Page 272 of Boys Who Hunt

“The most amazing sex you’ve ever had in your entire fucking life?” Heath interjects.

Max laughs. “Wow, arrogant.”

“And you love it, admit it,” Heath retorts.

Max chuckles. “True.”

“The point is … you made me put my name on your skin,” I say, trailing my fingers around the bloody scar. “That means something.”

“Something …” He raises a brow as he grabs my fingers and brings them to his lips, licking off the blood. “Oreverything?”

I shake my head and snort.

“I love you,” Max says. “I’ll say it every day. Every hour. Every minute.”

“If you say second next, I will shut you up with a dick in your mouth, and that is not an empty threat,” Heath warns him.

“Oooh …” Max blushes. “That’s a hard choice.”

“Wait until I make it even harder by not letting you come for the rest of the week.”

“What?!” Max sits up straight. “That’s not fair.”

I chuckle at their banter. “You two really were made for each other.”

“How can you tell?” Heath jests back, but then he leans in to peck me on the cheeks. “But Max is not the only one who’s fallen madly in love.”

I blush. “Oh.”

Silas grips my chin. “I was the first.”

“You really do that name on your chest justice,” Max says. “Liar.”

“That’s not for you to decide,” Silas says, still gazing at me. “Do you believe me or not?”

“I don’t know … how can one ever believe a liar?” I say coyly.

“It’s not like I don’t have a fucking lifetime to prove it to you.” He smirks. “Because none of us are going anywhere.”

“Deal.”

His eyes narrow like he can’t believe his own ears. “Are you trying to make a new agreement with me, little thief?”

“I need to know for sure.”

Suddenly, he puts both hands on my ears and rips out my hearing aids, chucking them aside.

“Hey!” I yell, but I’m not sure I said the right word because I can’t hear.

He grabs my face with both hands, forcing me to focus on those piercing green eyes that haunt me.

And then he draws out words. In the air.

With sign language.

I love you.

The silence is overwhelming.