Page 6 of The Evening Wolves

“Let it go, love,” John said.

“Hypothetical scenario: he becomes physical when you attempt to leave after dinner, because you’ve realized the foolishness of spending the night in another city with a complete stranger and no weapons in your possession—”

Nico made a buzzing noise.

Emery tried a different tack. “As your evening progresses, he refuses to take no for an answer—”

Another buzz.

“You find yourself in some sort of sexual encounter in which an imbalance of power exists. For the sake of this example, let’s say a bondage scenario with some degree of consent—”

This time, Colt’s three timers went off simultaneously.

“That’s a no,” Nico said.

“No, there was no consent, or no—”

“Colt?” John asked.

Colt was staring at Nico, his cheeks aflame, as three timers chirped and chimed and flashed. Then he must have heard John because he started, his eyes widening as he took in the three adults staring at him, and the color in his cheeks deepened until it was almost purple. He sprinted to the oven, yanked the door open, and at the last moment remembered the oven mitts.

“Good Christ,” Emery said.

“Be nice,” John said. “It’s cute.”

“It’ll be less cute when a set of handcuffs goes missing.”

John shushed him.

“I swear to God, if I find Ashley trussed up like a summer ham, I’ll shoot myself.”

John shushed him again.

Colt was making a production out of inspecting the cookies, doubtless buying himself time before he had to face the other men in the room. Nico, of all people, gave Emery a dirty look and grabbed a bowl and hand mixer. “Come on, Colt. We’ll make the frosting in the dining room and get everything set up for the girls.”

Theo and Auggie came into the room as Colt bolted after Nico, and Auggie made a soft aww-ing sound.

“He was practically riding his ass,” Emery said. “What’s cute about that?”

“He’s got a crush,” Auggie said. “I mean, it’s not in the same league as his crush on No—”

Theo’s discreet nudge had not been quite discreet enough.

“Boy,” John said, “you’re really having a night, aren’t you?”

“It’s not my fault!”

“As his crush on whom?” Emery asked.

“On nobody,” Theo said. Emery opened his mouth to press the question, but Theo was saved by his daughter rushing into the room to grab his hand. Lana was ten, small for her age, and her voice had an affectless quality that had to do with the lingering effects of the car accident she’d been in as a child.

“Evie needs a cookie,” she said.

“Evie does, huh?” Theo asked.

Lana turned big, dark eyes on Auggie.

“Maybe they could split one—” Auggie began.

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