Page 255 of Silver Sweet

Taller than Leo, Phoenix straightens his posture into a towering stance. His voice cuts, deep and biting. “Don’t talk to him,” he warns. “Don’t even fucking look at him, man.”

“Ohhh-kay, okay.” Leo lifts his hands in defense, then checks cautiously over his shoulder since this is his place of work. “I’m just teasing him.”

“Tease someone else.”

Leo weaves his arms loosely. “Toooom,” he draws out my name to capture my gaze. Fuck him. “We’re cool. No harm, no foul. Yeah?”

“What’d I say?” Phoenix steps forward in threat, and I smile for one second before Beckett appears, flipping my stomach inside-out.

Beckett puts a hand to Phoenix’s chest. “Pas ici, d’accord?”Not here, okay?

Phoenix steps back beside me and outstretches an incensed hand at Leo. “Il est en train de provoquer ton frère, Beckett.”He’s antagonizing your brother, Beckett.

“Je vais m’occuper de lui.”I’ll deal with him.

“Uh-huh,” Leo nods with a tongue-cluck. “Well, this secret conversation is so interesting. Riveting material.” He cocks his head to Beckett. “You forgot to mention your little brother has a boyfri?—”

“Do not,” Beckett forces. His glare is a lethal injection, a thing of real beauty.

Leo reads his face, then stiffens as if he’s being turned to stone. He slides a hand through his hair, and Beckett never loosens his penetrating gaze from him.

“Take him fucking down, Beckett Joyce,” I say quietly.

Leo snaps a look at Beckett. “You want to take me down, Cobalt? I’d love to see the attempt. Maybe the drama will insert some charisma into your dancing for once.”

“Go away.” Beckett’s tone is frostbite.

Still, I pipe in, “That meansfuck offand good riddance.”

“Does it?” Leo smiles only at Beckett. “I thought it meant—” He cuts himself off as Beckett shifts with visceral heat, forcing Leo to take several steps away from me.

Leo backs up, staring Beckett down, and then they exchange murmured words that likely stab and slash.

I’m positive Beckett comes out with the W. He always defeats Leo in their rivalry. Middle-aged donors in dapper suits suddenly seize both of their attention and pull them away. Leo layers on the fakest smile while Beckett maintains an impassive expression.

They’re now halfway across the ballroom. Out of earshot, but not eyesight.

“That’s Leo,” I say to Phoenix. “Asshole, right?”

He’s quiet, his brows furrowed. Until he asks, “How long have they been fucking?”

“What?” Shock lurches my internal organs. “Not at all. Beckett is straight, dude.”

Phoenix looks at me. I can’t even decipherthatlook. I feel woozy all of a sudden. Maybe it’s the painkillers.

I scratch at my temple. “What’s that look?” I ask him.

“I’m starting to understand how you thought I was straight.”

“No,” I shake my head vigorously, then lower my voice to a strained whisper. “Beckett would’ve told me if he slept with a guy. He would’ve…” My pulse almost flatlines. Would he have?He’s so private. If he told anyone, he would’ve shared with Charlie, but why keep this a secret from me? I wouldn’t have shared with a soul, not even Eliot.

And why am I so hurt that he kept this to himself? He was under no obligation to tell me if he wasn’t ready to. Still, my eyes sting, and my heart suddenly weighs a hundred pounds. It might as well be on the fucking floor.

“Hey, maybe I’m wrong, Tom,” Phoenix whispers. “It’s just a hunch.”

“Based on what?” I ask him tensely.

“The way they were looking at each other, man. But it’s probably nothing. It doesn’t seem like anyone reacted.”