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“Christ, she took a strip off me,” Boone said, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Said that Hedra was family and Nan deserved to know when a family member was in danger. Then I made the mistake of telling her it wasn’t like she could protect Hedra from Mateo.”
Cooper winced. “Fuck, do you have a death wish?”
“It was a mistake,” Boone admitted. “I’ve never seen her so angry. She almost shifted, and if I’d been sitting closer, she for sure would have torn me open with her claws.”
“Is Hedra pissed that you have Nan babysitting her while you’re gone?” Cooper asked.
“Nan isn’t babysitting her,” Boone said. “When I told Nan last night that I was going to talk to Mateo, she insisted on coming over to stay with Hedra. Said Hedra shouldn’t be alone while I was off proving my pecker was bigger than a cheetah shifter’s.”
Cooper roared laughter, his truck weaving a little on the road.
“Jesus, Coop, don’t get us into an accident,” Boone said.
Still chuckling, Cooper gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. “Sorry. Your nan is the best, though. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, I do. And Hedra was glad for her company. She won’t admit it, but she’s freaking out about me talking to Mateo today.”
Cooper shrugged. “Not surprising. I’m still not convinced you won’t tear the guy a new asshole the minute he opens the door.”
“I won’t,” Boone said. “I’ll keep my cool, Coop.”
Cooper gave him an assessing gaze. “Make sure you do, buddy. I understand your anger, I wanted to kill Xander after he hurt Daisy, but I also don’t want to be sending fucking care gifts to your goddamn prison cell.”
Boone gave him a grim smile. “I have no intention of doing anything that will land me in prison.”
“We all have good intentions,” Cooper said, “but you can’t tell me your tiger isn’t ready to kill this Mateo guy.”
“He’s pissed,” Boone admitted, “but I can control him.”
“Again, best intentions and all that bullshit, but sometimes our cats are more powerful than we think.”
“Is that why you came with me? Because your lion is the only one who can give my tiger a run for his money if he decides to go after Mateo?”
“There might have been some talk between the three of us who could overpower your tiger easiest,” Cooper said. “It was agreed that I should go.”
“First of all fuck you,” Boone said, making Cooper snort laughter, “and second of all, I know there is no fucking way Wes or Gray conceded that your lion was the toughest.”
“We eventually just rock, scissors, papered that shit,” Cooper said. “I won.”
Boone laughed despite the anxiety sitting in his stomach like a stone. “All of you can suck my fucking dick. My tiger could kick all three of your asses with one paw tied behind his back.”
His tiger growled in agreement as the GPS instructed Cooper to exit the highway. Cooper flicked on his indicator and merged into the exit lane. They’d driven through Rosehaven about half an hour ago, and Boone’s anxiety had grown steadily higher.
Cooper drove down the road, the area becoming increasingly more suburban, from the identical houses with perfectly manicured lawns to the numerous parks and schools they passed.
The GPS announced their destination was ahead on the right, and Boone’s stomach lurched, the coffee he’d drank earlier sloshing around unpleasantly.
Cooper parked on the street in front of Mateo’s home. It looked exactly like the rest of the houses, a cookie-cutter craftsman style with a small porch lined with flower boxes. The front lawn needed mowing, and an Amazon box and a Popeyes Chicken delivery bag were in front of the door.
“You good?” Cooper asked.
“Yeah,” Boone said. “This wasn’t what I was expecting.”
“I hear you.” Cooper studied the street, nodding to an older man walking a Pomeranian wearing a bright pink jacket on the opposite side of the street. The man waved cheerfully, and Cooper unbuckled his seatbelt as Boone did the same.
“Let’s get this the fuck over with,” Boone said.
He slid out of the truck, and he and Cooper walked up the sidewalk, passing by the burgundy-coloured mini-van sitting in the driveway.
