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Fifteen
Jamie
Rick leads us through the house to the kitchen. He doesn’t bother asking if we want drinks, instead goes ahead and puts the kettle on, pulling cups from the cupboard.
Seb and I take seats at opposite ends of the breakfast bar, avoiding eye contact and looking everywhere else but each other.
Rick joins us, carrying over the tea and sitting in the middle like some kind of mediator. Silence descends like an oppressive cloud, and I shift in my seat uncomfortably.
“Rick, I’m sorry—”
“We’re sorry—”
Seb and I say at the same time. It immediately gets my back up that he’s talking for me. I snap my eyes to him before saying, “This whore can speak for herself, thanks.” There’s a sharp inhale of breath from Rick at my words as he snaps his gaze to Seb.
“Okay. Would one of you like to tell me what on earth is going on here.” He looks between the two of us. Neither of us eager to speak as I sit and chew the inside of my cheek, and Seb rubs his hands up and down his thighs. Realising that we aren’t going to answer, Rick singles Seb out for interrogation first. “Seb, what’s going on here?”
With one last rub of his hands down his thighs, he lifts his hands and places them on the counter in front of him.
“I was at Tempest.”That’s it. No other words or explanation as if those four little words answer all Rick’s questions.
When I look to Rick, I can see that Seb’s short answer was in fact all Rick needed to know.
Feeling like I’m completely out of the loop, I say, “And? What’s does that mean? I’ve been told I’m not to go there again.” I throw Seb the dirtiest look, turning my nose up at his audacity to tell me where I can and can’t go. “And let’s not forget, the guy who owns the place now thinks I’m some whore Seb is currently at home fucking. One of you want to tell me what it is I’m missing because saying ‘I was at Tempest’ seems like the key to Pandora’s box and I missed the opening of it.”
Rick and Seb share a look, and I catch the back end of Seb shaking his head at Rick.
“I can’t tell you why Seb was there, but all you need to know is that it’s probably best if you stay away from there for a while.”
“You know what, fine. It’s not like I’m a member and can go there anytime I want anyway. I’ll just go back to Rosco’s.” I hear a low growl coming from Seb’s direction, and when I look over, I see his nostrils are flaring like a dragon about to breath fire. It’s something I’ve noticed he does when he’s angry. And when he’s turned on too. I cross my legs as a bolt of lust shoots through me, and my heart beats faster, tiny little flutters that tingle through my body at the mental image of him braced above me as he slams into me. The fact that I can be turned on by him even when I’m mad— well, it just makes me madder. “Something you want to say, Seb?”
He holds his hands up and shakes his head, but I can see him biting his tongue, desperate to say something.
“Jamie,” Rick says, and I turn to him. “Is there something else worrying you? Did something happen?”
“No, not at all because being called a whore, getting mugged and threatened are just another day in the life of Jamie Morgan.” As soon as the words leave my mouth I suck in a breath, and I can almost see the little hands stretching and clawing at the words as I try to pull them back down into the depths of my gut.
“What do you mean threatened?” Seb asks, a dangerous edge to his voice. It’s the same voice he uses in the bedroom, but up until the other night, I’ve never heard him use it outside.
This is a new side to Seb, and a far cry from the cocky womaniser I first met. It unnerves me a little, and I don’t know how to handle this version of him. My body on the other hand? Yeah.
“Nothing. Doesn’t matter.” I shrug, rising from my seat wanting to escape and evade further questions. “It’s late, so I’m going to go now. I’m sorry for waking you.” I try to leave, but a hand on my arm and Rick calling my name has me halting.
My shoulders drop, and I close my eyes in defeat. Why I thought either of them would drop it is beyond me. Opening my eyes, I pull my arm away from Seb’s touch and look at Rick.
“Seb, give us a minute, please,” Rick says, eyes on mine the whole time, and I hold my breath waiting for Seb’s reaction.
“Not gonna—”
“Now.”
It’s one word, but that one word holds more authority than I’ve ever heard before. This is Rick the soldier, the leader and alpha male. They may not be in the army anymore, but there’s no doubt who holds the authority here. I hold Rick’s gaze as I hear a muttered curse beside me. When the heat from a body seers my back, I know Seb is standing right there.
“I will find out what’s going on. One way or another, you can count on it.” He brushes my back as he steps past me, but I keep my chin raised and mouth shut in response. A door slams somewhere in the house, and I know he’s hasn’t left completely. I also know he’s not wrong about finding out what’s going on.
Loyalty is important to me, just like I know it is to Rick, Seb and Blue. Rick’s loyalty will lie with his friends first, as it should, and I don’t begrudge him that. I admire it.
I slowly step back to my seat, sitting and taking a large gulp of, the now cold, tea.
