Page 181 of Masters of Pleasure
“What happened?Is everything okay?”
“You mean other than my so-called best friend lying to me about what she was doing tonight and sneaking around with hernewfriends?”Noelle spat out, resentment and betrayal emanating from every line of her body.Her eyes filled with fire as she leaned forward accusingly.
“I wasn’t sneaking around!I didn’t realize you’d be home.I thought you’d be with Tyler all night, and I didn’t lie to you.I didn’t make plans until after you left.”Iris spread her hands wide, holding them up on either side of her in a gesture of surrender, hoping logic would calm Noelle down.
Unfortunately, it seemed to make her even angrier, and she got to her feet, her voice rising with everyone.
“Right, you waited until after I left so you could sneak around behind my back!Why didn’t you just say you wanted to hang out with your other friends instead of pretending like you wanted to spend time with me?”Noelle shouted.
Iris made shushing noises.Between her scream when she’d come in and Noelle’s shouting, there was no way they weren’t disturbing at least one of their neighbors.
“Noelle, it’s two in the morning!”Even though she was speaking vehemently, she still kept her voice lowered, giving Noelle a look.
“Then maybe next time don’t stay out so late!And don’t lie about it either!”
“I didn’t?—”
It didn’t matter what she protested.Noelle stormed off to her room, slamming the door behind her.Iris winced.
There was no way in hell she would knock on Noelle’s door now.It would have to wait until a decent hour in the morning because she didn’t know if Noelle would keep shouting or calm down.
Granted, she might be even angrier tomorrow that Iris hadn’t come begging for forgiveness, but… at least she would be yelling during daylight hours.To be perfectly honest, Iris didn’t feel like begging for forgiveness.Yeah, she’d gone out with friends, but only after Noelle had ditched her for the evening.
She might have told Noelle she was staying in to read, but that really had been all she’d planned when Noelle had left.She hadn’t realized she’d fly through the book the way she had.Rae and Domi might not have even been available.Maybe she could have come home earlier, but Avery hadn’t been able to join them until close to midnight, and she hadn’t wanted to leave immediately.
Besides, she should be able to go hang out with friends without Noelle freaking out.Especially since Noelle had been the one to ditch her.
Feeling justified indignation made things a little easier as she passed Noelle’s door and heard her best friend make a hmphing noise from within.She knew she would eventually end up apologizing to keep the peace, but right now, she wouldn’t give in.She wasn’t in the wrong, dammit.
Hopefully, a good night’s sleep would put them both on a more even keel.She could find out how things had gone with Tyler, which would probably explain why Noelle had been home and in such a bad mood.
Law
“Take a step back!”
“I’m fine where I am.”Asad lifted the axe over his head, stepped forward, and let it fly.
It thunked against the target and fell to the ground.Law smirked.
“I told you to take a step back.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”Asad glared at the target before turning to glare at Law.Dressed in a tank top and jean shorts, he was at his most casual.Normally, he preferred to be a bit more dressed up, as did Law, but the summer’s heat and humidity were brutal, even in the shade of Connor’s yard.“Alright, Mr.Know-it-All, your turn.”
Getting up from his seat, Law placed his can of sparkling water in its Stronghold koozie on the table while Connor chuckled and took a swig of his beer.Where Patrick had gotten the idea to make koozies with Stronghold’s name on it, Law didn’t know, but he had to admit they came in handy.Connor’s had the Marquis logo.
Granted, looking at them, no one would immediately know that they were advertising kink clubs, especially since Marquis had become known for its restaurant on the first floor, but still.It felt a little surreal.
Still grumbling under his breath, Asad retrieved the two axes he’d thrown and put them back at the end of the run.He passed Law on his way back to the table, where he picked up his beer to take a large swig.
“Has it occurred to you the beer might not be helping your aim?”Law asked, calling over his shoulder.
Asad held up one hand, straight out in front of him, middle finger extended high to the sky, making both Law and Connor laugh.
“It doesn’t affect Connor,” Asad said a moment later.
“That’s because Connor is basically a Viking.”
“It’s true,” Connor said, shrugging one shoulder while Law got into position.He grinned at Asad, whose scowl deepened.Apparently, the reality of the situation—Connor towering over both of them in height and with the extra bulk to go with it—would not satisfy Asad.
