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“Let’s get this over with. Everyone will come back from the bar shortly, so we’ll have an audience for my third ass kicking by the Reynolds family in as many days.”
CHAPTER 20
NATHAN
“Maya, are you okay with this?”
Maya is quiet and I need to make sure she’s on board with this plan. Her expression is carefully blank as she looks first at Dean and then back at me.
“Do youreallythink I’m in danger here?” she asks. Ignoring everyone else, I focus my full attention on her.
My mate. My future. My everything.
“I wouldn’t volunteer to spend a second away from you in any other circumstance. Dean is right. Whoever this is, they’ve been cowardly enough to target all the women in my family. They could come after you.”
Dean is still scrutinising me closely. He’s only agreeing to this because he knows his sister won’t go home with him, not if she has accepted there’s a chance that I’m her mate. With the recent attacks on our pack, I don’t blame him for being concerned about her safety here if word were to get out that she’s mine. If I can ease his mind and go up a peg or two in his estimation by demonstrating how seriously I take her safety, I’ll do it.
“I’ll play along,” she concedes, not looking one bit happy about it. “But we have some serious talking to do tomorrow.”
Dean looks as relieved as I feel. Maybe we’re both being paranoid, thinking someone might hurt her, but I’m not willing to take any risks. And it won’t be a hardship to go away with Maya, either. I hadn’t planned on bringing Ross along as a third wheel, but he can tag along and do his own thing. Originally, I intended to leave in a week’s time and try to keep the visit under a week, but now, this is a chance for us to spend quality time together, so I’m going to milk it for all it’s worth.
“Rex says they’re on their way back. We’ll leave you to say your goodnight.”
Dad escorts Dean Reynolds into the hallway, leaving Maya and me alone in the office. The man thinks of everything. I need a few moments alone with her before we part. Even though it’s just one night, I can’t bear the thought of being away from her.
“Maya,” I murmur against her hair as I haul her to me and squeeze her tight. “I hate this, but I need you to be safe. Nobody will come after you if they think you’re back in your territory and that you couldn’t care less about me.”
“I’m not helpless. Just because I can’t smell, doesn’t mean I’m not able to defend myself.”
That’s why she was so quiet. She won’t meet my eye and I can see she’s hurt by the insinuation.
“I know you can take care of yourself. I have bruised ribs and hurt pride to prove it. Leah, Leila, and Hayley are all under constant protection. We’re all taking extra precautions, and this is just another.”
Maya lifts her big glistening eyes to mine, and I’m lost. I would do anything to make sure nobody touches a hair on her head. Watching Rex after they pulled Leah from the water, blue and lifeless, will stay with me for the rest of my life. I thought it destroyed him when Stacey rejected him, but that was nothing compared to those couple of minutes it took for her to breathe.
“I can shift. My wolf is a badass. They’re all either pregnant or human.”
She loops her arms around my neck and pulls me down a little closer.
“I’m sure she is, but that doesn’t matter. Their mates want to know they’re safe, just like I do.” I murmur stubbornly against her lips.
Maya smiles slowly at my words. Leaning into me, her pert breasts pressed against my chest, I grit my teeth. My wolf knows we’re about to be separated. He’s urging me to mark her, so we’ll have the mind link to communicate, but I won’t rush it.
“Is that so?”
Her voice is sultry and sensual. She likes my bossiness. All sensible thought leaves my brain, so I merely nod, transfixed by her pouty lips and the feel of her in my arms. I’m just about to kiss her back, harder and deeper, when she cocks her head to the side and sighs.
“I’m off to bed. I trust you two can handle this performance without me? Since it’s your master plan, after all.”
Maya slips out of my embrace and blows me a kiss before disappearing out the door. Not sure what caused her to bolt, I follow her out into the corridor and watch her hurry away. She’s halfway up the stairs, looking like she’s fleeing from us when I finally hear what she did. They’re all back from the bar.
I don’t even get a second to prepare myself before Dean Reynolds balls the front of my shirt in his fists and lifts me high into the air. Goddess, he’s tall. Shoving me hard against the wall, he snarls in my face, loud enough that everyone streaming in through the front door can hear it. I meet his gaze and hold eye contact, not needing to fake my wolf’s displeasure at being manhandled. Gripping his two wrists in mine, I twist and pull, but making no genuine effort to free myself.
“I’ve heardallabout you, Nathan Jones. You have quite a reputation and I will not let you hurt my sister any more than you already have. I’ll break every bone in your body if you come near her again.”
Dean’s performance as the angry brother who hates my guts is incredibly convincing. Somehow, I doubt he has to try very hard to pretend. His words hit close to the bone, and I can see the genuine warning in his eyes. These aren’t empty threats. He must hate that I’m mated to his sister, and genuinely will come for me if I do anything to hurt her.
To his credit, my dad tries to smother the grin he’s wearing. He’s another person who told me my actions would bite me in the ass someday, and he’s clearly enjoying being here to witness this.
