Page 61 of The Knockout

“Hell yeah, I’m going. I want to see Madman lose his mind when the first dude hits on Caitlin.” Leo’s grin is vicious, and I’m not gonna lie—I’m here for it. Because it’s about time Maddox gets to be on the receiving end of shit from his sister.

“You coming, Ares?” Bellamy asks as she pushes up from her chair.

“Not tonight, B. I’m exhausted.” Not exactly a lie. I’m tired as fuck. I’m also hoping Grace stays home.

“How about you, Gracie? Want to come out with us?” Hendrix grabs the back of Gracie’s chair and leans over. “Come on. I’ve never gotten to drink with you.”

“Umm... That’s because you’re not even twenty-one yet, Henny. You shouldn’t even be going.”

“Is it past the baby’s bedtime?” Leo taunts, and Hendrix cheap-shots him.

“Aww... Do you want me to put you to bed with the other babies, Henny?” Everly teases as she stands from her chair and picks up his plate.

“Sit down, Everly,” Cross orders, and the room goes deathly quiet as all eyes go to him.

My brother never gets loud.

“We have four brothers and two sisters in this room. You’ve run after two kids all day, and you’re pregnant. Let them get the goddamn dishes. I’m taking you to bed.”

Cross tugs her hand, and Everly’s smile is instantaneous. “I love it when you get bossy.”

A chorus ofewwsandoh my Godsechoes around the room as everyone fights to get the plates and get the hell out of dodge as quickly as possible before any of us have to see more of the Cross and Everly peep show than we’ve already seen over the past year.

Seriously. More than enough.

It doesn’t take long for everyone to pile into the kitchen with the dishes. “Go. I’ve got this,” Grace tells them. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Callen is gonna be there. He brings the stupid with him,” Nixon tries to calm her worry, but I don’t think it works.

“Never good when you’re comparing yourself to Callen, Nix,” she snickers.

He drops a kiss on her head, then smacks Leo and Hendrix on the back of their heads. “Whose driving? Bellamy and I don’t have a car.”

Leo tosses Hendrix his keys. “Sucks to be the youngest, Henny.”

“Don’t fucking call me Henny, you douche.”

Bellamy grabs her purse and keys. “I’m not sure where Cait and I are gonna crash tonight. So don’t wait up.”

“Don’t get pregnant,” I tell her and shut the front door behind her before she can give me a smart-ass answer.

By the time I walk back into the kitchen, Grace is turning the dishwasher on. Her dark hair is in loose waves down around her bare shoulders. And the moonlight filtering in casts a silvery glow over her flowy white sundress that hits just above her knees.

I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist and brush my lips over hers when she turns her face to me. “You doing okay?”

She nods. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Your family was asking a lot of questions tonight.” I slide my hands down her thighs, then drag them back up, bringing her dress with them.

Grace shivers and sighs a long, lazy sound. “It’s fine. I have to figure out what I’m doing before I can tell them anything anyway.”

I trace the seam of her panties, feeling her heat soaking through, and her breathing becomes anything but lazy. “My sister could come downstairs and catch us,” she warns me before she leans back, wraps a hand around my neck, and leans against my chest as I slide her panties aside.

“She’s busy,” I whisper and drag my finger through her sex, then trace the dampness all over her pussy. “Kinda like you’re gonna be, baby.”

“Oh, God,” slips out almost silently as I press my finger inside her, and fuck, I like that sound. “I think I’m going to like sneaking around if it’s always this hot.”

“Uncle Ares?”

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