Page 152 of Red Zone
I lunge again, and Lyla yanks harder this time, dragging me back enough that I finally snap out of it.
I point at Logan, my voice sharp.
“Watch your mouth. Or I’ll shut it for you.”
I spin on my heel, storming toward the kitchen to put some distance between me and that smug little shit, Lyla hot on my heels.
I shove through the doorway into the kitchen, leaning against the counter and gripping the edge hard enough my knuckles turn white.
My chest is still heaving, jaw tight, vision red.
Logan’s laugh is still ringing in my ears.
I don’t even hear her at first—not until her small hand wraps around my bicep and pulls.
“Carter,” she says, her voice sharper now. “Hey. Look at me.”
I finally do.
She’s standing in front of me, arms crossed, her eyes blazing, even though her voice stays low.
“You wanna tell me what the hell that was back there?” she asks.
I drag a hand down my face, forcing a breath.
“He was out of line,” I mutter. “You know he was. Somebody had to shut him up.”
Lyla doesn’t flinch, doesn’t back down.
“And that somebody had to be you? Right in the middle of everything?”
Her glare could cut through glass, but there’s something else under it—something I can’t quite name.
I shake my head, pushing off the counter to pace a couple steps away.
“You really think I was gonna sit there and let him talk about you like that? Talk about Jaxon like that?”
Her arms drop, but she stays quiet for a beat.
Then she sighs, rubbing her temples.
“This is already complicated enough,” she mutters. “We don’t need everyone on this team sniffing around trying to figure us out.”
That stops me cold.
I turn back to her slowly, my eyes narrowing.
“Figure us out?” I repeat.
Her lips press together.
I take a step closer, lowering my voice.
“You think I’m running my mouth about you?”
Her gaze flicks up to mine, sharp but…hesitant.
“I don’t know,” she admits. “Have you?”
