Page 62 of Brutal Reign
“Okay, okay, I won’t say it again,” he concedes, smirking smugly. “But you know what we are, and I’m not just gonna pretend you don’t exist.I can’t.”
“He’s right, babygirl,” Ace murmurs in a low, sultry tone, shuffling closer. I’m not sure if it’s the nickname or his proximity that suddenly has me all kinds of flustered. “Especially with what’s going on with Jake, we need to stay close.”
“No,” I grind out, shaking my head adamantly. “I need to handle the Jake situation on my own. You two need to back off.”
Seb opens his mouth– no doubt to voice another protest– but he’s thwarted by the sound of Ares’ voice barking out to get our attention.
“Alright, recruits, we’re gonna start the week off with a cardio session!” he announces, and he’s met by a chorus of groans in response, none more miserable sounding than my own.
I fucking hate cardio.
Ares grins like he gets off on torturing us, rubbing his palms together eagerly. “Let’s start off with ten laps around the track, huh? Get going!” He claps his hands to hustle us along and I pivot away from Seb and Ace, jogging toward the track to start in on my least favorite exercise.Seriously, fuck my life.
The soles of my gym shoes beat against the ground at a steady cadence as I set my pace, belatedly realizing that Seb and Ace have fallen into the same pace on either side of me.
“See, this is what I mean!” I whisper-shout, scowling as I swing my gaze back and forth between the two of them. “This looks suspicious as fuck. Go bother someone else.”
“How can you still suck so bad at running?” Seb teases, chuckling to himself.
“How can you be so dense about taking a hint?” I fire back, cutting him a glare. “Beat it, Walker.”
He rolls his eyes at me before jogging ahead, but then he tosses me a look over his shoulder that almost makesme stumble a step. That look promises that this isn’t over, and damnit if an unwelcome spark of excitement doesn’t rush through me in response.
Shit, I’d better not be blushing.
“You too, Conway,” I add once I’ve composed myself, turning my glare on Ace.
“C’mon, babygirl…” he murmurs, the low, velvety tone of his voice tugging at every thread of my restraint.
Is it just me, or has my reaction to these guys suddenly gone haywire?
It’s gotta be the mate bond; that’s the only explanation for this intense escalation in my response to these boys. I mean, I’ve always been ridiculously attracted to both Seb and Ace, but now… shit, it’s like I can’t look away. Despite my simmering resentment, everything about them draws me in.
I fling out a hand to swat Ace away, thankful when he finally gives up on pestering me and runs ahead.But damn does his ass look good in his workout shorts.
I ball my hands into fists, dropping my gaze to the track and focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. My mind spins out of control as I push myself to run lap after lap, and it’s not only the physical exertion that has me sweating.
Guess I’d better buckle up, because if that short interaction with my mates was any indication, then I’m in for a bumpy ride. Let’s just hope we don’t all crash and burn.
21
“Riv!” I call out, throwing up a hand to wave her over to our table in the dining hall.
She pointedly ignores me, cruising right by with her plate of stir-fry even though I know damn well that she heard me. She’s not making this easy, that’s for sure. Good thing I’ve never minded this little game of push and pull.
I shamelessly stare at her ass while she walks away, mesmerized by the gentle sway of her hips as she makes her way over to her usual table on the opposite side of the room. She’s the first one there– her friends are still in the food line– and it takes me all of two seconds after she sits down to push up from my own seat, grabbing my plate to take it with me.
“Well, Ace, looks like she wants us to come to her,” I remark, beckoning him with a flick of my head.
He rises to his feet while Beau and Eli look between us questioningly.
“You want us to come, too?” Eli asks, brow furrowing.
Ace shakes his head as he grabs his own plate. “Nah, we just wanna have a little chat with Riv,” he provides.
Beau squints in confusion as he glances toward River. “So she’s not on ice anymore?”
“No,” I reply flatly, looking to Ace for some passable explanation to give the boys as to why we’re bringing her back into the fold.