“Thanks, man.” Then, he was off my chair and headed to the counter to pay. I quickly cleaned up my station, then waved bye to Zeppelin and Logan. And I finally inhaled a calming breath once I was outside and able to think again.
Chapter 14
Xan
Preston’s thumb traced absentmindedly over the back of my hand as we watched Shane stand outside the tattoo shop for a moment. His eyebrows were drawn low over his eyes, and the corners of his eyes were pinched. Something was bothering him. Had to be. Because Shane was always cool, calm, and collected. Nothing affected the man. Nothing made him stress—at least, not openly.
Until now.
“Do you think he’s okay?” Preston quietly asked.
I shrugged one shoulder, leaving it at that. I could barely identify my own emotions, much less identify what was going on with Shane. How was I supposed to know if he was okay? He didn’t look okay, but I also wasn’t all that reliable of a source when it came to emotions.
“Ready?” Shane asked, turning to look directly at us as if he’d been aware of our presence the entire time. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had. A soldier could be taken off the battlefield, but the battlefield couldn’t be removed from the soldier. Or something like that.
Preston stepped forward, tugging me with him, and the three of us fell into step with Preston between us. Shane never moved his head to look around, but I knew he was tracking everyone and everything as we walked.
If this psycho was truly linked to me and not Shane, I was more than grateful that I’d begun stalking Shane and dragging him into our life, despite his reluctance. He could keep Preston safe, and once I found out who this son of a bitch was, I could take care of them without having to worry about Preston’s safety.
“Where are we eating?” Preston asked.
“A burger spot not far from here,” Shane answered.
Silence descended once more, and Preston’s hand tightened around mine, growing clammy. I tugged him a little closer, hoping it would settle him.
“I’m sorry,” Preston blurted.
Shane turned his head to look at him, his brow arching in question, but he never uttered a word. Preston sighed. “I’m sorry we dragged you into our lives and now you feel some sense of duty to protect me from whoever may be after X. You didn’t ask for this. You clearly just wanted peace and quiet, and we disrupted that, and?—”
Shane stopped, so we halted as well. And then, Shane gripped the back of Preston’s neck, and surprising the absolute fuck out of me, slanted his lips across Preston’s. Preston froze, his hand going slack in mine, and then, my man—no, our man—was sinking into Shane’s kiss, his hand tightening around mine once more as if he wanted to make sure we also stayed connected.
Jealousy never reared its ugly head, not like it had a tendency to do when anyone—man or woman—looked at Preston like they wanted him. Maybe it was because I wanted Shane, too, though I was sure I was going to face a much harder time getting Shane to want me in the same way I wanted him. But I was fucking glad he’d caved to Preston. Preston deserved all the love and adoration in the world.
I knew how fucking impossible it was to not crave Preston. He was sweet and kind. Gentle and caring. His smile lit up my world, even on my darkest and most unstable days. I imagined Shane was faced with the same thing I was the moment Preston and I laid eyes on each other—the need to have Preston’s warmth filling our lives.
It beat the sun’s rays any fucking day.
“I…” Preston stared at Shane in both disbelief and wonder once Shane released him. “What was that?” he finally asked.
“You were rambling,” Shane said, pressing his hand to Preston’s lower back and urging us forward. “Stop overthinking everything. I don’t do anything if I don’t want to.”
Preston’s cheeks warmed, and he tried his best to hide his smile, but there was no mistaking how ecstatic Shane’s kiss and answer had left him.
“So… I get left out?” I asked, feigning a pout. But I wasn’t truly bothered. Sure, I wanted to be kissed and let in on whatever they had forming between them, but I wasn’t fucking delusional. I’d fucked up with Shane, and I was pretty sure he was only tolerating me for Preston’s sake.
“When you learn common decency, we can visit that,” Shane surprised me by saying.
I scoffed. “I’ll have you know I have lots of common decency.”
“And that right there proves you don’t,” he retorted. I rolled my eyes. He pulled open the door to a restaurant, and the scent of grease and damn good smelling food met my nostrils, making my stomach rumble. “Get inside.”
Preston pulled me with him, shooting me a look to shut my mouth. I sighed in annoyance but obeyed, nonetheless. Did Shane want a good boy? Because I wasn’t that. Never had been. Never could be. If that was what he wanted, he was going to be sorely disappointed, and he would have to settle for less than what he desired.
Once we were seated at a table, menus were placed in front of us, and drink orders were put in, Shane looked at me. “We were followed.”
I blinked. What? When the hell had we been followed? I would’ve been aware, wouldn’t I?
Preston tensed. I wished I was sitting next to him so I could touch him, comfort him. “In here?” I questioned.