Page 64 of Coerced

He was about as tall as Travis, and had a fit build like Jax, but he was in his own category of gorgeous. His eyes were violet - I mean, like Liz Taylor violet - and his sharp jawline was shadowed by a close-cropped beard. The top of his long black hair was tied back in a man-bun, a style I’d never much liked until I saw it on this guy. It made me immediately conscious thatmyhair was unwashed and probably sliding out of the braid I’d put it into hours ago.

He could be a model. Any fashion house in the world would want him.

“Hey, sweetheart!” Spin jogged over. “We meet again.”

Smiling, I opened my mouth to say hello, but my nose was suddenly squashed against Kerry’s back. He’d moved so quickly that I’d only caught a blur of motion. His big hands fisted up at his sides and tension thrummed through him. Rolling my eyes, I peered around him and saw Spin raising his hands in a gesture of peace.

“Don’t worry, Kerry.” He grinned. “I’ll behave myself this time.”

The enormous blond blurred over to stand in front of Spin, which put him far too close. I tried to slide around and get between them, but Kerry stretched out one long arm and blocked me.

“Back down or throw down,” the blond snapped.

Of course, Kerry responded with that low growl deep in his chest. I knew without even looking that he was wearing his just-bring-it grin.

“Chill, Rome!” Spin laughed. “It’s my fault. I can’t help pushing his buttons. It’s so easy to do.”

“Um, hello?” I ducked under Kerry’s elbow in an attempt to make eye contact with Mr. Enormous. “Please move back. It’s only making him worse.”

Rome either was ignoring me or couldn’t hear me over his own growling.

Uh-oh. We’re in trouble. This is going to go downhill fast.

“Better keep your boy on a leash this time,” Kerry warned.

“Better keep yourself on one, demon taint.”

“I may be tainted, but I’m not stupid enough to mistake no for yes, please.”

“Stupid enough to not understand a joke.”

As they spat insults at each other, I laid my forehead on Kerry’s back, slid my hands under his coat, and pressed my palms against his flat stomach. I hoped it would help him to calm down, but knew within half a second that wasn’t going to happen. He quivered like a tiger that had sighted a deer and was preparing to leap.

Since my touchwaspreventing him from calling up his power, I hung on.

“Is forcing someone to do something a joke?” he barked.

“He wasn’t going to do anything to her!” Rome barked back. “Did the demon rot your brain as well as your soul?”

“Rotted and gutted all of me. What’syourexcuse?”

“I don’t need an excuse to put down a rabid dog.”

When Kerry’s body went rigid under my hands, my heart sank. Any second now, he was going to cut loose all over Rome. I didn’t want to put him to sleep, but this couldn’t end in bloodshed, either.

“He’s an ally, Kerry.” I squeezed him. “A friendly.”

“Dude,” Spin also tried again. “Seriously, chill!”

“You’re reacting to the taint, Rome.” I figured that the unfamiliar voice was the pretty guy. “Clem warned you, remember?”

Neither of them heard us.

“Come at me, demon taint, if you got the balls.”

“Don’t make me show you what I’m best at.”

“All right, you two,” Jax cut in. “Enough.”

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