Tame: Carter Kids #3 by Chloe Walsh Page B

dramatically, she flicked her long blonde braid off her shoulder and smiled sweetly. "And perhaps I'll redecorate the tour bus."
    Beau, obviously not getting Teagan's sense of humor, looked horrified as he gaped across the table at her.
    Lucky looked like he was about to piss his pants.
    "You like hot pink, right, Noah?" Clapping her hands together, she squealed. "Oh, how I love to shop."
    Tommy leaned back in his chair and sneered, "Do you think you're funny?"
    "Careful, T," I warned him. Dropping my hand on Teagan's thigh, I glared across the table at my friend. "Be very fucking careful."
    "I think she's funny," Lucky offered up, unperturbed by the tension as he smiled warmly at Teagan like a proud teacher would his star pupil.
    "It's okay, Noah," Teagan whispered. Covering my hand with hers, she squeezed gently before clearing her throat. "I think I'm being prematurely judged is what I think."
    Turning her full attention on Tommy, she picked up her fork and stabbed a piece of bacon.
    Pointing it at him aimlessly, she added, "Thanks for the dress, but you don't know me, Tommy." Shoving the piece of bacon into her mouth, Teagan washed it back with some orange juice. "You didn't know me back in high school and you don't know me now." Shoving her chair back, Teagan stood up with her chin jutting out proudly. "I'm not the girl you remember." She turned her gaze on Beau and then Quincy. "And I'm not the girl you were told about."
    With that, Teagan swung around and walked away from the table with her head held high and her dignity intact.
    Giving Lewis the nod to go after Teagan, I turned my attention on my so-called staff.
    If I wasn't so fucking angry with Beau and Tommy, I would have been beaming with pride for the way Teagan had conducted herself, but anger was the dominant emotion coursing through me at this present moment in time.
    Dropping my fork and knife down with a clatter, I shoved my chair back and stood.
    "This is your first, your last, and your only fucking warning," I snarled, red-faced as I glowered at each and every person at the table. "When you speak to her, you do it with the same amount of respect as you would if you were speaking to me. You got that?"
    "Sit your ass down, boy," Quincy snapped impatiently. "We've got fight tactics to discuss for tomorrow night."
    "Knock the other guy out. Make it bloody. Win the fight," I shot back, glaring at Quincy. "There. Fight tactics covered."
    Inclining my head towards Lucky, the only one I could tolerate in this moment, I nodded stiffly before turning around and walking out of the dining room.
     
     
     

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Chapter Eleven
Teagan
     
    There were three things I learned about myself during dinner tonight that I hadn't known before.
    The first thing I discovered was that I happened to be quite partial to oysters. I would never have guessed it, but those slimy little fuckers were actually pretty tasty.
    The second was the fact that I was capable of controlling my mouth when in company. Shocking, I know, but I discovered that side to me when I managed to endure a painfully long, one-sided conversation with Noah's boss, Nick Leversteen, on the side effects of erectile dysfunction during middle age.
    And the third thing I realized was that I was willing to do whatever it took to hold onto the man sitting beside me.
    As crazy and pathetic as it sounded, there was a desperation inside my heart that was urging me to hold onto Noah Messina for dear life.
    Before tonight, I'd never had to acknowledge that feeling.
    But it was there; a longing so intense I could hardly breathe through it.
    It didn't help that Noah looked almost godlike as he lounged beside me, chatting with several people around our table. His arm was slung over the back of my chair.
    The jacket of his tuxedo had long since been discarded. And the top two buttons of his white dress shirt were open, revealing a slither of chest hair and ink.
    His black bowtie was undone and hanging on either