Page 95 of Hellfire

Yep. This was family. The way it should be with my men.

Only one thing was missing. My best friend kicking all our asses by using her magical chemistry/math gift to count thecards. We were probably lucky she wasn’t here to clean the floor with us.

We’d been in touch by phone and email every second week. The Guardians were strict and only granted her ten minutes a week of external communication privileges, and she alternated between her mom and sister one week and me the next. Next month, she was able to get a weekend pass, and I’d meet her in Sydney for a girl’s day out. I missed her like crazy. Class wasn’t the same without her.

Cole stroked my hand on his thigh. “You okay, Wildfire?”

“Fine.” I smiled back at him.

I cried enough this past quarter and didn’t want to ruin the mood tonight.

Blaze tossed his cards down. “I fold. Is anyone placing more bets?”

Gable rubbed his hands together and stared at Talon. “What you got, big man?”

“I’ll check.” Talon’s cocky grin said he either had an amazing hand or a stinky one and bluffed us all.

“Me too.” Cole ran the back of his fingers over my hand.

“Same.” Gable blew smoke out at Talon to intimidate him.

“Show your hands, gents,” Blaze declared.

Four sets of cards went down.

Gable shot out of his seat and hollered. “I knew it! Called your bluff, Stoney!” He went over and gave Talon a conciliatory hug for folding down a royal flush.

“Yeah?” Talon’s eyelids hooded. “How about I call your bluff, naga?”

He dragged Gable onto his lap and kissed him hard enough to bruise.

I sat up straighter and licked my lips. Fun time was about to commence.

Those two went on for a hot minute, my core pulsing with desire.

Cole lifted me from my seat. “Last one to the bed goes down on me.” We laughed as he carried me to Gable’s bed.

That was the way life with my men should be.