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I tucked it into my ankle sheath with its brother, keeping one at the ready in my palm just in case. “Yeah, well you still owe me one.”
He shook his head.
Grey and Rook entered behind me. I fell into the only armchair in the room, forcing the others to all share the sofa on the other side of the long, narrow coffee table. It acted as a line in the sandy carpet, and I didn’t intend to cross it again until it was time to leave.
I took a swig of the whiskey, then leaned forward to set it down on the table, noticing Rook eyeing the bottle.
He grabbed it, taking a pull straight from the bottleneck, too, and licked his lips.
Grey leaned forward between his two brothers, elbows on knees as he regarded me coldly.
“I’ve told them what I found on your phone,” he began and already I was on edge, my fist tightening on the blade, regretting the whiskey already starting to nibble at my reflexes and senses.
“There are no secrets between us,” he continued, though already I knew that was a lie. Maybe they didn’t keep the important shit from each other, but I knew damn well that Corvus had no idea Grey and I fucked. I didn’t think he’d like that after his possessive touch and words on fight night.
I waited for him to go on, and when he didn’t, my irritability skyrocketed, fueled by whiskey and exhaustion. “How nice for you,” I said with a false smile, my voice dripping sarcasm. “Do you also pick daisies on Saturdays and wish upon shooting stars?”
A tick in Grey’s jaw was the only giveaway that my comment annoyed him, but I’d take it.
“This isn’t a fucking joke,” Corvus butt in, his eyes on fire. “Do you know what would’ve happened if Grey didn’t stick his neck out for you?”
“Doyouknow what would’ve happened if I didn’t throw that blade?” I countered, my voice rising in volume.
“Would you shut the fuck up for one second and listen?”
“Corv,” Grey warned, and earned himself a snarl from his brother.
Corvus got to his feet and paced down to the edge of the coffee table. I thought he might leave, but he turned around, his jaw flexing, and sat back down.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen him this worked up. I didn’t think hegotthis worked up. It made me want to poke him some more, see how long it took before he snapped.
“What does he mean?” I asked Grey, instead, tabling the idea of provoking Corvus, at least for the moment. I didn’t like the way they were looking at me. How they seemed to be hesitating to tell me something. “About you sticking your neck out for me?”
“Diesel wanted you dead, AJ,” he said. “The instant you threw that blade, you became a liability. A threat.”
“But I also saved his precious son,” I pointed out. “WhoI wouldn’t have needed to save if he was paying any attention at all.”
“Maybe I could’ve paid more attention if I didn’t see your ass creeping out of the back of the Rover.”
“Enough,” Grey hissed, and Rook snorted, taking another swig of his drink, seeming to be having way too much fun just sitting there watching this conversation happen.
Corvus’ nostrils flared, but he fell silent, content to sit there and glare at the carpet.
“AJ,” Grey hedged, drawing my attention back to him. “I asked Diesel to bring you in.”
“You did what?!”
“I asked him to let you take the trial.”
I was on my feet, the burst of shock hauling me up like marionette strings, making me move. “He didn’t agree to that.”
Diesel St. Crow wouldn’t agree to that, would he?
Grey’s eyes slid from my face. “He did. I’ve never asked him for anything. Not ever. I asked him to spare you and let you take the trial. If you pass, you’ll be in so deep there’s nothing you could do to hurt him, or us, without also burying yourself.”
I barked a laugh at the ludicrousness of what he was saying. This wasn’t happening.
“And if I fail?” I asked, my tone light, joking. As if I were really going to take the trial to become a motherfucking Saint.
