“What do you think she said? She’s angry and now the alpha’s heir wants the two of you dead.”
“They can fucking try,” Ezra dared from the top of the stairs.
Mateo had to restrain himself when he saw that stupid cocky grin on the psycho’s face. “You will not set foot near Brighton again.”
Ezra opened his mouth to protest but Vince silenced him. “You will stay far away from Brighton.”
“Suddenly best friends again, huh?” Ezra snarled. “Oh yeah, it’s always two against one.”
“Because we’re sick and tired of cleaning after your fuck ups.”
“Picture perfect you. Here come the heroes saving the day.” But without the fight Mateo expected, Ezra turned and disappeared into his cave.
Mateo finished climbing the stairs to his own room and fell on his bed, where he passed out with dreams of holding sweet, soft Scarlett in his arms.
They didn’t talk to each other for another week. Not that they talked much on a daily basis anyway, but Mateo had kept his interactions with both Vince and Ezra to the bare minimum. “Family meals” as they’d grown to call them ceased to exist, and the other two were left to fend for themselves. Neither of them cared, but the childish act was Mateo’s way of protesting.
Scarlett didn’t call for them, nor did she text. It was hard to stay away from her, especially after having spent days at a time as close to her as he could get. Part of him knew it was for the best. Her pack was raging, and he’d been lucky not having been caught lingering in their proximity.
He sighed, thinking his presence had been just as stupid as Ezra’s attack. He should’ve known that her family would lose it, but he hadn’t been thinking clearly at all. Of course, no one ever thought the enemy was just around the corner. They were probably trying to find them through hunters they actually knew—like the Magnolia family. He knew they’d been behind the article about Scarlett, so naturally her father would assume they were behind the kidnapping and Ezra’s attack too.
Mateo’s thoughts were interrupted by the smell of garlic creeping through the cracks of his closed door. Curious, he went downstairs and found Vince in the kitchen, stirring tomato sauce on the stove. The smell must have been the garlic bread in the oven. Ezra was setting the counter with bowls and glasses.
He stared at them for a moment, then turned to go back upstairs. If this was their version of an apology, they would have to do better.
“Stay,” Ezra barked.
Mateo looked at his friend and cocked his eyebrow, seeing Vince fill their bowls.
“I’m in the fucking kitchen what else do you want?” Ezra mumbled.
“You’re only doing that because you ran out of frozen foods and want me to cook again because you hate grocery shopping.”
“Sit. Down,” Ezra growled between his clenched teeth.
“Please,” Vince pleaded, setting three bowls on the counter.
Please?Guess he had to sit down and eat with them after all.
While Ezra broke the bread and shared out the pieces, Mateo dug in, twisting the spaghetti onto his fork. He was usually the one forcingthemto sit down for a meal. They’d had their arguments before, but never this deep or severe.
When the phone—Scarlett’sphone—started ringing they all jumped and stared at Vince who handed it over to Mateo.
“Scarlett,” he answered out of breath.
“Are you alone?”
“No.”
“Give the phone to him.”
He knew right away which one of them she meant and handed the phone to Ezra. To their surprise, he put it on speaker. “Princess.”
“You’re a jerk. You’re a fucking asshole. I have one friend in this world. One! And you went and burned his face.” Ezra smirked brighter with each word that came out of her mouth, loving her ferocity. “And now I never get to see him because he’s out there hunting for you! A fucking psycho.”
“He is? Does your prettyfriendhave any leads?”
Scarlett ignored the question and barked out her next command. “Put Vince on.”
