Page 148 of Split You Open

When Anchor deems the space between us and the others far enough, he stops. He doesn’t turn to face me, though. Anchor stares into the dark woods with his hands in his pockets. While his eyes might be on our surroundings, I don’t take mine off him.

Anchor is death personified.

And right now, he’s pissed—which means I need to stay vigilant.

I’ve never worried that Anchor would hurt me. We’ve always been on the same page since we were kids. While he didn’t grow up in Caddawalk, he came here often as part of a shitty custody agreement between his parents. He stayed during most summers, every holiday, and sometimes random stretches of time when his mother just didn’t want to have anything to do with him. And when he was with his dad, he was actually here with me and Pops. I’ve known Anchor most of my life. I’m probably one of the only people in the world that understands him and I know, while he might never agree out loud, he appreciates that I’ve stuck it out with him this long.

But things have shifted.

I can feel the tension between us despite the lack of words being said. Whatever’s bothering him, it’s put me in danger. I know it as surely as I know my name.

“Spit it out, Anchor,” I growl when the silence stretches.

He sighs. When he turns, it’s only halfway but his eyes lock onto my face.

“Who the fuck,” he starts soft and low. “Are those men, Ledger?”

I open my mouth to answer but he shakes his head.

“I don’t want excuses. I don’t want an explanation. They were never part of the equation when I agreed that Blair would be safe with you. If I had known there would be others here, I never would’ve allowed it.”

“I trust these men with my life.”

“Do you trust them with Blair’s life?”

I handpicked these men for Blair. Of course I trust them with Blair’s life. If only he knew the level of devotion these men have for his daughter, then… Well, honestly, I’m not sure if that would make it worse or better. Anchor is incredibly possessive.

Before I can confirm, Anchor speaks up again.

“They know her name. Seen her face. Know her connection to me… Do you really think she’s safe with them?”

“They all have baggage and they understand hers. They’ve been good to have around.”

Anchor turns all the way around to finally face me. His body is lax, but I know better than to assume that he’s as calm as he looks.

“Do they understand her baggage?” He asks mockingly. “Or do they just want to fuck my daughter?”

Both.

Absolutely both.

But it’s so much more than wanting to fuck his daughter when it comes to the others. They love her. While it wasn’t my intention for all of them to fall for Blair, and for her to fall for them, this outcome is better than my original plan of having each man fill an empty role in her life.

Again, unsure of how Anchor will react to that news, I keep that information to myself.

“Jesus, Anchor. Blair is a grown woman who can make her own decisions about that shit. If she wants to⁠—”

“And do you ‘want to’?” Anchor’s voice drops an octave and grows icy.

My mouth slams shut as I glare at my friend. He takes a step closer and the air grows thinner. His expression doesn’t show it, nor does his body language change but I can feel the energy in the woods around us, frantic and deadly.

“Do you want to fuck my daughter, Ledger?”

My jaw ticks with tension as I glare back at him.

“Or—” he hedges as he comes to stand right before me. Like this, we’re nearly nose to nose.

Any sane man would back down.