Page 303 of Boys Who Taint

“I can go for a whiskey right about now,” my dad says, clearing his throat as he gets up. “Where do you keep your stash? You moved it.”

Felix points at a cabinet in the corner.

“So y’all are okay with us being together then?” Aspen gently asks all the people in the room.

Dylan points at me. “Don’t. Hurt. Her.”

I hold up my hands. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“And you’ll stop fighting,” Aspen tells her father, and then she looks at Felix and Alistair. “All of you.”

“Fine. I’ve tasted enough blood for the coming five years,” Felix says, as he gets up from the couch. “Kai, pour me a glass too.”

“Dad …” Aspen raises a brow. “Swear to me you won’t attack his dad.”

Dylan holds up his hands. “Fine, fine. I promise. No more eye gouging.”

“Or any other part of my body, thank you,” Kai says, tipping up his glass.

“That’s unfortunate because Felix still owes me a finger,” Nathan balks from the couch. “I got so damn close.”

Felix sticks up his middle finger, the scar on his hand a stark reminder of their bloodlust. “Never gonna catch me, Reed.”

Nathan shakes his head, but Milo elbows him and whispers, “You can take it out on me later.”

“I heard that,” I mutter.

“So? It’s not like you don’t know what we do,” Milo replies.

My skin crawls at the thought of them all doing it together.

“Aspen, what’s the deal with Apollo and Grey, then?” her mom asks. “Is this some sort of foursome? Like us?”

Aspen blushes, and she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“I’ll tell them to keep an eye on Levi,” her mom says, glaring at me. “Make sure he behaves around you.”

“They already keep tabs on me. Don’t worry about that,” I reply.

“Yeah, they basically tried to gut him like a fish,” Aspen says, chuckling under her breath.

“Good,” her mom says, leaning back as Felix pushes a glass of wine into her hand. “You deserve men fighting over you.”

Now Aspen’s giggling even more, and I grab her waist from behind and squeeze to let her know I’m listening to everything they’re saying, and I’m definitely making notes.

Mom grabs her purse and gets up, but Milo grabs her hand. “Wait, I thought we were staying for dinner.”

“Dinner?” Mom parrots, like it’s such an outlandish idea.

“Yeah. I love Penelope’s cooking.”

“You do?” Even her mom is flabbergasted.

Milo’s a chef. It’s not easy to impress him.

I lean in to whisper into Aspen’s ear. “He’s lying.”

“Totally. What’s your plan for tonight?” Milo rubs his hands. “Spaghetti al dente? A Korean hot pot?”

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