and weight—is one thing, but Rachel has more muscle and the training to back it up. She’d pummel me into the ground and giggle while doing it.
I roll my eyes. “Semantics. Either way, you’re all wrong. I’m more than happy being friends with Rhys.”
Theo makes a humming sound in the back of his throat. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”
Tobias nods sagely like it’s wisdom bestowed upon him by a deity. “She has a habit of doing that.”
They’re all assholes.
I rip myself from Theo’s arms with a frustrated huff. “Since you’re all hellbent on ganging up on me and being massive pricks, I’m going somewhere else.” I shove my way through the crowd, pointedly ignoring Theo calling my name with amusement in his voice or the laughter coming from Rachel and Tobias.
I’m not entirely sure where I’m going, just that I’mawayfrom them. Frustration, anger, and something else that I refuse to name swirl in my chest like a toxic storm. A small part of me knows that they’re right, that my feelings for Rhys are more than friendly. Buthe’sthe one who put the boundary in place, and I’ll be damned if I bulldoze past it.
I’m so caught up in my snarled thoughts I don’t realise I’ve reached the front of the group until a heavy hand lands on my shoulder. I startle and whip around to see Rhys staring down at me, his brow drawn and his lips tilted downward.
Great.I’ve come to the one person I shouldn’t have. If this doesn’t fuel the others’ suspicions, I don’t know what will.
“You alright?” Rhys asks as he drops his hand from my shoulder.
I shove away the feeling of loss and shrug. “As I can be when I’m getting ganged up on.”
The concern leeches from his face, instantly replaced with anger. “Ganged up on? By who? Tell me.” He snaps his head around and glares at the people behind us with a tight jaw.
