Not that I watched porn (okay, full confession, I had one subscription, but they did really quality stuff, and I was a girl on my own with what seemed to be a somewhat limited imagination, so I didn’t watch porn a lot, but I watched it—though, still in full confession, it was usually gay porn because (A) hot and (B) the women in the hetero stuff always seemed fake when they were having orgasms, and one could just say, a man couldn’t fake it).

But what was in those pictures was absolutely next level.

Whoever this guy was, he meant to scare me.

And if Brett didn’t have me in a headlock right then, I’d probably be more scared.

Fortunately, I had good friends.

Which reminded me…

“But to answer your question,” Brett said, taking me out of my thoughts.

I focused on him.

“When he said ‘You’re up,’ that means, after that kiss, and you dissin’ him on Protecting Hattie duties, something I’m seeing clear now I should have strongly advised you against, then again, I’d never seen him kiss you like that, but back to the point. The next move is on you.”

Okay, now I was scared.

“Oh boy,” I whispered.

Brett gave me a squeeze and encouraged, “You can do it.”

I chewed on my lips a bit before I whispered, “That kiss was really amazing, Brett.”

“That wasn’t lost on me, baby. Sorry I had to fuck it up.”

“I get it. Those pictures are next level. And obviously, Axl would have wanted to know about them. Just maybe not be blindsided by them.”

He studied me closely as he asked, “Are you okay about the pictures?”

A cold feeling stole through me.

“Are you—?”

He shook his head once in a firm way that was more like a jerk.

“You got me or one of my boys until you got other cover or until this is over.”

I relaxed. “Then I’m okay.”

“Evie was right,” he muttered, gazing down at me.

“Pardon?” I asked.

“She told me when I found a woman, I shouldn’t make her work for it.”

“Work for what?”

“Me. Put up with my shit in order to have me. Seein’ now it’s the other way around, if it’s worth it. You don’t make them work for it. You do the work so they don’t have to.”

“Axl’s been doing the work,” I told him something he knew.

He gave me another squeeze with his arm, and he sounded almost apologetic when he said, “Your turn, sweetheart.”

It was.

I didn’t know what was happening with Axl’s girlfriend (or him not actually having one), but Brett was also right.

A man did not kiss like that.

Unless he means it.

It was time to boss up.

Because whatever was happening was happening.

And Axl deserved it.

So it was my turn.