Page 134 of Betrayed

Ashley said, “No, I was just thinking you fit the, Jack, what did you call it last summer? Top-notch security eye candy? Anyway, you fit the mold.” Everyone laughed.

Everyone except me. I didn’t get the joke.

“Ashley likes being surrounded by hot alpha men,” Emily explained.

Ashley laughed and said, “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

I looked around; Ashley wasn’t wrong. All the guys of SSI qualified as hot.

“You’ll get used to it,” Ashley said. “But don’t stare too long. The hot alpha you snagged for yourself might get jealous.”

I looked at AJ just in time to see him roll his eyes.

“He is prone to growling at anyone who notices how gorgeous you are,” Jay added.

AJ turned to Jay and growled. “Shut up.”

“See?” Jay held his hands up in surrender.

This time, I joined in with everyone when they laughed. Though I didn’t join in when they started giving each other shit about being jealous and over-protective. I wasn’t comfortable enough.Maybe someday.

Meg and Emily more than made up for my silence.

Before long, Meg sat by me. “You’ll get used to them,” she whispered, so only I heard her. I couldn’t help but notice how she and Jack communicated with nothing more than their eyes and subtle facial expressions.

I want a connection like that someday.

Eventually, the group split up. The guys stayed in the living room to play video games while the girls moved to the dining room table.

We talked about everything, except Meg’s pregnancy.

At one point, Meg mentioned the women’s self defense class SSI was hosting, and invited me.

“We’re all taking it,” Emily said.

“I don’t know.” I wasn’t sure I wanted to learn how to hit people.

“The class isn’t about hitting people. They teach you situational awareness and the value of trusting your instincts.”

I flashed back to AJ telling me to always trust my gut when things felt off.

“And how to throat punch a fucker if he tries to hurt you,” Ashley added, punching the air in front of her.

“Ashley!” Meg and Emily said together.

“What?”

“You’ll learn a few simple moves you can use if you have to defend yourself,” Meg clarified.

That sounded a lot better than punching someone.

I asked Meg to text me the date so I could check my schedule.

“Who knows, maybe we’ll even convince you to go to the range with us.”

I looked outside at the guys on the deck. There was no way I’d go to the range with them.

“Not with them.” Emily must have seen my anxiety. “I mean, we do go with them sometimes, but we’re still learning, so we’ve joined a women’s shooting group, the Women’s Shooting Club.”

---