Chapter 87

Chapter 87

I study Ben for a long moment, really paying attention to him for the first time in a long time. At my side,

I can feel Daphne do the same. And as I watch I notice…

the

Well, I notice the way that he looks at Rafe. The way that he tilts his head back to look up at my

brother, the way he laughs at Rafe’s joke – which is not very funny, to be honest way his eyes don’t

leave him even as Luca begins to talk.

And my spine stiffens just a little bit as I realize…

But I glance at Daphne, wondering if she sees what I see, but not wanting to bring it up because, I

mean, Ben’s never brought it up. And who am I to speculate on something that he might very well want

to keep to himself?

But as I glance Daphne, I realize that she’s actually not looking at Ben at all. Instead, her eyes are fixed

on Jackson, of all people, as he stands with his hands in his pockets, listening intently but not adding to

the conversation.

My little wolf jumps to her feet inside me, her teeth bared. But I brush a hand over her fur, even though

I, too, am jealous. Because Daphne – she doesn’t know about my claim on Jackson, does she?

And even if she did who the hell am I to say anything at all about her liking him? After all, I’m basically

in a relationship with Luca, who is standing two feet from the man I’m getting all jealous over.

Who the hell am I to scold anyone for looking with interest at someone else?

“So,” I say, leaning closer to bump my shoulder against Daphne’s. “You like ‘em big, hmm?”

She starts a little and glances at me, but then she bursts into laughter as she realizes that she’s been

caught staring at Jackson. “Yeah, Ari,” she says, stretching her arms over her head as she grimaces a

little in embarrassment. “I guess between Rafe Sinclair and that other one over there, you’ve figured

out my type. I like a big boy.”

I grin. “I mean, they’re all big,” I say, shrugging.

Chapter 87

“I know, we’re just spoiled,” she sighs, propping her chin in her hand and gazing over at all of the eye

candy. Even Ben, the smallest of the group, is well–muscled and over six feet tall. Rafe and Jackson…

they’re just something else.

Jesse, maybe overhearing us, suddenly separates himself from the group and comes to flop down on

Daphne’s other side. “Did I hear you two talking about me?” he asks, too casual, trying to keep the

smirk from his face. “Something about dreamboats? Celebrity crushes? Undying love?”

“Sorry, Jess,” I say, laughing at him and standing up, wanting to give him a minute alone with Daphne

to shoot his shot. “As much as I love you, cousins are not my type.”

“I knew you were wise, Ari,” he says, grinning at me as I step away. Then, he turns his attention back to

Daphne. “So,” he says, smiling gently at her. “Let me down easy, Daph. Which one of them has stolen

you away from me?”

She grins, shaking her head at him, but she doesn’t say a word.

Jesse groans, tilting his head back. “Oh no,” he murmurs, devastation in every line of his face.

“What!?” Daphne laughs.

“You’re not saying anyone,” Jesse says, his eyes shut, shaking his head. “Which means…it’s

Rafe.”

Daphne just laughs again, harder now, and Jesse opens his eyes, peeking at her. “It’s always Rafe. Do

you know how many loves of my life I’ve lost to that man? If he wasn’t my cousin, I’d toss him straight

off a cliff.”

Daphne grins. “Sorry to break it to you, your Grace, but don’t bother killing your cousin thinking that

would fix anything. I’m not even sure you’d be my second choice.”

Jesse gapes at her and then glances over at the group of men. He gasps then, turning back,

“McClintock!?”

Daphne grimaces and Jesse groans again. “Cruel woman,” he mutters, dragging a hand.

down his face.

“You’ll always be a dear friend, Jesse Sinclair, Daphine sighs, still laughing, enjoying the hell out of

herself.

“The words of death.” Jesse sighs, still smiling at her. “Friendzoned. But I accept it. I’m at good friend, if

you’ll let me be it.” He offers his hand to her, ready to shake on it. “I’ll even put in a good word for you

with my good–looking cousin.”

Daphne smirks, looking at Jesse askance with some suspicion in her eyes. “This isn’t just a ploy to trick

me into falling in love with you, is it?” she asks. “Oldest trick in the book, you know – pretending to be a

girl’s friend, get her laughing, console her when she cries, and then BOOM! Before she knows it, she

wakes up in your bed.”

“Well, as amazing as that sounds,” Jesse says, tilting his head to the side and giving her a significant

look that makes Daphne laugh again. “No, I mean it,” he says, still offering hist hand. “If you want me to

be your friend, I’ll be your friend. No tricks, no strings attached.”

“Hmm,” Daphne says, narrowing her eyes a little as she slips her hand into his, accepting his offer.

“Honestly, Jesse Sinclair, I think I was hoping you’d try for me a little harder than

that.”

