Chapter 70
CHAPTER SEVENTY
“Help me with the quesadillas?”
I hate the look Gage gives me. It’s like this grumpy dog that’s trying not to beg for food, but it can’t help the hopeful tail wag.
Gage doesn’t need the help. He may act helpless to get Raven’s attention, but he can make fucking melted cheese between two tortillas. He’s asking ‘cause he wants to talk. He’s not subtle.
And yet, I can’t refuse. It’s Gage.
I groan, casting one last look at the back door where the bat is. I’ll stay for lunch. That’s it.
When I get to the kitchen, Gage rubs the back of his neck, throwing a tiny glance at me before motioning at the food. He has the old glasses on, so I shoo him away from the burner. “You trying to light that towel on fire?”
I whip the towel away that got a little too close. “You fuck one time, and your head is in the clouds.”
Gage grunts. Then he glances at me again, and his shoulders are tense. I can tell he wants to ask what Raven and I were doing. If she told me about them.
“Poe was out back,” I say. “Said she was here for your soul.”
“Really?” Gage jerks his head up. “She found me? I hope there was food for her.” I hear him walk out of the room.
“Yeah, souls,” I mutter, the butter sizzling and smelling amazing.
When Gage comes back, he grabs a bag of tortillas and throws it at me.
Instead, he asks, “Where were you last night?”
Is that what he really wants to know? I butter the pan. “Frolicking in the buttercup fields.”
“Axel.”
I consider telling him I didn’t want to listen to them fuck without being invited. Instead, I go the safer route. “I was braining Max.”
Gage snorts. Then, when I don’t say anything, there’s a pause. It’s a long pause as if Gage is running every option through that analytical brain of his.
“For real?” The question is hesitant.
“Yep.” I sprinkle cheese on. Cheese is good. The more, the better, although Gage disagrees. He likes a thin snap. I wonder what Raven thinks?
“Braining how?”
“Bat.”
Silence again. It goes on for so long that I consider giving him a justification and telling him about the letter. However, the last time I tried that, he still lost his shit. May as well just get the shit-losing over with.
“You’re putting too much cheese on.”
I snap my gaze over to him. Gage’s arms are crossed.
“You’re not going to freak out?”
Gage narrows his eyes. “Is that going to undo the braining?”
“No.”
He lets out a long breath. “Did anyone see it?”
I blink. Is he really just going to accept this?
“Do you think I’m stupid?”
“No, but I do think you’re rash,” Gage snaps. “Did anyone see it?”
“No.”
“Tell me everything.”
So I do. I leave out the part about leaving town after. He’d try to stop me if he knew. He’s already going to have to stop Raven. I expect him to lecture me. Tell me where I slipped up. Where I could get caught. All the normal Gage things.
But he doesn’t. He just asks, “Why?”
“Why? Because he’s a piece of shit.” I frown, that classic anger back from just talking about it.
“There are pieces of shit all around you, and you let them live.”
I bite my lip, flipping a quesadilla. What is in the air? These two fuck, and suddenly it’s a call-Axel-out day?
I’m quiet. I don’t want to talk about it.
“Well, whatever your plans for Rich are… I want in.”
It takes a second to digest that, and I blink a few times before turning to him. Gage looks pissed. His lips are turned down, and his eyes are a mask of anger.
There’s a moment where we do nothing but look at each other. Then, I let out a short laugh. “Damn. Whatever’s in that pussy is magical.”
Gage snorts, grabbing the plate of quesadillas. “I think she’s gonna run.”
“I know she’s gonna.”
Gage stops, staring at the food. He has… darkness in his eyes, and I can’t help but be struck by how much he looks like me at this moment. And despite the fact that it should make me scared, all I feel is satisfaction.
Despite all our differences, we’re both still brothers, and we’ll both fight for what we want. And what we want is Raven.