His energy swarmed the table like locus. A dense fog of uncertainty sludges into my airways, making my throat feel thick. So thick it almost chokes.

Then, as if his presence wasn’t bad enough, he steps behind my chair and lays his hand over my shoulder. I turn and look at Aleck just as his eyelids shutter with rage and his jaw tightens, grinding his teeth together so hard I hear them. His lips purse into a thin line as he holds onto his composure, but I know one centimeter in the wrong direction, and Hayden is going to meet Aleck’s wrath in front of us all.

Which is Hayden’s desired result, I’m sure.

Control is Aleck’s lifeblood, but it’s becoming apparent that mischief is Hayden’s.

“I will,” Aleck replies. “As long as you know your place, little one.”

I almost snort a laugh. Hayden is by no means a small man, but Aleck’s taller and broader in the shoulders. The thought of how small Hayden’s heart is comes to mind though.

I smile uncomfortably at Richard and Midge, lifting my shoulder to knock Hayden’s hand away, but it remains. Aleck—visibly quelling his temper—casually, but firmly, reaches across my back, lifts Hayden’s hand from my shoulder, then drops it like it’s covered in disease.

“Hands to yourself, brother,” Aleck rasps through clenched teeth.

A laugh bubbles in Hayden’s chest as he rounds the table toward Midge. “Oh, that’s right…” His eyes glitter with delight, relishing in Aleck’s frustration. “You’ve always been… particular about your playthings,” he taunts before leaning down to kiss Midge on the cheek.

Aleck snaps up from his seat, my hand dropping from his thigh. “Regard her like that one more time and I’ll cut your fucking tongue out,” he grits, leaning forward. His knuckles pressing so hard into the surface of the table, I am sure the wood will split down the middle.

“Aleck!” Richard stands, his scowl jumping from brother to brother. Tears well in Midge’s eyes. “Do not speak that way in front of your mother.”

I stand next to Aleck, ignoring the maniacal laugh coming from Hayden and weave my fingers through Aleck’s. “Excuse us, please,” I address the table with a smile. “Come on,” I whisper to Aleck, stepping between our chairs. His eyes remain fixed on Hayden, so I tug at his arm. “Aleck, come with me.”

He finally turns, his eyes pooling into mine. His features soften, but his jaw remains tense. He nods, so I tighten my grip on his hand and lead the way into the house. When we step through the sliding glass door into the common area, I stop and slide my arm up to Aleck’s shoulder, feeling the eyes of his family on our backs.

“I don’t know my way around,” I say. “Take me somewhere private.”

Aleck displays a weak smile, one that doesn’t reach his eyes, and takes the lead. We enter a hallway, the natural light from the living room fading the deeper into the hallway we walk. We pass two closed doors until we reach a staircase. We descend the stairs, reaching a split-level landing before the L-shaped staircase turns, descending the stairs in the opposite direction. When we reach the bottom, there’s a hallway leading to one door. Directly across the hallway, the stairs continue to another lower level of the house.