Tasting

408–Her Silver Anklet

Ryker:

“Here,” Silas entered the room and placed a beer can in front of me. I grabbed it and pressed it against my forehead. My head had been throbbing ever since I started investigating Nora and her life.

“Is Cain joining us for this discussion?” I asked Silas, who was busy opening his own beer can.

“I just texted him. Nash will be here in a few minutes, but I think Cain. had some kind of argument with Nora,” Silas replied, sitting down on the couch while I remained leaning back on his bed.

“What are they arguing about?” I asked, watching Silas shrug.

“Something about Nora burning a painting he did of her,” Silas shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and I had a feeling I knew where this

conversation was headed.

“He painted her!” Silas tried to appear casual, but I could hear the surprise in his voice. He might have been pretending not to look too deeply into it, but I could tell his curiosity had been piqued.

“I know the rumors, but–did you ever think about what it must have been like when she–posed for him?” Silas didn’t say it out loud, but I could see the wheels turning in his mind.

“Just admit you’re imagining her naked,” I teased. The second I said it, he spat his beer out, laughing uncomfortably.

“No! I’m not,” he protested.

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“Good. You better not, Silas.” I wasn’t sure what had come over me lately,

but I had become so shameless.

The next few torturous months felt like years apart, leaving me with too much time to try and make things right. I was no longer afraid of anyone discovering my mate bond with Nora. But she was scared of it, and that worried me. I wanted to take her back from Brody, but I didn’t want to do it by force.

Silas stared at me silently for a moment before looking away. I wanted to ask him directly, but none of us brothers had ever talked about it openly. I knew Nora felt the mate bond with me, Cain, and Nash. Cain was aware that I knew about the bond, but I wasn’t sure how much Silas or Nash knew. Nash must have realized he was fated to her because they had experienced the mate bond.

It was becoming so complicated.

That’s when Cain burst into the room, his hair wet as though he’d taken a quick shower. His eyes were red, and without hesitation, he snatched the beer from Silas‘ hand before dropping onto the couch beside him.

His shoulders slumped, and his body hunched forward.

Silas and I exchanged a glance, then both looked back at Cain.

“She’s hiding something. All this with Brody, pretending they’re madly in love, it’s all an act. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so terrified of him finding out about the painting,” Cain muttered, his head lowered, his words heavy with emotion.

I wasn’t entirely sure how much of that I believed. I knew she was lying about her feelings for Brody, but as for the painting–I was certain she destroyed it on purpose.

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I remembered that we had to hurt her to make her leave us and stay away for a while. I guess she was just taking revenge on us by hurting us in the same way. But I didn’t mention it to Cain; he already looked so upset, and that would break his heart even more.

“She wears a silver anklet, and not just any anklet-” Silas captured our

attention.

“Huh?” Cain and I sat up, our eyes fixed on Silas, eager for him to explain this new piece of information.

“It’s one that someone can control remotely and can give her an electric shock,” he said, and it felt like he had wrapped the same anklet around my neck.

Anger surged through me so suddenly.

“Fuck! You think Brody-” I stopped mid–sentence as the immediate urge to wrap that anklet around his neck and shock him until he couldn’t function took over.

“I will fucking kill him. I’ll shove that anklet up his ass,” Cain yelled, throwing his beer can away and getting up with a growl.

Silas rushed toward the door and pushed Cain aside while I hurried to try to open it.

“Both of you, stop! If it is indeed Brody and not what Nora is saying, then he must have something on her to make her keep quiet,” Silas reasoned. Cain and I exchanged a glance before stepping back.

“I heard her ask Brody about some angels,” I said, confused. “But then she mentioned jewelry and how she didn’t want to share it with Janet.”

“Oh, she is lying to us–hiding something significant,” Cain declared, and

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408 Her Silver Anklet

we all agreed.