Page 56 of Savage

“Don’t you start,” Boyd replied. “It’s not my fault that you chose the wrong brother. When you finally come to your senses, let me know.” He stated arrogantly, flashing a cocksure smile at Mason.

“Alright dickhead,” Mason grunted. “You be waiting a long motherfucking time,” he volleyed back, wrapping an arm around Amy’s small waist and drawing her to his side.

The girl with Boyd necked her drink and stormed off.

“Oops,” Boyd blurted pulling a face.

“Another one bites the dust,” Mason whispered under his breath as we all watched her go with varying expressions.

Boyd drained the pint in his hand before slamming it on our table next to my bag. “Fuck it. She’s been way too clingy and I only brought her as a favour to her brother,” he moaned, totally unbothered that she had just stropped off.

“Someone won’t be getting any tonight,” Amy joked with a twist to her lips.

Boyd grimaced and slapped a hand against his head as if he hadn’t thought that far before recovering. “There’s plenty more fish in the sea. Isn’t that right Jaxon?”

“Whatever you say, buddy,” Jaxon replied as he took a drink from his glass. It was spoken in one of those tones you used to placate someone.

We were side by side but I could feel Jaxon’s eyes on me.

Clearing his throat Boyd questioned, “So are you two—” Gesturing between us with a wave of his finger and narrowed eyes.

“—No,” I replied firmly before Jaxon could say anything smutty. I felt him shuffle on his feet and say something to Nixon but missed it.

Boyd puffed out his chest. “Well, since you’re free and single Wynter. Would you like to dance?” he suggested, getting in my space, and holding out his hand. There was a moment’s quiet where everyone exchanged glances but no one said anything and I couldn’t exactly refuse so I slipped my fingers into his.

Jaxon again moved from one foot to the other, the action suggesting he was agitated. Boyd then turned me towards the dance floor but was interrupted by Jaxon’s hand on his shoulder.

“Keep your hands where I can see them. Otherwise, we’re going to have a problem.”

“You sound jealous?” Boyd taunted. He was blatantly provoking. It was playful but from Jaxon’s expression; the bigger man didn’t take it that way.

My stepbrother's eyes narrowed dangerously. “How could I be jealous of you shithead. You only bench one hundred and fifty. So nope, no jealousy here sunshine,” he stated arrogantly, suddenly like a cauldron of volatile emotion.

“Bullshit,” Boyd coughed into his free hand, casting me a wink. I smiled warmly as he was so annoying but in a boyish light way. I also quite liked the fact that there was a person who dared take the piss of Jaxon Savage.

Boyd’s grin then became much meatier as he continued to poke the beast.

“You warning me as a brother or a potential lover?” Boyd questioned, sliding his shoulder out from under Jaxon’s impression of the Vulcan Neck Grip. I could see the others behind my stepbrother, straining to hear above the music and noisy chatter of the guests. Nixon had an exasperated look and his eyes were tired. New baby and all that.

“Pick one, either way, the message is the same. You touch her, you die,” His voice became much sterner at the end. Talk about territorial, I half expected him to lift his leg and pee on me. From those last words, I realised that he had been offended by my accepting Amy’s lift that day from the hospital. That’s why he’d been in a mood when he arrived home. FFS! Men! They say one thing yet mean another. I needed to remember that. The fact that he was acting so possessively warmed my insides.

Boyd cleared his throat and shot a grin before sobering and replying, “Message understood. I’ll just keep her warm for you.” He then twirled me away onto the dance floor, his hands moving to my hips.

I could see Jaxon over Boyd’s shoulder. He had now lowered himself into a seat at our table with Mason and Amy. Nixon too had turned a chair around and straddled it backwards and they all appeared to be chatting. Jaxon looked jealous, it oozing from him and I fucking loved it!

“So—you and Jaxon? I can’t say I’m surprised,” Boyd chuckled into my ear. The music was a slow song and not overly loud so I heard everything he said easily enough.

“We’re not together Boyd,” I corrected him. “What would make you think that?”

“Apart from his warning, you mean? Fuck me. I’ve never seen him act like that around pussy.” Great and now I had been relegated to pussy. Marvellous.

Ignoring his offensive comment, I nodded; my arms were draped lightly around his neck. He wasn’t joking either.

“Really?”

“He can’t take his eyes off you for a start. I remember him banging on about you at the beach one time too. So, fucking obvious.”

I pursed my lips as hope swelled in my chest. Jaxon was like the biggest itch that I needed to scratch. I was still torn; my emotions having been split into two possible explanations. I lusted after my stepbrother and needed to get him out of my system or, I had genuine feelings for him. The jury was still out, but I knew I couldn’t run from it any more.

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