Page 10 of Fu*kboys in Flannel

Eventually, I’ll take my shit in, but if my lights aren’t on, then it’s fine.

I’m fighting with my brother. Stooping low enough to bring up his mother. A sore subject for him, whereas mine is a literal stranger to me. She gave me up without a fight to Dad as soon as we got discharged from the hospital. I’ve only ever seen what she looks like in the one photo Dad has.

She’s dead. Physically? No idea because I’ve never bothered to look for her. I don’t need to meet her. She’s dead to me in all the ways that matter.

If she was dead dead, I’m sure it’s because she stuck her nose into Slade business that she had no right to. That’s how all the bodies stack up. I’ve played cleanup crew for Dad enough now that it’s second nature. Once you come to this mountain, if we don’t want you found, then you won’t be.

Tessa has me all fucking tied up and my annoyance is at an all-time high of having to fight my brother for her. The fear in her eyes when we held her down and gave her a taste of what it would be like to have both Slade brothers’ attention caused the endorphins in my system to expand.

Best fucking blowjob I’ve ever gotten and if I’m honest, it was hot seeing her with Bennett. It was damn near like watching myself with her. The push and pull we gave her had her body tense and mind liquid.

We could have done anything we wanted to her in that moment, and the rush of power that gives me is enough to take some of the edge off.

I feel an arm sling across my shoulders, and I tense before I hear my brother’s voice in my ear, “You’re drowning in tequila. We should have just held her down in the pool and put us both out of our misery.”

I grunt my agreement because a similar thought went through my mind. No woman should have this amount of control over me. I’m fucking Mason Slade. A Raven of Hollow Hill. They bow to me.

He slides onto the stool next to me and leans both elbows against the top of the bar, steepling his fingers in order to rest his head against them.

“Shot for shot? Winner gets to fuc-”

“Winner gets to fuck what?” Grey interrupts, clearly done with whatever business he was attending to.

“What’s up with McKenna?” I nod my head to where they were conversing at.

“Rhett wanted me to discuss some long-term business plans and make arrangements with him. I’d rather do that in a house full of Ravens than one-on-one.” I have no idea what Grey’s dad is doing, and you know what, it’s not my fucking place to ask. One thing I learned growing up on this mountain is to pick and choose your battles. Rhett Bishop is a battle I ain’t picking.

We’re lining up shots because all three of us are strung tighter than Grey’s underwear when all the girls try to leave the mountain without us.

They have yet to be successful on their little missions, but it’s entertaining to watch them try.

“I hate to break up this little circle jerk you all have going on, but ever the dutiful friend, I am here to tell you that Tessa just fucking text me,” Remington interjects and I’m surprised he pulled his head out of Mia’s ass long enough to even bother checking his phone.

Every single Raven is here tonight, and he’s been so wrapped up in Mia it causes my eyes to narrow in on him. Just what has he been doing?

“Didn’t you leave with Mia about an hour ago? We all thought you’d be balls-deep in her and then passed out by now.” Grey levels Rem with a glare of his own as he questions him. Well nice to know I’m not the only one wondering what’s been going on with him. He’s been too quiet and sneaking off the mountain.

“Watch your fucking mouth or I’ll have Em join Mia and I next time.” Remington’s balls have fucking dropped in that one statement, and I feel both pride and exasperation. Grey isn’t gonna let that one go.

“I’ll have these two bastards hold you down and watch as I slit Mia’s throat if you even breathe in Emerson’s direction. Don’t fucking test me, Rhodes. All grown up and a pain in my fucking ass.” He mumbles the last bit, but I notice the slight pale look to Remy’s face at Grey’s words. He should have known better than to incite the bastard.

“Anyway, back to Tessa. She’s running away and thinks out of the goodness of my heart that I will take her down the mountain to Arbor Ridge. I don’t give a fuck. She’s Mia’s best friend. If she leaves, that’s one more reason for the girls to plot an escape.”

“She’s not fucking going anywhere. Lost her goddamn mind.” I snap out.

“Look, you two fucks need to get it together. Either share like the good little Slade boys you are or neither of you get her. I don’t fucking care at this point but after this, I’m done helping you two. If I have to decide how it all plays out, you’ll both be alone with only your hand locked in the Hollow Hovel,” Grey tells us and I can’t help the wince that flashes briefly across my face. I fucking hate Hollow Hovel. It’s a dilapidated shack that we rarely use anymore. It’s a fucking health violation waiting to happen if anyone ever reported it.

I lean forward to look around Remy and lock eyes with my brother. He gives me one nod and a shrug and then says, “One way or another, Tessa is going to learn firsthand you don’t leave the Ravens. And you definitely don’t try to get another Raven to help you. Let’s go hunting, Mase.”

I grunt out my acceptance of this plan and then turn to listen as Bennett and Grey start outlining how it’s going to go down. I don’t care about the brainstorming bullshit and have no issues letting them handle it.

The chase is thrilling and what I get off on. Tessa Clarke is choosing me tonight, one way or another. I’ll fuck her raw into the dirt of the mountain I own.

Chapter 6

Tessa

“Where are you going?” Harlow peeks into my room and eyes me expectantly. I don’t stop shoving clothes in the duffle bag I swiped out of the hall closet. It’s Grey’s, but I’m taking my chances that by the time he notices I’ll be long gone. I plan on disappearing once I get off this mountain, but that’s truly what I feel I need to do. Everything I touch turns to absolute shit and I think starting over where I don’t feel like I’m a burden, or ruining things for other people, is the only route I can take from here. Although I think my cousin might be petty enough to order a full-on search party just to rip this bag that he never uses out of my hands. I brush my hair over my shoulder before I pull on the purple fleece zip-up that Emerson gave me for my birthday and finally make eye contact with Harlow.

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