Page 109 of Something So Strong

“I know a good ass isn’t something you generally prefer. But that is a fine specimen.” I nod towards Kendall, baiting Romeo. But he bites his tongue and takes a deep breath in through his nose.

“Kenny,” he beckons, picking up his phone. “We’ve gotta leave soon.”

Kai snorts beside me, finding it equally hilarious how nonchalant Romeo is trying to be.

“Sorry, Romi,” she says—jumping to spin back in our direction. “I was just getting this.” Holding up a small make-up bag, she shakes it and makes her way to Kai and myself. “Scoot,” she commands, directing us with her hands until we’re sitting facing each other with our knees touching. Lifting her leg, Kendall straddles mine, and plants her plump ass on my thighs.

I wrap my lips around my teeth because this is too fucking good.

Kendall is such an innocent soul she’ll have no idea what she’s doing. But I can still feel Romeo’s eyes shooting daggers into the back of my head.

Showing him some respect, I link my hands behind the chair, but I can’t fight the urge to look back at him over my shoulder with a shit-eating grin that spreads over my entire face at the seething expression on his.

“Did Jesse go all barbarian on you?” Kendall jokes as she unzips the makeup case and pulls out two tiny tubes.

“Nah, Ken. He only did this one,” he states matter-of-factly, pointing to the faint yellow bruise still dusting the top of his cheekbone.

“You two aren’t still trying to hide things, are you? It’s so damned obvious it’s almost funny.”

My eyes close and I shake my head because I really have been a daft prick. Everyone knows, but no one cares except… Things are still shit between me and Saxon. He’s yet to apologize for pushing me, and he’s not even so much as texted me about the fight at the pub even though Kai and I both put our backs on the line for him.

Maybe he’s pulling away because he doesn’t approve.

Maybe ignoring me is easier for him than saying flirting is one thing, but hooking up is unacceptable and I can’t be around you...

“Not anymore,” Kai answers, his eyes narrowing in to focus on the tubes Kendall’s holding up to his face.

Deciding on the lighter one, she nods her head firmly in approval, but I really wish she hadn’t, because it rocks her ass on my legs. And I can’t help but study it and how her thighs widen because of how they’re pressed against me.

“I’m glad.” Kendall sounds happy as she squeezes some of the skin-colored substance onto her finger. “Cleo will have a field day, though.” She starts tapping her finger lightly across Kai’s bruises. “She keeps going on about how hot it is, and how she wants to be the meat in your sandwich,” she snickers—her ass jiggling against me. “You know she’d be up for it too. If you guys ever wanted to have a three-way, I mean… with Cleo…”

“Are you available as well?” Kai’s low voice shakes through Kendall’s chest to mine. But I know he’s just trying to provoke Romeo too.

“Oh—n—no,” Kendall stutters, shaking her head rapidly. “I’d never do something like that.” She’s flustered and it’s adorable. She’s a total sex kitten with purity radiating off of her like a homing beacon. And with a reaction like that, it wouldn’t surprise me if she’s never been properly touched… Or at all…

Continuing to work in silence until Kai’s bruises are covered, Kendall retrieves a compact from the case and dabs the powder over her handiwork. Blowing away the excess, she leans back. This time her ass cheeks rub against my dick and I whip my head back as I bite the inside of my cheek.

“There. Perfect,” she praises herself.

“Ok, off you get then.” I insist, hooking under her arms and helping her to stand.

Kai and I hurriedly shuffle our seats back under the table as Romeo stands—all alpha energy, claiming her like a fucking caveman. But this is not a side of him that’s new to me. He is a sweetheart, yes, but Romeo can also be really fucking possessive. He’s in primal mode. The neanderthal side of his brain has kicked into action. And even though it’ll be like pulling teeth to get him to admit it, Kendall is in his sights, and god help anyone else who even thinks about laying a hand on her. Honestly, I’m impressed he didn’t whip his dick out and piss all over her.

“Okay. Well, you have a great morning session. Make sure you take good care of him, Kenny.” I grin snidely at Romeo, then give Kendall a proper smile. “He might be a little jumpy for a while, but he’ll pep up. I promise… Oh, and thanks for fixing up Kai. You might have to teach me your tricks—”

“There are plenty of YouTube videos for that,” Romeo interrupts, and Kai wheezes, doing all he can to subdue his laughter.

“Got it, mate.” I wink, and give him a sarcastic thumbs up.

I pace from Saxon’s door, back to the lift, and turn down the hallway towards Romeo’s room for the fiftieth time in the past ten minutes. Or maybe it’s been an hour. All I know is I slept late, tore myself away from Kai, walked down three flights of stairs, and have been loitering here ever since.

Ok, Jess, you can do it. Just go inside.

Two days ago, he finally apologized. Albeit right before asking a pretty huge favor of me, but the words I’m sorry coming from Saxon’s mouth are rarer than rocking horse shit, so I know he meant it. Fresh from Romeo finding out about Kai and me, it would have been a great time to spill the beans—the whole enchilada, and any other Mexican food-based puns you can think of—to Saxon. But any joy I’d amassed from that morning was ground into the dirt when he confirmed all the stories we had heard about Andy were true.

I have minimal experience dealing with her personally, and her intrusion into mine and Saxon’s conversation that day was more akin to being slapped with a wet fish than anything pleasant. She threw a mug at his head and tried to strangle him, for Christ’s sake. They converse in nothing but profanity and insults. And she has no ass at all to speak of, but he fucking stalks her everywhere she goes. She must have knocked back in whichever screw was loose, because I’m no closer to understanding what goes on inside that clusterfuck mind of his than I was back in Hackney.

Kai, on the other hand, won’t say a word about her. He’s always been team Andy, but only nodded silently when I relayed Saxon’s story. And he’s refused to help me in any way with this virtually impossible mission Saxon has me on…