Xander was the first to rise from the bed. He pulled on his sweatpants, exhaled sharply, and stood with his hands braced on his hips.
“We need to talk.”
Ava’s stomach dropped.
Tristan sat up straighter, instantly tense. “Alright.”
Xander paced once, stopped, and turned to face them.
“Everything that’s happened in the past hour happened,” he said quietly. “We can’t pretend it didn’t. And if we’re doing this…” his jaw tightened, “…there need to be rules.”
Ava’s pulse skipped a beat, but that feeling in her stomach was gone.
Tristan’s eyes iced over— subtly, but noticeably.
“What kind of rules?” Tristan asked.
Xander’s gaze sharpened. “Simple. Clear. Non-negotiable rules.”
Ava didn’t like the sound of that.
Xander lifted a finger.
“Rule one. Nothing happens without me present.”
T
