here?”
“In a word, yes! Take your jealous-ass home and whine to one of your brothers about her because frankly, Jayvyn, I’m sick to death of hearing about her!” Macarik rose and shoved against his shoulders.
The feeling of rage building in him all night exploded. He grabbed Macarik by the throat and lifted him off his feet.
The other male didn’t make any sound or any effort to pry Jayvyn’s fingers from his neck.
They stared at each other in silence until Jayvyn came to his senses and realized what he’d done. He then They stared at each other in silence until Jayvyn came to his senses and realized what he’d done. He then lowered Macarik to the carpet and released his neck.
Macarik remained still and silent.
Jayvyn sucked in a breath. The look in the other male’s eyes told him all he needed to know. In the space of a few seconds, he’d lost his temper and destroyed a friendship he’d cherished for the last fifteen years.
He’d used his superior strength to manhandle him and he knew Macarik wouldn’t forget or forgive his lapse.
Still, he had to try to repair the damage he’d done. He extended a hand. “I’m sorry, Kristopher. I—”
“So am I—that our friendship means so little to you.”
Jayvyn shook his head. “It means more to me than I can say. I need you to forgive me.”
“Fine. I know you’re upset. I forgive you but I can’t see ever trusting you again.” He fought to control his temper. “In the fifteen years we’ve known each other, I’ve never touched you! Not once! How the hell can you imply you can’t trust me?”
“Let me see. You just choked my ass and lifted me off my damned feet! And for what? Because I told you the truth? How the fuck do you expect me to pretend that didn’t happen? And how the hell am I supposed to know what you’ll do the next time you’re in a pissy mood?”
“I didn’t choke you and I wouldn’t have hurt you. You have to know that.”
“What I now know is that you’re not above using your lack of humanity against me and I find that totally unacceptable.”
“It’s never happened before and I give you my word, it won’t ever happen again, Kristopher.”
“You’re damn right it won’t because I’m no longer interested in knowing you.” Jayvyn swallowed hard, feeling as if someone had sucked the air out of his lungs. He fought back the rising panic he felt. None of the other human males he considered friends would even begin to atone for the loss of Kristopher Macarik’s friendship. He raked both hands through his hair. “Kristopher—”
“I have nothing else to say to you so kindly get the fuck out of my house and my life.” The certainty that he’d damaged their friendship beyond repair rose like bile to choke him. He turned and flashed from the room. Rage and pain ate at him until he felt lost in a fog of misery.
In his car, he got on the highway and headed to Cayenne’s house. Halfway there, he pulled over and called home.
To his surprise, Adrian answered. “Why are you home? I thought you were spending the weekend at the Stoners?”
“We had a change of plans.”
“Is Rayna still with the Stoners?”
“Of course not. We left together, but never mind that, Jay. What’s wrong?” He hesitated and then lapsed into their native tongue.
Adrian didn’t speak until he fell silent. “Where are you? Conner and I will come get you.”
“I’m not a lost child. I don’t want or need either of you know-it-all pricks to come get me!” he snapped. “This is all her fault!”
He heard Adrian swear. “Stay the hell away from her, Jayvyn.”
“Fuck off, Adrian.”
“Fuck off? Don’t you make me track your damned ass down, Minninnewah. Where the fuck are—” He broke the connection and started his engine.
His phone rang ten minutes later when he was five minutes from Cayenne’s house. Conner’s ring. He wasn’t in the mood for a lecture so he didn’t answer. Moments later, Rayna called him. He
“In a word, yes! Take your jealous-ass home and whine to one of your brothers about her because frankly, Jayvyn, I’m sick to death of hearing about her!” Macarik rose and shoved against his shoulders.
The feeling of rage building in him all night exploded. He grabbed Macarik by the throat and lifted him off his feet.
The other male didn’t make any sound or any effort to pry Jayvyn’s fingers from his neck.
They stared at each other in silence until Jayvyn came to his senses and realized what he’d done. He then They stared at each other in silence until Jayvyn came to his senses and realized what he’d done. He then lowered Macarik to the carpet and released his neck.
Macarik remained still and silent.
Jayvyn sucked in a breath. The look in the other male’s eyes told him all he needed to know. In the space of a few seconds, he’d lost his temper and destroyed a friendship he’d cherished for the last fifteen years.
He’d used his superior strength to manhandle him and he knew Macarik wouldn’t forget or forgive his lapse.
Still, he had to try to repair the damage he’d done. He extended a hand. “I’m sorry, Kristopher. I—”
“So am I—that our friendship means so little to you.”
Jayvyn shook his head. “It means more to me than I can say. I need you to forgive me.”
“Fine. I know you’re upset. I forgive you but I can’t see ever trusting you again.” He fought to control his temper. “In the fifteen years we’ve known each other, I’ve never touched you! Not once! How the hell can you imply you can’t trust me?”
“Let me see. You just choked my ass and lifted me off my damned feet! And for what? Because I told you the truth? How the fuck do you expect me to pretend that didn’t happen? And how the hell am I supposed to know what you’ll do the next time you’re in a pissy mood?”
“I didn’t choke you and I wouldn’t have hurt you. You have to know that.”
“What I now know is that you’re not above using your lack of humanity against me and I find that totally unacceptable.”
“It’s never happened before and I give you my word, it won’t ever happen again, Kristopher.”
“You’re damn right it won’t because I’m no longer interested in knowing you.” Jayvyn swallowed hard, feeling as if someone had sucked the air out of his lungs. He fought back the rising panic he felt. None of the other human males he considered friends would even begin to atone for the loss of Kristopher Macarik’s friendship. He raked both hands through his hair. “Kristopher—”
“I have nothing else to say to you so kindly get the fuck out of my house and my life.” The certainty that he’d damaged their friendship beyond repair rose like bile to choke him. He turned and flashed from the room. Rage and pain ate at him until he felt lost in a fog of misery.
In his car, he got on the highway and headed to Cayenne’s house. Halfway there, he pulled over and called home.
To his surprise, Adrian answered. “Why are you home? I thought you were spending the weekend at the Stoners?”
“We had a change of plans.”
“Is Rayna still with the Stoners?”
“Of course not. We left together, but never mind that, Jay. What’s wrong?” He hesitated and then lapsed into their native tongue.
Adrian didn’t speak until he fell silent. “Where are you? Conner and I will come get you.”
“I’m not a lost child. I don’t want or need either of you know-it-all pricks to come get me!” he snapped. “This is all her fault!”
He heard Adrian swear. “Stay the hell away from her, Jayvyn.”
“Fuck off, Adrian.”
“Fuck off? Don’t you make me track your damned ass down, Minninnewah. Where the fuck are—” He broke the connection and started his engine.
His phone rang ten minutes later when he was five minutes from Cayenne’s house. Conner’s ring. He wasn’t in the mood for a lecture so he didn’t answer. Moments later, Rayna called him. He
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