“It certainly works for me,” said a voice into my ear. Max.

“Hey Coach,” sang another voice. Evan. He assessed the dress and frowned playfully, giving me the big-brother look. “I should send you home to get some clothes on.”

“Oh I beg you not to do that,” said Harvey to Evan. “The view is perfect.”

Evan shot him a warning look. “Note that she is much too good for you.”

“Harvey’s right, though, she looks absolutely gorgeous,” said Fletcher. “The only girl who has ever tempted me to go straight.”

Max ushered closer to me but I shrugged him off. “Sorry, Slap-head, but I’m going.”

“Where?” he asked, deflating.

“To the dance-floor, of course. And anyone here who isn’t on that dance-floor won’t see me all night.”

“Don’t think you’re leaving me behind,” said Fletcher.

At first I was surprised that the entire squad came to the dance-floor with me, but after a while I came to realise that a big reason for it was because I was getting approached by a lot of blokes since I was the only female in there. Evan’s warning gaze served as a great deterrent to the would-be-drink-offering-blokes as well.

I was dancing with Max when Evan spoke down my ear, “You probably won’t be pleased to know that Jared’s here.”

My heart did a little jump at the sound of his name. Maybe it was faulty. “I don’t care. He can go where he pleases, it’s nothing to do with me.”

“Do you realise that that’s near enough the same thing he said to me telepathically that night when you eavesdropped?”

I spun on my heel, giggling but offended. “I did not eavesdrop.” In truth, I hadn’t turned so that I could jokingly confront Evan. I wanted to get an idea of where Jared was. My senses reached out, alerting me that he was somewhere to my right near the bar. And not happy.

“I was just letting you know he’s here.”

I knew what he meant: be aware that Jared’s here and tone it down with Max or Jared might snap. I’d have disagreed, but Jared had told me telepathically that I’d saved Max’s life by saying no to him, though I never really understood why he was so mental over a bonk.

“Look,” began Evan, “maybe you should pretend you’re going to the bar for a drink and let him approach you.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because I can feel that he’s riled.”

So could I. That was the thing that got to me: I shouldn’t be able to sense his emotions so well. “It’s not my fault that Antonio wants me to lead the squad alongside Jared. I told Antonio I didn’t want to, he made it clear that it was an order.”

“So let Jared approach you, let him bring it up, and then tell him that. Let him get it off his chest.”

“Why should I reassure the plonker?”

Evan sighed. “Please, Sam?” He very rarely called me that. “Yeah he’s a pain in the ass but he’s also my twin brother. Maybe once he’s got it off his chest you two can start behaving civilly to each other again…you know, like grown-ups do.”

I couldn’t help smiling at that. I supposed it wasn’t very mature to snub your colleague when you have to see them and work with them every day. Plus, if we didn’t somehow sort this out how would we ever successfully lead the squad together? How could we ever protect The Hollow the way we were needed to?

Evan kissed my cheek when I sighed in defeat. I then left it to Evan to keep Max out of the way while we tested this theory that Jared had something to say. As Evan suggested, I went to the bar and ordered a drink. I then leaned my back against the bar as if having a brief rest, and kept my gaze forward as I sipped on the red grape NST. Only moments later I felt Jared approaching. Felt his eyes, felt his annoyance...and God that scent.

“I never thought you’d manage to pass as a guy.” His humour didn’t disguise his irritation very well.

“I never thought you’d manage to get entry either, considering you have to be an adult. Sulking is more a toddler thing.” I heard him take a long breath. It pleasantly tickled my skin as he exhaled.

“The squad was impressive at the arena.”

There was a slight emphasis on the word squad; the interpretation being that he believed it was them that deserved the glory, not me. I didn’t rise to that. The fact that was they were impressive and wouldn’t have been unless they had listened hard and tried hard. I was proud of them and wouldn’t take that away from them.

“I’ve noticed that they’re improving physically too,” I said. “Especially Max. You’re obviously training them right.”

He hissed slightly on hearing Max’s name. “You sound surprised that I am.”

I hadn’t sounded surprised at all. My tone had been completely flat. I realised then that he was trying to get an argument out of me. Oh he wanted to get things off his chest alright, but he wanted to argue while he did it.

“Antonio thinks highly of you, so why would I be surprised?”

“Antonio thinks highly of you, but I was surprised tonight.”

“Like you said, the squad was impressive.”

Another long, heavy breath. “Look at me.” It was said softly.

So I looked at him and, as I’d earlier expected might happen, my brain clapped out for a second. It had felt like so long since we’d actually properly made eye contact. He was doing his shameless staring thing again. I didn’t look away this time, but I couldn’t help that my pulse was racing madly.

“Antonio must have told you that he wants you to help me lead the squad when The Hollow is attacked.”

I nodded. “He did.”

“But you never brought it up? I thought you’d have been dying to throw it into conversation and tease me about it.”

“Then you don’t know me very well.” I had taken it as Antonio thinking I was good at what I did, not that he thought that Jared was crap.

“So tell me why you didn’t bring it up.”

“We weren’t exactly having conversations that anything could have been brought up in. And, besides, I had a pretty good idea of how that conversation would go, especially since Antonio had admitted that you weren’t happy about it.”

“I don’t think I need you as co-leader.”

“Ooh, now that’s a shocker right there,” I said sarcastically. “Antonio ordered it, it’s out of my control. You can confront me or sulk or whatever else but none of it will change that. Talk to Antonio.” I looked away from him again.

“Why is it you can’t seem to look at me for long without squirming or turning away?” It was said tauntingly. “Surely you’re not feeling self-conscious.” His tone dared me to object.

