Page 58 of Better Hide

Cole narrows his eyes, his body stiffening. “Was I your kid brother when I killed Pat? Hmmm? How about when I helped you kidnap Sage? Or when I hunted Jo down when she tried to leave? Stop. Trying. To. Baby. Me.” Cole’s seething now.

Oh shit. Oh shit, they killed Pat?

I blink, looking at the killers in front of me. My heart rate picks up, but not because I’m afraid. The exact opposite. My clit pounds. Somewhere, deep inside, I knew they killed him. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were others, too.

Something stupid enters my head. I’m not sure why I offer, but I hold my hand out to Cole. “Give me the knife. I’ll keep it since you two can’t get along.”

Both men look at me. I lift an eyebrow and hold out my hand.

Finally, Cole moves. He puts the knife in my palm, closing my fingers around the handle.

The room stills. Jayden watches me, Cole watches Jayden, and my gaze darts between them. Is this actually going to go down?

There are a few moments of tense silence. Finally, Jayden lets out a breath and runs his hand through his hair. “Fine, but don’t try to cut me, Jo. I’m not into that shit, and I’ll beat your ass black and blue.”

Cole winks at me. “You can try it on me.”

“I’m gonna kill him,” Jayden mutters as he tosses me a towel and then marches out the door.

“You’ll have to pick something other than a knife to do it with,” Cole grumbles, then places a kiss on top of my head. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

27

JO

We getready for bed in the guest bedroom. I flop down on the bed, and relief washes over me. It feels so fucking good to be in a bed after all those days on the road. Jayden follows after Cole and shuts the door with a click. They both look tired, with dark circles under their eyes. They haven’t spoken a word to each other since the shower.

I’m tired, too. Tired and cold with my wet hair. Jayden put me in one of his shirts, and I feel like I’m swimming in it. It smells like him, and secretly, I love it. He also re-dressed my arm.

I haven’t let go of the knife since Cole gave it to me, and Jayden rolls his eyes at me. When neither of the boys are looking, I slide the knife under my pillow.

The boys climb into bed on either side of me. At first, I think they’re going to try something, but Cole just pulls me into him and pretty quickly, their breaths become even. It feels so good to not be wearing the collar. Soon, I also drift off to sleep.

“Here, Mom.”I slide the tray of food onto Mom’s nightstand. Only it’s not a tray. It’s the lid off one of the storage bins I found in the basement because we don’t have a fancy tray.

Mom groans, still half asleep.

I can’t keep the excitement out of my fingers and toes, and I bounce up and down. Tonight is the night! Mom is taking me to a cooking class, and I’ve been excited all week. Normally, I try not to be dramatic about anything, but this week, I’m excited. I’ve been begging for months to go to this class, and now I feel like my chest is floating.

To show my appreciation, I researched how to make the perfect poached egg and made it for mom. I put it over a piece of toast that I browned to perfection. I also carefully sliced an avocado that had just hit the perfect ripeness.

“Mom,” I prompt again when she doesn’t get up.

She groans, blinking her eyes open. “What?”

“I made you breakfast.” I look at the lid again and grin. I even put a few flowers I had found outside in a water glass for her.

“Oh?” Mom sits up. “For me?”

“Yes.” I beam.

Mom throws me a little smile, and I feel I've made her proud for the first time in a long time. It fills my chest with a strange, fluttering feeling.

Mom reaches over and grabs the silverware. I watch anxiously as she dips her fork down into the egg. I know it’s perfect ‘cause I’ve practiced all week, but I won’t know for sure until she pierces the yolk.

When she does, it runs down over her toast in a steaming puddle. Not too runny, not too cooked.

I grin.

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