Chapter 42
Chapter Forty-Two
Bennett
E zra looks up from the weapon table and lowers a tire iron as I reenter the armory. I drop the bag of crossbow bolts by the door and lean against the metal wall. Even though Cat was only playing along to keep her story intact, her laughter at their cruel jokes still got under my skin.
“Is something the matter?” Ezra asks. “You look a bit miffed.”
I shake my head and fix my face into a more neutral expression. “Nope, all good.”
“It’ll get easier once you two tell everyone, you know.”
The vertebrae in my neck crack as my head whips around to face him. “The fuck are you talking about?”
“Oh, Bennett, Bennett, Bennett.” He clucks his tongue and steps closer. “When will you realize that you can’t hide anything from me? We may have grown up oceans apart, but the same blood runs through our veins. Sometimes I think I know you better than you know yourself.”
My jaw clenches and unclenches as my brain misfires. “How long have you known?”
“About the attraction? Or that it was mutual?”
I stare at him. “Both.”
With a smirk, he steps beside me and joins me against the wall. “The attraction was instant. No, don’t argue. I was there, or have you forgotten?”
I close my mouth.
“Had you just acted on it then, we might not be in such a mess now,” he adds. “I haven’t mentioned my suspicions to Kindra, but has Cat considered how this will affect her?”
“Affect who? Kindra?” I roll my eyes. “That’s all Cat worries about. She thinks everyone will ostracize her if they find out, and that’s why she’s made me keep it a secret.”
“Can you blame us?” Ezra pins me with a deadpan glare. “You’re nearly as deplorable as our father when it comes to women. Would you really fault Kindra for wanting to look out for her friend?”
“That’s the other part Cat’s worried about. She thinks everyone will harass the fuck out of me and tell me not to hurt her.”
“She’s right. We absolutely will, myself included.”
“I haven’t hurt her the entire time we’ve been here. Hell, I’ve been saving her ass and helping her any chance I’ve had.” I glance around to be sure we’re still alone, then drop my voice to a whisper. “And I’ve liked it, Ezra. I’ve liked caring for her and pleasing?—”
He holds up a hand. “I’m good on that score, old chap. Let’s keep it to must-knows.”
“I care about her. That’s all I’m saying.”
He puts his arm around my shoulder. “And that’s the only answer you need provide. The rest will come with time. It might take some longer than others to wrap their minds around it, and acceptance might be hard won for Kindra, but it will come.”
“Well, now that you know, can you try to keep Kindra out of the way?”
Ezra smiles at me. “Not a chance.”
“Oh, come the fuck on. How soon you forget the part I played in your little romance .”
“Yes, but I’ll be sent to the doghouse when Kindra discovers I knew and didn’t tell her. If I don’t want to live there permanently, I must meddle in your affairs as little as possible. As a man in love, surely you understand.”
I kick off the wall and go to the weapon table. “Who said anything about being in love? We’re just fucking.”
“And just whom is Bennett fucking?” Kindra says as she enters the shed. “Let me know so I can book her a stay at the nearest CDC.”
Feminine giggles reach my ears, and I turn to see Cat and Eve behind Kindra. Cat’s wide grin doesn’t reach her eyes, and the laugh is fake as fuck.
So why does it poke a soft spot in my heart?
“No, seriously, who is fucking Bennett?” Cat asks as she stands behind her friend. “I want to know too.” Her eyes narrow and the muscles in her jaw jump as she grits her teeth and glares at me.
Ezra better make room in that doghouse.
I look at Cat. “She’s beautiful, intelligent, witty, and no woman can come close to her in bed. I’m not in love with her, but it’s probably the closest I’ve come. The closest I’ll ever come. She saw a man alone on an island, and she didn’t pass him by. She joined him.” I move my gaze to the other three in turn. “When she’s ready to meet all of you, she will, and I only ask that you keep your shit-ass comments to yourselves. If you want to make fun of me, go for it, but leave her out of it. Are we clear?”
Cat’s jaw relaxes. Ezra nods, and Eve and Kindra exchange glances.
