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On Lori’s other side, Raya gawked. “You don’t even remember? A serious thing like me once having a bullet in my back just slipped from your memory?”
Adaline spluttered. “No. It was just a long time ago.” She paused. “Right?”
Her jaw hard, Raya shook her head. “Oh my God, you don’t remember. See, you totally love Quinley more.”
“Would you stop with that shit? I love you both equally.”
“I don’t know how you manage to keep a straight face when you say that.”
Waving the comment off, Adaline looked at Isaiah. “I do thank you for playing a part in killing the bastard who held the gun, but I can’t deny being angry that Quinley hasn’t been better protected. I know that isn’t fair or rational—”
“Oh, now you know you’re being irrational?” asked Quinley.
“—it’s just how I feel,” said Adaline, ignoring her interruption. “Your pride is doing the best it can to locate the Vercetti Pack, I know. But they came at her twice, Isaiah. Twice. That’s, like…”
“Two times?” supplied Quinley.
“Unacceptable,” Adaline stated.
Setting down his iced water, he looked at Adaline soberly. “Trust me when I say you can’t make me feel more pissed at myself for that than I already do.”
Her brows snapping together, Quinley looked at him. “What? So now you’re both going to be irrational?” Her agitated cat whipped her tail. “You’re not at fault for them targeting me.”
“No, I’m not,” he allowed. “But I did know that I was bringing you into the pride at a dangerous time. I did it anyway.”
Oh, Lord. “There’s always some shit going down in the world of shifters. We’re never totally safe.”
“Which is why I wasn’t going to let the situation get in the way. But I could have at least warned you before we mated. I didn’t even do that much, not thinking they’d go after you.”
“Any such warning would have made no difference. I wouldn’t have considered it a reason to not take you as a mate. So unless you would have delayed things nonetheless, the result would be the same. And if you had needed such a delay, I would have chosen a different guy to ma—”
“We’re not going to talk about that,” Isaiah asserted, lowering his face closer to hers, possession etched into his features. That look made her cat all tingly.
“Okay. But you get my point.” Quinley paused to drink some milkshake through her straw. “I’d rather be in the sights of the Vercetti Pack than be all safe and sound while bound to a different male.”
His expression softening, he dabbed a kiss on her forehead. “I know you would. And I don’t regret that I claimed you. How could I? But I can still acknowledge that I was selfish to do so when I had the Vercetti Pack gunning for me.”
Sliding his headphones backwards so they were hooked around his nape, Ren lowered his half-eaten patty melt to his plate. “Dad, can you pass the ketchup?”
“Sure, son.” Will handed the condiment bottle to him. “Liking your food?”
There was a bubbly squirting sound as Ren squeezed red sauce onto his plate. “It meets with our approval.” He offered the condiment to Corey, who paused his movie.
“Boys,” began Adaline, her tone all maternal patience, “remember we spoke about how you don’t need to speak for each other?”
“We remember,” said Corey, heaping ketchup over his fries.
Adaline exchanged an exasperated glance with Will.
Lori gently bumped her shoulder into Quinley’s, saying, “Recommending the chili was a good shout, it’s amazing. I’d totally eat here again.”
Raya hummed. “Same. We should make it, like, a weekly family meetup. Only without Adaline.”
“Hey,” Adaline complained, her frown deepening when the boys giggled. She snatched one of Ren’s fries in retaliation, and the kid promptly coughed all over it. “Ew, no!” she groused, dumping it back on his plate.
Corey gave her the sweetest smile. “Mom, can me and Ren have a strawberry sundae for dessert?”
“Don’t ask on behalf of your brother. He might not want a strawberry sundae.”
