Page 76 of Laid Bare

“Or what?” he fires back, squaring his shoulders.

“Or you’ll never even have a fucking chance with Bailey.” My words knock the wind and fight right out of him.

“Fuck.” Bane drops his chin, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, man.” He scratches blunt fingers through his beard. “Healing a broken rib makes me grumpy, and I’m taking it out on you when you didn’t even do it.”

A broken rib? What the fuck happened while Bailey, Axel, and I were in her room?

‘Cause I know for damn sure he wasn’t injured earlier this evening.

“It’s nothing.” He waves away the question I’m sure he sees on my face.

“Are you fuckers coming in or are we having a pow-wow in the hallway?” Zane mutters from behind me.

He retreats back into his room, and Bane and I follow him in. It’s the first time I’ve seen inside where he’s been dwelling since taking on Bailey’s contract a month and a half ago. It feels like longer, but maybe that’s because of all the shit that’s been racking up since the gala.

“Have a seat.” Zane throws himself on the rumpled bed, the red comforter bunched at the end. There’s a small two-seater couch that I claim for now, while Bane leans against the wall near the door. “What’s on your mind, god man?”

“Demi,” I clear my throat, hating that I need to correct him. Demi-gods who go around claiming full godom are struck dead on the spot. Immortality or not, the only thing we’re not immune to are the full gods.

And they are some scary motherfuckers when they need to be.

“Sorry.” He shrugs, not that I think he really cares. “So hit me with it.”

“I want to know your intentions with my mate.” Zane sucks in a sharp breath, while Bane looks unaffected, but the tightness around his eyes belays his emotions. “I’ll be honest here.” I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “I know you guys feel something for her. I see it. Axel sees it. Bailey… well… I’m sure almost kissing a man when you're mated says a lot about how she feels.”

“Kiss? What kiss?” Bane questions, his eyes immediately moving to Zane.

“It’s nothing. It didn’t happen anyway. And hasn’t happened again since.”

“But it almost did. So it’s not nothing.” I lean back again, all smug as I ask my next question. One I’m almost certain of. “Are you my mate’s mate?” This time, Zane completely freezes, giving me the answer without needing to speak the words. My gaze swings to Bane next. “You?”

His lips press in a tight line, and then he shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders simultaneously.

I raise my brows, determined to wait for him to give me a real answer.

See, I think he is. Either he’s too scared to admit it, doesn’t want to admit it, or he doesn’t feel that way about Bailey.

Time ticks by in silence as Bane struggles with how to answer me. He looks as if he’s in a fight with himself over the truth and if he should tell me.

“Look, Bane. Either you are or you're not. It’s not that difficult of a question.”

“I don’t know, okay?!” he thunders, tugging at the short strands of dark hair on his head. “Fuck. I don’t know, and it’s fucking killing me. You and Axel flaunt your relationship with her anytime you guys are around, and dammit, I just want to rip her away from you guys and take her back to Hell with me.” He starts pacing the short distance between the door and the opposite wall, continuing his tirade. “And then tonight. Hell’s bells. The noises she made. The sweet scent of her cum that I can still smell on you. It’s driving me fucking insane.”

My mouth pops open at his candor. He’s damn right though. Bailey’s cum is still clinging to my dick.

“And all the while, I’m fucking holding back my damn twin from breaking down the door so he doesn’t fucking scare her, when I really want to let him do it so Zane and I can have our chance with her.”

Well, shit. I just opened one hell of a can of worms, didn’t I?

“Are you happy now? Does that answer your damn questions, or are there any more you’re dying to ask?”

“Calm down, brother.” Zane pats the empty space on the bed next to him. “He’s just doing what any mate would do when there’s someone else interested. You and I would do the same if the roles were reversed.”

“I know,” he mutters dejectedly.

“Can I ask one more question?” He waves his hand for me to get on with it. “Why don’t you know?”

Bane and Zane share a look, but it’s Zane that answers.

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