Page 94 of Fool Me Twice
“You’re not acting like yourself.”
“I’m fine,” Hart snapped defensively. There was nothing wrong with him. “Let’s just go downstairs.”
Cane pressed his lips into a thin line, looking like he wanted to argue before he heaved himself up and off the bed. Even though Hart was frustrated with his constant questioning, he still slipped under Cane’s arm and helped him hold the ice packs and walk.
He led them downstairs and toward the living room, taking a breath before walking inside.
Eyes followed them as he walked Cane over and helped him into an armchair across the room from where they were all sitting. Hart took a seat on the armrest, not bothering to find his own spot. Unable to move further away. Something told him he needed to be next to Cane. Moving away was impossible.
Silence rang in the room, the tension thick and soupy as they all stared at each other. The only noise was the steady click of Ash’s lighter.
“So. This is an…interesting turn of events,” Ash finally said.
He signed it simultaneously because Midas was present for a change, sitting in the window nook with his hair in a messy bun clamped with a golden clasp, looking slightly less bored than he usually did.
Ash himself was seated directly opposite Cane and Hart, glaring, sprawled on the green couch with Morgan tucked under his arm looking only a little awkward about being roped into this.
“I told you so,” Black said from his perch on the backrest of the couch, his feet tucked under Ash’s ass.
“You didn’t tell me shit,” Ash hissed, pinching Black’s calf.
“The line between hatred and intense sexual chemistry that scars your family members for eternity is very fine,” Black said sagely.
“That is not what this is!” Ash said loudly. “We are not living in that timeline!”
“Children, behave.” Fix put an end to their bickering with one of his well-practiced, exasperated warnings.
Hart felt like his head would explode. He rubbed a hand over his eyes, wondering when his brothers had got so loud. So present and noticeable in his environment. When had he started being so gratingly aware of them and their antics? When had it become so damn hard to tune them out the way he usually did?
“Can someone tell me what’s going on?” Midas asked, hands sharp and signs directed at Hart in particular. “Why is he here?”
“Got a feeling this is about me,” Cane said, and Hart noticed Black signing it for Midas on Cane’s behalf. Wanted or not.
“It is,” Hart said. “As you would have been aware had you been present lately, Cane is under a curse I’m currently assigned to.”
Midas gave him a flat look. “I was busy.”
“You weren’t the only one,” Ash muttered.
Morgan smacked his leg in reprimand. “Don’t sex shame them.”
Hart glared at him, ignoring the remarks. “A few hours ago, Cane was attacked in his own home and almost killed.”
“So you figured bringing him to your room to fuck him would help?” Ash asked sweetly, pressing harder on his buttons.
“Ash!” Morgan exclaimed.
But Hart had already snapped under the pressure he was applying in a way he never had before, something ugly rearing its head inside of him. “I didn’t question your methods when you used your dick to solve a case just a few months ago.”
His words left the room drowning in shocked silence.
“Excuse me?” Morgan was the one to break it, narrowing his eyes a touch. Hart clenched his jaw and refused to run it back or apologize. “Maybe I misheard you for a second. I’m sure you didn’t just come for my relationship with your criminal fucktoy sitting right there.”
“Now someone else needs to watch their mouth,” Cane said lazily.
“I will finish the job those people started if you make one more threat in Morgan’s direction, Candy Cane,” Ash growled.
“And fuck you very much,” Morgan snapped at Cane. “How about you apologize for ruining my boyfriend’s face while we’re at it. Do I need to stick a Handle With Care sticker on his fucking forehead? He’s off limits to you in the future, asshole!”