“Daphne,” he says, her name a sigh on his lips as he shakes his head and raises her hand to his

mouth, “if you ever really want me to stop being your friend and try Instead?…just say the word.” And

then he presses a kiss to her knuckles – a real one this time, not a joke like it was before.

And Daphne? She finds herself smiling at Jesse now, a little intrigued despite herself.

I walk away as Jesse and Daphne talk, letting them have a minute to themselves, trusting Jesse to be

the gentleman that I know he can be. I’m not very surprised, though, when Jackson loosens himself

from the group at the fire and steps over towards me.

I also don’t miss the fact that Luca watches him go and meets my eyes, clenching his jaw and looking

not very pleased. But I smile at him and he nods before turning back to my brother and Ben, continuing

whatever it is they were chatting about.

“So, are you surviving?” I ask, smiling up at Jackson and giving him my full attention for the first time

since others started arriving. “It’s not so bad, right?”

“It’s not,” Jackson says, hesitating as he runs a hand through his hair and looks around. “Although,

honestly, it’s a little exhausting you guys do this every night?”

–

“Yes, Jacks,” I say, grinning at him, unable to take my eyes away. “It’s called having friends.”

He turns back to me and scrunches his face a little bit, like he doesn’t like the idea very much, which

makes me burst out laughing.

“And how are you handling the girl,” I say, turning a little to tilt my head towards Daphne, who is talking

pretty intently with Jesse on the couch.

Jackson scowls a little. “How’d you know I was nervous about that?”

“Oh, just all the blood rushing from your face, and the look like a deer ready to bolt from the road when

it faces down a sixteen–wheeler,” I say, giving a casual shrug. Jackson smirks, glancing at me and

shaking his head.

“I just don’t know a lot of girls,” he murmurs, his voice so low I can barely hear it.

“Really?” I ask, frowning at him. “Did you go to like, an all–boys school or something? Don’t

have any girls in your family?

you

Jackson turns to me for a second, studying my face like I’ve said something a little ridiculous. And then

he just laughs a little. “No, Ari.”

“No to what?” I ask, confused suddenly. “No cousins? No…boys school?”

“No to all of it,” he says with a sigh. “I never went to school. I don’t have cousins.”

“You never went to school!?” I ask, kind of appalled. I stare at him, my mouth open. I’m shocked first

that he was homeschooled, which is so rare these days, and second that I didn’t know

any of this after months of getting closer to him. “Are you like…an only child?”

“Ari,” Jackson says, turning his head at me like he’s surprised, too, that I don’t know. “I don’t have

parents.”

My mouth just hangs open as I stare at him, frozen, because…

Because what the hell!?

I had no idea! I mean, he never mentioned anyone, but he never mentions anything –

1 step closer to my mate, a thousand questions flooding my mind, but before I can ask Daphne stands

up and clears her throat, immediately drawing all of the boys‘ attention to her. I’m the last to look,

distracted as 1 am by this bombshell that Jackson just dropped.

“Actually.” Daphne says, suddenly awkward as she looks around. “Shall we have that…toast?”

Rafe, ever considerate, immediately moves to her side and begins to open the bottle of wine as Jesse

grabs some paper cups from the bathroom, apologizing for the lack of glassware even though he

knows none of us care.

I sigh, glancing up at Jackson with a frown to let him know that this is not the end of this conversation.

He ignores me, though, watching the action and accepting his little glass of wine as Rafe and Jesse

come around.

I accept mine too, Luca moving to my other side and toasting my little paper cup with his.

“Thank you so much for having me tonight,” Daphne says, smiling around at us and raising her own

little paper cup in the air after Rafe has filled it with the last of the bottle. “To…new friendships, yes?”

She smiles around at us and I smile back, but I hesitate when I see that…

That Daphne, she’s more nervous than she usually is, especially after a night of laughing with us.

Something’s not quite right, is it?

I’m frowning at her as she catches my eye, but then she lifts her cup again, saluting me in particular,

and I don’t want to be rude so I raise my own cup in her direction and then drink it down.

I make a little face, though, because the wine – it’s more saccharine than I’m used to. I glance up at

Jackson, who is likewise frowning at his empty cup, and then over at Luca, who glances around before

his eyes land on me.

“That’s…” he says, studying his glass. “Is something…wrong with it?”

“I’m sorry,” Daphne whispers, and all of our eyes snap to her, my own going to the still–full cup of wine

in her hand. “I’m so, so sorry, everyone,” she says.

Chapter 87

And as soon as she says it, I feel the exhaustion overtake me. I give a little gasp as Jackson crumples

to the ground at my side, and then Luca and Rafe and Jesse and Ben all fall

I catch Daphne’s eye, guilt and devastation on her face as 1, too, collapse to the ground.