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It was child’s play to quote back the words now magically etched into my flesh and bones. “Stay close to Maddox’s three cousins and my daughters until I summon you home. Do not bring the girls back to the McMansion as originally planned. Tell no one where you end up taking them. Simply keep them safe.”
That was the heart of Kayleigh’s directive. He certainly didn’t need to hear her little dig that I might be able to find happiness with “one or three” Shadow Wolves…
Shea’s lips twisted with wolfish satisfaction. “Although I admire Maddox and Kayleigh for putting the girls’ well-being ahead of their own, I am not willing to sit idly by while they offer themselves as bait for whoever seems intent on starting another War of Succession. Safe to assume you feel the same?”
I gave a fierce smile of my own. “It is.”
He nodded without a hint of surprise. “I believe that any reasonable person would interpret your parents’ home as being close to Donnelly Manor. And they would certainly be as invested in keeping the girls safe as we are.”
And were wealthy and powerful enough Spellbinders to do a damned good job of it.
Admiration for Shea’s cleverness in finding a way to navigate the literal meaning of my sister’s order without sacrificing our integrity or the girls’ safety flared. “I agree on both counts.” Uneasiness had my skin crawling as another thought struck. “But Kayleigh clearly feared the danger to the girls would be great enough to require a Radiant and three Shadow Wolves, in addition to their usual bodyguards.”
We glanced at where the Shadow Shifter and Spellbinder guardians—Marie born into the Pack and Chester adopted into it for his magical abilities—sat a few feet away, watchful gazes split between their charges and any potential threats outside the idling limousine.
Shea’s eyes glinted. “Agreed. Which is why we called in a personal favor with the San Francisco Beacon and your mother called in one with the Kansas City Beacon. I remember how much you trust Regina. Uncle Alexander was already in St. Louis to network with the Spellbinder Guild before our reception. He’s agreed to skip that to pick up Regina when her own flight lands in a few minutes. They’ll meet Finn, Connor, and the girls at your parents’ estate. We’ve also arranged for several Shadow Wolf friends to head there now.”
Regina was more than a match for any Sheridan Beacon, and she’d also spent summers with relatives in St. Louis the way Kayleigh, our siblings, and I had. Regina and I became the best of friends when we first met right around my nieces’ age. There were few others I trusted as much as her.
My eyes widened as my pulse picked up speed. “And…where exactly will you and I be?”
He pressed uncomfortably close, deep voice lowering to a suggestive drawl that made me involuntarily shudder. “You and I will be at your place changing for the ball.” Liquid heat flashed in his expressive emerald eyes. “It’s been far too long since I’ve seen you all dressed up, Blondie.”
A soft moan escaped my lips as memories of the last time he’d seen me dressed up exploded across my mind—followed by the one where he’d participated in undressing me in a tangle of overheated bodies and raging hormones.
Irritation quickly replaced the animalistic passion he’d purposely inspired. I ‘d never been one to back down from a fight. “Sounds like you have everything all worked out, Wolfie. I think there will be just enough room for you to change—in the laundry room next to all the other wet blankets.”
SHEA
Ava delivered her barb with a fierce smile full of teeth. Rather than deflate my desire, it only flared all the stronger. I never backed down from a challenge—especially not when faced with such a lovely and worthy opponent. My inner wolf skittered beneath the surface, howling about what a fine mate she would make.
Something only time would tell for sure. Time—and Ava herself.
Leaning in even closer, I whispered so only she could hear, “I seem to recall us creating some wet blankets—and sheets—earlier this year. You’ll hear no complaints from me about a repeat performance.”
Ava’s nostrils flared and her striking violet eyes dilated slightly. The low-key chemistry that always hummed between us flashed momentarily brighter. A pity we were in neither the time nor the place to fan those flames even higher. A fact I drew her attention to by nodding toward the chattering girls bouncing on my brothers’ knees. No matter how concerned we might be for Maddox and Kayleigh, the safety of their daughters took top priority.
Indulging in sheer animal attraction would have to wait.
Annoyance flashed across her face, undoubtedly because she itched to dig her sharp verbal claws into my proverbial underbelly, but she settled for returning the nod with an unspoken promise I would pay for my words later glinting in her eyes.
I sure as hell hoped so.
Ava leaned forward to quietly explain the new plan to Marie and Chester. They accepted the change impassively, no surprise since AvawasKayleigh’s Understudy as well as her trusted sister. Just as we three brothers were Maddox’s future successors and seconds in command. Although honestly, given our preference for San Francisco’s mild climate, I was hoping he lived a long and healthy life and one or both of his daughters replaced us in the Pack hierarchy.
Marie in turn passed on the revised route to the chauffeur, who pulled away from the curb and began the 20-minute drive to Ava’s downtown loft. Of course I knew exactly where the object of my desire lived—our duties too often coincided even when she did her best to avoid us—but I’d never been invited inside. Our one night of passion had taken place in the house I shared with my brothers. We’d been far too intoxicated that night to do more than stumble to our St. Louis home a mere block away from the Manor. Perhaps not my finest hour, but certainly one of the most memorable nights of my life.
One I hoped to repeat.
Although that seemed by no means a sure thing given that Ava pressed herself as close to the limo door—and as far away from me—as she could manage. Which, granted, wasn’t much. Perhaps an inch of space now separated us. My inner wolf snarled that it was one inch too far, and damned if my human side didn’t agree. So of course I casually shifted until that gap disappeared.
By the frustrated sigh she huffed out, my little Radiant noticed the second our thighs pressed together once more.
Good. Turnabout’s only fair play, Blondie. If I have to be all hot and bothered on this drive, so do you.
I glanced down into her annoyed eyes and donned a calm expression that could have done a choirboy proud. Well, were that choirboy 6’8” of alpha wolf shifter.
“So, did Kayleigh give you any previous hints that trouble might be brewing in our St. Louisan paradise?”
