“I was tired.”

He smirks and steps back. “Right.”

Right. Right?

“Stop looking at me like that,” I snap when my stomach starts to feel knotted.

“Like what?”

“Like you know me. You don’t, and you shouldn’t try to.” I slide down and make my way into the living room in hopes of settling the rattled feeling I’ve got going on right as the others come inside.

I don’t want to be understood, just as much as I can’t afford to let anyone in.

I want to be able to walk away when I’m ready.

I look back to Maddoc who now leans against the counter staring after me.

Yeah, he could be a problem.

“So tonight’s heat night,” Royce announces.

“Heat night?” I ask.

“Yup. Tonight is all outdoor, no cabins, no clothes. Only the hot tubs and campfires or fire pits to keep you warm.” Royce does a little shimmy with his shoulders. “Or another body.”

I scoff. “Yeah, pass. I’ll chill in here.”

“Can’t.”

I look to Captain. “Why not?”

“Cabins are off-limits all around. Anyone found indoor during the party has to sleep outdoor in screw-you row.”

“Do I even wanna know what you’re talking about?”

“Anybody found indoors, has to sleep on the ground in a row of sleeping bags that have been fucked in at least once this weekend. All lights have to be turned out at dusk and if any lights are seen inside the cabins, people rush in and pull you out and then you’re screwed.”

“One, that’s dumb. Two, I lose by default. No swimsuit, so unless I run around in a thong and bra ...”

“Not opposed to that but ...” Royce trails off and then runs off.

I look to the other two for answers, but they give me nothing, and just as quick as he went, Royce bounds back up the stairs tossing me a bag.

My head snaps back as it hits my face and chest. I look from it to him and he shakes his hand my way.

I peek inside and a laugh leaves me, my hand lifting to cover my mouth as I shake my head.

“You like it?” He grins, and I look to him, smiling.

I pull out a skimpy ass, blood red bikini.

“There is no fucking way, ever. Never.” I laugh, setting it in my lap so I can grab my cup again.

“What?!” He hops to his feet, looking entirely too adorably clueless. “Why? You’d look bangin’ in that.”

“More like bangable ... as in easy.”

The boys chuckle, but Royce frowns and moves to drop on the coffee table directly in front of me. “A swimsuit doesn’t make someone look easy,” he calls me out on my judgment.

I smile. Good for him. And he’s right, but it’s different when people think you’re trashy already. The more skin you show, the more they’re convinced you’re everything they assumed, fighting for attention and whatnot.

“Is it sexy?” He raises a brown brow. “Hell yeah. Did I pick the smallest one I could find? Fuck yeah,” he admits, and I laugh. “But for real, you can pull this shit off like no other, I know it.”

“Thank you, but no.”

“Man.” He moves to sit beside me on the couch. “Fine.” He pulls another bag from under his hoodie and tosses it in my face with a pout.

I knock him with my shoulder and open the second bag, pulling out a sexy but sleek black one piece with the sides cut out at the curve of the stomach. It’s not far off from something I might choose for myself, not that I could ever afford it.

It must show, my approval for the sassy piece, because Royce scoffs playfully.

“Great.” Royce hits his knees and pulls himself up. He walks over to Maddoc and shoves him on his way out the slider door. “Course she likes the grandma suit you picked out.”

I look to Maddoc who meets my stare a minute before following Royce outside.

Huh.

Captain’s sigh has me looking his way right as he leans forward, placing his forearm on the little kitchen counter. “Careful, Raven. He’s ‘bout there, and when he hits that point, others better stay the fuck back. Don’t feed into it if you’re not ready for what’ll follow.”

“What are you trying to say?”

He eyes me a minute. “Maddoc doesn’t get possessive. Ever.”

“Bullshit. Everyone said from the get-go he was a bossy bastard.”

“Bossy is different, and you know it. I’m talking the way he steps closer to you when you step closer to someone else, us included. Or how he doesn’t like you and Bass hanging out, or how he gets crazed when someone puts hands on you. Or—”

“Okay, packman.” I laugh mockingly. “Enough nonsense.”

“I’m just saying his sights are set, and at this point, I’m not sure anything could keep him from getting what he wants.”

“What, me?” My eyes widen jeeringly. “Big deal.”

Captain frowns, his stare bouncing between mine. “You don’t care?”

“That your boy wants to fuck me? Negative. It’s natural, all part of how the male brain works. They see something they like, and everything goes triggery and a big fat neon sign blinks in their heads, flashing ‘mine’ ‘mine’ ‘mine’ over and over again.” He laughs, but I’m not playing. “But what your boy and every other needs to learn is just because your mind is telling you something belongs to you ... doesn’t make it true.”

“You saying you wouldn’t fuck him?”

A smile takes over instantly. “I’m not saying that at all.”

Captain throws his head back laughing, and I laugh with him.

The other two pop their heads back in, deep frowns on their faces as they look between the two of us, Maddoc stepping in and disappearing down the stairs a moment later.

That only makes us laugh harder.

Royce scoffs and then steps back out when his phone rings.

Captain looks to me with a grin. “Shit’s about to get real interesting.”

“Only one more day, Cap, then it’s all back to normal.”

“Normal?”

“Well, back to your kind of normal. I’m still waiting for the tin man to show up.”

“Why, so you can give him a heart?” he jokes.

“Nah.” Leaving Royce’s suit of choice on the couch, I hold on to the other as I stand. “I’m more one to disappoint, living proof some of us really were built without the love tick.”

“Love tick?”

“Yup. Something beats in there, but it’s incapable of giving, unworthy of receiving. Just a little off.”

“That’s some morbid shit, Raven.”

“Yeah.” I shrug. “But still true.”

I leave him upstairs and head for my room, but when I find Maddoc lying across my comforter, I fold my arms and lean against the doorframe.

“Don’t stand there and stare, Raven.” He doesn’t bother opening his eyes to confirm. “Get over here. Sleep.”

“I just had two cups of coffee.”

“So.”

A laugh bubbles out of me. I glance behind me when the other two shuffle back this way, each disappearing into their rooms, neither caring to know what I’m standing here for. Two loud bangs sound, their headboards hitting the wall, indicating they’ve dropped onto the beds.