Deep (Heavy Hearts Book 2) by Sarah Duncan (reading tree txt) 📕

Following Simon through the back door, my pack, as Rhys likes to refer to them, quickly fills the small kitchen area in Marcus’s house.

I roll my eyes, “I’m not your girl Simon.”

He gives me a hazel-eyed wink and leans down, pecking my cheek before dropping his school bag by the wall and going to the fridge. I’m about to tell him off for dumping his bag when Jared, Garrett, and Shaun follow Simon’s lead and slap kisses on my cheek as they make their way past into the kitchen.

Marcus and Ayden are left standing by the door looking at me with expressions I can’t read, and I frown at Marcus, hoping to warn him off from doing what the other boys did.

I fail.

He gives Ayden a sideways smirk before stepping up and whacking his own kiss on my cheek.

“What the hell!” I hiss, shocked by the big hairy balls all the boys have grown overnight.

They all snicker to themselves from the kitchen while feeding their faces with fruit and potato chips.

“My turn,” Ayden whispers in my ear, jolting me in surprise. I hadn’t seen him approach.

Before I can push him away, warm lips press softly to my cheek. Well, not even really my cheek. More like his kiss lands on my lower cheek right next to my lips and then lingers a little too long. If I were to turn my head slightly, our lips would connect. I don’t though. Ten points to me for showing restraint!

I stand as Ayden walks by, joining the boys in the kitchen that now looks even smaller, filled with all six of them. Maybe boys is the wrong word to describe them. They are definitely closer to men now!

That’s when I notice Ayden’s bandaged hand. I look from it to the others and notice that Jared and Simon have faint bruising on their left eyes. Garrett, however, seems to be unscathed.

“Really? You actually punched them?” I glare at Ayden, and he just shrugs, biting into an apple, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. My temper rises, something that happens too easily these days. Why does he have to be so infuriating?

“My face hurts, Lexi. You should look after me.” Simon pouts, and I notice the smallest tick in Ayden’s jaw when my eyes flick back to him. He really doesn’t like the way my pack flirts with me.

“Actually, Simon, I think you deserve what you got.” Folding my arms across my chest, I shoot him a glare.

“What? Why?” Simon cries, slapping his hand over his heart as if what I said is the most preposterous thing ever. He looks a little more unkempt than usual. His longish ash-blonde hair is messy and falls over his eyes, and his uniform is creased and twisted.

“You poked the bear.” Is all I say, and I don’t miss the smirk Ayden tries to hide.

“Maybe he shouldn’t be so easy to poke.” Garrett sneers, shooting blue-grey daggers at Ayden, but Ayden doesn’t bat an eyelid. He just continues to take bites out of his apple before clearing his throat.

“I need some answers.” Ayden draws my attention as he looks from the guys to me, “Can someone please fill me in on the real details?”

“You don’t need me for this.” I turn to leave the room, not wanting to relive everything that’s happened over the last couple of weeks, but Ayden moves quickly, darting out of the cramped kitchen to block my exit.

“Lex, please. Those pricks won’t tell me the truth. Stay and talk to me.” His ocean eyes draw me in like they have done so many times before, and I find myself nodding before I realise I’m doing it.

“Let’s take this to the living room,” Marcus announces, and the guys grab their food and file out behind him.

I follow reluctantly. It’s not too late to do a runner, is it?

Jared and Garrett take a seat on the couch, while Marcus and Shaun take the armchairs, and Simon takes the floor. Even though I know it will annoy Ayden, I pop my arse in between Jared and Garrett on the couch, trying to avoid his glare.

“He’s a touchy motherfucker, isn’t he?” Garrett whispers in my ear, and I giggle.

If looks could kill, then Ayden would have just killed Garrett.

“Hurry up, bro. What do you want to know?” Shaun urges Ayden, only annoying him more.

“What’s the shower incident?” Oh, he just had to go straight to the most humiliating thing first, didn’t he?

No one speaks, all eyes falling on me. Okay, I’m ready for the earth to open up and swallow me now! Waiting… Waiting… Waiting… Crap!

Lifting my feet up onto the couch, I wrap my arms around my knees, resting my head on them.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” It’s all I can manage, and Ayden comes to sit in front of me on the coffee table, concern etched over his beautiful face.

“Lex.” He pleads, and Marcus sighs.

“I’ll tell him, Lex. It will at least shut him up.”

“Fuck you, Marcus!” Ayden hisses, shooting his cousin a death glare before dragging his eyes back to me. I duck my head and hide like the coward I am, staring into my lap.

“We were at Simon’s for the night,” Marcus speaks up, saving me. “The next morning, Lexi was taking a shower, and this dickhead was walking around with his earphones blaring in his ears, not paying attention.”

“Fuck you, Grady!” Garrett hisses at Marcus.

I reach out and grab Garrett’s hand, holding it in mine to try and calm him. I know how bad he feels about that whole incident. I don’t blame him for it at all.

“Then he walked in the bathroom where Lexi was showering, not fucking cluing in that the bathroom was occupied until he heard her screaming over his music.”

Garrett surges to his feet and goes to storm out, but I leap up and latch onto his arm, turning my glare to Marcus. “What the fuck, Marcus! What is your problem?”

“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. If