Wild Beauty: Accardi Tactical Series, Book 2 by K.C. Ramsey

Author:K.C. Ramsey [Ramsey, K.C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: K.C. Ramsey
Published: 2023-05-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Keene

I stared at the bottle in my hand, the flames from the firepit dancing off it like a living thing. We’d headed to Gideon’s, favoring his house instead of returning to our empty ones, except for Brody and Lessia, who texted that they needed a quiet night to decompress. Gideon always had food in his fridge and beer in the garage. He claimed it was because he was the only one with the responsibility of parenthood, but the beer sure as hell wasn’t for Gia, so I figured he secretly loved having us hang out despite his grumbling.

We’d been out there for hours, the darkness swirling around us in a reminder of the late hour. In the distance, I could hear coyotes singing over the crackling of the fire. I’d been quiet all night, and knowing me well, my brothers had let me stew as I mentally wrestled with myself. But the looks they shot each other told me I didn’t have the luxury of time. They might know me enough to know my need to think things through on my own, but we were too nosy and in each other’s business for them to leave me alone for any true length of time.

“You going to tell us what’s eating you? Or do we need to drag it out of you?” Royce asked, bringing his bottle to his lips.

Boone looked across the fire at us, his eyes darting between us. “Are we just going to ignore the shit storm that happened tonight?”

“Yes,” Gideon said decisively from his chair. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he spoke. His only consideration for relaxation throughout the evening was ditching his tie and suit jacket and rolling his shirtsleeves up to reveal a few inches of ink peeking out from beneath the fabric. “Bull had this coming, and Lessia has years of pent-up anger and frustration wrapped up in a ball. If tonight helped release even a fraction of it—and drive the point home to Bull that he needs to get his head out of his ass—then it needed to be done. What happened tonight was inevitable, and honestly, I’m surprised Lessia didn’t snap sooner and more spectacularly.” He pointed at me. “I’m more interested in what’s going on in that little brain of yours. You haven’t been this worked up in … I can’t remember when. What’s going on? You’re pouting.”

“Nothing,” I said, still riding my sulk and ignoring the last sentence. Men don’t fucking pout, thank you very much.

Royce chuckled. “You know you always operate better talking it out, man.”

He was right, but it didn’t mean I had to like it. “I said I was fine,” I bit out, and Boone laughed.

“Yeah, bro, ’cause you sound like your day consisted of rainbows and sunshine.” He nursed his iced tea—another recent staple of Gideon’s kitchen that our eldest brother pretended wasn’t for family—Boone in particular.

“That woman has you in knots,” Gideon said knowingly.

I scoffed. “No woman ever has me in knots.

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