Page 99 of Introvert

"Essie was right."

"About what?" he asked.

"You are smooth."

A loud squeak and the sound of arguing broke our moment. Itwas getting louder.With one last look, Felix rolled out of the bed, and I quickly followed. Once I was upright, I stood in the aisle, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. Ryker had Santino pinned against one of the bunkswith his forearm. London was glaring at him, standing there with her arms crossed.

"I told you it's nothing," London said.

But Ryker didn't respond, keeping his death glare locked on Santino.

"What she said." Santino lifted his hands as if to sayI'm innocent."Look, you got the wrong idea."

"You were in bed with her," Ryker said lowly.

My eyes widened.

"I saw you together."

"Yeah, but it's not what you think," Santino said.

"I think you were in her bed."

"Okay, then it is what you think." The usually smiling bass player winced as Ryker twisted his arm. "Hold up, man. My wrist."

"Should've thought about that before."

Hayden stepped forward with Elliot in tow.

"Somebody want to tell me what the hell's going on here?" Hayden said.

Santino shook his head. "Ryker's losing it."

"I can see that."

"What happened?" Elliot asked.

Ryker turned to him with a dark expression. "Santino's sleeping with your sister."

"What?!?"

"I found them in bed together."

As Elliot's eyes moved to Santino, he shook his head, looking betrayed and confused. "I repeat what?"

London stepped forward and held up a hand. "Listen, this is all a misunderstanding. Rykercharged in as usual and immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion."

Ryker shook his head. "I know what I saw."

She sighed in frustration. "What you saw was two friends helping each other out.It was a mutually beneficial situation."

"Explain," Elliot said, but it was more of a request than a demand.

"We all know Santino has a problem," she said."He'll sleepwalk his way into anyone's bed. I'm sure he's tried that with each of you at some point."

"Yeah," Ryker said with a sneer, "but we kicked him out. Unlike you."

London's fists went to her hips. "And? I don't seehow who I sleep with is any of your business."

---