“A quick death is more than you deserve,” he countered. “You stole the most precious thing in my life and nearly got him killed.”
I had just bent to check the biscuits and froze.
“Note the wordnearlyin your statement. I returned his protection stone, did I not?” Rowan flicked his wrist at me. “All ended well. Look at him. He’s fine.”
“All ended well?” Briar spun around from the stove, where he’d been stirring the pot of porridge, projecting more anger than I’d ever seen from him. “Evan is not fine! He hasn’t been the same since you barged into his life. He rarely eats. He tosses and turns all night. When he does sleep, he often wakes in a cold sweat from nightmares about being in the dark wood. A place he wouldneverhave gone if not for you. I see the turmoil in his eyes when he thinks no one is looking. If you think we’ll forgive you for your actions and pretendall is well, then you’re in for a rude awakening.”
My eyes stung.
“I don’t seek your forgiveness.” Rowan grabbed his mug and nonchalantly took a drink. “Hate me or don’t. I couldn’t care less. I’m here for Evan, not for any of you.”
“You aren’t taking him from us again,” Lake snapped, his wolf ears shooting straight back. Kind of impressive how he looked so intimidating even while covered in flour from the biscuit dough. “I’ll tear you apart if you even try.”
“Oh, calm your fur, wolf. Stealing him away is an awfully tempting thought, but it’s not why I’m here.” Rowan shifted onthe stool, dropping the leg he’d had propped up on the seat. He focused on Maddox. “You said Evan is the most precious thing to you? Which means you’d do anything to ensure his safety, yes?”
Maddox scowled. “That goes without saying.”
“Even making a deal with someone like me?” Rowan smirked, and I caught a peek of the tooth on the left side of his mouth that pointed more and hung a bit lower than the others. It was… well, really cute, honestly. Like a little vampire fang.
“What type of deal?” Maddox asked.
“I think I’ve made a show of good faith by revealing some of my information, all at no cost to you.” Rowan circled the rim of the coffee mug with his fingertip. “Yet, if you want more, you must agree to my terms.”
“Which would be?”
As that tooth flashed again, I knew trouble was about to follow. “Eh, it’s simple, really. I tell you everything I know about the infiltration of knights, as well as swear to tell you of anything new I may learn. And you give me Evan.”
“Absolutely not,” Maddox and Briar said at the same time, while Lake snarled.
“Oh, fine.” Rowan looked at me. “See? Expectations are total shit. Hope creeps in only to be shattered by reality.” He seemed to be joking, but it was hard to tell with him. “I’ll settle for you sharing him.”
“Sharing?” Briar asked.
“The three of you share him already,” Rowan pointed out. “What’s one more? To sweeten the pot, I’ll even travel with him to Exalos as an extra layer of protection.”
“Um,” I said, mind reeling. “I’m flattered, I guess, but why do you want me?”
“Take a wild guess,” Rowan said.
“Well.” I cleared my throat. “I’m cute but notthatcute. Definitely not cute enough to fight over or whatever. My dessertsdon’t earn me points in your favor either, since you don’t even like sweets. So my skill in the kitchen isn’t the reason. And as you witnessed when I tried to fight demons with a stick, I’m not exactly sought after for my fighting abilities.”
Maddox made a rough sound, and I shot him a look.
“The reasoning doesn’t matter.” Briar placed his hand on my hip. His hazel eyes radiated that same anger from earlier as he glared at Rowan. “You’re despicable for even suggesting this. Evan isn’t an object that can be bargained with or sold.”
“The three of you act like he is.” Rowan eyed Maddox’s clenched fist and took another drink. Casual and relaxed. I suspected it was for show. He was acutely aware of his surroundings. “Telling him what he can and can’t do, such as going downstairs in his own home without you, for example.”
Maddox’s nostrils flared. “Because he’s too trusting. Allowing you back into his life is proof of that.”
“He’s not too trusting,” Rowan said. “You’re just too possessive. Your need to control him blinds you, Captain.”
“Evan is free to make his own decisions.”
“And if he decides he wants me to be part of his harem?”
I cringed at thehword. Freaking Lupin had said the same thing when I’d woken up in Bremloc and found myself surrounded by hot men.“You can have your own harem.”Hard to believe that in my old world, I hadn’t even been able to get a date, and there I was now with three men and an interested fourth.
The porridge started to boil over, and I rushed to remove it from the heat. A small blessing since it allowed me a moment to myself. To breathe. To think. To let my chin do that wobble thing that always made it hard to hide when I was upset.
