Page 63 of Payne's Envy

“You did good,” Gwendolyn agreed. “But you and your brothers need to chill.”

“I feel angry,” Barron said near his marked mate’s ear. “Want it?”

Gwendolyn giggled.

Okay. I would never get used to Barron that way, especially with how easily he flirted with Gwendolyn in front of everyone. My heart could burst for him.

When I looked away from their sickening display of affection, Payne’s gaze found mine. “I slayed the most, Joy.”

What was going on here? A pissing contest between the men on who had the most kills?

“Yes, I was there,” I went along with my mate.

Payne stepped forward and took my hand. “I will end anyone who dares to even think of harming you,” he vowed.

“Oh, fucking hell,” Sebastian muttered.

“What?” I impressed myself that I didn’t laugh or smile. I knew exactly what was wrong with my brother.

"Everyone is so obnoxious,” Sebastian said, crossing his arms. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about Payne being your mate.”

Payne growled and turned toward my brother. “You stood in my way, too, didn’t you?”

“I’m not sure what you mean. If you’re talking about all the times I stepped in when you were giving Joy the cold shoulder, then yeah, I did.”

“I must have had my reasons,” Payne said, which surprised me. I expected him to deny being his forgotten self.

“You were so weird growing up that it honestly pissed me off when you were around Joy. When it all stopped and you hurt her by leaving, that’s when I got truly mad. So mad that I forgot about how much you used to care for her,” said Sebastian.

“I might not remember, but I won’t stand here and let someone suggest I stopped loving Joy at any point in my life. I don’t need memories to know what I feel in my heart!” Payne smacked his chest with his palm. “I loved her with everything in me and still do. Those feelings didn’t leave me like my memories.”

“We know,” Barron piped in.

Payne stopped moving.

“What Sebastian is trying to say is we didn’t know you loved her, but we do now. Grim filled us in a little, so we get it. How you treated Joy sucked, but we’re trying. We’re angry and frustrated for Joy, because we saw her affection for you, but we understand why you had to be that way. That’s why this will be the only warning I give. Hurt our sister like that again, and I’ll kill you. Mate or not.”

Sebastian rubbed his forehead. “Oh, to think Wrath is speaking on my behalf and being less angry about it than I am. Izzie, my energizer! I’m tired and need your love. Where are you?”

“Don’t you get a little embarrassed when you talk like that?” Isabella asked as she walked down the steps with Melinda.

“Never. I want to be even more disgusting than Barron and Gwendolyn with our love.” He faded beside her, bent her slightly, and planted a kiss on her lips.

Melinda shook her head, but she was smiling.

We all were, including my mate.

“I feel like your brothers have been getting on my nerves all my life,” Payne said.

I burst out laughing.

“All work, no play. That’s what you are, Payne,” Sebastian said. “I hope when you regain your memories, or if you don’t, that you and my sister are happy.”

When I glanced at Payne, he was already staring at me. Warmth spread across my cheeks because he looked at me. Unabashed. Like I was precious and beautiful, and I felt his affection on every part of my skin.

That’s when I knew we would be okay. Even without his memories, we would love and discover each other. There was no version of him I couldn’t love.

A whistle rang out by my ear. My eyes widened as several thin objects whizzed by my head. Payne took off running. My teeth clicked together as he tackled me to the ground, covering my head with his arms as more whacking sounds came from every direction. It was like hundreds of bugs flew by. I heard a strange thumping, and someone groaned. The gurgling and constantthwack, thwack, thwackhad bile rising in my throat. My heart roared in my ears, and I looked over Payne’s shoulder to see the sky.

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