His lips quirk in what, on any other man, might be called a smile. “They’re paying penance.” When I just stare, he relents. “No permanent harm is being done.”

Maddox tenses, and I make a show of rolling my eyes. When facing down a predator, it’s vital to never show fear. I keep my voice nice and even. “Did they consent to paying penance, Ezekiel?”

He stares, trying to intimidate me with his cold amber eyes. I regularly deal with Cohen, so I’m used to that thousand-yard stare. I simply wait. Finally, he curses. “Yes.”

Immediately, Cohen and Maddox relax. Maddox finally says, “Keep an eye on Jasper. If he says or does anything that might be useful—”

“His only use is as a hostage.” Ezekiel pushes to his feet. “If we’re done here?”

“Go,” Cohen bites out.

We sit silently for a long moment after the door slams behind him. Maddox grips Cohen’s shoulder, the smallest touch, the tiniest reassurance. It speaks to how rattled both of them are that they let even this small moment slip by in the presence of another person. Normally, they keep things strictly business in public.

No reason to feel a strange sort of jealousy witnessing evidence of their relationship. Their friendship hasn’t been damaged by being in Sabine Valley the way mine and Broderick’s has. If anything, they seem stronger than ever. Then again, Broderick and I have never been intimate the way Cohen and Maddox have.

I can’t think about that, though. No matter my attraction to Broderick, no matter how much he’s irritating me right now, the fact remains that he is one of the most important people in my life. Eventually things will settle down and we’ll reclaim those soft moments and the easy conversation and everything that’s disappeared between us.

We have to.

I attempt a smile, even as my insides twist uncomfortably. “Ezekiel was messing with you. You just weren’t asking the right questions.”

Cohen releases a long breath. “The right questions, huh? Let’s not make that same mistake twice.” He holds my gaze. “Are you fucking Monroe, Shiloh?”

Part of me expected the question. It’s the one I would have asked in their position, with the information they have at hand. Even after trying to prepare myself, my face goes so hot that I get a little light-headed. There’s no point in lying. If they haven’t figured it out already, they will soon because Monroe is about as subtle as a brick through a window. I shouldn’t like that about her, especially when it’s complicating my life right now.

I finally nod. “Yes.”