Severin stopped and turned to face Rodrigo. They stood toe to toe, the air between them thick with tension. Minnow hugged her middle, feeling helpless.
“What the fuck was that?” Severin snarled, shoving Rodrigo’s shoulder and forcing him a step back.
“I’m being polite to your brother, you ugly fuck.”
Severin opened his mouth then shut it again. He pushed forward, trying to menace Rodrigo backward, but he stood his ground even though Severin was making a deep growling noise.
“What the fuck is your problem, Leduc?” Rodrigo shouted. Wow, he was furious too.
Minnow wasn’t sure what to do. She came to Rodrigo’s shoulder, and didn’t quite reach Severin’s, so it wasn’t as though she could break up a fight. What on earth was going on?
“You know what my fucking p
roblem is!”
“Other than the fact that you’re an arrogant prick?”
It all felt surreal, watching them yell in each other’s faces. They never fought. They never even argued. Watching this was making her queasy.
“I’ve always been an arrogant prick! You’ve never complained about it before. I guess now that my brother’s here, you can replace me, and you won’t need to deal with my shit.”
“Oh, please.” Rodrigo backed a step and turned away, running a hand through his short hair.
“Don’t you turn your fucking back on me. Be a man and say it to my face.”
Ro whirled on him so fast Minnow flinched, sure a fist was coming, but he only glared.
“Say what to your face, you fucking jackass? I know what I said the other day, but do you seriously think I’d walk away from what you have given me?”
Given him? Was he talking about losing Severin’s business, or...maybe her? And with the emphasis on ‘have’ like that, it would imply he hadn’t given him something else?
Severin bristled, then the anger slowly melted off him, loosening his body until he was back to his normal arrogance. Rodrigo, however, still seemed pissed.
“I know it’s not what you wanted.” Severin scrubbed a hand over his face.
“It’s not, but it’s more than I’d ever hoped for. I love her, Severin, like you do.”
Her – like...Minnow, her? He loved her? Like Severin did? She wasn’t sure what to do with that information. She loved him too, but he wasn’t Severin. Considering how jealous Severin usually was, he didn’t look surprised, or even angry.
“So don’t give her up.”
Me? I thought this was about Loïc.
“I don’t understand why you care!” Rodrigo was in his face again. “You like sharing her that much?”
“You know it’s not just about her. We’ve discussed this.”
Discussed what?
“No, actually. We haven’t discussed this past pretending your last piercing never happened.”
They stared at each other, saying nothing. An angry, silent conversation seemed to be taking place. Minnow was trying to do a puzzle but had only been given half of the pieces.
Severin seized Rodrigo by the back of the neck and smashed his mouth down on his. Rodrigo fought him, trying to push him away, but Severin backed him against the wall of the building and took his mouth so harshly it looked as if he’d devour him. Rodrigo gave a helpless, moaning cry, but submitted, letting Severin take what he wanted before he rallied and started to kiss him back.
They came up for air, chests heaving, staring warily into each other’s eyes.
Minnow stood watching, her hand over her mouth. Astonished arousal flooded through her. It was like having a front row seat to her hottest fantasy coming true. Fear trickled through her next, though, icy and cutting. Did this mean they were done with her?