Page 49 of Bad Blood

I rake a hand through my hair and chuckle. “You win.” I raise my hands in defeat and watch as the smug grin falls from his lips.

Axel and Bane join us in the kitchen, disappointed they’re late for the scuffle, and disappear from my view behind the counter. I take the opportunity of Liam’s distraction as my chance and race into the kitchen, putting him into a headlock as I rub my knuckles over his scalp.

The playfulness in his eyes fades as he wrestles to get away. Axel leaps and yips, excited by our battle.

Liam laughs. “What the hell? Come on!” He shoves and pushes, to no avail.

“Say, ‘uncle.’ ”

He pinches his lips together. And a small part of me considers the consequences of taking him to the ground.

It could hurt his hip.

He twists out of my grasp and pushes away.

Or not.

An apple thumps against my chest.

What the hell?

And another.

Stunned by the fruit rolling across the tile, Axel and Bane have my attention as they chase after an apple and give Liam the time to race through the opposite side of the kitchen and into his room. He slams his door.

I chuckle, impressed by his evasive tactics.

The last apple settles near the baseboard under the sink. I scoop it off the floor and place it on the counter next to the others before I head toward Liam’s room. I knock and pause, waiting for a response. “You can’t hide from me forever.”

“No one said I was hiding.”

Axel and Bane crowd around my feet as I rap my knuckles across the door. “I’m gonna hit the gym to work on these chicken legs. Let me know when you’re ready for your beating.”

The door flies open. “Will you grab egg drop soup from Yogi’s?” The idea of food replaces Liam’s need for self-preservation. His eyes grow as he accepts his mistake. I couldn’t care less. I’m happy he’s wanting to eat. He steps back as the dogs rush into his room. Axel leaps onto his bed, and Bane struggles to get his short, bulldog legs over the edge of the mattress.

Liam shields himself behind the door. “It’s the truth—chicken legs or not, you know you’ll never outrun me.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“I was kidding. Come on.” His shoulders hunch as I take a step into his room. We circle like a lion and its prey. I lunge forward, grabbing him by both arms.

He squeezes his eyes shut, and his body tenses while he waits for my next move. He peeks at his shoulders, from my right hand to the left.

“Do you want pot stickers or fried rice?” I drop both hands, chuckling as I ruffle his hair.

Axel bounds off the mattress and past us into the living room as Bane accepts defeat and follows him.

Liam narrows his eyes, trying to decide if he’s gonna get pounced on again or if this is a truce. I leave him to speculate as I follow the dogs and grab my hoodie from the hook next to the front door. I stop as he peeks out of his room, making eye contact.

“Both?” I wait for a response.

“And hot mustard sauce.”

“It’s gonna be a little while.”

“My stomach can wait while you work on those chicken legs.” A rebellious grin spreads across his face as he slams his door.

15

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