We’d always run in the same orbit. Dane and I had the same instincts, and we had the same way of looking at problems sideways until they cracked open.
If anyone could tell me whether I was losing my mind, it was him. I leaned back in the chair, exhaling hard.
“I think I like him,” I admitted.
Dane went very still and, thankfully, didn’t tease me.
“Okay,” he said slowly. “This sounds serious.”
“It is,” I admitted. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”
Dane studied me for a long moment. “I can hear a but coming,” Dane said.
I scrubbed a hand over the back of my neck.
“The more time I spend with Mason,” I said slowly, “the more I realize he hasn’t been completely straight with me.”
Dane didn’t interrupt or rush me; he merely waited. That persuaded me to keep going.
“He didn’t mention this packless network before,” I said. “And earlier today, he casually drops that he has a brother.”
Dane’s brows knit. “That so?”
“Yeah.” I leaned forward, bracing my forearms on the table. “I thought he was completely alone out there. That’s the picture he painted.”
“I don’t like it,” I admitted quietly. “Something’s off.”
Saying it out loud made something twist in my chest. Right on the heels of that unease came the familiar, stubborn push from my wolf.Trust him.I exhaled sharply.
“Am I being paranoid?” I finally asked.
That was the real question, because there was a difference between good instincts and seeing ghosts where there weren’t any. Dane leaned back in his chair, expression thoughtful now.
“Maybe,” he said slowly.
My shoulders tightened.
“But,” he continued, holding up a finger, “maybe Mason just has trust issues.”
I frowned. Dane shrugged slightly.
“Guy’s been living alone, off-grid, keeping to himself. That kind of life doesn’t exactly build open-book communication skills,” he said.
“And the brother thing?” I pressed.
Dane’s mouth tipped to the side. “Also not weird if he’s used to keeping family details close to the chest.”
I leaned back, tension easing a fraction. Yeah, that tracked, and it also fit the Mason I’d seen so far. He was guarded and careful, not being deceptive on purpose. Maybe he was just protective of his family.
My wolf rumbled quiet approval. I was just starting to relax when Dane had more to say.
“That said, it wouldn’t hurt to look into him a little more,” Dane suggested.
My head snapped up. “What?”
“Tell Tony to do a background check. Don’t mention it to Mason.”
Heat flared fast and sharp under my skin. “Absolutely not.”
