Page 47 of From Best To Bested

Jake raised his arms in surrender and stepped away until he reached the door where he stood watch, clearly not offering real privacy.

Not that anyone expected it in Marlow Penitentiary.

“What happened to taking care of things?” Roman asked in a not-so-hushed whisper as his glare fell on Jake.

Jake, who’d gone to playing with the door and shooting the men a minxy grin, much like a devilish cat about to pounce.

“I did take care of things,” Ezra insisted, stealing Roman’s attention.

“By bringing him back here?”

“By smoothing things over.” Ezra brushed Roman’s face, gentle but controlling. “It’s important not to make enemies of everyone for any little reason.”

Roman scoffed, drowning in his thoughts, his resentments, hislittle reasonsfor not wanting to be around Jake Finnegan.

“I’m uncomfortable around him,” Roman said as nicely as he could possibly fathom when, in reality, he wanted to finish what he’d started in the showers.

It was a level of fury Roman had long since learned to bury, and despite the discomfort of Jake’s proximity, Roman did secretly relish the feelings of anger. It wasn’t quite palpable but the closest to finding himself in a long time. He wanted to punch Jake again and again until he broke every bone in his body; he wanted to punch Jake for every bottled-up resentment he held over the last several months; he wanted to punch Jake for everything wrong in the world. And then he wanted to punch Jake a few more times for good measure.

“I know he’s not your favorite person,” Ezra said with a yawn. “But I think you just need to relax a little. He’s actually not too terrible.”

“And how are you suddenly so relaxed?” Roman asked since the last time he spoke to Ezra, he wanted to slaughter Jake too. “Are you okay?”

“High,” Ezra said.

“Hello?”

“No,” Ezra said with a laugh that he buried in Roman’s neck, kissing and licking and giggling the entire time. “I’m high.”

Roman raised his brows in concern and confusion. At least that explained the bizarre behavior. “And why are you high exactly?”

“It was to help discuss matters,” Ezra said as he wrapped a hand around Roman’s neck, waving Jake back over to them.

“Did you really need to discuss things high?” Roman asked, giving Ezra a pleading expression.

“I find it’s the best way to smooth out an argument,” Jake said.

“You know what I think the best solution to smooth out problems is?” Ezra asked.

“Don’t attack people in the showers, maybe?” Roman shrugged as if stating the simplest of details to a life of proper etiquette.

“Easier said than done when you’re strutting around all cute and kissable.” Jake winked, much to Roman’s disgust.

“I think we should all just kiss and make up,” Ezra professed, quite loudly and clearly lost on his high. “It’s the best way to resolve a resolution. Solve a solution. Revolve a solve?”

Roman glared at Jake’s grinning face.

Ezra gave Jake a peck. Ezra gave Roman a peck. “Come on now.”

Roman rolled his eyes and gave Jake a peck.

“I don’t feel like we really made up,” Jake said, phony disappointment in his tone.

Ezra kissed Jake again, a bit more fire in his touch, a bit more primal, even growling a bit as he turned back to Roman and kissed his lips with a passionate force and just a touch of a bite.

“Now, that is how you mend fences.” Jake laughed.

“Fuck it,” Roman thought, snatching Jake by the back of his hair and locking his gaze.

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