Page 115 of Beyond the Hate

“We need to steal her away for a moment.” Sophia shackles Paisley’s wrist and drags her away.

Flynn, Lucas, Hudson, and Caleb are wearing matching scowls. Paisley may have forgiven me but apparently, they haven’t.

“Don’t make us hijack your plane again,” Caleb grumbles.

I sigh. “You didn’t exactly hijack the plane.”

He narrows his eyes. “But we could have.”

Lucas groans. “Can you stop discussing crimes you plan to commit in front of me?”

“Why are you such a law abiding person?” Hudson asks.

“I’m a cop, remember?”

Hudson chuckles. “I can’t believe Chloe married a cop.”

Lucas waggles his eyebrows. “Trust me. Chloe enjoys me being a cop. Especially my handcuffs.”

“Ew.” Flynn feigns retching. “No. Chloe’s a sister to me. I don’t want to hear about whatever you get up to with her.”

Lucas shrugs. “Your loss. I could teach you a lot about handcuffs in the bedroom.”

Flynn smirks. “Dude, I don’t need handcuffs to satisfy my woman.”

Caleb groans. “I went to high school with your women. I don’t need to hear this shit.”

Lucas scratches his neck. “Didn’t you go to high school with Maya?”

Hudson claps his back. “Congrats on the baby, man. Nova is beyond excited our children are going to grow up together.”

I glance across the room and notice Paisley holding Iliana in her arms. The vision of her holding a little hazel-eyed baby with red hair hits me. I want that. I want her stomach swollen with my baby. I want to give her the family she never had growing up.

Flynn snaps his fingers in front of my face. “Earth to Eli.”

“What?”

He grins. “If you had told me Sophia and her friends would all find love, I never would have believed you.”

I glare at him. “What do you mean? There’s nothing wrong with Paisley.”

He shakes his finger. “Pretend all you want that Paisley’s the normal one amongst the women but don’t forget she’s alsothe woman with the knowledge of chemistry.” I must appear confused because he explains. “Chemistry they use in their pranks such as exploding stink bombs.”

I shiver. At least the red dye didn’t stink up my office.

Paisley pushes her way through the men to me. “I need your help.”

Hudson waggles his eyebrows behind her back. “I bet she does,” he mutters.

I push Paisley behind me before confronting him. “You will treat Paisley with the respect she deserves or I’ll be the one breaking out the chemistry set. Understood?”

He smiles. “Just checking.”

I roll my eyes. “Are you done with your brotherly approval shit now?”

He shrugs. “I am. But I don’t speak for the rest of them.”

Paisley tugs me away. “We’ll speak to you later,” she calls over her shoulder.

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