Page 199 of Boys Who Hunt

“She just needs a little bit more time,” Max interjects, grabbing Heath’s arm. “Please. You promised me we were done fighting over her.”

He sighs and rubs his forehead. “Fine.”

“Silas?” Max asks gently.

“How am I supposed to protect you when I don’t even know from what?” he grits.

“Then don’t. I never asked,” I respond.

Silas scoffs, “And then what? Let you get dragged away by those fuckers? Is that what you want?”

I stare him down, fiercely holding my ground. “I’m done owing anyone anything.”

The room grows quiet. So quiet it becomes awkward.

“So … what do we do now?” Max asks.

“What do you mean, what now?” Heath frowns. “The dean was pretty clear. Let’s go clean up the pool table. And the floor.” He eyes his pants, which have a stain on them. “And ourselves.”

Max snorts and hides his laughter with a smile.

I sigh and walk to the bar, grasping a bucket from underneath so I can fill it with water and a bit of dish soap.

“What are you doing?” Silas asks as he approaches me.

“What does it look like?” I reply, grabbing a sponge too. “You wanted me to clean, right? So get out of my way.”

He pulls the bucket right out of my hand. “No.”

He snatches the sponge away too and chucks it back into the sink. “I had a debt. You told me to clean, so I’m cleaning to clear that debt, and now you don’t want me to clean. So which is it?”

“We have maids for that,” he says.

He has got to be shitting me. “You say that now?”

“Yes. But you knew that already.” He grabs a loose strand of my hair, playing with it like he’s thinking about something, but I can’t tell what. “You knew I liked watching you get filthy for me and clean up after me … and you also know you enjoyed every second of your submission to me.” He tucks my hair behind my ear. “Admit it.”

I swat his hand away. “This is all transactional, that’s it.”

He grabs my wrist midair. “Is it? Or are you just too afraid of what else it might be?”

Panic flashes through my body.

I can’t, it isn’t safe. Cora needs me.

“Run from me again, and Iwillchase you,” he says.

I frown. “Duly noted. Now let me go.” I jerk free and pass by him.

Bagel enters through the door and zigzags through my legs, headed straight for Silas right when he was about to grab me again.

“Goddammit,” Silas growls, trying to shake him off.

A short snigger escapes my mouth, but I stop it immediately when they all look at me. “He needs someone to play with him.”

“And?”

I shrug. “You’ve got enough makeshift toys lying around here. Good luck.”