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She clambered toward him, trying to tug him back down on the couch. She cupped his face in her hands, her expression a storm of worry. “I want him in here,” she whispered. “Please. Can we keep him?”
Rook’s expression twisted, and he glanced toward Ebony, then back to Vex.
“If… if that’s what you want.”
Her smile, even lopsided, was enough to brighten the room.
Everything seemed momentarily diffused until Ebony opened his fat mouth, looking all too smug. “Good boy, Harrison. It’s about whatshewants.” There was a split second of silence as he tensed. “Andshewantsme.”
Rook was off the couch in a second, a growl in his chest as he threw himself at Ebony.
“Oh for fuck’s sake!” I snapped, catching him just in time. Ebony’s grin was broad as Rook fought with me and Drake to get to him.
“She didn’t say she wanted you alive!” he snarled.
Ebony’s bark of a laugh was almost enough for me to miss the sound she was making. Rook stopped fighting, spinning back around. Vex was still curled up where he’d left her, giggling as she watched us.
It was cute until tears started leaking down her face.
“You stopped…” She managed through teary-eyed hiccups. “You stopped cuddling me so you could punch him.”
“No, no, no.” Rook was curling back up beside her in a second. “It’s not like that.”
“It is,” she said. “I saw it.”
He drew her tight in his arms, eyes wide and desperate.
“Promise me you won’t stop cuddling me again to punch Ebony in the face?” she asked.
“I…” Rook hesitated. “I promise I’ll try really hard not to.”
Vex pouted. “That’s not great, Rook.”
Drake shoved his fist in his mouth, squeezing his eyes shut as he shook with mirth.
“I just… I don’t want to lie to you.”
“Okay.” Vex hugged him closer. “I can appreciate that.”
There was a pause.
When she spoke, her voice was a loud whisper. “If you do stop cuddling me to punch him, can you make sure you don’t take long?”
“I can do that, Baby Girl.”
“Like… less than thirty seconds?”
“Less than twenty.”
Vex’s hiccuping purr came to life in response to that.
Ebony’s eyes were narrowed as he stared between them. “You really don’t have the right to be mad at me, Harrison,” he said. I shot him a warning look. Hehadto stop provoking Rook. “She can’t leave you alone, and she hasn’t evenseenyour ass yet.”
Uh… what?
“My… ass?” Rook straightened, staring between us.
Vex looked adorably bewildered. “What’s his ass got to do with anything?”
