AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You make some good points,” I conceded. “And you’ve been clear that you’re not just thinking short term—like all of us dating her while we’re here.” I motioned to the island as if to encapsulate the entire experience with a wave of my hand. “You’re thinking long term.”
Oliver nodded. “I am. I see a future with her. Do you?”
It was my turn to nod. “But I fucked up, man. I thought she was picking me when she told me she’d asked you for space.” I groaned, recalling that conversation and how she’d shut me down. “There’s a chance I might have been a little over-eager. We’ll have to talk to her about all of this as a possibility and that it’s what we both want. Not to mention Aaron, who is now involved. Maybe he’s not the sharing type. And maybe she’ll pick him over us.”
Oliver sighed. “That’s a distinct possibility. And I agree we need to all have a conversation. But first things first, we have to redirect Ryan. I don’t like how he talks to her—orabouther—and he’s constantly hovering in the periphery.”
Something about Sophie had all of us menfolk falling to our knees and begging for attention. I didn’t know what made Ryan or Aaron or Oliver go gaga over her, but for me, it was her sweetness and pure heart with just the right amount of snark that made me want to be more for her. She challenged me to be a better man than I had settled for.
“I’m in. But how are we going to do that?” I asked. I wanted Ryan off the island, and if the producers kicked Kayla off, maybe they would do the same for Ryan.
“I have some ideas and they involve Julie. But I think step one of our plan is to keep our distance from the other women. Cheryl, especially since Sophie probably thinks you’re moving on to her.”
“Deal.”
We bumped fists, sealing our agreement and resolving to get our girl back.
We headed back into the house, finding Ryan at the kitchen island with a cup of coffee cradled between his hands.
The three of us had a stare-off, assessing one another and taking measure of the opposition. “Looks like neither of you is with my girl.”
“Keep calling her that, fucker, and watch what happens.” The words were out of my mouth before my brain caught up.
He stood to his full height, slowly pushing the stool away and causing it to grind against the floor tiles.
“She dumped you too?” he taunted as his lips curled up into a smirk. I had never been one for violence, but the urge to punch him in the face rose to the surface in a flash. I balled my fists, feeling the hairs on my neck rise. “Makes sense. She had some doubts, but she’ll come back to me. Just watch. I doubt a pencil dick like you could make her feel anything other than disappointed.”
Oliver put an arm across my chest, keeping me from taking more than a single step forward.
“You will watch how you speak about Sophie,” Oliver said, his voice calm despite the tension in the room. “I will not stand for it, and neither will the viewers. The last person who had a problem with Sophie is gone. You’ll be next if you keep this up.”
Oliver didn’t mention it was because Kayla brought it on herself with the whole violence thing, but the implication that Ryan could get kicked off the island landed.
Ryan laughed, covering that millisecond of hesitation with cocky bravado. “Please. This is the type of shit viewers love to hate. They’ll sit there with their popcorn and watch this all unfold, fueling their voyeurism.”
“And your MC club? Will they like how you come across to the masses?” I asked, knowing that image was everything in their world. “Will they want to be associated with a fucking stalker who threatens women’s autonomy?”
“Women want an alpha male. Not whatever it is you two are.”
It was my turn to scoff. “Get with the times, Ryan.”
Oliver was also shaking his head in disbelief. “You know, that study was proven false? Hell, the author of it even admitted it. Wolves are not broken up by alpha, beta, or whatever else you want to cling to. At least base your entire personality on something factual.”
While Ryan was still grasping for words in that “alpha” brain of his, Oliver and I headed upstairs. After a quick trip to the bathroom to wash up and take care of business, we found two free beds, but only one available for sleep since the other was covered in Daniel and Gia’s stuff.
“What do you think?” I asked, pointing at the bed. “For old time’s sake?”
Cheryl popped up in my bed, waiting for me to join her. Hard pass.
Oliver batted his eyelashes and smiled. “Oh, darling, I never thought you’d ask.”
I shoved his shoulder, and we climbed in, each sticking to our side without Sophie in the middle to divide or unite us. I peered over their privacy divider and found her fast asleep, with Aaron wrapped around her like a vine. She had a soft smile on her face, and the part of me that usually reared its head in jealousy was slumbering like a baby.
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
Sophie
Something was off.
