“I hope it works out for you. I really do.”
“There have been a few promising signs. I guess we’ll see when we see.”
“You can’t really be that patient,” Kaiser said.
Remi laughed. “I’m more patient by nature than you’d think. But this particular situation is very stress inducing to say the least. I’m trying, though. Last thing I want is her to feel like she’s got no choice.”
“I really think that’s all she needs to find her way through… the freedom to choose,” Kaiser said.
Remi nodded, his gaze returning to the darkness out through the trailer park as he focused on the sounds in the distance, and some sounds a little closer in as well.
Kaiser sat calmly beside him.
After a few minutes more Remi turned to Kaiser. “So, are you okay?”
Kaiser laughed. “No, not even close, but I will be.”
“Does Keegan know anything at all?”
Kaiser’s smile fell away, and his jaws clamped.
“Or does either of her parents know?”
“What makes you think Keegan has anything to do with my situation?” Kaiser asked indignantly.
“Overheard a little conversation between Keegan, Tia, and Amanda. Tia wanted to go check on you because she says you like her. Keegan told her you were a grown male, and if she didn’t leave you alone, she’d kick her ass herself. Amanda told Tia she was a little confused about where your focus was because it certainly wasn’t on her. At least more or less that was theconversation. Seemed obvious to me which female was more territorial over you than the other two.”
“That doesn’t mean anything. There are more than those three females in our Pride,” Kaiser said.
“Yeah, there are. But those are the only three that I can see any problem with you claiming. I can’t believe it’s Tia, she’s Pride just like the other two, but she’s also just a fan girl. Amanda isn’t affected one way or the other by your celebrity, just sees you as one of the Pride. Keegan, though, I think there might be some electricity there between the two of you. And I think Amanda has seen exactly where your attention lies when you’re all in the same room together. Not to mention I thought Keegan might shift today and gut her own sister if she’d followed through on her plan to go make sure you were okay.”
Kaiser quickly turned his head to look at Remi. “Really? She was possessive?”
“I don’t think I’d call it possessive, more like territorial. But yeah, there was definitely something to it. In my humble opinion anyway.”
Kaiser nodded to himself, slowly, almost imperceptibly as he looked out into the darkness. “Lucas would kill me if he knew my beast has focused on Keegan as my mate.”
“How long have you known?” Remi asked.
“I felt it the last time I was here. I left quickly. But dealing with this, and feeling the separation, and needing my best friend, who’s back here, and all the shit with paparazzi following me, just got too much. I came back for a while thinking I could steer clear of the family Sundays. Then you showed up and Maia and Riley put out a call for everybody to come meet you.”
“Well, you were hanging with my mate and pretending you and she were a thing. I think it’s only fair you be a little uncomfortable, too.”
Kaiser chuckled.
“You know, I was hoping I was wrong and that when I saw her again, there would be nothing.”
“And?” Remi asked.
“I wasn’t wrong. It all came rushing back,” Kaiser said.
“Have you told her?”
“Nope. Not going to, either.”
“Why not?”
“She’s sixteen. I’m twenty-five.”
