Page 9 of Our Deceptive Heat

“Are you?” Digs shoots back.

I hesitate and finally deflate. “No, but it’s not the point.”

“Seems precisely the point. I trust my instincts. My instincts say that you’re good people.”

I open and close my mouth but, in the end, shake my head and cut up the breast.

The food is divine, but I barely taste anything. They throw question after question at me. What was working with Locke like? What music do I love the most? Can I play instruments?

It turns out I have the same taste in music as Mako. Envy and I can both play almost any instruments, finding it comes naturally. While Mako can only play the guitar and drums. Digs is a bassist and can also play an electric. But he, Tyr, and Envy are the singers.

Digs continues to lead the conversation while the others watch me. I feel slightly like I’m being investigated.

Tyr leans forward suddenly to where Envy is sitting and draws his face towards him. I freeze, a forkful of food raised halfway to my mouth. They both lean forward, and their lips touch. The kiss is so in sync that there is no question that they’ve done this before, many times.

It is one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen, and I’m instantly aroused, jealous, and shocked, and frantically racing to cover any sign of it leaking out.

“You’re a pack?” I ask in a squeaky voice.

“Is that a problem?” Mako asks in an icy tone.

I shake my head, accidentally dislodging the hair tie and letting my hair loose. “No, it’s just the status was unknown in the files. I didn’t think it was polite to ask.”

Tyr sits back, and now I have all eyes on me.

“Are you all together?” I blurt out.

Fuck, why did I ask that?

“Yes, we’re all together.”

“You met because you all live in Carmine, right? So, you formed a pack? Why haven’t you told anyone?”

I’m completely baffled by them. If I had a pack, I’d shout it to the world, but the only way I’d consider it is if they were a miracle.

“We will when we’re ready.”

I shake my head but continue eating, pretending like I don’t find the idea of them all being pack mildly horrifying in that it’s so appealing.

I chew slowly, studiously refusing to let things get weird. Eventually, they continue, too, and the conversations start up again. Light, safe topics like music and movies.

It’s weird, but it’s nice. It’s different nice, though, and I find myself not wanting to leave. Time slides past, and I have no reason to delay my departure anymore. It’s late, and I have work tomorrow.

But I really like these guys.

I stand at the door, staring up at Digs.

“If you need help, call out. I’ll come,” I say and curse myself a dozen times for saying something so stupid and corny. Why would they need help from me?

Digs smiles widely and pulls me into another hug. This time, I hug him back, relaxing into his hold.

“We’re going to be good friends, Miss Raines.”

“Call me Ryn.”

“Ryn,” he says my name reverently. “It’s a beautiful name.”

I have to fight the urge to preen, but then he lets me go. I wave to the others and step back, disappearing from their lives like I was never there.

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