Page 36 of Savage

“You do look hot Wyn. Maybe we should get you some milk?” Forget my possible toilet drama come morning, the girl beside me had her own version of diarrhoea, the verbal kind. I also hated the fact that she thought she had the right to shorten my name.

“She looks knackered,” Jaxon countered in that gravelly voice of his, those dark eyes roaming over my face in an assessing manner. My skin prickled at the way he ran his eyes over me. Here we go. They loved to tag team it. After so much physical exertion that day, I was almost weary beyond repair.

Shuffling in my seat I raised an eyebrow, my eyes meeting my stepbrothers across the table. “And who have I got to blame for that?” I didn’t mean for it to come out quite as suggestive as it did, but my words got Molly’s attention and her face dropped.

A strange silence fell across the table before Marcus leaned over the crockpot of chilli and started to stir it enthusiastically. “Help yourself to more rice everyone,” he declared, cutting into the awkwardness which I had created.

“When does your course start, Chris,” Daisy jumped in but was immediately railroaded.

“What does she mean Jaxon?” Molly questioned, not allowing anyone to change the subject. There was a deep frown across her forehead. It was not a good look on her. Her teeth also looked extremely white against the contrast of her hair.

“Wynter’s talking about the workout I gave her earlier,” my stepbrother replied with a similar tone, jumping on board. He stretched and placed his hands behind his head, staring down his nose at me. His comment and the way he spoke forced Marcus to look between us with a not-too-impressed expression.

Chris tittered, his fork rattling onto his plate. “You’re such dick.” He announced whilst shooting his brother a smile.

“Christopher,” Daisy scolded with her head to one side.

“What are you talking about? What workout? I can’t see you in the gym,” my sort of stepsister snickered, leaning back in her seat, and wiping her mouth with a napkin. Why was anyone’s guess, she hadn’t touched her food.

I stared back at Jaxon as he watched me with an intense, brooding look as Marcus explained, “Wynter went to the base with Jaxon for training today.”

“Oh, why on earth would you want to take her to the base Jax?” Molly retorted wrinkling her nose, her focus switching back to Jaxon. She had her hands under the table. She was probably groping him under there.

“Wynter is writing an article about mental health in the army,” Chris put in. Everyone had finished eating now and it was like there was a stand-off occurring.

“Really? How boring. I can think of more interesting things to write about,” Molly snorted. I could well imagine what she was thinking. Fit guys in army fatigues no doubt. She was so one-dimensional.

“Can you even write Molly?” I questioned with my eyebrows raised. They were a contradiction next to the syrupy tone I used.

Jaxon released a bark of a laugh and lowered his arms, shaking his head, his eyes never leaving mine. My eyes had only flickered to Molly fleetingly but I saw the sour expression she shot him. Pissed off didn’t come close. Had I managed to score a point?

“Very funny. Just because I don’t have my head stuck in a book all the time like some people,” she sniped back. A pathetic come-back. It appeared I had taken the wind out of her sails.

“Enough, both of you. As Daisy said, Wynter was there for research and took part in one of the drills. End off,” my stepfather quickly announced. “And Molly is actually dining with us as she’s been promoted at work.” Whatever. As usual, Marcus was on my side for one second before he felt the need to blow smoke up his other stepdaughter’s arse. I felt Daisy squeeze my knee under the table, a reassurance thing and I smiled. It was a tired smile but one that would appease her.

Seeing the exchange and wanting to level the playing field Marcus added. “Jaxon told me you aced the course today Wynter, well done. And of course, congrats to Mols!”

Molly’s shoulders relaxed again as I digested his words. Did that mean Jaxon had said something nice about me?

“Thank you, daddy. I’m so pleased. It was a huge shock as I’ve only been there three months.” That hero-worshipping look she shot my stepfather made me feel sick. My stomach heaved as my chilli threatened to make a reappearance.

For some reason, Marcus seemed to think the sun shone out of her bum. But then why wouldn’t he when she was so good at pulling off the nice girl act? Again, she’d turned the tables on me.

“But of course, well done to you Wynter. Fancy someone like you, roughing it with rough army men,” Molly hissed in that fake voice of hers. She cast Jaxon a saucy look but his eyes were now lowered. Was he even listening? He too looked tired and I felt a stab of concern.

My brain was screaming at me to say something witty but I came up with nothing so I just delivered the facts. “Well, they’re not all men Molly,” I informed her, playing with the hot version of the chilli which still sat on my plate.

“Really?” God, she was an ignorant bint.

I wanted to smack my hand against my forehead. “Yes. There are women in the army,” I declared, suppressing a smile. My tone held only a hint of sarcasm but Jaxon must have noticed as he lifted his head to mine.

“Well, they don’t interest me,” she snorted.

“I’m sure they don’t,” I deadpanned.

Molly did the right thing by blowing me off; her attention was now back on Jaxon.

Chris then answered Daisy’s earlier comment about when he was due to start Uni and the conversations split as did that tension.

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