Page 41 of Beautiful Scars

Ileanbackinmy chair, rubbing my temples as I stare at the stack of invoices cluttering my desk. The sound of metal clicking against metal draws my attention to where Zane sits methodically cleaning his guns. His long dark hair is pulled back in a neat knot, his movements precise and focused.

"Man, those girls last night..." Colt's voice drifts over from the leather couch where he's sprawled out, still wearing his clothes from yesterday. "They were something else. You shoulda come with me, Z."

Zane doesn't look up from his work. "I don't want to hear about your conquests."

"Come on, man. When's the last time you actually went out and had some fun?" Colt props himself up on an elbow, his blonde hair sticking up in every direction. "You know what they say about all work and no play."

I catch the slight twitch at the corner of Zane's mouth as he tries to maintain his stoic expression. "Some of us have standards, Colt."

"Standards? Is that what we're calling it now?" Colt grins. "Because from where I'm sitting, that sounds an awful lot like a fancy way to say 'I've given up on all the things that make life worth living'."

"Unlike you, I don't need to chase everything in a skirt to validate my existence." Zane methodically reassembles the pistol in his hands.

I can't help but smirk. "He's got you there, Colt."

"Et tu, Levi?" Colt clutches his chest dramatically. "It’s not exactly my existence I need validated, thank you very much. And, I’ll have you know the ladies I spent last night were excellent conversationalists. Very mentally stimulating."

"Really?" Zane arches an eyebrow. "So you spent the entire night enjoying their… conversation, hm? What did you talk about? "

“Um, well." Colt pauses, his brows furrowing. "I don't remember. But to be fair, there were two of them and they just loved to… talk. And talk, and talk and talk. You know me. I’m easily distracted." Colt waggles his eyebrows.

"I'm sure," I deadpan, shuffling through more paperwork.

Colt rolls onto his back, staring at the ceiling. "Seriously though, Z. You need to get out more. I'm sure they'd be up for making it a double—"

"No." Zane's voice is firm but there's amusement in his eyes.

"Oh! A little too advanced for you huh? Well, let's see. I'm sure they have a friend that'd be more your speed. A Sunday school teacher maybe, or…"

I watch as Zane's composure finally cracks, a deep chuckle escaping as he shakes his head. "You're ridiculous."

"That's why you love me." Colt beams. "Come on, seriously though. When's the last time you actually went on a date?"

"Some of us actually work." Zane picks up another gun to clean. "You know that thing that keeps us all fed."

"Hey! Networking is a very valuable skill," Colt protests. "It takes practice."

I snort. "Anything for the business, huh?"

"You're both just jealous of my… skills." Colt stretches out on the couch. "It'd be wrong to keep all this charm to myself. I'm just sharing my gifts with the world."

"Such a generous guy you are." Zane mutters, but there's no heat in his words.

The banter continues as I try to focus on the numbers in front of me. It's comfortable, this dynamic between us. Even in my darkest moods, Colt manages to make me laugh. And Zane, for all his seriousness, has a dry wit that perfectly complements Colt's… whatever it is.

"Seriously though," Colt sits up, his expression suddenly earnest. "You should come out with me sometime, Z. Just... you know, live a little."

Zane pauses in his cleaning, looking at Colt with an unreadable expression. "I live plenty."

"Playing with your gun all day isn't living, it's existing." Colt's voice carries a note of concern beneath the teasing. "Even Levi gets outta here sometimes."

"For work," I interject, not looking up from my papers.

"Details." Colt waves his hand dismissively. "The point is, you're young, you're hot— in a terrifying is-he-a-serial-killer? sort of way—but still. You deserve some fun."

Zane sets down his cleaning cloth, his blue eyes intense. "I don't do that."

Colt stands up, stretching. "But you could."

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