Page 20 of After the Burn

That seemed to catch Beck off guard for half a second. Because Adrian rarely admitted uncertainty out loud.

“Then why the hell do you want to go?” Beck asked belligerently.

“Because those two little girls are hungry,” he said, motioning to the twins.

The words landed hard enough that the entire room went quiet.

Emery stopped eating altogether, and just like that, I hated both of them a little. Beck, because he still looked torn. And Adrian, because he was using the girls to get his way.

“We’re running out of food,” Adrian continued, his voice calmer now. “And if this place is legitimate, then we need to know before winter hits.”

Beck’s jaw tightened hard enough that I thought his teeth might crack. His eyes shifted toward Taryn automatically, and Adrian’s followed.

My anger ratcheted up a notch. These two didn’t give a shit about anything but her.

Beck brought his eyes back to Adrian. “Why don’t you take your buddy?” He motioned toward me.

“Because he’s better equipped to help with the girls.”

I rolled my eyes at the obvious lie. We all knew why he wanted to take Beck.

“I don’t trust leaving her here with him.” The punk nodded in my direction.

The possessiveness in his voice made irritation crawl up my spine instantly.

“Fuck off!” I barked. “I don’t have to like her to protect her.”

Adrian looked unimpressed with both of us. “Taryn doesn’t need any of us for that. She’s perfectly capable of protecting herself.” He looked over at her, pride in his expression.

What an absolute kiss-ass. I used to have more respect for him.

“That’s not the point,” Beck growled.

“No,” Adrian said coldly. “The point is that you don’t trust anyone else around her because you’re a selfish asshole.”

The room went still.

Dangerously still.

It wasn’t a secret, but I didn’t expect Adrian to admit it out loud. He was so desperate to have her that he'd take whatever Taryn offered him.

Taryn finally looked up from her knife with an exhausted expression. “If the two of you start fighting over me again, I’m going to stab somebody myself.”

Their eyes never broke contact, and the silence was heavy with tension.

And I wondered if they saw what the rest of us did. Because underneath all the hostility, all the territorial bullshit, and constant tension, there was something else there too.

Recognition.

Like they saw too much of themselves in each other.

I hated it

Hated the way Beck watched her as if she already belonged to him.

Hated being pissed off because neither of them thought I was a threat to the relationship they both wanted… I saw the way Taryn looked at me when she thought I wasn’t watching.

Maybe the two cocky bastards should pay more attention.