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The sun was starting to set, and although he hadn’t broached the topic of Queen Bitch and whether or not the wedding would progress, it was something they would have to discuss. Her brother’s turmoil was a living entity, and she wanted him to unload his problems on her.
“I know you don’t want to talk about it or you would have already, but Luke, you should get whatever you’re feeling off your chest.” She watched him, and although he stayed silent for several long moments, his emotions were written clearly on his face. “If you really have second thoughts on marrying Mina, we should address them.”
“It isn’t really your problem, Talia.” His words were clipped. He stared at her for several long seconds and then brought his beer to his mouth and took a long pull from the bottle.
“This isn’t the first time she’s done this to a guy.” By the look on his face, this didn’t come as a surprise. “She did it with another guy more than ten years ago.” Again, he showed no emotion over this. “Luke, are you even hearing what I’m saying?”
“Yeah, Talia, I’m not fucking deaf.” The sound of him using such crass words didn’t make her flinch, but it did sound strange coming from him. He never swore in front of her. “This isn’t news to me. Hell, it seems anywhere I’ve gone in this fucking town, someone was talking about Mina and her ex, whoever the fuck he is.” He leaned back in his seat and scrubbed his hand over his hair. “I don’t even care about that shit. That was before I came along.” He held her eyes, and she grew uncomfortable, because it was clear he had other things on his mind. “How about we not talk about her and instead you tell me about this bear shifter.”
Well, she certainly hadn’t planned on talking about this with him tonight. “What are you talking about?”
He finished off his beer and gestured to their waiter for another one. Talia looked down at her bottle and started picking at the label. He didn’t respond, just gave her that look that said “don’t play dumb.”
“Okay, so you know I’m seeing someone.”
“Yeah, I can smell him all over you and can see his fucking mark on your neck.” Talia lifted her hand to the bite mark in question and felt the tender wound right under her fingertips. Surprisingly, there was no anger laced with her brother’s words. “So you and that Ford guy, yeah? Damn, Talia and a bear… fucking crazy shit.” The waiter gave them a fresh round of beer, and Luke finished half of the new one in two drinks. “He’s the same one who is Mina’s ex.” It was a hard statement, one in which she thought he might have been warning her about something.
“Yeah, I know, actually just found out yesterday when Mina’s arousal for him nearly choked the shit out of me in the café.” Luke nodded slowly, and she could smell his acceptance in all of this. Just looking at him told her that he was already aware of who Ford Wylde was and what he had been to Mina.
“Yeah, I found out about his connection to Mina when she started talking about him today and her lust was off the charts.” Luke shook his head, and all she wanted to do was comfort him, but he was drinking heavily and needed his space no doubt. She didn’t bother telling him he needed to go easy on the alcohol.
Her brother hardly drank, but it was times like these some people just needed a little something to help numb the pain. They didn’t speak for several more moments, but finally Luke went on.
“He claimed you pretty hard, Talia. You do realize that, right?” He leaned back in his seat, and although it was bizarre talking about this with her brother, it also felt right to discuss something so serious and important with him.
“Yeah.” She cleared her throat and took a small sip of her beer. She had only two prior to the one she was drinking now, so she was pretty clear on her thinking, but looking at her brother, she could see he was three sheets to the wind. “I care about him… a lot. I don’t want to leave Sweet Water.” Luke showed no reaction, and she was surprised.
“Even if you ran, it’s clear the bear would chase after you. No shifter male will let their mate go once they find them.”
“Is Mina your mate?” She hated asking him, but there really wasn’t a good time for that anyway.
“No, but it isn’t like I’m getting any younger. A shifter doesn’t always find his mate, and I didn’t want to be alone, knowing she might never show up. That’s not to say I didn’t care about Mina, because I did. She was sweet in the beginning, but I never felt the urge to mark her, and that had always left an empty feeling inside me.” He gave a humorless laugh.
