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17
ALINA
Before I can even raise my hand to knock, the door is shoved open. My stomach lurches as rough hands grab me by the collar and yank me inside. The front door bangs shut behind me, and then I’m shoved up against it so hard that air escapes my lungs in a huff.
Blinking, I find myself staring up into the merciless face of Jace Hunter.
There’s blood on his knuckles, a giant bruise on his jaw, and violence rolls off his broad shoulders like waves.
“You have some fucking balls showing up here right now, Petrov,” he growls, threats pulsing from every word.
Raising my chin, I just stare back at him defiantly.
Footsteps echo from the stairs behind his back. I slide my gaze towards the sound and find Kaden striding down the steps.
Jace tightens his grip on my shirt. “Did you hear me?”
I keep my chin raised, partly because I need to do so in order to actually see the top half of the stairs from over Jace’s annoyingly tall shoulder, and simply level an expectant look at Kaden.
A smirk blows across the psycho’s face as he watches me and Jace, as if he finds the situation faintly amusing.
“Well, aren’t you going to tell him?” I challenge, still keeping my eyes locked on Kaden.
Or I try to keep them on him at least. When he reaches the bottom of the stairs, my view of him is blocked by Jace’s massive body for a while. Then he comes into view again as he reaches his brother’s side and comes to a halt there next to him.
My pulse thrums at the sheer power and dominance that they exude as they stand there side by side, staring me down. Trapped against the door, with Jace’s bloodstained hands still buried in my shirt, and both he and Kaden cornering me, I can’t help but question if this really was such a good idea after all.
“Tell me what?” Jace demands, finally tearing his hard stare from me and glancing at Kaden.
Kaden’s dark eyes remain on me.
The silence stretches on.
I have a feeling that he is looking for signs of weakness. Waiting to see if I will start shifting my weight nervously or drop my gaze. So I make sure to keep that defiant expression on my face and that cocky tilt of my chin as I simply stare back at him in silence.
Kaden lets out a soft huff of amusement.
“She’s the one who tipped us off,” he says at last.
Surprise flits across Jace’s features, and he blinks at his brother before sliding his gaze back to me and narrowing his eyes. “You ratted out your brothers?” He cocks his head, and when he speaks, there is clear suspicion in his voice. “Now why would you do that?”
Breaking Kaden’s stare, I shift my attention to Jace and shoot him a pointed look. “I didn’t rat them out. I made a strategic decision.”
“Oh? Do enlighten us.”
“I tipped you off because if they had taken you by surprise, they would’ve won.”
Both Kaden and Jace snort as if that’s ridiculous.
“Right,” I mock, rolling my eyes. “Keep telling yourselves that they wouldn’t, if it helps you sleep at night. But four against two, and with surprise on their side, you know they would’ve won.”
Jace scoffs, but I can tell that he knows that I’m right. “If their win was so certain, then why did you tip us off?”
“Because they would have won.” I hold his gaze. “And then you would’ve retaliated. Brutally.”
Jace tips his head to the side and nods, silently confirming it.
“But now they didn’t win. Because I tipped you off.” I shift my gaze back to Kaden. “Which means that you owe me now.”
