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He returned his cell to his pocket as he eyed Bailey, who was snickering at something Cash said. A simple sight, yet the vision of her so at ease with another male made his jaw clench. She’d never been that way around Deke. And vice versa, really.
Much as he wanted more info on what happened at both the center and the parking lot, he wouldn’t ask her about it here. He’d do it when they were away from ears that didn’t belong to people who weren’t part of the Alphas’ inner circle.
A prickly itch scuttled across his chest. Deke rubbed at it, trying not to scratch, and then grabbed his spoon. “Why do you have a rabbit’s foot hanging on your necklace?”
Her dark eyes flew to his. “One of the Phoenix wolves told me they give the wearer good luck.”
“How? The animal wasn’t exactly lucky in life. It died and then had its foot removed.”
“For the greater good.” Bailey lifted the spoon from her own bowl. “It now provides others with good fortune.”
“Again, I’m not seeing how. And please tell me you didn’t capture, kill, and butcher that rabbit yourself.”
“Okay, I won’t tell you.”
Chuckling, Livy retook her seat at the table. “You two …” Pausing, she turned to Bailey. “So, what have you been up to today?”
“Just working,” Bailey replied, spooning some apple pie.
Livy fussed with the position of her bowl. “How long have you worked at the rec center?”
The mamba shoveled pie into her mouth. “Since I was sixteen.”
“You lived with Corbin before that, didn’t you?”
“At his house, yeah. It’s a sort of foster home for homeless lone shifter children.” Bailey scooped up more pie with her spoon. “He’s the best.”
“Were you always a loner before going to live with him?”
“No, not always.” Chewing more of her dessert, Bailey glanced at everyone apart from Deke. “Were you all born and bred into the pride?”
“We were,” Clarence confirmed, smiling.
Livy’s own mouth curved. “Clarence and I were … what’s the term for it? Frenemies. We were frenemies when we were children.”
Bailey’s brows hiked up. “Really?”
Livy nodded. “Teenage hormones changed that. I told him when we were fourteen that I was going to claim him one day.”
“And she did.” Clarence closed his mouth around his spoonful of dessert and chewed. “I went along with it.”
Livy narrowed her eyes. “You eagerly claimed me right back, you liar.”
“Of course I did; I’m not a stupid man.”
Deke scoffed down his pie as his parents threw casual questions at Bailey. She answered each without really giving away much. It was impressive. It also made him yet again wonder why she bothered to be evasive.
Perhaps sensing the weight of his attention, she looked his way. He didn’t drop his gaze, just kept on staring. She raised a questioning brow. He answered her with a slight shrug of one shoulder.
A slow smile crept on her face. “Every time we do this staring thing, I feel our connection growing.”
He glowered. “Don’t make me drug your drink with holy water—I’m pretty sure it would kill you.”
“Nah, I’ve built up a tolerance to it. Not that I’m buying you want me dead. You’d miss me if I was gone.”
“Like I’d miss a kick to the crotch.”
She wagged a finger. “You secretly adore me. Admit it. You’ve wondered if we’re meant to be.”
“I’ve wondered if you’re an omen that the Day of Judgement is almost upon us.”
“Flatterer.”
He let out a short, jagged growl.
Bailey couldn’t help but grin. This was going a long way to improving her mood. She’d originally intended to not stay, but then she’d spotted Deke at the table, saw his face darken, and chose to instead stick around merely to make him snap. Her snake loved that it was working.
“Have you ever been normal?” he sniped.
She grimaced. “And fall into society’s trap? No, thanks.”
“Society’s trap?”
“Encouraging people to be normal is literally just encouraging them to conform. Blend. Follow. Obey. Be part of the world’s flock of sheep. I’d rather be the predator that hangs not far from the flock, does its own thing, and bites any sheep that piss it off.” She paused. “Why are you pulling that face?”
He rubbed at his nape. “I find myself agreeing with you. I don’t like it.”
“It does feel kind of weird,” said Bailey with a slight shudder. “Stop it.”
Cash snickered, almost spitting out his food.
Deke merely grunted before going back to his pie. So she once more began talking to Cash. The twenty-one year old broke female hearts regularly. If she’d been a few years younger … well, nothing. She wouldn’t have been interested, because she’d never get involved with a guy when it was his brother she most wanted, even though said brother had no interest in her.
I’ve wanted to get my hands and mouth on you since the first day we met.
