Page 198 of Mad Love

Of course he was in the large, sunken living room with a flat-screen TV the size of a Buick mounted to the wall, playing a video game.

Without waiting for a response, I hurled a shoe and hit his arm, knocking the controller from his fingertips.

“No!” He dove for the controller like it was a live grenade, but the damage was done, and his character took several bullets. The screen turned red, and the game announced that he’d died.

I smirked as he jumped up and glared at me. “Next time? Put your shoes away.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You know, if I wanted to have someone busting my balls every fucking day, I’d—”

“You’d what?” I cut him off, hands on my hips. “Move out? Feel free.”

After the holidays, we’d finally decided to do what we’d discussed weeks earlier. Ryan and I bought a house big enough for all of us near Pacific Cross. Actually, we bought two houses next door to each other. I lived in one with Ryan and the guys, along with a bedroom for Cori, while Royal, Bishop, Knight, and a newly discharged Rook lived in the other.

The second hadn’t even been for sale, but when I’d offhandedly mentioned how cool it would be for us to have two houses so there was enough space for everyone, suddenly it had come on the market.

Both houses were massive and an easy drive to PC, a thing I could now do since Royal had decided me not knowing how operate a car was a problem. He taught me how to drive in a single weekend, including things like evasive maneuvering alongside parallel parking. Technically I only had my permit, but with this much testosterone around, I sometimes went out on my own anyway.

A girl needed to freaking breathe every now and then.

Especially when one of her roommates had a habit of leaving his shoes and dirty clothes all over the house like decor.

Linc hit me with a lopsided grin that I was certain had charmed off many a panty. “Aw, c’mon, Mads. You love me.”

“What’d I miss?” Ash asked, coming up behind us while chomping on an apple. He glanced at the lone shoe in my hand. “Again? Fuck, dude, try to act like a grown-up.”

Linc flipped him off and grabbed the controller to restart the game.

Sighing, I tossed the shoe over the extra-large sectional before turning to Ash. “Remind me why I thought all of us living together was a good plan?”

“Because breaking us up would be like ending the Beatles,” Linc called. “No one likes a Yoko, Maddie.”

Ash rolled his eyes. “The dumbass has a point.”

“I need both hands, but I’m mentally flipping you off, pencil dick,” Linc snarked.

“Hey,” I called to Ash, moving closer. “Anything else on the girl I asked you to look into at Highwater?”

A shadow flickered over his face for a second, and I could’ve sworn he’d looked at Linc to make sure he wasn’t paying attention before answering. He flashed me a grim smile. “Josslyn Grant? I’m sorry, Mads, but she was removed from Highwater after you left. No idea where she is now.”

I sighed, annoyed at the lack of info. Once the dust had settled from Gary and Beckett, I’d asked Ash to help me look into the one person who’d been kind to me when I was in Highwater. Joss seemed like she’d been shoved in there the way I’d been, and I hated the idea of her out there suffering if I could help.

“Hey, micro dick,” Linc said, not looking away from the screen. “Get your ass over here and help me clear this level.”

Ash snorted and abandoned me in favor of offering to prove just how small his dick wasn’t, which was my cue to leave. I’d learned early on that these guys had zero shame, and I wouldn’t put it past them to whip out a ruler and compare lengths.

I wandered through the house, looking for my fiancé. I jogged up the stairs to check our bedroom and rounded the corner at the landing only to run smack into a barely clothed girl stepping out of the bathroom.

“Who are you?” she sneered, looking ready to bitch slap me for being in my own damn house.

“The girl who lives here,” I snapped. “Who the fuck are you?”

She flipped her glossy blonde hair over a bare shoulder, not bothered at all that she was standing in my hallway in a bra and panties that were more sheer than plastic cling wrap. “I’m Court’s girl.”

My brows shot up, because was this seriously happening again?

“Court!” I yelled, not moving until the guy in question appeared behind the girl. He scratched a hand over his bare chest, his eyes bloodshot.

“Hey, Mads.” The slight slur in his words set my teeth on edge. “Did you meet Ashley?”

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