Page 4 of Wizard

“Why?” Echo questioned with narrowed eyes.

“Protection,” Blaze drawled.

Echo scowled. “Why would Violet need protection?”

I hid my laugh in a cough, but the dirty look Echo shot my way told me I hadn’t done a good job.

“Not Violet, Echo,” King muttered as he stood and walked around his desk to take a seat behind it. “You.”

“What?” Echo shook his head, clearly confused.

Blaze swept his hand around the table and grunted. “Out.”

Disappointed at missing what was bound to be a fantastic spectacle, we all protested but shut up and left when King growled. “Now!”

Later, we were sprawled out in the lounge of the clubhouse, drinking and taking a break from all the shit we were currently mired in.

Courtney, Blaze’s old lady, was teasing Echo about how he’d basically forced his way into Violet’s life after overhearing her narrating a book.

“Stalker much?” she asked with a giggle, making Blaze shake his head with a sigh.

Echo shrugged. “A guy’s gotta do what he’s gotta do to get his woman’s attention.”

“Damn straight,” King agreed, cupping the back of his son’s head with a soft smile that had his woman, Stella, blushing.

I shrugged and commented, “I’m sure some light stalking wouldn’t scare Violet off after she narrated that book for Thea Drummond with the hero who took his masked stalker rep very seriously.”

The room went silent as we all turned to gawk at me.

Oh shit.

Violet’s eyes were wide as she asked, “You’re familiar withThe Monster Behind the Mask?”

Thinking fast, I said carelessly, “Stumbled across it when I was looking into you.”

The comment turned Violet’s attention back to Echo, and I should have simply left it at that…but when King got defensive about his ability to sweet-talk Stella, I couldn’t help murmuring, “Chill, Prez.” Then I shot a wicked smile at Echo. “At least you don’t need to worry about your woman recording sex scenes with another guy.”

Watching the ensuing argument was hilarious as fuck.

Eventually, Ace elbowed me in the side. “Another one bites the dust,” he joked.

So it seemed.

My thoughts turned to Thea, and I felt a trickle of relief that I wouldn’t have to worry about her working with another man—in any capacity. And I’d be the one she used to research any steamy scenes in her books.

I shook my head. “When I claim my woman, I’m not gonna be pussy-whipped enough for her to act out hot-as-fuck sex scenes with another guy,” I stated.

“Quit starting shit,” King rumbled. “I read somewhere that babies are sensitive to their environment. Don’t need Cadell to get all worked up.” His face softened when he glanced at his newborn son.

But even though I hadn’t been trying to make a dig, just a statement of fact, I raised my hands in a gesture of surrender. “Sorry, Prez.”

Cadell suddenly let out a little wail. Everyone turned their attention to the baby, leaving me free to down the rest of my beer and grab another one from behind the long bar.

I thought about Echo’s comment to Violet about falling for her when he saw her picture.

It seemed Ace was right. Another one had bitten the dust. But it wasn’t Echo.

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