Page 51 of Covenant

“A dickhead and the biggest asshole,” Matthias adds darkly.

“I’m not an asshole or a grump. I’m a realist.”

Matthias stares at him for a long time, and Samson glares back. It goes on until I finally interrupt.

“Are you guys done now? People are starting to stare,” I say, but it doesn’t stop them.

“So?” Samson says. “They can fucking look all they want. Nosy pricks.”

I let out a small snort and then stop a caterer moving past, grabbing a few bits of food from the tray and placing it on a napkin. Fancy finger food is what this is, but I bet it tastes amazing. Rich assholes.

Just like you used to be. At one time.

“Then carry on, I guess. I have something to eat. I can be here all night.” I move to find somewhere to set my napkin when another man starts to approach. I can tell by the way he carries himself, the shape of his face, and the color of his hair and eyes that he’s another brother. His hair is unruly and curled just like Harley’s. I wonder who they all took after, their mother or father. Someone had strong genetics.

“Are they staring at one another again? Fucking hell,” the guy says. His approach causes both Samson and Matthias to peer over at him before moving back to stare at one another.

“This could go on forever,” the newcomer says. His attention lands on me, and he introduces himself with a sigh. “I’m Cade, another brother. There’re too many of us, honestly. Mom should’ve picked a better man and Dad should have known better than to reproduce with his genes.”

“His genes?”

“Complete dickishness,” Cade sips at his whiskey. “It skipped a few of us, but as you can see, not all. To be fair though, none of us are as bad as him. It’s not like we’d ever hit anyone not big enough to?—”

“That’s enough,” Matthias says sharply. “We’re in public, Cade.”

I flinch in surprise, darting a glance at Matthias. I didn’t know much about his home life when we were kids. I do remember that there were several times when he showed up with bruises and black eyes.

At the time, he brushed it off as rough-housing with his brothers. But after what Cade just hinted at…suddenly I’m not sure.

I study Matthias closely, replaying so many different memories and seeing them through a different filter. My eyes narrow. Just how much has Matthias hidden from me over the years?

Cade rolls his eyes. “God forbid we bring the family into disrepute. Fucker isn’t even alive now, and we’re all still playing the game like we’re supposed to.”

Matthias doesn’t look away from Samson as he counters Cade. “You know there’s more at stake than perception, dick.”

“Preach,” Samson says, not breaking eye contact with Matthias, who looks bored of this game already. I can see his cheek starting to twitch and his fingers flexing by his sides. But Matthias always liked to win. Seems he found his match in Samson.

“They’ll be here for hours,” Cade whispers. “Come with me. I’ve been here loads of times…”

But before I can move away, Matthias wraps his arm around me and pulls me into him. In doing so, his gaze breaks away from the contest. “No. He stays with me.”

“I win.Again,” Samson says with a smug look on his face, but he goes ignored as Matthias glowers at Cade.

“Come on, Matty-boo. You know I’d never touch someone who’s yours,” Cade offers, throwing in a wink.

“You have before and you would again. This ismyhusband. No one takes him anywhere without me.”

I glare over at him, at his possessive tone. “I can go anywhere I want,husband.” I spit that word out, and Matthias’s hand tightens around me.

“You can, but not with Cade.”

Cade grins, his smile slightly crooked, his eyes twinkling with mischief. Samson is scowling at Matthias, and here I am, stuck in the middle of the three of them. “What’s wrong, Matty? Afraid of a little competition?”

“You should know better,” Matthias says warningly. “You know what’s at stake as well as I do.”

His inheritance.Yes. That’s why he married me, after all. Perhaps his brothers know about that.

If they do, then why does Matthias want them to think our relationship’s real?

---