Lilac

“You haven’t even heard what we have to say,” Rich accused me. He sounded disappointed and angry, but I didn’t care. I’d given into them too many times.

I recalled how I’d found them when I finally left my room. I realized now that they had been waiting for me. For this. Whatever this was.

Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I nodded even as my stomach twisted, and the air began to fill with the scent of roses. It’s been a long time since I felt sorrow this deep.

“I’m okay with that.”

“Braxton,” Loren called after me when I started for the stairs.

I’d stay put for now, but I had no interest in hearing what they had to say. They don’t get to ignore me and discard me until they’re ready to play again.

Yes, I asked for it, but they had no problem giving in.

It was all too easy for them to shut me out. They hadn’t even tried. They just taunted me as usual until even that grew boring.

The thick tension in the suite weighed my feet down, but eventually, I made it to my room.

The last thing I saw before I shut myself inside was Rich’s bowed head, Loren’s tense shoulders, and Houston staring out the windows once more.“That went well,” Loren drawled sarcastically the moment Braxton shut her door. I already knew she was smart, but when I heard the snick of her bedroom lock turning, I realized she had great instincts too. “Great idea, Rich. I’m so glad you talked us into this.”

“I didn’t talk you into anything. You were already thinking it. We all were.”

Loren sighed rather than argue. “Back to the drawing board, I guess. Fuck this three-musketeer shit. I’d rather be all for me and none for you anyway.”

“She never said no.”

“She never gave us the middle finger either, but the fuck you was implied.”

“We iced her out for two months, Lo. Just give her a couple of days. We can try again.”

Loren’s sneer that he directed at Rich told me we’d already lost him. It seemed there was no hope for a plan that didn’t fail when it came to Braxton Fawn. She was too complex to strategize, and we still weren’t worthy opponents.

Rich’s suggestion of not making her choose had so many holes in it, I couldn’t blame Loren for jumping a sinking ship. There was only one option left, but I couldn’t help wondering if the cost was too great. Not one of us would stick around and watch her be happy with whoever she chose. It would mean the end of our friendship that was barely hanging on. It would mean the end of Bound.

“Why the hell are you pushing this so hard anyway?” Lo grilled Rich. “It was a crap idea, to begin with. Share her? Do you know how much that makes my balls itch? Fuck you.”

“I don’t see you coming up with ideas.”

“Sure, I have.” Loren grinned, kicking his legs up on the suite’s coffee table and lacing his fingers behind his head. “My plan is to make her fall in love with me. Whichever one of you cries the least about it can be my best man at our wedding.”

Rich, who had more patience than was wise, looked ready to swing on Lo. “What makes you so sure she’ll choose you over one of us?”

“Have you seen my rock-hard abs and gorgeous hair? What am I saying? Of course, you have.” The look Loren gave him was mocking and knowing, which Rich avoided by turning his head. Naturally, Loren wasn’t ready to let it go. He’d push every button necessary to get the reaction he needed. “Oh, no, don’t be ashamed, Jericho. I’m honored, you being so straight and all, took it up the ass so that I’d stick around.”

Rich shot to his feet, his angry gaze like liquid silver as he fixed it on Lo. “I’m not ashamed,” he snapped. “I’m just wondering why I bothered.”

Something in Rich’s gaze made Loren hesitate before he said, “Me too.”

Rich stormed off and closed himself up in the room they were supposed to share before Loren got himself thrown into the doghouse. Again. Now he’d be sleeping on the couch instead of the spare bed, and I doubted the opulent piece of furniture had been designed for comfort.

Feeling Loren’s gaze, I found him silently attempting to pry open my mind so he could piss me off and push me away too. He probably thought it would make it easier when he tried to take Braxton for himself. It hadn’t worked out for him the first time but being pigheaded was at the top of his vices. I had yet to figure out how he’d gotten so smart learning shit the hard way. Maybe it was because he insisted on having to be told everything twice.