Chapter 51 Game on - Craven's POV
I stopped outside the door where Brantley guarded the door. He was listening to her breathing with his eyes closed. I didn’t even have to ask him, because I could just…tell. He was so calm that I didn’t know what to think.
Did she affect the others as she did me?
“It’s driving me insane,” he whispered.
I stepped forward, wanting to barge past him, uncaring of whether she’s clothed or not. I just wanted to help her, but he was blocking my path.
“Why is it driving you crazy?” I asked, my voice low and lethal.
His eyes snapped open, and he gawked at me. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I just want to help her,” I breathed. “But I think this is something she has to do on her own.”
“It is indeed or I would be by her side right now,” he said firmly, his gaze dragging over me.
“I thought we all agreed to just be her friend unless she chose one or all of us,” I mentioned, my gaze dragging over him in the same way he had done to me. “You look like you’re falling for her.”
Mostly, I was trying to gauge what he felt for her. I didn’t want him to want her. Not when I wanted her more. To me, she was mine and would always be mine, regardless.
But this was starting to get on my nerves.
“I can’t help how I feel,” he whispered. “After seeing her nearly drown because of a siren, the protective part of me has come to life and now I can’t stand the thought of seeing her in danger.”
He shifted his stance, blocking the door more fully.
“And do you think I’m the danger? Or is it—”
He growled low in his throat. “Yes, and I’m ticked that Tyler didn’t watch her better. I don’t know why he thought it was a good idea to be far from her, even if you did take care of the monsters last night.”
“Oh, I definitely whooped them good and sent them back to their dens. Well, mostly,” I said with a laugh. “Beating them up is the highlight of my night. It helps with my frustration.”
Brantley shook his head. “I’m mad at myself too, because it’s my fault she went with Kain. I let her slip away and out of my sight without realizing she wasn’t behind me.”
“That you did,” I said, almost smiling.
There’s a bang on the other side of the door, as if she had dropped something. Brantley’s hand went to the door and I nearly jumped to stop him.
“Are you okay?” He asked, stopping himself.
She replied quickly. “Yes, I’m fine. There is no need for you to storm in here. It’s just soap.”
His shoulders slumped as he realized she knew he was about to do just that. I wanted to take care of her myself, but refrained. It probably wouldn’t be taken well if I barged in there and even attempted to help her bathe.
Brantley looked back at me, his gaze narrowing. “Why are you three acting weird?”
“Who?” I asked, my brow arching.
“You, Darren, and Arwen. There’s more going on than letting her choose.”
Darren stepped up behind me on the stairs. “What are we discussing, and why is my name being brought up?”
Suddenly, Brantley turned crimson and stormed toward me. I threw up my hands in defeat, wondering what I did to make him angry, but he went past me, straight for Darren. I turned just as he lashed out, his hand snaking around his throat and holding him tight.
Darren shakily reached up, gripping his one wrist with both of his, struggling to break free as he gasped for air. “What is it? What did I do to you?”
I watched as his eyes widened with alarm, his hands fighting for purchase.
“I am mad at Tyler, at myself, and I want to know what the three of you have been up to,” he growled.
Darren’s face fell, turning pale. His eyelids fluttered as his grip finally loosened. “Three? What are you talking about? Let me go so we can talk about this.”
Brantley let his hand fall, though it was reluctant. “Talk. Both of you.”
Darren chuckled, reaching up to smooth back his hair. “Look, I can explain,” he said, his voice smooth. “I—”
“Explain?” Brantley murmured, his voice cracking. “That means there is something to tell. What have you done?”
He glanced back at me once over his shoulder as steam poured out of his nose. I threw my hands up again.
“I know nothing.”
“We kissed,” Darren said, point blank. His voice was low and controlled, as if he didn’t care if Brantley knew.
“You what?” Brantley said, his voice turning darker. “What about them? Tell it to me straight, because I doubt Craven will be honest with me.”
Darren nodded, his gaze locking with mine. My face fell. I didn’t want to tell Brantley that we’d kissed. It was bad enough that they knew I had drunk her blood, though it was very willingly.
“You mean to tell me you got to kiss her at the end of your day? Is that when it happened?”
Darren simply nodded again and for that one moment, I thought maybe he hadn’t outed me. “Craven, Arwen, and I have.”
And that blew everything up.
“Does that mean Tyler got one too, but I didn’t?”
Darren’s eyes widened at that. “You didn’t? Is that what this is about? We got kisses, and you didn’t. To be fair, I don’t think Tyler did either, since she was attacked and passed out.”
“No, I didn’t and now I’m mad about that, too. I want kisses or cuddles.” Brantley paused, sucking in a breath and shaking his head. “I sound pathetic.”
He rolled his eyes and looked back at me just as Darren threw up his hands in defeat. It seemed like one of the few things we could do at this point.
“So she kissed three out of five so far. You’re not the only ones, though,” he said, almost a little too chipper.
“What happened to letting her choose? We all agreed when Craven brought her back that we’d let her decide,” he said, smoke rolling out of his mouth as he spoke.
“We are letting her choose,” I said firmly. “She wanted to be kissed, and we obliged.”
“Yeah, what he said,” Darren replied.
Brantley growled at that. “Well, if you all can break the agreement and accept kisses, then so can I. Game on, boys. Let the best man win.”
He walked to the bathroom door, but Darren caught up with him and grabbed his arm. I was too stunned to move, so I just watched on.
“You can’t tell Thomas and Dom. This has to be her choice. Let her ask you,” Darren said softly. “She asked us, so wait for the same window. If you force her, I will personally drag you to—”
“Oh, I don’t plan on saying a word,” he breathed. “But you all don’t get to have all the fun. Good luck to you.”