Death Kings

Chapter 36

Natalie

"How are you feeling, pup?" I ask Ransom as I sit down at the dining room table with Jaxson behind me.

Jaxson and I had a fun night together. We had sex and then watched a horror movie while snacking.

Ransom stares at me for a moment as if processing what to say next. "You don't have to answer. I can see you tasting that lie on your tongue," I comment, grabbing a Belgian-style waffle along with some fresh strawberries and syrup.

"His ribs are fractured but not broken," Ryder says. "He has third-degree burns on the bottom of his feet."

"I couldn't feel them after a while," Ransom mutters, going back to eating his food. This kid reminds me of a robot with the way he responds.

"Gerhardt?" I question.

"Yes, Angel," Ryder states. He sips his coffee in his Ice Queen mug, then grins.

"Gerhardt is having a party on his yacht in a few weeks," he states.

Jaxson bounces in his chair like a giddy schoolboy. "Please, oh please, tell me we are crashing!"

"Did Alonzo call you?" Ryder questions him instead.

"Yep! Fifty grand to rid ourselves of the old wolf!" Jaxson chirps excitedly. He is in such a great mood this morning.

"Then yes, Darlin'. We will be crashing his party," Ryder answers our overly exuberant husband.

Jaxson shouts, standing up in his chair and twirling his hips with his arms in the air, doing a happy dance. Dominic grumbles and Tee orders him to sit down and eat his food. I laugh at him while Ryder and Ransom both watch him with smirks on their faces.

The other boys walk in, shoving and joking with one another until they notice Ransom's split and swollen bottom lip. All their joking ceases.

Ransom must have mouthed off to the old wolf because, according to Ryder, Gerhardt's MO is to beat the body where the bruises can be hidden.

The most interesting reaction is Jase's. Fury darkens that boy's eyes into a haunted forest green. Out of all the boys, he is the one most livid his friend is hurt.

Interesting.

Jaxson leans toward me to whisper in my ear. "Jase's face reminds me of you and our husbands when someone hurts us." 

He isn't wrong. With Alejandro around, I saw that very look on all my husbands. It's a righteous fury for failing to protect their loved one.

"Do you think...?" I start, but Jaxson already knows what I am going to say.

"That Jase is in love with the puppy? Absolutely. What I'm curious to find out is if the little psychopath is just as possessive over the wolf cub?"

"Wolf cub?"

"Look at the kid, gra. His body language screams alpha wolf. He is the leader of their pack, but only because the hellhound puppy allows it. I think our little puppy might just be a submissive, but only to his alpha."

I both love and despise when Jaxson makes sense. He is the most unhinged of us all, but even he has moments of wisdom.

"What about the little girl?"

"All of those boys but Carson are in love with her. Though they say psychopaths can't love, Ransom's possessiveness comes close to love."

I was thinking the same as what he just said. So, I wonder if Ransom is as possessive of Jase as he is of his princess?