Page 46 of These Reckless Hearts

His face falls. He meets my eyes again in the mirror, and a solid plate of ice forms in my stomach.

Whatever it is, it’s not good.

20

The sound that comes out of my mouth can only be described as a screech. A squawk. Something almost inhuman. Have you ever watched a video where a woman completely loses her shit, but it’s entirely justified because the people around her are insane? Yeah. That’s me when I find out what the worried look was on Lucas’ face.

I am the squawker, and I’m about to sharpen my talons.

“You did what?” I seethe.

Stone’s lying on the white couch that isn’t so white anymore. Droplets the color of dried blood pepper the surface like a crime scene. And it actually is a crime scene. Stone’s been shot but “not to worry because it’s just a nick.”

That last sentiment was from Cole, and in all actuality, he might know what he’s talking about but that doesn’t mean I can’t be pissed.

Stone’s pale ass is refusing to look at me. His upper arm is wrapped in a bandage from his “bullet graze,” the dark crimson already seeping through.

“We tried to recover the ring,” Wyatt informs me, arms crossed over his chest like it’s no big fucking deal that they tracked down Stone’s father when they know he’s heavily guarded by an expert team of ex-military professionals.

“You forgot the part where you didn’t tell me.”

A smug smirk graces Cole’s face. “I told you she was going to be pissed.”

“Youdidn’t tell me either,” I accuse. My glare focuses on him, but it doesn’t seem to have any impact whatsoever.

“I don’t answer to you. Sorry, baby girl.” At least his smile is apologetic in aget fuckedkind of way.

He’s right, though. He doesn’t answer to me at all. The thing is, I know the Dragons aren’t going to let anything happen to him, but my guys are a different story.

When none of them answer, I breathe in deeply, my nostrils flaring. Seeing Stone lying on the couch like this makes me sick to my stomach, but it’s overpowered by rage. “I don’t need the ring,” I rasp. “What I need is all of you safe. You can’t be safe if you go off acting like fucking macho men.”

Lucas opens his mouth to say something, but I spin to face him. “And you...you lied to me all day. You let me suck your dick when you knew they were risking their lives for something so stupid.”

“On that note,” Cole mumbles, lifting from his position on the arm of the couch. “I’m going to see myself out of this conversation. I’ll be in my room when the talk about the dick sucking stops.”

Lucas crosses his arms. He waits until Cole exits the room, then says, “Just because you’re mad now doesn’t mean you can take back wanting to suck my cock.”

Arrogant ass. The worst part is, the tilt of his head and the way he’s still eye-fucking me makes me want to agree with him.

Fucking hormones.

I sit on the couch. Stone tucks his legs in so I don’t sit on him, and I drop my head in my hands, thinking back to the mess I was confronted with when I went to the mansion. I can’t believe they willingly went to Lance when they know he means business.

“We did it for you.” Wyatt moves closer, taking Cole’s spot on the arm of the couch and dragging his fingers down my spine. “You love that ring, and it belongs to you. We were hoping we’d get it, without Stone getting shot, and you’d be praising us instead of yelling.”

I shake my head, my curls falling over my hands and swaying in front of me like a weeping willow.

“The only reason Lance has it is because we urged you to take it out of its hiding place to begin with.” Stone finally speaks up, voice firm though a little scratchy. “It’s our responsibility to get it back.”

“Your responsibility to me is to be my partner. Nothing more.”

“I’m not going to let my father take something from you.”

I flip my hair so I can stare Stone down. “And how’d that work out?” I get to my feet. “The last thing I’ll be worried about if something happens to you is what he stole from us. Are you three just too pig-headed to realize that? Maybe I’ll go on a solo mission to retrieve my family’s things. In fact, I think I will. I’ll go have a talk with Cole about that right now.” I spin on my heel, but don’t make it a step before strong arms band around me from behind.

Lucas drags me back to his chest before spinning me around. Stone is half off the couch and Wyatt is two steps away, each of them sharing matching looks of fury.

I lift my chin. “Yeah, how’d that feel?”

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