Page 182 of Beasts of Mine

“Very brave.” I told Tavian as I settled beside Malek again and patted his shoulder with exaggerated sympathy.

“I thought so.” Tavian answered, apparently deciding my sarcasm was praise as satisfaction returned to his face and his purr started again.

Malek's hand moved into my hair while Tavian enjoyed his imagined victory. His fingers worked slowly through the length, separating strands that had tangled during the hike and afternoon beside the stream. The first pass caught somewhere near the middle, but instead of pulling, he stopped and worked the strands apart with his fingertips, his touch surprisingly delicate for hands large enough to cover most of my head.

“That feels good.” I admitted to Malek as I relaxed against his chest, tilting my head slightly when his fingertips brushed across my scalp and sent a pleasant shiver down the back of my neck.

“I know.” Malek answered, his purr deepening while he loosened another small knot near the back of my head.

“That sounded very confident.” I told Malek as I glanced back at him, raising one eyebrow even while I leaned more heavily against his chest.

“You stopped moving.” Malek replied, the faintest amusement warming his voice as he separated another section of hair between his fingers.

“That doesn't make you a hair expert.” I told Malek, although settling more comfortably against him weakened the argument enough that Tavian snorted from somewhere near my legs. Luca disappeared into the adjoining room and returned less than a minute later carrying a wide-toothed comb.

“Move your hand.” Luca told Malek gently as he settled behind me on the other side, waiting until Malek lifted the section he was holding rather than trying to work around him. Malek passed my hair over without complaint, and Luca started at the ends instead of dragging the comb straight through from the top. The first few passes barely tugged, and I turned enough to look at him over my shoulder.

“You actually know what you're doing.” I told Luca, unable to hide my surprise when the comb moved through another section without catching.

“My hair is long too.” Luca reminded me as he worked patiently through another tangle, his shoulder-length dark hair falling forward around his face when he lowered his head.

“That is annoyingly logical.” I told Luca as I faced forward again.

“Thank you.” Luca replied, sounding pleased enough that he'd clearly chosen to interpret the comment as a compliment. Tavian pushed himself upright and immediately reached toward the comb.

“I can do that.” Tavian announced, confidence brightening his expression as his hand extended between Luca and me.

“No.” I told Tavian as I caught his wrist before his fingers reached the comb, giving him a flat look that made his eyebrows shoot upward.

“You didn't even let me try.” Tavian protested, staring at me with open offense while his hand remained suspended between us.

“I know you.” I answered Tavian as I released his wrist, watching him sit straighter as though preparing a legal defense.

“That is not evidence.” Tavian argued as he pointed toward himself.

“It is several days of evidence.” I told Tavian, giving him a pointed look while Luca laughed quietly beside me and Malek's purr deepened behind my back.

“Start at the bottom.” Luca instructed Tavian after handing him one small section of my hair, watching him with the wary patience of someone knowingly making a bad decision for educational purposes.

“I know how hair works.” Tavian told Luca as he took the section between his fingers, wearing far more confidence than the task required.

“You absolutely do not.” I told Tavian, already regretting the experiment while I tried to keep my head still.

“I have hair.” Tavian reminded me as he gestured vaguely toward his own head with his free hand, nearly dropping the section Luca had given him.

“You barely brush yours.” Luca told Tavian, sitting back to watch while amusement brightened his eyes.

“That is because it knows how to behave.” Tavian replied as though the explanation should have been obvious. Thirty seconds later, he had somehow wrapped three strands of my hair around two fingers while becoming distracted by lifting the ends toward his nose. I stared at his hand until Tavian slowly looked down and realized what he'd done.

“You made a knot.” I accused Tavian, turning carefully enough that Malek had to catch another section before I pulled against it.

“It was already there.” Tavian replied far too quickly, his eyes darting toward Luca despite the evidence being wrapped around his fingers.

“It absolutely was not.” Luca told Tavian as he leaned over and carefully freed my hair, his mouth twitching while he worked the strands loose one at a time. Malek's chest vibrated behind me with a deeper purr that was suspiciously close to laughter.

“You're banned from hair.” I told Tavian as I removed the comb from his other hand before he could make another attempt.

“I disagree with this ruling.” Tavian complained as he leaned back on one elbow, glaring at the comb as though it had betrayed him.