“You’re a much better tailor than I am,” I said to Michio.
He straightened, watching me. “It’ll scar.”
I shrugged. “No worries. I’m collecting scars like Roark collects sins. All in the name of greater good.”
Roark sprinkled kisses on my back. “Scars, sins and…” His lips hovered. “Spots.”
Michio’s frown deepened, his agitation impossible to ignore.
Maybe I should’ve squashed Roark’s open affection. But I had no shame when it came to either of them. I put a hand on Roark’s arm. “I need to tell you something.” I let him read my face while those gorgeous pools of jade melted things inside me. I cleared my throat and steeled my spine. “I slept with Michio.”
A smile split his face, but it wasn’t his easy smile. It seemed forced, tight in the corners, and didn’t sparkle his eyes. “I did too. He hogged the feckin’ covers all night.”
That surprised me. They both slept in that tiny bed with me? “You know what I mean.”
His mouth slacked, and his arm left my waist. “I know.”
“I told him.” Michio’s careful tone.
“Oh.” I plucked at the sheets. “Now what?” Would they make me choose? Would it be a slow buildup of insecurity, jealously, rivalry?
Roark blew out a breath and slid from the bed, donned only in a pair of cutoff sweats. “Doc and I agree on this: we love ye, we’ll protect ye, but we will not possess ye. And seeing how you’re hauling yourself into danger all the time, I’ll be resting easier knowing you’re wearing a doctor a’ your side.” He glanced at the other man. “But we’ll have to do something about the swot’s bealin’ lack of humor.”
I was still stuck on we love ye. Thinking it was one thing. But hearing it…it was balm to my damaged soul. I just hoped there was enough left to love.
Michio turned to open a cabinet, distracting me with the way his cotton pants hugged the swell of his backside. “All your personal things are here.”
Darwin’s collar, my music player, Joel’s letter. It didn’t pass my notice that my bullet wasn’t among the collection.
“And here.” He crossed the room and unlatched a tall cabinet. Soft light splashed over my carbine, pistol and arm sheaths hanging from the racks. “These are your Lakota’s doing.”
A ridiculous rush of relief swelled inside me. “I love that man.”
Roark and Michio froze. Shit. “I didn’t mean…slight figure of speech.” I stared at the space between their rigid bodies, waiting for someone to say something.
The air in the small room thickened and swirled, stirring up the tension I’d been trying to ignore. I cleared my throat. “All right. Let’s hash it out.”
Roark turned to leave. Heat surged in my cheeks. “Oh no, you don’t.” I squared my shoulders. “Toss me that shirt.”
He yanked a man’s tee off the hanger, wadded it, and sent it flying at my bare chest.
I grabbed the closest thing in reach, a pillow, and hurled it at his head. Direct hit.
His hands went to his hips. “Real mature.”
“You’re one to talk.”
“Enough.” Michio didn’t move, his face stoic as always. “What’s on your mind, Evie?”
“Same thing on yours. What to do about jealous, possessive—”
“Guardians.” He dropped his voice. “There’s a lot more to worry about out there.” He jabbed a finger at the door. “Than the soap opera about to play out in this room.”
“Bullshit.” I dragged on the shirt. “Because if we don’t square our shit away here…” I pointed a circling finger at the mattress. “Then we won’t be united to fight the shit out there.” I looked at Roark. “And you. You flirted your way into my pants and my heart. The moment you gained access, you didn’t want it anymore. That forfeits your rights to jealousy.”
Michio’s fist clenched. Mid-swing, I jumped, tackling him to the floor.
Red splotched Michio’s golden complexion. “Get back in bed, Evie.”
Roark jerked me to my feet and took my place, legs straddling Michio’s, arms outstretched. “Go ahead. Lamp me, ye sod.”
Oh, for fuck’s sake. “You gonna pound your chest, too? Get off him, you big ape.” I grabbed a wayward curl and yanked. Hard.
“Ow.” Roark twisted a finger into my fist and released his hair. Then he stumbled to his feet. “Feck aff. I’m outta here.”
I beat him to the door, met his angry eyes. “Me or the vow. Decide now.”
His teeth ground so loud, he could’ve spit enamel. “The vow. It’s always been the vow.” He moved around me and slammed the door.
I leaned against it. “Well, that sucked. Out walked my heart all over again.”
Michio remained on the floor, arm dangling over a bent knee. His features were soft, sympathetic.
Picking fights wasn’t his style, which meant, “You didn’t know I slept with him.”
He lowered his head, pushed a hand through his tousled hair. “No. But it explains a lot.”
“Rest assured it’ll never happen again.”