Page 13 of Mine to Keep

“Let’s go into the other room, and I’ll check it out.”

I watched as the two of them left, Matt keeping close to JJ. JJ was getting a lot better but often pushed himself too hard. It had been a little over six months since he’d been held in a basement and practically beaten to death by a group of assassin fledglings. He’d broken both of his legs, and his head was a mess, arms too. Damn, I couldn’t even remember each injury.

The difference from where he was then and where he was now was outstanding, but he often forgot he wasn’t going to be one hundred percent overnight…Hell, he might never be.

“You ok?” Mason stood beside me.

“Yeah, just thinking how much JJ pushes himself or plays that he’s fine.”

“Mmhmm. I told him he had to stop doing that.”

“I hope he listens.”

“I’m headed to Saintly Sweets; I’ll see you later.” Mason smiled, grabbed his keys, and walked out the door.

I had to go back into the room full of morons…I meant my brothers, and see if there was any chance they’d gotten smarter in the last few minutes.

An hour later,I called it quits with them and stopped for the day. Noel was on deck for the next unteachable lesson. I understood that not everyone could do what Noel and I could, but we were giving them basic instruction and they were struggling.

I grabbed a beer from the fridge—It was five after twelve, so there—and sat at the table, staring out the window. JJ was outside with Matt. It appeared they were doing some sort of yoga? I had no idea, but I remembered hearing Matt tell JJ once that it would help muscles, joints, and the mind.

I took a huge gulp and watched as Matt bent in ways that brought filthy thoughts to my mind. JJ was doing simpler moves, but his expression was serene, any pain he was feeling before obviously gone.

At least JJ was a hopeful apprentice in the world of computers. Maybe Mason, but he had been taking more shifts at Saintly Sweets so I could work with the others. Perhaps it was time to pull Mason in and tell Shep to stick to baking.

I was so lost in my head, I didn’t realize Matt and JJ were done and coming in through the back door of the kitchen.

“So you don’t know who is sending you the gifts?” JJ asked, and Matt shrugged.

“Not a clue.”

“Kind of creepy, no?”

Matt chuckled and followed JJ to the fridge, where he removed two bottles of water.

“A little. I gave the flowers to a neighbor and it brightened her day so not all bad, and I do love Almond Joy.”

“Well, if it escalates, you should do something.”

I sat up straighter at the shift in JJ’s tone. “What’s going on?”

How they had missed me sitting in here was beyond me, but they jumped at the sound of my voice.

“Holy shit.” JJ held the water to his forehead. “Why are you skulking?”

“I’m sitting in my kitchen enjoying a beer. How is that skulking? And before you answer that, I’ve been here for the last fifteen minutes. Don’t blame me because you’re both oblivious to your surroundings.”

JJ came to the table and sat; Matt joined at a slower pace.

“Matt has a secret admirer,” was all JJ offered.

“Is that so?” I raised a brow at Matt. “Interesting.”

“It’s not, and don’t say it like that,” JJ scolded.

“Say it like what?”

JJ wagged his finger at me. “That way. Interesting, like you really think it is, but really you want to know more because you’re super skeptical about secret admirers and think they’re all actually stalker serial killers.”

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