I want the base back, but that can wait; the priority is Dante.
“You didn’t sleep,” Ryker says, stepping intothe living room.
I glance up at him. His hair’s still dripping, fresh out of a shower, but it’s the way he won’t meet my eyes that tells me more than words ever could.
“Didn’t need to.”
I go back to the papers. The floor plan Ryker sketched is solid, nearly perfect, but the problem is, we built the damn place to be impossible to infiltrate. No weak spots. No blind corners. Just the front door and the back. That’s it.
And they’ll both be guarded like hell now.
Ryker stands off to the side, running a hand through his wet hair. Nervous tic, and I sigh.
“What’s wrong, Recon?” I lean back in the chair, arms resting on my thighs.
He still won’t look at me. Eyes locked on the floor like it’s safer than facing whatever the fuck is on his mind.
Then Aspen walks in with Max right behind her.
“Morning,” Max says, all casual, completely missing the tension in the room.
“Morning,” I echo, eyes flicking to Aspen.
She smiles that soft, sleepy smile that almost cuts through the fog in my head and walks straight over to me, grabbing my face in both hands, kissing me, slow and sweet.
I let myself sink into it for a second, but when I open my eyes, Ryker’s staring anywhere but at us.
I break the kiss. “Sit down, Ryker.” My voice cuts through the room like a blade.
Max freezes mid-step, eyes flicking between me and Ryker,panic settling in fast.
“Knox?” Max tightens, and I see worry in his eyes.
“You two, sit down.” I jerk my chin toward the other chairs.
Aspen frowns, arms crossing over those beautiful breasts of hers, mouth set in that bratty little scowl that drives me up the fucking wall.
“Don’t be a brat and sit the fuck down, Aspen,” I groan, smirking despite myself.
God, I love when she acts like this, stubborn, with fire in her eyes. She makes my blood heat and my patience snap.
Max sits, gesturing for Ryker to do the same.
“Fine. Stand, then,” I mutter, shifting my attention back to Ryker. “I don’t give a shit if you fuck Max or Aspen.”
That was all it took; Aspen drops into the seat beside Max, jaw hanging open.
Ryker finally lifts his eyes to mine. “This is different, Knox. Me and Max… we’re used to sharing.”
“I know,” I say flatly. “Me and Dante shared too.”
The second it’s out of my mouth; I want to drag it back in.
“Youshared?” Aspen snaps. “So this,” she waves her hand between the three of us, “this is just routine?” The usual for you?”
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“That’s not what he meant, sweetheart,” Max starts, trying to ease it down.
