“Wait, he’d never admitted his mother is a twat before?” I inquired. “I feel like anyone who pays close enough attention would, but like he said, her politics are flawless, and she has done some amazing things in her first term.”
“It’s never an easy thing to admit your family tossed you away,” Daddy pointed out. “I wonder why he said it to you?”
“Guess that means I’m just going to have to become his best friend or annoying sister and find out, now won’t I,” I shared with a smirk. “You and I both know when I pick someone to win over, I won’t lose.”
Daddy groaned. “Why can’t you do that for your own people and leave mine alone?”
“That’s no fun, but if you must know, Braxton and I are going out tonight,” I commented.
“I’m not sure if I should be relieved or worried… he was one I knew you’d be able to befriend easily. He’s just as good at winning people over as you are, and my bet is you two will become pretty close fairly quickly,” Daddy predicted and smiled as he hit the intercom button. “Liu, send in the next meeting.”
“Right away, Boss,” Liu answered like nothing at all had happened.
twelve
IwatchedRykerpacethe rec room we used as a common space for those of us who lived on the second floor. Really it ended up just being me, Jace, Ryker, and Luca on occasion. Atticus didn’t socialize, Gunner was a golden boy, and Liu had zero free time working for the boss. What was interesting, though, is that right now all of the lieutenants were here watching Ryker lose his shit over Astin.
“What do you mean I can’t go tonight? I always go to opening nights with you guys,” Ryker snapped.
I held up my hands as if they would ward off the bad juju that was oozing out of him. “Dude, you need to smoke a joint, drink some whiskey, or rub one out to take off the edge. You have been going about this all fucking wrong. While I’ve been enjoying watching you crash and burn with the woman you’ve been pining over for years, you’re not going to fuck up my chances,” I explained.
That brought him to a screeching halt and he turned on me. “What did you just say?”
“She’s fucking pissed at you. If I bring you with, then she’ll be pissed at me. Astin being mad at me over you is going to kill any chance I have of getting her to notice all I have to offer,” I reiterated in a more simple fashion.
Of course, that wasn’t what he meant, and I knew it, but ruffling his feathers like this was just too fun. While I might be a fuckboy, I’d never step in the way if I thought Ryker had a chance, but from what I heard about their fight on the stairs, he didn’t. Astin was a fucking stunning woman who was unattached, and I wanted to put my name in the running if she ever needed uncomplicated sex. That was my specialty.
“You can’t make a move on her. What about Jace?” Ryker challenged.
“What about me?” Jace asked, crossing his arms. “My thinking is the same as Brax. I’m down to fuck if she is. Hell, I’d volunteer, especially if she wanted a threesome… that would be epic.”
Ryker let out a growl of frustration, running his hands through his hair. “You all know I’m in love with that woman, right?” All of us nodded our understanding. “Then how can you say you’re going after the only woman I’ve ever wanted?”
Atticus raised his hand, shocking the shit out of us all. That man never had anything to say on personal matters. He believed if it didn’t involve him, there was no need to share an opinion.
“What, Atticus,” Ryker muttered.
“I believe there’s a flaw in your logic. While you have been waiting for her, knowing that when she came back, you expected to be together, she’s not of the same mind. It’s illogical for you to assume she’d wait for you when you gave her no indication of your interest,” Atticus reasoned. “Furthermore, she’s not bound by any established relationship with you, meaning you have no grounds to be upset if she chooses to interact with another male.”
Damn, Atticus just let Ryker have it.
“Why the hell are you even getting involved in this? I thought it was your policy to never speak on personal matters,” Ryker challenged.
Atticus frowned, then looked at me. “Is it not customary to defend one’s friend? Did I insert myself in a matter I shouldn’t have on Astin’s behalf?”
There was no way I could hold back the shit-eating grin I knew was on my face. “No, Atty boy, you did exactly right.”
“Don’t call her by her name,” Ryker snapped. “She said we could only call her by the titles she chose.”
“Unless instructed to otherwise. I was expressly told to call her Astin,” Atticus countered. “I believe she requested that of me more than once.”
Ryker opened his mouth to argue, but he couldn’t. No one ever won a battle of facts when it came to Atticus. The genius was always right, and to fight him on it would be pointless.
“Fuck,” Ryker swore, kicking a pillow that had fallen off the couch across the room. “How did I fuck this up so badly?”
I leaned back on the sofa and laced my fingers behind my head. “Do you really want to know the answer to that?”
He glared at me, but I knew it wasn’t serious. If the dark side of Ryker came out, I’d tread more carefully, but right now, it was just butt-hurt Ryker. “If you tell me it’s because I thought I had a shoo-in from being childhood friends, I’m going to punch you.”