"Like hell you will," Remy snarls, shoving in front of her boyfriend. "You can get the fuck out of my apartment and forget about ever contacting my sister again."
Gently, without moving too quickly, Tristan peels the baseball bat away from her. He sets it behind the door, and I can faintly hear him mumble, "Jesus, babe. Let's set Bennie down. I don't feel like going to jail tonight."
I huff a laugh, even though Remy is no less terrifying without the bat than she is with it.
I step forward to touch her elbow. "Guys, it's okay. I just want to get it over with. Let him in."
Remy spins to face me, a mixture of panic and pain on her face. I know she wants nothing more than to take over for me and kick Steve out on his ass, but she’s visibly fighting the part of her that wants to do that. She wants so badly to let me do this on my own.
Finally, she swallows roughly and asks me, “Are you sure?”
I nod. “I’ll be fine, I promise. I want to do this on my own.”
My sister exchanges a glance with Tristan, who looks just as unhappy about opening the door as she does. But after a tense moment, the human shield in front of me parts. Steve glares at Tristan in mistrust, then takes a tentative step forward. I walk back into the living room area, signaling him to follow me.
When I reach the open space, I turn back to my ex-boyfriend with crossed arms and a deep frown on my face.
"What do you want to talk about?" I start, my tone one of boredom.
Steve opens his mouth to say something but immediately shuts it when Remy and Tristan glue themselves to the wall behind him. They, too, have crossed arms and a heavy scowl.
"Can we get some privacy?" he snaps at them.
"No," Tristan says simply.
Steve looks to me for help. I have to tamp down on the small smile that wants to appear at the vision of Steve being in anything other than a dominant position. But I smother the urge before he can see it. I'm not quite ready to start antagonizing him.
Before I can tell him to either talk or leave, I hear the front door bang open again.
"Honey, I'mhome!"
Jax's happy grin slides off his face the second he sees us all gathered.
I watch as his face transforms from the happy Jax that I know and love, to the vicious fighter that I know he's capable of being. He doesn't even look at me, he's so focused on shredding Steve with his eyes. "What the fuck is he doing here," he finally snarls.
I don't even bother trying to calm him down with words. I step up to him and place a soothing hand on his arm. "It's okay, I told them to let him in," I tell him softly. "I just want to end this once and for all."
His gaze finally settles on me. He calms, slightly, right in front of my eyes. I can tell he's searching for something, probably trying to figure out first and foremost if I'm okay, and then to see if I'm thinking about taking Steve back.
I let him see the truth in my gaze—I don't want Steve. I never will again.
He softens even more. Sliding an arm over my shoulders, and with a final glance toward Steve, he lets out a heavy exhale and nods.
"Okay. Talk."
I know Steve not only watched but understood the exchange. I can see it inhiseyes. He's right back to being furious, this time at the knowledge that I've likely moved on and that this is a fruitless mission.
Still, he doesn't give up. I should've known, I could always tell how much he hated being bested.
"Can we get some privacy, please?" he snaps.
"No," three people say at once.
I sigh and look at my overprotective bodyguards, taking a moment to be thankful for the fact that I have three people who want to protect me at all costs.
"Guys, it's okay," I tell them gently. "We just need a few minutes. Can you give us the room? Please?"
I think it's thepleasethat does them in. I can hear Tristan and Remy grumbling under their breaths, but they disappear into the bedroom. Jax stays right where he is.