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“Path of least resistance,” Caleb said with a shrug. “It follows the road for a few miles.” He pointed to the left and what I assumed was the road on the other side of the dense forest. “We could walk along the road but we prefer the forest.”
“It’s safer to walk this way?” I questioned, not sure if I bought that as their reasoning. They didn’t seem like people who were afraid of much.
“You could say that,” Dominic replied cryptically. “It’s safer for some.” The implication being someone other than them. It was safer for others if they took the path in the woods.
“Oh,” I responded, not knowing what to say.
“We usually take Dom’s Jeep, but when we don’t have football practice we walk,” Caleb explained as he moved over to give me space. Now that the trees didn’t confine us, all three of us could walk side by side, and both guys shortened their stride to match mine.
“How often do you have football practice?” I asked curiously and they exchanged glances above my head.
“Three days a week,” Dominic answered. “Alternating weight and endurance training to keep in shape.”
“Is there a prize if one of them can beat you?”
“No,” Dominic answered flatly.
“No one ever has,” Caleb confided and with a wicked grin added, “Not even my brother.”
Dominic’s lips twitched as he glanced over at Caleb. “In fairness, there’s no way your brother ever could. He’s not like us.”
“Hold on,” I cried. “Are you telling me you ostracize people inside your Pack too?” I inadvertently used the nickname given to their group, as I tried to grasp that they viewed people inside their own families as different.
Within seconds, Dominic had my arms gripped in his massive hands and my feet were hanging above the ground. I kicked them helplessly; my body suspended and held up only by his strength.
“What are you doing?” I cried out in shock.
“What do you know about the pack?” Dominic’s question rolled right over my own as he growled at me and I felt my eyes widen. He shook me slightly as Caleb reached for his arm, and my head bobbed. “You’ll tell me what you know,” he warned as I gaped at him.
“Dom, chill.” Caleb was tugging on Dominic’s arm with no success. “Put her down, Dom. She doesn’t know anything. You can tell,” he grunted, putting weight into his effort to get me back on the ground.
“Then why did she mention the pack?”
“Because that’s what they call you,” I spit out, kicking my foot harder and actually connecting with his knee. He didn’t so much as twitch but I felt some satisfaction. “Put me down you Neanderthal. I thought you said you were a gentleman.”
I’d gotten over some of my shock at being held like a doll and started to squirm. At least if he dropped me I could run, but his hands didn’t budge.
“What do you mean that’s what they call us?” Caleb had given up on trying to get Dom to put me down and instead stared at me in interest.
“Are you kidding me?” I groaned in disbelief. “Put me down!”
“Answer us and I will,” Dominic stated as if it was the most reasonable thing in the world.
I kicked a little harder and he held me out further so I couldn’t reach him. “Ugh, fine.”
“The kids in school call you the Pack.” They glanced at each other as I told them this and I arched an eyebrow in disbelief. “You can’t tell me you didn’t know that. Not after you just had a hissy fit over the fact that I referred to the Pack.”
Dominic lowered me carefully, but kept his hands on my arms so I couldn’t run. “Misunderstanding,” he murmured as my mouth dropped open.
“A misunderstanding? A MISUNDERSTANDING? You freaking held me up in the air and demanded I tell you what I know. WHICH IS NOTHING! I don’t care about your secrets. I’m only here to make sure my Dad doesn’t run off with a floozy named Flo and join a motorcycle gang. Once I graduate, I’m off to Brown. I don’t care about your PACK!” I was panting by the time I finished shouting and didn’t want to admit it was only Dominic’s hands on my shoulders that held me up as the adrenaline left my body in a rush.
“A floozy named Flo?”
I groaned and rubbed my forehead. “Not that it’s any of your business but my Dad had a hard time after he found out my mom had been cheating on him for the past five years. He made some poor dating choices.”
“And you’re here to make sure he doesn’t continue those?” Dominic asked in amusement.
“Well he is living at a motel where you can rent the rooms by the hour,” I answered tightly.
“I heard it was just sold,” Caleb added helpfully and I grimaced.