“Now . . . is that enough for everyone, or do I need to draw you a fucking picture?” I turn back to the weapon table and grab the blow gun and some darts. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
With my tools in hand, I push past the group of stunned and silent onlookers and step outside. A blast of icy wind snakes into my hood, and I tighten it around my face.
The sleigh pulls into the clearing moments later. The dark horses come to a stop, then hang their heads and doze as Jim, Ice Pick, and Maverick climb down from the carriage. Jim and Ice Pick meander toward the armory, but I pull Maverick aside before he can follow them. Once we’re far enough from the shed, tucked into a little copse of trees, I come to a stop. Gripping his yellow coat, I turn him to face me.
“Ezra knows,” I say, keeping my voice low.
Maverick pulls off his gaudy Pit Vipers and gawks at me. “Me, Grim, Rose, and now Ezra ? The secret will be out to everyone by the end of the hunt!”
“Keep it down.” I glance around, but most everyone is inside the armory now. Only a few no-names mill around outside. “That’s why I need your help. Me, you, and Cat are going to hunt as a team.”
His face falls. “I kind of wanted to hunt solo.” He looks at me and registers the rage in my eyes. “But this is fine too.”
“Look, I know it’s a pain in the ass, but it’ll be you eventually. One day, you’ll be the one to beg one of us to join some fucked-up scheme so you can win over some fucked-up chick. Right now, it’s my turn, but when you’re up, I’ll have your back. Deal?”
“Somehow, that’s doubtful,” he mutters. “What do I have to do?”
I smile and clap my hand on his back. “Light work. When others are around, you play the part of Cat’s doting boyfriend. Once we’re alone, you play lookout while Cat and I hunt.”
“Aw, fuck, I don’t want to babysit.”
“It’s not babysitting.”
“But what about the hunt?”
I tip my head back and groan. “Dude, just focus on the task at hand and we’ll kill some shit along the way, okay? We’ll run the same setup we had on the island. You dart them, and Cat will finish them off.”
“Can we take turns?”
My fists clench, and I struggle to keep myself from punching him until he stops speaking. “Sure. We can take turns.”
Cat emerges from the armory and looks around. Whatever she’s hunting for, she doesn’t see it, but then her eyes land on me. The smile is immediate.
She waves and hurries toward us, hitching her pants every few steps. It was sweet of Kindra to loan her a pair of pants, but they don’t fit very well. She’ll need a belt if she wants to tromp through the Alaskan brush.
I turn to Maverick. “Are you wearing a belt?”
He nods.
“Give it to me.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Hurry up.” I motion for him to move, and surprisingly, he does. He’s just lowered his snow pants to his knees when Cat reaches us.
“I don’t think he needs to strip upon seeing me to make people think we’re together,” she says, eyeing him up and down. She looks at me, and her smile softens. “Thanks for what you said, by the way. I forgive you for telling your fucking brother.”
A bit of snow falls onto her lashes and clings there. I want to step forward and brush it away, but Kindra and Eve emerge from the armory and stay my hand.
Maverick pushes the belt against my palm, and I pass it to Cat.
“What’s this for?” she asks. “I was gonna use the crossbow. I mean, I guess I could use the belt if you guys are going to?—”
“For your pants, moron,” I say.
Hurt blossoms in her eyes. “Excuse the fuck out of me.”
I clear my throat and look past her, and she turns around and realizes why I was being a dick.
“I guess the truce is off?” Eve asks. She turns to Cat. “Do we need to remove him by force?”
Cat shakes her head and cinches the belt around her hips. “No, this is just our way, I think. The truce is just for kills. I won’t get in his way, and he won’t get in mine. We still plan to give each other shit, though. That will never change.”
The mischievous glint in her eyes nearly gets me hard.
“We just came to check in a final time before the hunt,” Kindra says. “Cat, are you sure this is what you want?”
Cat looks at me. “I’m positive.”
Kindra sighs. “Okay, bitch. But no matter what, I’m here if you need me. You just say the word, and we’ll charge in and run him off.”
