Page 4 of Make Me Mean It

I have to fight the smile threatening to pull at my lips, more amused by his obvious dislike than I probably should be.

“You always this happy to see people, baby Reid?” I drawl, teasing just enough to see what he’ll give me.

“Theo,” Marcus warns, but I barely register him, too focused on the way Connor’s eyes narrow further on me.

“Only hockey players,” he shoots back, the bite in his response catching me off guard enough to pull a quiet laugh from me.

Okay, so Marcus’s little brother has some bite to him.

I push away from the wall, curiosity curling warm in my chest as I look at him properly. I’d been expecting moving boxes and several hours of wanting to die quietly in a corner somewhere, but the afternoon is looking slightly less painful by the minute.

The urge to push just a little harder is already getting the better of me.

“Aren’t you delightful.”

His fingers tighten around the edge of the door as he opens his mouth, clearly ready to fire something back, and I find myself waiting for it, wanting to see what else he’s got.

Marcus steps between us, apparently deciding this has already gone far enough

“Alright, enough.” Marcus turns back to Connor, nodding towards me. “I brought him here to help, so suck it up.”

Connor’s fingers tighten around the edge of the door until his knuckles bleach white, but instead of firing back, he turns his attention to Marcus, pointedly shutting me out of the conversation.

Marcus doesn’t seem remotely bothered by the welcome, brushing past Connor and disappearing into the flat. Connor steps aside for him without hesitation, but when I move to follow, he stays exactly where he is, one hand still curled around the edge of the door.

I stop in front of him, close enough now that I have to look down slightly to meet his eyes. “You gonna let me in, Reid?”

Connor holds my gaze for another long second before finally stepping back, giving me just enough room to squeeze past him.

“Unfortunately.”

I bite back a laugh as I step inside, my shoulder brushing his on the way past.