Page 35 of Five Brothers

She stares at me like she’s waiting for the rest. “Okay … Um, were you safe?”

“Well, the thing is—”

“Does Trace know?”

“It’s … not that kind of relationship.”

“Okay, so who was it?”

A lump gets caught in my throat. “Fuck, I havenoidea.”

She gapes at me. “What?”

I can’t help but let out a little laugh. “It’s hard to explain, but with the darkness in the room and the angles and …”

“All right, okay.” She holds up her hand, stopping me. “So you just didn’t see his face? Like, seriously? Where was this?”

“In the Jaeger house.” I hesitate before finishing. “I know it was one of them. On the couch.” I watch her eyes go round again. “I was just so lost in what we were doing, I don’t know. Clay, it was the best thing I’ve ever felt. All of it. Every second.”

A gleam hits her eyes. “Really?” she teases. “Better than your showerhead?”

Oh God. I drop my face into my hand. I actually told her about that, didn’t I? A long time ago. She, Amy, and I were making margaritas. I overshared.

“I don’t know,” I whine. “Maybe I was just better with him? Or maybe I was on my game and he was on his game and it was just great that one time and would never be like that again; I have no idea, but shit, it was amazing.”

And it had almost nothing to do with the part where he was inside me. The hands, the arms, the heat from his mouth on my cheek—my hair—and how when he pressed himself into my back and wrapped himself around me, a part of me wasn’t missing anymore. That’s what it was supposed to feel like the first time. Every time.

God.A light sweat travels down my chest, and …

Clay shoves something in my face, and I blink, seeing her snap her fingers to get my attention.

I spaced off.

“And you’re sure it was one of the Jaegers?” she presses.

I nod. “He was wearing the bracelet, and I’ve been with Trace enough to know those weren’t his moves.”

He’s a possibility, but not a likely one.

“What do I do?” I ask her, lowering my voice again. “I mean, I’m not expecting round two, but I want to know who it was.”

“Ask them.”

“Oh, right. That’ll be hilarious. ‘Hey, guys. Which one of you left your handprint on my ass last night?’”

Some diners turn in my direction, and I shut up. Shit. I’mtalking loudly again. I look over, spotting Iron and Army glancing in my direction.

Clay shakes with a laugh. “He left a handprint?”

I show her my neck and the reddish-purple busted blood vessels right above my collarbone. “He left marks everywhere,” I say. “Do you want to see the insides of my thighs?”

Liv stops right behind Clay and cocks an eyebrow at me.

I swallow. “You walked into that one out of context. Sorry, babe.”

She knows better anyway.

She steps up to Clay’s side, amusement in her eyes. “What’s going on?”

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