Maverick steps closer to Cat and puts his arm around her. I understand why he’s doing it, and the rational part of my brain is grateful. But the rational part of my brain is also small and malformed. The irrational side is large, volatile, and incredibly pissed off at this sight, despite demanding it of Maverick.
“You ladies have nothing to fear as long as I’m around,” he says. “I’ll protect her body”—he looks down at her—“and her heart.”
“Gross, but good for you,” Kindra says with a grimace. She takes Cat’s hand in hers and gives it a squeeze. “Good luck out there today. Make me proud.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Cat rolls her eyes, then pulls Kindra in for a hug.
I wish Kindra and Eve would move the fuck along so that Maverick can remove himself from Cat’s personal space. His arm is practically super-glued to her shoulder, and if his fingertips dip much lower, they’ll need dental records to identify his body.
Kindra and Cat part, and Cat gives the two women a little wave as they start toward Jim and Ezra, who stand just outside the armory. Ezra hands a hatchet to Kindra as she approaches, and she passes the weight between her hands, testing the heft. The little group begins to talk, but I can’t hear what they say. They’re too far away.
I look at Cat. “Here’s how today is going to work,” I begin, but she holds up a pink glove and shakes her head.
“I don’t need any help. You two can kill who you want, and I’ll kill who I want.”
“Sounds good to me,” Maverick says, and I swat his arm.
“No, that doesn’t sound good. When I—” I stop and clear my throat. “When you took her out to the range, those targets were static. She’s a good shot, but now she has to aim at a moving target that’s weaving through trees and trying to escape.” I point to the dart gun lying on the ground. “You and I will swap back and forth between tranqing and hunting. Cat is strictly hunting. If you don’t like it, take it up with the manager. Now go find a weapon and meet us here when you’re done.”
“Shouldn’t Cat come with me?” he asks. “You know, for believability.”
I grab Cat’s arm and pull her closer to me. “No. She can stay right here.”
Cat glances at the growing group milling around outside the armory, then snatches her arm from my hand. “He might be right, Bennett. We’ve raised enough suspicion for one day. Four people know, and that’s four too many.”
“Suit yourself,” I say with a shrug, “but if you go into that armory with Maverick, I might just have to make the number, oh, six? Seven?”
“Are you blackmailing me?”
Maverick holds up a finger. “Well, it wouldn’t be extortion because he’s not?—”
“Shut up, Maverick!” Cat and I say in unison.
He raises his hands and takes a step back. “You two have fun. I’m gonna go do my own thing.”
“Wait, no, we’re sorry!” Cat says as she races after him. “Bennett, look what you did!”
She follows him into the armory, whispering pleas the entire way. I stay in the trees for as long as I can stand it before I finally trail after them. I’m almost to the doorway when Eve steps into my path.
“Where do you think you’re going?” She raises one of her perfect eyebrows and looks me up and down. “Can’t you let them have a single moment to themselves? What is your fucking damage, Benson?”
I run my tongue over my teeth and crack my neck to release the tension building there. “I don’t know how you think it’s any of your business. You’ve known her for what, four days? I’ve known her for months. If I want to glue myself to her fucking asshole and create the next iteration of the human centipede, I fucking will, and there is nothing you or your new little pal can do about it.”
She smirks down at me. “We’ll see about that.”
Having heard our voices, Cat hurries out of the building to break up the brewing argument. I only begin to relax when I see that Maverick isn’t following her.
Eve works fast—much faster than I can—and slides her arm through Cat’s. “Do you mind if I join the three of you on the hunt? I figure maybe Kindra and Ezra could do with a little alone time.”
Cat’s blue eyes jump to mine. I mentally plead with her to say no, to come up with any excuse she can pull out of her brain, no matter how ridiculous. I will go along with whatever story she concocts as long as it ensures our privacy.
If I have to watch Maverick paw at her all day, I will implode.
Cat licks her lips, clears her throat, and smiles sweetly at Eve. “I don’t see why not. Welcome aboard.”
Fuck.