Legend threw up his hands, the picture of innocence. “Do? What could I have done?” His voice was too low for anyone but us to hear. “I was home all night and morning. Wasn’t I, guys?”
The boys nodded.
“Tell me where he is or—”
“I’ve already told you.” The sickly sweet tone clashed violently against the glint in his eyes. “You can skip the blustering and shouting, and drop to your knees now. I’ll take a kissed boot and a ‘Sorry, Mr. St. James’ while you’re down there.” He lifted his foot, wiggling it at him. “Chop, chop.”
Jeremy flew at him. A wild punch cut the air, heading for Legend’s jaw.
Legend snapped back, caught his arm, and used the momentum to spin him around and secure him in a headlock. The whole thing happened so fast, Jeremy couldn’t stop it.
“Son of a bitch! If you hurt my brother, I’ll kill you!”
“Whoa,” Legend said, lifting his voice. “Calm down, buddy. We’re just talking.”
“Where’s Micah?!” He thrashed in his grip. “What did you do to him?!”
The Crows tried to help him and Arsenio, Jacques, Roan, and Cairo blocked their way four to three. Actually, eight to three as other guys jumped to break off the impending fight. Suddenly, they remembered who they served.
Legend tossed Jeremy at a pair of guys. “Escort them out. They’re done ruining everyone’s morning.”
“You’re next, St. James!” Jeremy’s spittle showered the deck, his shoes leaving scuffs on the deck. “You’ll burn! You’ll all fucking burn!”
I watched him go, mouth hanging open. Arsenio maneuvered him into losing the chess match, then Legend got him to blow up the board. There was no coming back from a scene like that. He may turn sympathy by saying he lost it over his brother, but that was real, frightening hatred in those eyes. You don’t forget a look like that for as long as you live.
I can promise you.
“Legend,” I began, “what did you do to his brother?”
The more than just a rich boy slung his arm around, giving my nipple another quick tweak. “Had a couple guys pick him up this morning, drive him out of town, and drop him on the side of the road. No phone, of course. It’ll take him a good ten hours to walk back. Long enough for Jer-Bear to learn some humility.” He nuzzled my cheek. “Like I was saying before we were interrupted, I’ll have another go on those lovelies before class. Eat fast.”
The Bedlam Boys reclaimed their table with a smugness that bordered on obscene. I had mixed feelings, to say the least. Legend didn’t hurt Micah, but then the lesson was for his brother, not him. If it was my sister, I wouldn’t make it ten hours before dropping on my knees and begging Legend to tell me she was safe.
A brutal lesson. Even so, I can’t forget the Bedlam Boys didn’t start this war with the Crows, and they’re not interested in being in it. These guys keep getting in their faces. If they want so badly to play on their level, they’ll face the consequences like the rest of us.
Joining them, I lifted Cairo’s hand and sat on his lap. My butt still hurt like a motherfucker, so it took some wiggling to get comfortable. His cock twitched a hello.
Once I was settled, I faced him full on, silently challenging him to move me onto the floor.
“You’re getting bold, baby.” He gave me a quick nip kiss that was over too fast. “I don’t dislike it.”
Cupping his jaw, I turned him back to me and molded his lips to mine—stealing the deep, dizzying kisses he denied me. Cairo responded, moving in rhythm with me, teasing my lips apart.
He clamped on my bottom lip, breaking the skin.
“Ow.”
Cairo licked my blood from his mouth, looking every inch the wolf I named him. “Don’t get carried away.”
“Asshole,” I muttered.
“—leave it.”
“No!”
A cloud of Shalimar perfume invaded my nose.
“So, it’s true.” Quinn Cunningham planted herself in front of us. “You dumped me for this bitch.”
“No,” Roan said. He didn’t look up from his texting. “We dumped you. Then we hooked up with this bitch. We were through with you before we met her. Two separate events.”
That didn’t stem the rising color in Quinn’s cheeks. I don’t think it was meant to.
“I thought this was a joke. Another one of your stupid punishments for whatever shit you imagined I did wrong.”
Quinn really was beautiful. I didn’t know many people who still looked pretty with a curled lip and tomato-red cheeks.
“I’m not putting up with this. You don’t get to throw me over for farm-girl trash over here—”
“Hey,” I said.
“—and think I’m going to let you get away with it.”
“What are you going to do about it?” Legend asked.
Cairo’s phone went off. “I want you to fuck my mouth, Cairo.” His ringtone sounded clear as day. “Make me choke on your cum.”