Loving War(55)

I grin as Maverick snickers, still seeming to be taken aback by this revelation. Then his eyes narrow on Kode. “That asshole knows, doesn’t he? That’s why he and you have been talking in code lately—no pun intended.”

I have no idea what he’s talking about, but Kode laughs while nodding. “He figured it out at the club the night you were passed out and snoring at the table.”

Oh. Corbin.

“Son of a bitch. I knew he was keeping something from me. If you’ll excuse me, I have an ass to go kick. Since you’ve already had yours handed to you, I’ll give you a free pass.”

Kode grins while flipping him off—his favorite gesture by far. Maverick gives me an uneasy smile before heading out, and Kode inhales a fresh breath. When he winces again and clutches his side, I almost cry. This is my fault.

“Maverick took it better than I expected. He and Rain are tight. At least the second worst one is out of the way,” he says with a lopsided grin, trying his best to keep my mind off his wounded body.

Not happening.

“Pete did all this?” I ask, lifting his shirt over his head. He’s forced to bend in order for me to get it off him, and I gasp when I see the numerous bruises around his shoulders and arms as well.

“Nah. I could have killed Pete with barely any effort. The douche did run from four girls. He had friends today that helped out. No worries. Cops got there in time.”

My eyes water again as I trace the outlines of the proof they didn’t get there in time. He wouldn’t have been touched if they had gotten there in time.

“Stop worrying, Tria. You’re killing me with those sad eyes. This is a good thing. Pete can’t touch you from inside a cell. Since he violated the terms of his parole, he won’t get out on bail either. He’s gone.”

Like a bomb explodes under me, I launch myself up and crash my lips against his. He quickly picks me up, even though it has to hurt, and settles me on the counter in the kitchen. Stepping in between my legs to draw me closer, he kisses me like he can’t get enough.

“I see you’re not as bad off as I was expecting,” an unwelcome, but friendly voice says, causing us both to jump and me to squeal in surprise.

Dale Sterling is standing there, his buzz-cut looking freshly groomed, and his arms crossed over his chest as he stares at us.

“Fuck,” Kode groans, reluctantly turning away from me to glare at his cousin.

“How many people have a key to your place?” I whisper, squirming uncomfortably.

“Too damn many, apparently,” he mutters under his breath. Then he addresses Dale in a tone that echoes my own exasperation. “Go ahead. Get going with the bullshit about how I’m doing this to get at Rain and Dane so I can argue and then be with my girl. It’s been a shitty day, and I’d like a break—if you don’t mind.”

His girl. He called me his girl. Yeah… I’m grinning like an idiot over something that stupid.

Dale just grins instead of saying anything right away. He seems more amused than pissed, like Maverick was.

“You know, it’s amazing how you and Dane seem to think I’m oblivious. He acted the same way when I confronted him about his feelings for Rain. I’ve known there was something going on between you two since you couldn’t take your eyes off of her at Dane’s house before we went to Vegas. By the time we were in Vegas, you were watching her like a possessed man on a mission, and then you flew off the handle because she talked to some guy. You two sit by each other, and you might as well be eye-fucking one another. You’re not as clever as you think. The others just don’t pay as much attention.”

Kode sags against me, while I still sit here thinking about the fact he called me his girl. Nothing Dale is saying really matters because I’m stupidly obsessed with that one piece of the conversation.

“Corbin and Maverick have both figured it out. The only two we don’t want knowing are Rain and Dane. Not until after the wedding,” he tells Dale, whose eyes widen in surprise.

“Corbin and Maverick figured it out? Damn. I’ve been carrying this secret around like I was going to explode.”

Kode snickers, and I wrap my arms around his waist as he leans his back against me, remaining between my legs. It’s a small act of intimacy that proves how comfortable he is with me.

My stupid grin only gets bigger.

“I just came by to make sure you were okay. Dane said your phone got fucked up during the fight. Is this thing with Mercer over?”

His phone got messed up? That’s why he didn’t call me.

“Yeah. For quite a while. He’s about to learn how stupid it is to fuck with me.”