“Your friend is a dick.

“What’d he do?”

“Nothing.”

“Cut the shit, Raven. What the fuck was that?”

I pull myself up on the stool. “He’s been your boy for years and I’m the newcomer. You guys were driving me to school, had me staying in your cabin, and now I’m at your place.”

“What’s the fucking point here?” Royce asks.

“He’s probably sleeping with roaches running across the shoes at the edge of his bed, if he even has one, and you’ve known him for years.”

“So we’re supposed to just give all our fucking friends a place to stay?”

I shrug. “I wasn’t even your friend yet when you gave me one.”

“Yet?” Royce grins.

I laugh tilting my head back and forth. “I kinda like you.”

“Back on fucking track.” Maddoc glares at us both, settling his stare on me. “Why would he act like that?”

I survey him and curse to myself.

He trusts too little in his life, and in his mind, he needs to trust Leo.

“Look, it’s not a big deal. He don’t like me, oh well, welcome him to the club. I can deal with that. If he’s being protective of you guys then I can respect that.”

“You didn’t say anything.” A deep crease takes over his forehead. “Why?”

A snort leaves me. “I wasn’t about to cause unnecessary problems between you guys and your friends. If he ends up being a little bitch, then he’ll be the one to make you see that, not me. We’ll have to wait and see how it plays out.”

They both stare, and I grow anxious, looking between the two.

“What?”

Maddoc steps closer.

“Damn,” leaves Royce in a whisper and he steps back.

I look to Royce over Maddoc’s shoulder and he winks, but it’s not a cheesy, teasing wink. It’s softer. Different.

“Party’s over, people,” Royce calls out as he steps away and the few teammates and their chicks grab their stuff and head out.

When Maddoc’s body steps between my legs, I look up.

He studies me, a bemused expression etched across his perfect face.

“What?” I breathe.

Before he can answer, Captain bounds around the corner, a deep frown in place.

Something’s wrong.

When Maddoc moves, I do too.

“Cap, what is it?” I ask him cautiously.

He looks between the three of us. “We gotta fight. Don’t ask me why.”

“I’ll get the car.” Maddoc disappears.

“I’ll lock up.” Royce disappears.

Just like that, no questions asked, no answers needed, three becomes one.

A small grin starts to form on my lips when my name is called from the doorway.

Maddoc stands there, his green eyes zoned in on me. He tips his chin and when his hand reaches out my heart stops.

I look to Captain.

There’s no scowl, no annoyance, and no demand. He won’t be hurt if I stay back, doesn’t expect me to take on his trouble, but he hopes I want to.

I grab my jacket from the edge of the couch and slide past him, patting his chest as I do.

I step in front of Maddoc, keeping my eyes locked on him as I slip my fingers into his. The corners of his eyes dip when I squeeze, then we’re out the door.

Everything happens quickly from there. The boys leap in, we skirt off and game faces slip over their eyes – masks without the mask.

We pull up at a house I’ve never seen on a street I’ve never been down and jump out.

Music blares from the inside and several cars line the street.

The boys don’t wait but charge for the door. The two fall back slightly, letting Captain take the lead on this one.

Maddoc leans toward me as we approach the door. “Stay close to me.”

I shoot him a wink, embracing the adrenaline that forms in the pit of my stomach as it always does before a fight, and rush in after Royce, leaving Maddoc as the last to step past the entryway.

And big man doesn’t do subtle or sneaky. He loves a good and loud entrance.

I smile when he slams the door, making a show of locking it behind him.

All eyes shift our way and a few girls shriek.

And all hell breaks loose.

Captain charges forward, rushing a guy who tries to stand against him. He tosses his ass and keeps going for a taller, more built guy a few steps behind him.

I jump when Royce rams a guy into the entertainment center right in front of me and shift back.

Maddoc lands a blow to another guy’s ribs, making him fall to the floor before spinning to wrap another in a headlock.

I look back to Captain in time to see him lift the big guy off the ground and slam him into the kitchen table, making the wooden legs beneath it give out.

He hops on top and concern has me running forward.

A drunk bitch shoves me from the side as I pass and I hit the wall.

I spin on my heels and grip her under her armpits, driving her against the wall. I don’t even have to hit her because she’s so sloppy her head smacks hard enough to take her vision. I let go and she crashes to the floor.

A guy tries to block my advance, but I rip the bottle from his hand and before he can stop me, I crash it into his head, nailing him in the nuts with my knee in the same second.

I step over him, tripping on my face when he grips my ankle.

I plant my hands on the floor and kick, but he yanks me back. His hand reaches my waistband and he jerks but then a deep grunt leaves him and I scramble away, glancing back to find Maddoc’s fist in his face.

I look to Captain who is still beating the shit out of the guy on the ground who is quickly losing his ability to block the blows.

I glance back at Maddoc and his head pops up, motioning for me to go.

I pop up and dart forward.

Captain’s knuckles are split open, blood from his hand and the guy’s face making for a nasty scene.

A guy tries to pull Captain off and he flings his head back, head-butting the dude who flies back, tripping over a tossed chair. He goes forward again, but I pick up a piece of split wood and hit him behind the knee, knocking his feet from beneath him.

I turn, finding Royce standing with a ripped shirt, glaring at a guy on the floor.

“Royce!” I shout and both his and Maddoc’s heads snap up.

I move so they see Captain and they rush forward.

This time, nobody tries to stop them.

They yank their brother off the guy who lays limp.

He jerks from their hold and together we rush back toward the door, but when Maddoc yanks it open, something has me pausing.

I glance back, finding a girl I didn’t notice before hiding off to the side, tears running down her face. She glances at Captain, who spits blood on the floor as he continues toward us.

I stop and look to Cap. He just whooped some serious ass, yet his chin hangs to his chest.

Defeat. Regret.

I look to the girl who does the same.

Fuck. That.

I move forward and when Captain grabs my elbow on my way past, I jerk free, not meeting his eyes, not taking mine off hers. “Just one.”

The girl’s eyes stay on Captain, but when I’m a foot in front of her, they flick to mine. She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t fret or look away. She knows it’s coming and for whatever reason has decided she deserves it.