My peripheral vision alerted me to the fact that he had taken a slow step toward me, leaving only one step between us. I looked at him and watched as his eyes drifted to my lips a few times. Yes I’ll admit my libido thought this was great and I was tempted to give his lips a look or two. Or a kiss or two. I was also tempted to put more space between us. I did neither. “Trying to aggravate Max, are you?” No doubt the bloke was glaring at us.

“I don’t give a shit about Max.” He said it in a way that implied that there was something else he gave a shit about.

“So then you just want to make me feel uncomfortable, you want to aggravate me. Come as close as you want, it won’t work.” He did come closer, which I hadn’t actually expected him to do. My body was now pining for him, aching even more because he was close enough to touch and I was doing nothing about it.

He looked pleased with himself so I gathered he’d picked up on it, maybe by the fact that I’d stiffened a little and clenched my fists. “So, you were saying it won’t work...”

I turned so that I was facing him. Then I covered a little of the space left between us. Oh he was taken aback. My tone and posture and expression were all confrontational. “I can’t work out what I did that’s pissed you off this much. You certainly want to get me just as riled as you and you’re wasting no time at all in doing it. Just tell me, Jared.” I placed my face even closer to his. “Be a big boy and tell me what it is that’s really making you be a prick.”

His irises began to glow red. But he didn’t look angry. “Don’t push me, Sam, or I swear to God I’ll kiss you right here, right now with everyone round to watch and we both know you won’t stop me.”

Why did disputing get this bloke horny? “I won’t stop you?” I probably wouldn’t, actually. I doubted I’d be able to. As soon as his lips touched mine the same thing always happened; fire through the veins.

“No.” His eyes dropped to my lips again. “And I seriously doubt that your boyfriend will like it. Does he know we’ve kissed before? Twice?”

“What’s up, Jared? Worried one of your recruits might just get to shag me while you can’t? That’s a worryingly big ego you have there.” I demolished the remainder of my NST, plonked the empty bottle on the bar and went to walk away. His hand seized my wrist. His grip was possessive.

“I’m not finished.”

“Take your hand off me or I’ll snap it off.”

He snorted. “I’m not hurting you, you probably like it.” I did. “I want you to stop leading my brother on.”

Alright that was the last thing I had expected to hear, hence why my response was, “Say again?”

“Evan’s not like me.” Too right he wasn’t, that was why me and Evan got along so well. “When he likes a woman he wants the whole thing, and seen as you’re not interested in a relationship with anyone all you’re doing is leading him on.”

“You think Evan and me are interested in each other?”

His jaw went tight. “Don’t be cute with me, Sam. It’s obvious with the amount of time you spend with him.”

“You should try it some time.”

“Meaning what exactly?”

“Meaning that he’s your brother, you’re twin, and you’re barely a part of his life. I know more about what’s going in his life than you do.”

“I don’t need advice about my brother from you, alright. Now stop trying to change the subject. I won’t watch while you lead him on, not when he likes you.”

I half-snorted half-giggled. “Do you know that what you’ve just said adds further support to the argument that you don’t know anything about what goes on in his life?” I went to walk away again but although I’d tugged hard to free my wrist he’d tugged harder to keep it.

He was speaking so close to my ear that he was almost nibbling on it. “You can wander off back to Max and Evan but we both know that you don’t want either of them as much as you want me. You think that’s fair to Evan? To either of them? I wonder what they’d think if they knew about our little encounters.”

I snickered and faced him again. “If you honestly thought that having this little info that we’d kissed gave you some power, then you’re thick as pig shit. It gives you nothing. Just because I hadn’t told them doesn’t mean I care if they know. If you really want to find out what Evan and Max would think then go ahead and tell them. Better still, we’ll go together.” I grabbed his free hand with mine and pulled. “Come on, let’s see what they say.”

I could almost sense Jared’s ego screaming at him not to back down. Jared eventually listened to it – typical. He released my seized wrist and allowed me to pull him with my other hand to the dance-floor where Max and Evan where stood amongst the rest of the squad and Fletcher and Norm.

“Hey bro,” greeted Evan, smiling. “Everything sorted between you two now?”

“What was all that about?” Max asked me discreetly.

I smiled and looked to Jared, totally unconcerned if they knew or didn’t about the kisses.

“I can’t have my bro and my honorary little sister fighting,” said Evan, ruffling my hair exactly like a brother would.

Jared’s expression suddenly changed. His eyes danced between Evan and I, studying us as if truly seeing us together for the first time. Realisation of the truth seemed to hit, and then he nodded. “It’s sorted.” His smile faded slightly when his glance slid to Max.

Max, being Max, moved slightly closer to me and grinned at Jared sort of evilly. Then he said to me, “I thought I saw him grab you...?”

Jared, having heard, started laughing. “You don’t need to worry. I’d never hurt her. We just like to play rough, don’t we?” I would have responded with a sour scowl but his crooked smile just made me want to laugh. Evan seemed amused too. “Getting my ass kicked by Sam is my idea of foreplay, and she’s very good at foreplay.”

Jared might have thought he was being clever, but he’d misjudged Max; rather than being discouraged, Max attached himself to me. Any closer and he’d have passed for my Siamese twin. At first Jared seemed agitated by it but then he took to repeatedly saying things down my ear – inconsequential things that could have even been said telepathically, but it was all part of winding Max up. It seemed that Jared was intent on making Max either storm off in frustration or snap. He did neither. The more something became a challenge for Max, the more he wanted it. They weren’t actually all that different.

Chico had been watching Max cling to me all night and got increasingly annoyed about it to the point where he came over and said something to Max about needing his help with an extremely drunk Butch. Being the good friend that he was, Max left my side to help with Butch – a little hesitant, but still he went. Chico winked and nodded at me. I gave him an appreciative smile. It was nice to have some breathing room.