“I did,” I say with a shrug as I glance back at them. “But I’m not worried. The twins aren’t mine, and I’m not really the jealous type anyway.”
Her eyebrows rise and she shakes her head. “If you say so. Maybe I’ll be territorial enough for the both of us, cause if I catch so much of a hint of them moseying on in, I’mma throw hands.”
I can’t help but laugh at her. “You’re a good friend, Penn.”
“Eh,” she says with a sly smile. “I nearly threw hands at you when I saw you with Connor for the first time, but I’ve since realized you’re good people.”
I shake my head, chuckling at her. “Don’t worry, P. I’m not about to steal your man.”
She winks at me as we approach the twins’ cars idling at the curb. “He’s not mine either. Not yet, anyway.”
* * *
I laugh as I fall through the doorway into the boys’ house, trying to escape Sawyer and his demonic tickling ways, and land straight in Cole’s arms.
“We’ve got to stop meeting like this.” He smirks down at me, and I groan as the twins enter behind me, laughing.
“Yeah, falling into your arms isn’t exactly my idea of happily ever after, either,” I quip back at him.
“Oh, I don’t know,” he teases. “There could be worse endings.”
His eyes sparkle as he holds my arms, despite the fact I’ve found my feet again.
The puppies rush toward us and I drop down into a crouch to fuss over them, leaving the boys to say their hellos. After getting their ear scratches, the other three head over to Asher and I scoop up Shadow, who always stays with me, as I stand, rubbing his belly as his tongue lolls out of his mouth, making me laugh quietly.
He’s so freaking cute.
“You finally shaken the collar, Cole? Boarding the Briar Express?” Sawyer jokes as he puts his arm around my waist, and Cole’s hands fall from my arms.
“The only type of express here is my Hot Mess Express,” I deadpan. “Zero boarding for any of you guys.”
“That's not what you said last weekend,” Sawyer murmurs in my ear, and I feel my cheeks heat.
Travis descends the stairs and tension threatens to suffocate me as he reaches us.
“I should probably be heading home. It got late,” I say quietly, not wanting to deal with him and the broody assholeness I know is coming. Shadow lets out a yip, and I realize I’ve held him a little too tight, so I kiss the top of his head as an apology before I put him down on the floor.
“Oh, look, the trash can take itself out,” Travis sneers as he heads into the kitchen area.
Yep, that assholeness. Right on cue.
“Turn down the douchebag status, Travis,” Sawyer barks, his grip tightening on my waist.
Travis barks out a dry laugh and turns his narrowed stare back on me. “I see we’re letting the whore come between us again. You see what you’re doing? You’re nothing but poison, slowly killing my family. Tearing it apart. Just like your mother.”
I open my mouth to respond, but Asher steps in front of me, the puppies crowding at our feet. “You don’t get to talk to her like that, Travis. The only one causing problems here is you, not her. You need to apologize to her.”
“I’m not apologizing for shit. You all want to chase pussy, put it ahead of your family. I can’t stop you, but when shit gets real and she runs away—because they all run away—don’t come crawling back to me.” He pauses for effect before turning and heading back upstairs.
Cole glances at me before running a hand over his buzzed hair, then leaves the house without another word.
“Fuck me, they’re both such giant buzzkills,” Sawyer groans as I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to keep my emotions locked down.
Travis’s words should roll off me. I’ve been called much worse. Heard worse. Experienced worse. And yet… coming from him, it seems to cut deeper than it should.
Maybe because on that first night we met, he looked at me like I was the sun and he was the moon, lighting up because of me.
Whatever it is, I want off this rollercoaster.