“I’ll keep that in mind,” Malum said darkly.
I replied with falsetto sweetness, “Make you sure you do.”
“Oh, I will.”
“Good.”
“Perfect.”
“Marvelous.”
“Stupendous.”
“Extraordinary.”
Malum didn’t say anything, and I flipped him off with both hands. “I won, suck on that.”
Flames shot higher into the air and the temperature at the table increased.
“What’s happening right now?” John asked with confusion.
Scorpius replied, “Honestly, I don’t want to know.”
John chuckled. “That makes two of us.”
“Are you laughing at me?” Scorpius’s expression twisted with anger.
“What?” John looked around. “Why would you think that?”
Scorpius slapped the table and plates rattled. “Answer the question!”
John jumped in his chair. “Um, I-I—”
“I’m just messing with you.” Scorpius smirked and leaned back in his chair with his arms behind his head, biceps flexed.
John looked at me for support.
“Men,” I mouthed as I shrugged.
He frowned back.
Across the table, Malum continued to burn like a malfunctioning flame thrower. Orion shared a long-suffering look with Luka, and John discreetly checked out Scorpius’s impressively sculpted arms.
Suddenly, I was the most normal person at the table.
I went to take a sip of my water, but a block of ice hit my face. Oops.
Okay, maybe we all had our quirks.
“Are you ready?” Sadie yelled across the room, and I welcomed the distraction from all the testosterone in the air.
She sauntered over from the table where her mates were still eating.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “What are you talking about?”
The remaining soldiers trickled out the door, and the cafeteria was mostly empty.
Sadie smacked the back of my head. Hard.
“Hey, what was that for?” I rubbed at the back of my most likely concussed head. She’d definitely used her cat strength, because it felt like getting bludgeoned by a chair.
I twisted around to glare at my best friend.
Sadie smirked. “I just wanted to hit you.”
I tried to punch her in the tit, but she dodged.
She waggled her eyebrows up and down. “All right, my beautiful, perfect ray of sunshine.” She clapped her hands together. “As your best friend, I’ve decided that we’re going shopping to take your mind off of—” She waved her hand casually in the air as she looked for a noun, then settled on, “—things.”
“You’re not her best friend,” John said.
Malum burned hotter. “She’s not your anything,” he said fiercely. “She’s mine.”
“Ours,” Scorpius corrected, and Orion nodded.
Luka’s fingers tangled deeper in my curls.
Sadie and I ignored the men as we stared at each other.
A smile spread across my lips, “that’s the smartest thing you’ve ever said.”
“Also, can we get our nails done?” Sadie asked.
“Obviously.” I smiled wider. “It’s like I’ve always said, give me healthy cuticles or give me death.”
She nodded with a serious expression. “You have always said that. I really respect that about you.”
We high-fived each other.
Cobra sauntered over and asked, “When are we going to the mall?”
Sadie frowned up at him. “Do you think you’re any fun to shop with? Last time we went, you spent six hours in a weapons store and refused to look at a single piece of clothing—then you shot the store clerk because he wouldn’t give you a discount.”
Cobra’s eyes flashed. “False. I got the gun for ninety percent off.”
“Because you shot the man in his private area,” Sadie argued.
“Are you surprised by his behavior?” I looked at Cobra’s black sweatsuit and shuddered. “Look how he dresses. It’s disturbing.”
“What the fuck does my sweatshirt have to do with anything?” Cobra looked down at himself. “We’re wearing the same issued clothes.”
I studied my nails. “There’s a huge difference between me and you. I do not wear these rags by choice. Also, I’d like to use this time to bring up that I’ve always thought you dressed hideously.”
Luckily, Jax was walking over because he grabbed Cobra as he lunged at me.
“Perfect.” Sadie did a little dance. “I already have the RJE device ready to go. We can go to the beast realm shops that we loved before. Mitch is the one who gave me the idea earlier, so everyone is cool with it.”