Page 78 of A Bloom in Winter

Apex wheeled around on the guy. “Shut up, Remis. Get in your fucking car and go back to Caldwell—”

That finger he clearly liked to jab in people’s faces swung in Apex’s direction. “Stay out of this. If you know what’s good for you—”

“Right now, I’m all that’s keeping him from killing you. So how about you do us both a favor and leave? I don’t really like you, so I’m not sure how long I’m going to keep the peace going. FYI.”

With a last look toward the house, the ex marched around, got behind the wheel—and made the mistake of trying to peel out in the snowpack. Even with those snow tires, and all that fancy, computer-aided traction, he didn’t get far with that.

So he was forced to creep out, his luxury sedan making like a child’s remote control toy—

A heavy arm became a bar across Mayhem’s chest. “Let him go.”

“I’m not going after him.”

“Then why did you just take two steps forward.”

Did I?he wondered.

Well, Apex was probably a better judge of his actions than he was at the moment.

Nodding, he turned back to the house. Walked back.

As he came up to the entrance, he stopped in front of Mahrci. And it was then when he realized what he’d said.

Fuck.

He glanced over his shoulder at Apex. “We’re not sleeping together. Just so we’re clear. I only said that to get a rise out of him.” Then he turned back and rubbed his face. “I’m sorry. I probably should have handled . . . all of this better—”

Mahrci threw her arms around him and squeezed him so hard, she nearly popped his head off his spine. Not that he cared. The sound of her weeping just about tore him up—

“That was frickin’ awesome!” She pulled back, and was laughing so hard she had to wipe her eyes. “Did you see the expression on his face? And what was the move around the car?”

Oh, okay. Not crying, but laughing hysterically.

All at once, the three of them were imitating Remis’s slippery strides, their hands waving around over their heads, the laughter echoing all around—because clearly, they all needed it. And when the tension had been burned off, they stood out in the cold and caught their breaths.

“Okay, that was a little mean,” Mahrci said.

Mayhem glanced at her throat and thought,Not even close to mean.

And then Mahrci was taking his hand and holding his eyes intently. “You’re not the help, not like he meant it. I want you to know that.”

Even though Apex was right beside them, Mayhem reached up and brushed that one strand of hair out of her face again.“I wasn’t offended because I know I’m not. But thank you, for caring how Imighthave taken it.”

She nodded. “And thank you . . . for coming in when you did.”

“Wellllllllllll, I mighta been eavesdropping. A little bit. It goes without saying that I think you did the right thing getting out of that mating.”

“I had to.” Her face grew grave. “I didn’t have a choice. I had . . . to do the right thing.”

When she shivered, he knew that it wasn’t the cold.

Slipping his arm across her shoulders, he led her back into the house, the warm, well-lit house, where he would keep her safe.

For however long she would let him.

“I’m going to cook,” he murmured. “For the both of us.”

CHAPTER TWENTY–SEVEN

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