“That it was up for grabs like the rest,” he finished feebly, adding a forced smile and lazy shoulder lift to his trifecta of weakness.
I took a second—both to deep breathe for some calm and to think about earlier. I didn’t want to fly off the handle like a total psycho if I was mistaken. If I wasn’t mistaken, though?
It would be game on.
Jury had been there when I’d set the box down.
ShirtlessJury.
And Haze.
Texas had been there later, as had the cupcake. I knew because I’d split my focus between the busy biker and thoughts of the absolutely unspeakable things I had planned for that pastry.
But it was definitely the prospect in front of me who’d been there when I’d made it clear that my separated snacks were off-limits. I remembered his awful mustache that he wasnotpulling off.
“I wasn’t stingy,” I said, my voice still blank. Miraculously absent of the bitter grief of sweets untasted that soaked my tongue. “I could’ve left the box in the car. Or kept it by my side. Or simply said it was mine, with the expectation they would be left alone because we’re all adults. But I didn’t. I shared. I took out the two things I wanted. Just two out of that whole big container. And you ate one of them.”
It was small.
Tiny.
A subtle brush of the bottom of his tee.
But like my father had always taught, those small, often involuntary reactions said plenty.
His hands covered his crotch, and I realized I’d inadvertently been glaring vengeful daggers at the spot. My true focus was actually on the light dusting of powdered sugar that clung to his shirt.
“Both of them?” I hissed out between clenched teeth.
“Like I said—” His flippant words cut off abruptly when I started moving toward him.
“Easy, hellcat,” a gruff voice muttered. A muscular arm wrapped around my waist and caught me just before I reached the monster, but I didn’t let it deter me.
Blank and calm, I pressed against the hold as I leaned forward and raised my finger to point up at a man who was quickly climbing my enemy list. “I don’t care how you do it, but youwillhave a replacement cookie and cupcake for me. Tomorrow. And I’m not going to accept some random thing from some random grocery store. I won’t even accept another big assortment from Sweets You Rock. I want the jam one and the strawberry one. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” he rushed out quickly.
I held his eye contact for a long moment before sinking back.
And finding my ass pressed against Rhys’s thigh. Well, the side of his thigh since he was angled behind me, but still.
The prospect rushed away without another word.
“That’s disappointing,” Glitch said, moving back to stand beside me.
I tilted my head to look up at him. “What?”
“Kid’s not gonna make it with Mayhem.”
My brows shot up to my hairline. “No. No way. It’s notthatbig of a deal. I’ll be over it once I get some food and sleep.”
And the replacement treats.
I kept that last part to myself because I didn’t want to make it worse. All my dramatics had done enough, and as my temper fizzled out, I felt ridiculous. I could’ve just texted Piper to ask if she would have the flavors again soon. Or just accepted they were gone as I did my best to move on. The scene I’d caused was unnecessary, and embarrassment rose through me to clench my stomach and heat my cheeks.
“It’s not just this,” Glitch reassured me, making me feel a modicum better. “O told Judge this morning that she got weird vibes from him. We wouldn’t have brought him if she’d said something earlier.”
I had no clue who O was, but she was smart.