Page 15 of Martyr

Maybe there were joint perks to Lake’s bite after all.

West slid his hand lower, over Nix’s shoulder and down his chest, stopping when the other guy spoke up.

“And if I say no?”

West quirked a brow. “What? Do you think I’ll bite the other side?” His mood soured. “Did Lake suggest I would?”

Nix was quiet for a moment and then said, “I didn’t imagine there’d be competition between you.”

“Why? Because we’re besties?” He snorted. “Come on, Nixie. No one ever gets along one hundred percent with no issues. Take you and your cousin. There had to be something she’s done that you didn’t like or agree with.”

Nix glanced away, but not before West caught a flash of hurt in his gaze.

And something else.

Was he angry?

“You’ve been acting weird all day,” he stated. “I figured it was because of the claiming mark, but…” This was out of his purview. He did not have to comfort or care about this man’s feelings in the slightest. Nix had been brought in against his will, and though he’d done his best to play along to the terms Lake had set, that didn’t mean West was interested in furthering things between them.

And yet…

West sighed. “Yejun is a lot of things, but a good listener isn’t one of them. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but he’s kind of self absorbed.” He searched Nix’s face for agreement, but his expression blanked. “Maybe he’s hid that from you so far. You’ll see eventually. Anyway, Lake—”

“Does whatever the fuck he pleases?” This time there was another flash of anger, clearly aimed Lake’s way.

That was better. West preferred it when the people around him emoted. It made them seem more alive and real.

Made him feel less shitty about himself and his often chaotic feelings.

“I was going to say, he struggles to comprehend things,” West corrected. “There’s a disconnect between his head and his heart—He does have a heart,” he added when that made Nix snort derisively. “If he didn’t, he would never have done that to you.” West pointed to the gauze bandage.

“So you think he had a good reason?” Nix obviously didn’t agree.

“I believe he thinks he had a good reason,” West drawled. “That’s not why I started this conversation. What I’m trying to say is, out of the three of us, I’m the only one who’d willingly and effectively lend you an ear. So, let’s hear it. What’s upset you—other than the gaping wound in your neck?”

“There’s loads to be upset about,” Nix replied. “My cousin is dead, if you recall. That’s definitely top of the list.”

“Still in the anger stage of grief?”

“I’m not sure.”

“But you are angry with her. I can tell. Why?”

“I…” His fingers slowed on the keyboard but quickly regained speed and he cleared his throat. “I found out she’d been lying to me about something important when she was still alive.”

“Something big?”

“Yes.”

West could understand. He didn’t like when people kept things from him either. “That must have left you with a lot of questions.”

“Exactly.” Nix stopped and swiveled in the chair to face him. “Now there’s a whole list of things I have to ask that I didn’tbefore, and no possible way of finding any answers! I’m just stuck like this. And the worst part?”

“It gets worse?”

“I realized she used her final words to me to trick me into coming here!”

He frowned. “Why would she do that?”

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