Page 63 of Taming Raptor

“What did I say?” I whispered to Sloane behind my hand.

“Do you know who you’re in a room with?” Sloane blinked rapidly.

Glancing around, before focusing my attention back on her, I whispered, “Who?”

“Phoenix!” Sloane shouted.

“Yeah, babe?” he responded from the kitchen where he was busy doing something I couldn’t see. It was still very strange that he and Sloane opened their home to me. More so that Sloane already seemed like a friend. Especially after she told me that she knew he and I had slept together. Relief had hit hard, and I’d explained it was in the past and that it had never been serious.

To be honest, I had expected things to be awkward—they were far from it.

“She knows about the stuff all you guys can do, right?” she called out.

“Yes,” he replied, intent on whatever task he was so diligently performing.

“Good,” she returned her attention to me. “Niara and I—we’re witches.”

“Okaaaay?” I wasn’t following her.

“You can’t manifest things like that around us,” Sloane was slowly shaking her head as she stared at me.

I laughed.

They didn’t.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?” I sat there, mouth gaping.

“Girl.” Niara pointed at me. “You should know better than to disbelieve.”

Phoenix came into the living room carrying a giant cutting board that he set on the coffee table in front of us. On it was an assortment of cheeses, crackers, grapes, and… “Is that beef jerky?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged. “Sloane likes those charcoochie board things. We didn’t have any pepperonis and shit. That was the best I could do.”

I started crying. Phoenix pulled away with an expression of horror, looking at me like I had something contagious.

“Keagan!” Sloane admonished. “Be nice. She’s still at that emotional stage.”

“Stage?” Phoenix repeated in disbelief. “When does that go away? Because you’re still emotional.”

Sloane threw a grape at him that he caught in his mouth, then with a grin, leaned down to kiss her waiting lips.

“Don’t be an ass,” she admonished.

Sniffling, I finally got myself under control. “I’m so sorry. That comes on without notice.”

Sloane waved my apology away. “No need to apologize, I totally get it.”

Niara leaned over to grab the biggest chunk of jerky and threw it at Phoenix. It bounced off his cheek, but he still managed to catch it. “Go hang out with your other brother in the family room. We’re trying to have girl time out here. Unless of course you bore him, in which case, I could totally keep him occupied for you.”

He narrowed his gaze at her. “Though he could handle himself, you stay away. Evil woman.”

Her smile turned downright wicked. “You have no idea.”

“I’m out. You girls have fun.” He leaned over and whispered something in Sloane’s ear that made her cheeks turn a becoming pink. Then he kissed her in a way that was so hot, I was sure I saw sparks. It truly warmed my heart to see him so happy.

“Bro, you coming or what?” Blade asked from the hall that led to the family room where the guys were supposed to be having some video game man time.

“Not even breathing hard, yet,” Phoenix shot back and Sloane giggled. They were so damn cute it made my lower lip tremble again.

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