Page 57 of A Blackened Bond

“I love it when you talk dirty, Ez.” Annex tugs me closer, kissing my shoulder before reluctantly pulling away and heading toward Ezra.

He prowls around Xander, Anders flinching and taking a step back while pulling Seria behind him.

Annex crouches beside Xander’s head, his feet near his face as he leans down, whispering something I can’t quite make out into his ear.

A tremor works its way into Xander’s hands as Annex continues to whisper to him. Our eyes meet, a wicked grin stretching his lips as he pats Xander’s shoulder and pulls himself up.

Ezra quirks a brow, a question in his gaze as he peers back toward a trembling Xander. Annex just shakes his head. “Another time.”

They both turn my way, the dark glares and heavy mood fading from them instantly as my eyes meet each of theirs. Their grins widen as they approach me, just as I feel a presence at my back.

I whip around and meet Mallyn’s grey gaze, a curious look working its way into his gaze as he stares behind me. “Everything okay?”

I nod, feeling Ezra and Annex come behind me, a small smile tracing my lips as the three of them surround me.

“I know one thing that would make it even better…” Annex says, wrapping his arm around my shoulder as we leave the main building.

I raise a brow in question.

“Getting out of this shithole for a while.”

I glance toward Mallyn and Annex. “Don’t you have your interviews today?”

“Fuck ‘em,” Annex spits out, annoyance pulling at his features. “If they wanna question me, they have to catch mefirst.” He grins, some amusing dark thought probably crossing his demented mind with his own words.

“It’s fine.” Mallyn hands me a brown paper bag. The smell of fresh meat and cheese instantly hits me and makes my stomach growl.

A blush coats my cheeks as Mallyn’s lips tilt upward.

“Let’s eat on the way. And then grab you some dessert.”

I gaze between the three boys, all watching and grinning my way.

Threatsanddessert?

A girl could get used to this kind of pampering.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

MALLYN’S POV

Iwatch Micai as she sits across from me on the small wooden bench. She glances around at the town from where we sit; white and red Christmas lights hanging from the old metal light poles above us and decorations filling each shops’ window display.

Her eyes sparkle with humour as she notices a small child whispering excitedly to an old Santa statue a few feet away, before he gets annoyed with the lack of response and begins to poke his rosy ceramic cheeks.

We had eaten our sandwiches in Ezra’s car on the way here. Micai’s face instantly lit up when we gave it to her. She devoured it within minutes, grinning from ear to ear with satisfaction when she was finished.

A small smile tilts my lips, happy that I had opted to join them in the car ride over rather than taking my Ducati like usual. I would have missed watching Micai’s cute mannerisms when she ate, or being able to listen to her talk.

I glance toward ‘Pages and Pies’, seeing Annex and Ezra talking to Daina as a growing queue grows behind them. The people in it keep their distance from my brothers as they placeour order, their eyes never turning toward them as they ramble to Daina about ‘popular desserts’.

Annex and Ezra had argued back and forth on the way here about what dessert Micai would like, each trying to persuade her to taste their favourite. She said she would try anything and to surprise her.

They both headed over to get her something, the line there instantly parting and keeping their distance from them as they entered.

My grin widens as I heighten my senses, honing in on Annex and Ezra bickering about‘What muffin flavour Micai would like most’.

But I’m pretty sure she would be happy with whatever they picked.

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