“I can’t do that either. Araya is going because these guys stay on the move. It’s too risky to try and transport them. This is a team effort, Hale. Everyone has to do their part. You know better than anyone I would love nothing more than to leave her completely and solely in your hands, but we can’t afford to make mistakes right now. I’m sorry.”
Hale sighs out in defeat, and then his eyes turn back to size me up again.
“Underwear?” he muses.
“Clay likes it really hot… in here,” I mock with heavy innuendo, and Clay spews his coffee across the floor upon hearing my conniving little remark.
“Cute,” Hale says with a tempting smirk, and he pulls me to his body before sipping his coffee.
He tries to stifle his grin behind his cup, but it’s all too obvious.
“I suppose last night’s party extended on into the night after the dance,” Clay muses, his own grin growing.
“Just slightly,” Hale softly adds, and then he leans over to kiss my forehead.
“I’m going to go put on some shorts,” I murmur through a strained tone as I throb for his touch.
“Why?” he teases. “I just got here.”
I laugh lightly, and then I playfully shove him before walking into the bedroom. Clay laughs with Hale, and it just feels so natural to be like this with him. There’s no secrets hiding behind his eyes anymore. I feel like he’s the Hale I fell in love with… the first time.
Another knock rings out, and I hear the front door opening to the new arrival.
“Have you seen Araya? That creep is in her room. He said she darted out in the middle of the night and he hasn’t seen her since.”
“She’s in the guest room. She spent the night here… well sort of. She got here at around four or so,” Clay answers, and I walk out to see the suspicious eyes of Brazen staring at Clay expectantly.
“Whoa. No. Not like that. She didn’t want to stay in the room with Ty,” Clay adds with a chuckle, and I hide my smile with my hand as Brazen’s eyes catch sight of me.
“I told you that you could stay with me,” he says so gently, and Hale’s jaw tenses.
I sigh out, and then Hale and Brazen exchange a dueling stare down.
“Did you stay here too?” Brazen growls.
“What if I did?” Hale antagonizes.
The standoff continues until I finally step in between them to stop the fight that isn’t far from breaking out.
“Hale just got here a few minutes ago. Don’t fight,” I caution.
“They’re not going to fight because they’ll lose their stripes,” Clay warns as he walks over to pick up his phone.
Hale walks over to flop down on the couch, and Brazen props up on the bar while tugging at the front of my shirt to bring me closer to him.
“I’ll go get your stuff ready so you don’t have to deal with the creep,” he offers so sincerely.
“It’s fine. You need to get on the road, and I’m not scared of Ty. I just hate him.”
Hale walks over to stand beside me, and his arm drapes over my shoulder as he stakes his claim. I don’t know whether to smile or roll my eyes to be honest. If it was anyone other than Brazen, I would smile. With Brazen though… it’s Brazen.
“I’ll get her stuff. I have to speak with him anyhow. He has to learn boundaries with the women here, and I’ll be happy to inform him of that,” Hale huffs, his eyes still burning into my full blood’s pale ones.
Brazen’s eyes narrow at the possessive gesture, and then he looks back to me.
“You really dated that guy?” he asks in disbelief.
I’m a little embarrassed now to say the least, and I fidget uncomfortably as I answer, “Briefly. He wasn’t that bad when we dated. I think a lot of it is my fault. He’s almost overcompensating.”
