Page 45 of Inked Craving

Lee

“When was the last time we had a guys’ night?” Beckett asked as he rubbed the back of his neck.

I looked up from my phone and frowned. “When were the twins born?” I teased.

Benjamin laughed. “At least Rafael is sleeping through the night.”

“The twins, not so much,” Jacob put in.

I shook my head. “Yeah, Emery doesn’t know what sleep is, though I don’t have to deal with that as Paige does.”

The guys gave each other a look, and then each raised a brow at me.

“What?”

“So, we’re not going to talk about the fact that you’re with our sister, but maybe not, and we don’t know what’s going on?” Benjamin asked, resting his hands over his stomach.

“I would like to know what’s going on,” Archer put in as he popped a melon ball into his mouth.

“Yes, we all would,” Jacob teased. “Seriously, tell us.”

“Tell us,” Marc added.

He leaned against Archer, the two of them sharing a look, and I shook my head. “We’re just... I don’t know. Should we be talking about something else?” I asked, my voice going slightly high-pitched.

“You’re the one who brought up Paige and Emery,” Beckett said, shaking his head. “It is all your fault.”

“It’s not what you think.”

“Well, whatshouldwe think?” Archer asked, teasing.

“I don’t know. Don’t we think this is weird?” I asked, looking at my friends. “This is your sister we’re talking about.”

“And we trust you,” Beckett hedged. “At least, we should, shouldn’t we? We’re not Neanderthals who are going to beat you up for daring to look at our sister. After all, you didn’t leave her alone and pregnant and haven’t even met the fucking baby yet.” Beckett’s voice lowered to a growl.

I wrapped my hand around my beer bottle and held back a growl of my own.

“I guess you’re right on that. I want to murder him. He keeps trying to get out here, but work is in the way.”

“Work,” Archer repeated, using his fingers as air quotes.

“Why are we even letting him get a say?” Marc growled. “He shouldn’t be allowed to. Not when he hasn’t stepped up to his responsibilities. It shouldn’t matter that he and Paige aren’t together. He did the crime. Now, he has to do the time.”

I looked at Marc, trying to figure out exactly what he meant by that. Thankfully, Jacob was the one who spoke, rather than one of Paige’s brothers. “I hope you’re not calling Emery a crime and fatherhoodtime, but I’m sure you just meant that he has to lean into his responsibilities and take care of what he fucking did.”

Marc sighed. “Of course. I like Paige. She’s sweet, organized, and always on time for things. She doesn’t deserve to do all of this alone because she dated an asshole.”

“And that’s why I love you,” Archer put in, leaning into his husband.

Marc smiled, his eyes lightening. “I’m just saying, Colton deserves whatever he gets, but he doesn’t deserve Paige.”

I nodded tightly. “Damn straight.”

“So, you’re saying you’re the one who deserves Paige, then?” Archer asked sweetly.

I sighed and set down my beer as I wasn’t in the mood to drink anyway. “I don’t know what’s happening, but I am taking Paige out on a date tomorrow. With Emery. The three of us. A date.”

Beckett and Benjamin gave each other a look and clinked beer bottles in cheers. While Jacob just looked smug.

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