Page 373 of Power Play

“Observing leadership.”

I took the plate because arguing required more energy than chewing.

Breakfast continued with enough noise to dull the hangover. Cade returned with wet hair and a clean shirt. Briggs stole half my eggs, claiming I hadn’t eaten quickly enough to establish ownership. Rider produced bacon no one had seen him cook, while Easton wrote and deleted six different texts to Aura before I took his phone and composed one for him.

Easton read it and shook his head. “No. That has feelings.”

“That is usually how apologies work.”

“She’ll know I didn’t write it.”

“Then learn from the structure.”

“I’m not calling her my emotional safe place.”

“You called her that last week.”

“During sex.”

Every head turned toward him.

Easton took his phone back and locked the screen. “That felt private as soon as I said it.”

“Deeply,” Cade agreed.

Laughter moved through the kitchen, and for a few minutes, I almost felt normal. The pain remained, but it had settled into the familiar place where old wounds went once the body understood they weren’t immediately fatal. I didn’t hurt less than I had the night before. I’d simply become more accustomed to carrying it.

That was how survival worked. Pain consumed every breath at first, and then the body learned how to move around it until everyone mistook function for healing.

I finished the eggs, drank two glasses of water, and held a bag of frozen vegetables against my ribs while Bliss waited with unnerving patience. Once the plates were cleared, she pointed toward the living room.

“You and me.”

I looked over the top of my sunglasses. “Bossy.”

“Yes.”

“I have a game.”

“In several hours.”

“I need to prepare.”

“You need to sit down.”

Briggs passed me on his way toward the sink. “I suggest compliance. She’s tiny, but Cade responds aggressively when she becomes distressed.”

“I respond appropriately,” Cade said.

“You murdered a guy.”

“He fucked with my girl. I also get bonus points because he tried to make me the dead guy.”

“Awe, happy endings.”

Bliss ignored all of them and walked into the living room. I considered going upstairs, but Cade caught the back of my shirt before I took the first step.

“Don’t make me earn the no-cock-blocking portion of this agreement.”