“No.” I took a deliberate step in front of Max. “Behave, Xander.”
His eyes glinted. He hadn’t looked away from my twin for a second. “Where’s the fun in that?”
“It’s great to meet you.” Max said politely from behind me. “Ryan tells me you’re his best friend.”
“I am.” I groaned inwardly at the dangerous note Xan’s voice had adopted. I’d seen this play out often enough to know what was coming. “He tells me everything.”
“Xander…” I said warningly. He didn’t so much as blink.
“That’s good.” Max was oblivious to the danger he was in. “I’m glad he’s got someone in his corner.”
Just then, Dom’s arm snaked out and he grabbed my wrist. A sharp tug had me falling against his chest, his strong arms encircling me.
“What the fuck?” I shoved against him, but he didn’t let go. Simply turned me so I was facing everyone else. “Let me go, Dom.”
“Sorry, Shadow,” Dom said. “But this is going to happen regardless. I’d rather not have you getting caught in the crossfire.”
Max frowned. “What’s going to happen?”
“Wait.” Xander carefully took the glass from Max’sfingers and put it on the table. “Let me take that from you.” He straightened up with a smirk. “Just like I said to Dominic, I’ve waited a long fucking time to do this.”
I closed my eyes just as Xander smashed his fist into my twin’s face.
16
Ryan
Five minutes later, we were in a different pub two doors down. Naturally, we’d been asked to leave the other one after how Xander had…greeted Max.
Dom was on one side of the table with Xander beside him. I’d shoved into the booth next to Max, who was holding a bag of frozen peas to his face. Xan was sipping his beer, apparently amused by the murderous glances my twin kept shooting in his direction.
“Did you pull your punch?” Dom asked.
Xander nodded. “Not as much as with you though. Ryan didn’t seem too stressed when we arrived, so I figured Max had done some explaining and apologising.”
“Hang on.” Max lowered the peas so he could glare at Dom with both eyes. “You knew he was going to punch me?”
“Yep,” Dom said.
“And you didn’t think to stop him.”
“Nah.” Dom shrugged. “If I deserved a punch then so did you.”
“Put the peas back on.” I nudged Max in the side. “Ididn’t go into the Co-op for you to let them defrost all over the table.”
He grumbled but did as I said. “That was you pulling your punch? What are you, a boxer or something?”
Xander shot him a cocky grin. “Three-time winner at the Royal Marines Corps Boxing Championships.”
Dom let out a low whistle. “That’s fucking impressive, man.”
Max, meanwhile, was now sneering at Xander. “You’re a Marine?”
Xander’s smile turned cold. “Seven years.”
“He’s back to being a civvy now,” I added, hoping to alleviate the tension creeping in around us again. “Just like you guys.”
“Marines,” Max drawled, a hard glint in the one eye that was visible. “Tell me, what instrument did you play?”