Page 72 of After the Burn

Mace’s attention landed on me immediately. Not the least bit subtle. When he winked, my skin crawled.

Beside him, Gage folded his huge arms across his chest and looked me over like he was evaluating a horse at auction.

Mace ran his tongue over his lips, and his eyes grew hot.

Beck noticed, and his entire body seemed to tighten. “Got something to say?”

Mace smiled, but the expression never reached his eyes. “Plenty.”

“Then say it, motherfucker," Beck growled.

Adrian sighed.

Apparently, this wasn’t a new conversation.

Mace’s gaze never left mine. “I think it’s already been said.”

The smile that graced Beck’s face looked dangerous. “Say it again.”

Gage stepped forward, and the tension stretched tighter.

I looked toward Adrian, and unlike Beck, he appeared perfectly calm.

Which, if you’d studied Adrian as much as I had, would have seemed more threatening than Beck’s open aggression. His arms were folded across his chest, and his gray eyes were cold. His expression was controlled and calculated, as if he’d already decided how every possible outcome would end.

Lucas looked caught somewhere between concern and disgust.

I was still trying to stick to the helpless and unassuming trope, or I’d punch Mace in the baby makers myself.

Mace finally looked away from me and shifted his gaze to Beck. “I’ll see you in the ring, boy.”

The words settled heavily between them.

Beck stepped forward immediately. “Count on it, bitch.”

Adrian caught his shoulder before things got stupid. Which was probably a full-time job at this point. “We’re done here.”

Mace raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that?”

The corner of Adrian’s mouth lifted. Not exactly a smile, but something way colder. “Very.”

For some reason, that response seemed to annoy Mace more than Beck’s threats had.

Then Wren chose that exact moment to insert herself into the situation.

Of course she did.

“Robin?” she whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

Every head turned, and the tension shattered instantly.

All the men looked confused when they realized she was speaking to me.

I knew I shouldn’t do it, but when did that ever stop me? “What?”

“Do you want to go swimming later?” She made a swimming motion with her arms.

I heard Lila laugh so hard that she snorted like a pig.