“It’s okay,” Arden says quietly to him. “She didn’t get what she wanted. We’re fine.”
Carter doesn’t register what she’s saying. He’s staring out at nothing, blue eyes burning.
“Who is Morgan?” I ask. Maybe not the time, but I have to know who is being added to my kill list, and things are getting more and more tense on this balcony the longer nobody speaks.
“Tom’s wife,” Arden says, glancing at me. There is worry and anger in her eyes, melting together into a perfect, fatal storm. “Their teammate.”
Danford. Right. I remember his name.
Well, shit. Their teammate’swife?
I fall back against the couch. Oh, this is bad.
Morgan once tried to ruin my brother’s reputation and failed. Now, she’s tried again, with the same result. She didn’t learn her lesson. She ran to the same journalist and tried to sell yet another story to stir the pot, not realizing that the men she was trying to destroy had Lemmy. She should know better, her husband is on the team.
A million questions run through my head. Does Tom know about this? What would he think if he found out? Are the other wives aware? Are theyin on it?
Boston stands abruptly, ripping me from my thoughts, and clears his throat. He glances toward the couch beside him. “Saltzy, a word?”
Callum and Wyatt both glance up at him, their expressions sinking deeper. Boston looks at him for one, pointed second, and whatever Callum sees in his eyes has him flooded with concern.
Boston gestures toward the house, shaking out his shoulders, and storms inside.
Saltzy stands, not sparing any of us a glance, and wordlessly follows him.
My gaze slides to Wyatt, now alone on the couch. He stares after them, preemptive pain laced through every inch of his face. Eventually, he tears his eyes from the door that his boyfriend just walked through, and looks to his anchors.
Declan and Penny are already watching him.
The three of them shift in their seats. Something in the air changes, just enough for it to be tangible. There’s a nervousness. An anger. It’s brewing and it’s coming fast.
Penny’s fingers curl around the edge of the couch, her knuckles going white.
There is an entire conversation between the three of them, even though not a single word is spoken.
But I’m listening. I read between the lines as well as they had. This storm is a category five, and it’s about to hit the city with a vengeance.
Morgan just tried to out Callum Saltzman and Wyatt Caulfield, and Eleanor Lemon outed her instead. To their fucking battalion.
I hope that woman has a will in place.
Callum reemerges with Boston in tow. He doesn’t acknowledge the stares or expectant eyes, he just walks right up to Wyatt, running a hand over his jaw as he does. I don’t know what Wyatt sees in his face, but he jumps to his feet just in time for Callum to storm right into his arms.
Wyatt’s eyes flutter shut over his shoulder, his hand gliding up Callum’s back until it rests on the nape of his neck.
It clicks for Carter then, and the contents of the coffee table go flying.
Not the best temper, but if there is anything worth getting so angry about—it’s this.
Chaos follows.
It takes three people to physically calm Penny down. Declan has to pry her phone from her hand to stop her from calling Morgan. Her eyes are full of pure and unrelenting rage, something that Carter is an expert in. Her panic seems to snap him out of his own fury, which is truly an unexpected surprise. He kneels in front of her and grabs her face, forcing her back into her body. Even Declan’s attempts to ground her were futile.
Sometimes, I think Penny and my brother have more in common than they realize.
Callum turns in Wyatt’s arms, dragging a hand over his face, a heavy breath leaving his chest. His eyes land on Penny, practically being restrained, and heartbreak devastates his face.
“Look, it’s fine,” he says weakly. He clears his throat, sounding very un-fine. “It’s not like it’s a secret. I’m not ashamed of anything, especially not…” he glances beside him, his eyes flickering over Wyatt’s face, his expression softening. “Especially not you.”
