Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 128380 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128380 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
“I did,” Roman replied. “They told me I was on my own with this.”
Not a shocker. The Umber Nest were tight. But they wouldn’t back you if you bit off more than the nest as a whole could chew. They’d leave you to clean up your own mess and accept the consequences. In some situations, they’d even wash their hands of not only you but your children if necessary. Much as they’d done to Bailey after her parents—
She slammed a door on that mental path.
“Come on, Bay, you know what it’s like to be alone,” he wheedled.
Havana hissed. “Don’t you dare try playing that card. You being told by your Alpha to deal with your own shit is nothing remotely close to the life of a lone shifter.”
Roman spluttered. “I never meant that—”
“I’m going to save Bailey the trouble of dealing with you,” Tate interjected. “We’re not going to welcome you into our pride. We’re not going to grant you protection from the Westwood Pack. We’re not going to give you a place to hide. We’re not going to help you in any way, shape, or form.”
Just as Roman had never helped Bailey over the years. None of the nest had. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t known where she was. They’d been the ones to deliver her to Corbin.
Roman swallowed. “They’ll kill me, Bay.”
“Only if they find you.” Bailey paused. “So make sure they don’t find you.” Considering he was a master at hiding, she was relatively confident that the jackals wouldn’t.
Tate gestured at the exit. “Go. And stay gone.”
Roman waited a long moment, as if sure Bailey would speak up for him. She didn’t. She merely stared at him. Spitting out a curse, the male angrily stalked out of the Tavern.
Maybe some would have felt guilty for turning him away. Bailey didn’t. Nor did she see why she should feel bad. After all, no one from the Umber Nest had been there for her when she’d needed them—on the contrary, they’d freaking abandoned her. And by hypocritically asking her to have his back, Roman clearly didn’t give a single, miniscule shit that it would mean she’d be in danger as well. Her welfare meant zilch to him.
Feeling the weight of someone’s gaze, she looked to see that Deke was staring at her—and not in a flattering way. It was one of his piercing stares. As if he was trying to see through her and didn’t particularly like that he wanted to.
Her snake pinned her own unblinking gaze right on this cat who both annoyed and intrigued her in equal measures.
“I didn’t know you had contact with any of your relatives,” he said.
She blinked. “Why would you?”
He let out a grunt. “Do you see or hear from any of them often?”
“Depends on your personal definition of ‘often,’ I guess.”
Deke watched as Bailey took a deliberate step away from him—a common thing of late. Likely aware that him being in close proximity to unmated females aggravated the touch-hunger, she purposely avoided coming too close to him. He appreciated it.
Yet he didn’t.
Because the physical distance somehow irritated him. But right now, as touch-hunger rode him hard and his cock began to ache like a mother, he was grateful for it.
Deke was about to call her on her evasive answer, but then Blair moved to her side and asked, “Do you think the jackals will really come here to speak with you?”
“Yes,” Bailey simply replied.
Havana gave her a pointed look. “If they show when you’re on your lonesome, text me. Don’t try to deal with them alone.”
“Sure thing.” Bailey sighed. “Anyone need a drink? Because I need a drink.” With that, she walked off.
Havana, Aspen, and Blair were quick to follow her to the bar, clearly concerned. Deke joined Camden, Tate, and Luke in trailing behind them.
Watching as the mamba knocked back shot after shot, Deke could easily sense that—despite how she casually talked and laughed—she was pissed. Her girls didn’t speak of Roman or the jackals; they tried distracting her with other matters, and their mates took their lead.
Deke, too, kept his questions to himself. So many danced around his head …
Why hadn’t her cousin’s nest taken her in when she’d become a lone shifter? Or had she always been a loner? Had the nest in fact offered her a place in it but she’d refused? Why wasn’t she willingly in contact with her relatives?
See, this was why he rarely asked her or others about her. It only made him want to know more. She was a puzzle. One he’d strived to understand but couldn’t.
He half-expected her to get blitzed, but she didn’t. She switched to water at one point, clearly intent on being vigilant. She took her role as Havana’s bodyguard seriously.
When Tate had first made Bailey an enforcer, Deke hadn’t really expected the Alpha to give her any responsibilities beyond being a guard for Havana. He also hadn’t expected her to last long in the position—she seemed to get bored fast. But Tate had called on her several times, utilizing the many skills that Deke would never have guessed she possessed. And if she was bored by the job, she hadn’t let it become a factor.