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“Hey, I’m right here,” she grumbled but gave him a hug too, her eyes going back and forth between the two of us. “You’ve been getting around a lot, Mia. How do you know Braxton?”
“We survived English together today,” I told her. “It was a real battle of trying not to fall asleep.”
“A battle I would have lost too,” Braxton said with a wink. “But Mia saved me.”
The door behind us opened, and I heard several of the groupies outside crying Beast’s name. Turning, I watched as Beast walked right past them. I noticed the cut over his eye was patched up, but the blood was still streaking his face. His gaze zeroed in on me, and I found myself stumbling back a step.
Braxton caught me around the waist, righting me. “Easy,” he murmured close to my ear.
Beast’s eyes narrowed, turning predatory just as they had in the cage earlier. I gulped, unsure what to do as the space between us disappeared and he pulled me away from Braxton. “Is your leg bothering you?” he demanded, his eyes traveling down my body to my knee.
I stiffened. My brace was under my jeans, hidden from curious eyes because I couldn’t stand to have people stare at it. “How do you know about my leg?” I demanded, trying and failing to ignore the way my body seemed to sizzle where he was touching me.
“I saw you limping earlier,” he said as he crouched and ran his hands over my knee. “Brace is secure. Just watch your step, okay?”
“Yeah, sure, Dad,” I muttered, stepping back from him and right into Braxton again.
Beast growled, literally growled, and I shivered in reaction. Ah hell, that was a sexy sound.
Laughing, Braxton steadied me again then stepped back, putting a respectable distance between the two of us.
“Beast, let me introduce you to my roommate, Mia,” Lyla said as she came up behind him, putting her hand on his back. “Mia, this is my cousin, Beast. But unlike everyone else, outside of the Underground, he goes by Barrick.” She indicated Braxton, who was now sitting on the bench again, scratching the dog’s head. “And you know Brax. Also my cousin, by the way.”
I glanced between Braxton and Beast. “Brothers?” I mused aloud, noticing the similarities.
“No,” Beast said with a grunt. “My dad and their moms were siblings.”
“Were?” I whispered, feeling a sudden pang.
“My dad died,” Beast said with a casual shrug, but I didn’t miss the way his brows pinched for a moment.
“I’m sorry,” I told him, taking a step toward him before I realized what I was doing and stopped myself.
“It was a long time ago.”
“We going to the after party at Judge’s or not?” Howler asked, taking a seat on the bench beside Braxton. The dog lifted her head at him, whined, and he showed her some love with a scratch under her chin.
“I’m out,” Braxton said. “I’m calling it a night. Sasha and I are tired.”
“Sasha’s old as fuck, man. She’s always tired.” Howler scratched her again. “Aren’t you, girl?” That earned him a whine from her as if she were actually agreeing with him.
“Lyla?” Howler tossed at her.
“It’s up to Mia. She’s the one with a nine o’clock class in the morning.” She pulled out her phone and started texting away, leaving the decision up to me.
“Well?” Beast asked, moving into my space.
I wanted to say yes and go with him, but I had to be smart about this. Who knew what went on at an Underground after party? I needed to make good decisions, or Momma was going to lose her mind and I’d be back home before I could blink.
“Sorry. I have a really busy day tomorrow.” It wasn’t a nine o’clock class I had, but an appointment with my physical therapist. I needed to be at the top of my game for that torture, or the therapist would call my mom and rat me out.
“Ah, come on,” Howler tried to tempt me. “Not even for an hour?”
“Leave her alone, man,” Beast told him. “She’s in pain.”
I blinked at him like an owl, because he was right. I’d been in pain most of the evening, but it was nothing I couldn’t handle.
“Lyla, can I take you home?” Howler asked instead. “We need to talk.”
