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Clayton’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit.”

I covered my mouth.

He looked at the back door like he was calculating whether he could make it through before—

“MAYHEM!” Riot's voice tore through the house loud enough to bring the roof down.

Micah started laughing first.

Ruckus followed.

I lost it completely. I was laughing too hard to breathe properly. “You better hide, Mayhem,” I told him.

He pointed at me. “You are supposed to be on my side.”

“I am on your side.”

“Doesn't sound like it.”

“I can love you and still recognize when you're about to get your ass chewed and you deserve it.”

“MAYHEM!” Riot roared again.

Clayton winced.

I wiped tears from under my eyes. I did not feel sorry for him.

He started toward the doorway, stopped, reconsidered, then turned toward the back.

Chief appeared there. Of course he did.

Clayton froze.

Declan folded his arms across his chest. No expression. No words. He didn't need either.

Clayton sighed. “Traitor.” He dragged himself toward the front of the house like a man walking to his execution.

I was still laughing when Riot started in on him. “What in the hell is a goat doing in my truck?”

“I can explain.”

“You better.”

“I had a plan.”

“That's usually where the trouble starts.”

Ruckus leaned close to me as Riot reamed Mayhem out. “Twenty bucks says he doesn't make it to dinner.”

“I don't gamble on sure things.”

Chief's mouth moved. Barely. Not quite a smile. But I saw it.

Of course I did. I saw everything when it came to him. My laughter died somewhere in my chest.

For one suspended second I could almost remember what it felt like when that smile had belonged to me.

Then Chief looked over.