“—but that’s also an act,” Hudson was saying, her expression going thoughtful. “Or at least I think it is. I don’t know if you’re a bitch, Reese. I don’t know if you’re as hard as you let on. What I do know is that Rylan isn’t as happy-go-lucky as he lets on. He pretends he doesn’t have feelings, but he does. And if you hurt him, I swear on my mother’s life that I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” she mocked. “Have Connor beat me up?”
“Of course not.” Hudson bared her teeth in a humorless smile. “I’ll do it myself.”
11
“You try to raid an ammo dump by yourself and get torched?” Connor joked as Rylan stomped into Foxworth’s cozy corner restaurant the following evening.
Something was getting lit tonight, that was for damn sure, Rylan thought sourly as he threw himself into the seat across from Connor.
His closest friend had gotten in yesterday morning, but Rylan had barely spent ten minutes with Connor since his arrival. Con had been hunkered down with Reese and the other leaders all day yesterday and today, strategizing the outpost attacks. And last night, he and Hudson had disappeared into one of the townhouses on the edge of Main Street, proving that just because Connor had finally chosen to lead his small group of outlaws, he hadn’t changed his antisocial ways.
Rylan knew the couple would’ve welcomed him with open arms if he’d shown up on their doorstep, but he’d been too damn rattled after that unexpected encounter with Sloan. Instead, he’d had dinner with Beckett at the loft that Beck shared with Travis, then ducked into the little apartment he was crashing in and tried to sleep off his frustrations. All of which were of the sexual variety, of course.
Before, he’d only had to contend with Reese busting his balls. Now he had Sloan doing it too? The goddamn bastard had stuck his tongue down Rylan’s throat—what the hell was that about?
“I need a drink,” he muttered. “Scratch that. I need a lot of drinks.”
“Probably not a good idea, man. We’re taking out outposts in a few days. I need your head in the game.” With unexpected concern in his eyes, Connor folded his hands on the table and leaned forward. “If you need to get laid, you know the door to mine and Hudson’s bedroom is always open, right?”
“Yeah, okay.” Rylan swiveled to see where Bethany was. He was hungry, thirsty, and horny, and felt like only two of his needs were going to be met tonight. Normally, he was an easygoing guy, but everything bothered him right now, making him uncharacteristically short.
Connor leveled a knowing look at him. “So Reese one and done’d you?”
“Something like that.”
His friend lounged back in his chair, and while he didn’t smile, the air of satisfaction Con had been wearing ever since Hudson laid her claim on him sawed at Rylan’s nerves.
He scowled. If Connor’s mouth so much as twitched at the corners, Rylan was flying over this table and laying into him. “I’m about two seconds from shoving my fist in your smug face.”
Connor merely shrugged. “Hudson wouldn’t like it. What she would like is for you to come for a visit tonight. She misses you.”
Rylan waited for his cock to harden while he conjured up mental images from all the times he’d joined Connor and Hudson in their bed. But their faces kept being replaced by other people. People who were pissing him off at the moment.
“No?” Connor prompted when Rylan didn’t answer. “Well, fuck. Reese really did do a number on you.” He paused. “So how was she? Lennox says she’s a wildcat in bed.”
Rylan frowned, surprised by the oddly possessive clench in his chest. He knew Lennox was no stranger to Reese’s bed, but it hadn’t bothered him until right this very moment. And it bothered him even more knowing that Len had been with her more than once, while Rylan was shunned after one night.
At his prolonged silence, Connor released a low chuckle. “Seriously? You’ve been running your mouth for more than a year about getting that woman in bed, and now that you have, you’re shutting up? The sex didn’t do it for you?”
“No, it did. It was hot as hell,” he admitted reluctantly. He was even more reluctant as he added, “Sloan was there.”
Connor’s brows shot up. “Yeah? As an observer or a participant?”
“He just watched.” Except when he was holding Reese down while Rylan drilled her hard . . . but he kept that dirty detail to himself.
“Huh,” Connor mused.
Bitterness tickled his throat. “Those two are joined at the hip. Are you really surprised to hear that Sloan is around while she screws?”
“Nah, I’m not surprised. Just find it odd that he didn’t join in. I mean, hell, we’ve all seen the way he looks at her—like he wants to feast.”
Yeah, Rylan was more than familiar with Sloan’s feasting eyes. He’d been on the receiving end of them last night. Right before the man kissed the shit out of him.