Page 132 of G.O.D.S Omnibus

“Fair enough, but let’s not change the subject, Brenny,” I use the nickname that Team Hades would call him when they wanted to get a reaction from him.

“What is your issue with us having sex? Were you a virgin? Is that a thing where you all, like, wanted to save yourselves for me?”

He smirks, and I laugh. I was only trying to get a rise from him, and I succeeded. “I know that I’m hot, but that’s a bit weird.”

“It’s not that,” he says through gritted teeth.

“Then what is it? This team will only work if we’re honest about it.”

“Do you remember June 22nd, 2014? It was a Sunday.”

“No, did something happen on that day?” I ask with a roll of my eyes. Who remembers something that happened that long ago?

“You were training. You were wearing a pink pair of leggings, a Hannah Montana T-shirt, and your hair was in pigtails.”

I screw up my nose—Hannah Montana? I didn’t peg myself as a girly girl, but I was only young.

“And what was significant about that day?”

“It’s the first day you chose me over any of the others. I was twelve. You had tears welling in your eyes because Laughn pulled your hair and had told you that you looked like a girl. You ran to me and jumped into my arms.”

“I still don’t understand.”

“Jolie, I remember every single encounter we ever had, and I know the exact date, day, and time. Every memory I have is of you as a child.”

“I’m legally an adult.”

“I took advantage of you, and now I will never forget that. I should have stopped it.”

“You’re four fucking years older than me,” I snap. “You can compartmentalise it any way you like, but it brought you back, so I don’t regret it. Without you, our team would crumble. Seriously, who would take charge? Kai?” I snort at the thought. “He can’t even dress himself until he drinks a shitload of caffeine. Creed and Chester would just kill anyone who pissed them off, then tattoo and fuck. Trace gets too emotional. So that leaves you. We all need you.”

“It doesn’t remove the fact that I took advantage of you.”

I scoff. “You were in no state to take advantage of me. If anything, it was me who took advantage of you, so how about we call it even and not let this awkwardness continue? And I’m always open to a repeat performance if that makes it easier for you to process.”

His eyes snap to mine, and I can see the lust sitting behind his hooded eyes. He wants it, but he would never admit it.

“It can’t happen again,” he states vehemently, shaking his head.

“That’s a shame, really, because the guys have put a no-sex ban on me unless it’s with one of your team. If that’s the case, the same applies to all of you. How long until your hand no longer cuts it?” I smirk wickedly.

He shakes his head at me again and ignores what I say, but I can tell he is thinking about us. “Is there a reason you came here?” he asks, taking his seat again and I follow, plopping back into my chair.

“Yes, actually. I was thinking, and we all know that can be dangerous. Jimmie is here, apparently on a side job, but doesn’t it seem weird that there are three teams here? Mr Z says it’s for me, though isn’t that overkill? Unless someone is after me, and we all know it’s not his brother. He would have killed him years ago if he really thought he was a threat. Is something else going on that no one is telling me?”

“We have thought the same thing. It’s not related to Jimmie’s case because that one isn’t serious enough to require calling in this many teams. If there was a case, we would know; he would want us to be gathering intel. Colt and Summer’s teams were told to protect you. So it has to do with you, but we don’t know in what capacity yet. We have our best contacts helping, and if we find out anything, we will let you know.”

“You better. I’m part of this team now, and I want to be treated as such. My training needs to move past self-defence, and I need to know how to use a gun—how to use any weapons, really. Everything I’m being taught I already seem to know. I’m just a little rusty.”

“Fine, I will put together a schedule and we can start tonight. I will ask Creed to show you how to use a knife. But if he asksyou to put an apple on your head and he will hit the target, please don’t. He only has ninety-five percent accuracy.”

“I guess I better go back to class.”

Brennan agrees with a nod, and I get up from my seat, giddy that I finally will learn something real. Something I can actually use to save my life.

Chapter Thirteen

Jolie

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