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Silas: Don’t make me mad at you again Laken, for not trusting us with your past.
Dad: Some things are harder to share than others. You’ve all got secrets you’ve kept from one another at one point. Let’s not forget that before you go pointing fingers, Silas.
Jupiter: That told you.
Booker: So Kodi, what’s up? Is it Lennon??????? Are you deep in denial like Jup?
Chapter Thirty
Kodi
He closed the group chat and threw his phone on the bed next to him. He eyed his bedroom door and started counting. He got to thirty before Booker barged in without knocking.
“I could have been doing—”
“Knock it off, I could scent if you were having a wank and don’t give me shit for barging in either, the man with no boundaries.” He stopped at the side of the bed where Kodi was sprawled, his back resting against the headboard. “What gives? You’ve been moody and sulking since yesterday afternoon.”
Had he?
Kodi pouted at the truth. He’d gone to Lennon’s apartment in the hopes that after the weird week, they could do something… talk. Except, when he’d gotten there, he’d seen Wilder going into the building and he’d retreated. It made it harder to force himself to be civil when his brothers were falling over themselves to tell their parents about their relationships. He’d never felt more isolated since he was diagnosed with ADD.
“I’m not leaving until you tell me what's up.” To prove his point, Booker sat on the corner of the wide bed and crossed his arms. His biceps strained against the cotton fabric of his T-shirt, wearing a sardonic smirk.
“I don’t remember you being this annoying before you mated to Frey,” Kodi complained moodily.
Booker’s lips tugged up at the corners, his dark eyes gleaming with the light of amusement. “Happy folks want everyone to be as happy as them. So suck it up buttercup and tell me what's going on.”
Kodi debated with himself for a minute as his stubborn ass brother watched him, unmoving. “Alright, you asked for it.”
He swept a hand through his hair, the need to fidget becoming unbearable. He rolled off the bed and paced the floor.
Booker’s brows rode up his forehead. “I don’t wanna know about the spanking shit! If it’s that you’re gonna talk about then I’ve changed my mind.”
Chuckling at the temptation to do just that when Booker looked so uncomfortable, Kodi wore an innocent smile when he stopped next to Booker to tease him. “But you said you wanted me to talk to you.” He fluttered his eyelashes, offering a pleading look Booker seldom resisted with Frey.
“You do, and I’ll make sure when Frey has his next heat, I lock you in the room next to ours,” he replied, all teeth and threatening growls.
Kodi shuddered in horror, quickly losing any thoughts of tormenting Booker when he was strong enough to carry out the threat. “Whatever.”
“Thought so.” He waved a hand at Kodi. “So, what's eatin’ you?”
“Lennon,” he heaved out a put upon sigh. “He’s being weird with me, and I don’t know what I did to cause it.”
Booker pinched his bottom lip. “You didn’t lose your shit and go off on one?”
“Nope. The spankings—”
“What did I say?” Booker jumped in before he could finish.
Kodi rolled his eyes at Booker. “Let me finish, goddamnit.” Sucking in a breath to get himself under control, Kodi was back to pacing. “The spankings stop the outbursts. Or reduce them enough that I’m more like a normal person.”
“Hold the fuck up there.” Booker reached to take hold of Kodi’s arm, stopping him mid step and forcing him to step sideways or fall onto the bed. “You are as normal as anyone, if any of us could be called that! You hear me?”
“The entire house can hear you, dipshit!” Kodi’s cheeks flamed at how Booker was staring at him. The love and concern were unmistakable.
“Sorry, but fuck, I thought we’d gotten past that shit where you thought your diagnosis meant your weren’t ‘normal’.” He let go of Kodi’s arm to air quote, a deep frown furrowing his brow. “If Lennon doesn’t understand that, then he’s not the man I thought he was.”
“I have… did… fuck…” He plonked himself down next to Booker, more confused than ever. “I haven’t told him… not in so many words.”
