“While I appreciate that, I’d still rather you keep me in the loop, but you don’t seem to think I’m worthy of your time. Yet, you’ll work alongside a pallas cat you were sleeping with. Oh yeah, I heard just now that you and your landlord were kind of cozy at one time. Heard he even has a couple of his enforcers guarding you, even though you two aren’t an item anymore.”
The enforcers had introduced themselves as Deke and Isaiah, and they’d announced that they’d be tailing her for a while. She hadn’t objected, because having extra sets of eyes was never a bad thing. Plus, it would have meant talking to Tate. She’d completely avoided contacting him in the past week, and he’d given her that same courtesy. While she appreciated it, she also missed the shit out of him. And she often stupidly found herself wondering if he’d been spending any time with Ashlynn.
Dieter puffed out a long breath, making a visible effort to calm down. “I’m sorry I’m snapping at you. I just … This shit is fucked up, Havana. I don’t want to one day get a call telling me you’re dead. I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t be. I’m no easy target.”
“And you have the pallas cat’s protection, I know,” he clipped. “Can I rely on you to call me if you need help, or is the cat gonna be the one you reach out to?”
“His name is Tate. And you don’t have to say ‘cat’ in the same tone as you would ‘cannibal.’”
“I don’t like any species of feline shifter. You know that. Especially not pallas cats.
I won’t point out all the reasons they’re best to be avoided—you already know them, so it confuses the shit out of me that you got involved with one of those crazies.”
“Like my kind are in a position to judge other species of shifter for being slightly insane. Devils aren’t the most mentally balanced of creatures either.”
Dieter grunted.
“Now you need to butt out of my sex life—who I sleep with isn’t your business. And unless you want my foot lodged up your ass, quit snapping at me.”
Wincing, he thrust a hand through his hair. “My insides seize up when you use that alpha tone on me. Look, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have jumped down your throat. Like I said, I just worry about you. But, having not seen you in months, I could have at least said hello first.”
“Uh, yeah, most definitely.”
“Let’s start over. Hey, Havana, good to see you.” He hugged her. “I’ve missed you.”
She hugged him back, happy to find that, hey, she hadn’t actually missed him. More, having him so close didn’t stir her body in the slightest. “No, you haven’t. You’ve been having way too much fun with Tabitha.”
He chuckled. “Plenty of fun,” he agreed. “That doesn’t mean I didn’t miss my devil.”
Irritated, her inner animal chuffed at the possession in his tone.
Dieter broke the hug. “I have to go meet my girl, so I can’t stay. Do me a favor and just keep me updated on what’s happening. Or have Corbin do it.”
Havana nodded, thinking she’d most definitely ask Corbin to pass on the info. “Okay.”
He squeezed her shoulder. “Thank you. Stay safe, and take care of yourself.”
“I will.” Havana watched him walk away and, for the first time in a very long while, it didn’t hurt to see him leave. A sense of peace stole over her as she realized that, huh, she was truly over the man. Which was not only fantastically awesome, it reminded her that although she might be hurting over Tate now, it would eventually pass.
Ignoring the little voice in her head warning her not to be so sure of that, Havana turned back to the juveniles in the ring just in time to see the shorter kid knock the other boy to the floor with a punch to the jaw. The taller kid shook off whatever daze he was in, pushed to his feet, and touched gloves with his opponent. Good.
A lot of people came to the rec center’s gym to learn everything from simple self-defense to more sophisticated martial arts techniques. Even now, it was crowded. Some beat on heavy punching bags while others practiced moves, worked out, shadow-boxed, or hit the pads. The music playing was barely audible over the sounds of trainers barking instructions, fists smashing against leather, people grunting and cursing, and the whirr of skipping ropes.
Anyone was welcome to spar, but not for the purpose of hurting others. It was about applying what you’d been taught from the trainers, learning where you needed to improve, and learning how to fight with controlled anger.
“Aspen, wait!”
Hearing Bailey’s voice, Havana turned to see Aspen striding toward her, her face like thunder, her eyes on the ring.
“I’m next,” Aspen announced. She slipped through the ropes and jumped into the ring. Rolling back her shoulders, she paced and glanced at the females close by, challenging them with her gaze alone.
Yeah, sometimes people also used the ring to vent their frustrations—Corbin allowed it providing no one aimed to injure their opponent. And it appeared that Aspen was looking to do some venting.
“What’s going on?” Havana asked Bailey as the mamba materialized beside her.
“Camden’s boyfriend, Randy, just got in her face talking shit and telling her she’d better find a new apartment soon because he’d be moving in with Camden,” replied Bailey. “Which I highly doubt. Anyway, our girl just stared at him and then walked away like he wasn’t worth her time. It was clear she wanted to lamp him, though.”
“Asshole,” Havana uttered. “Where is he now?”
“He left in a strop when he didn’t get the reaction he wanted. If Camden was gay instead of bi, I doubt any of his boyfriends would have felt so weird about how close he is to Aspen.”
“He might be bi, but he seems to be more drawn to men. He hasn’t been with a woman in years.”
“Or there’s only one woman he wants, but he won’t take the chance of messing up their friendship. Come on, we’ve all sensed a low hum of sexual chemistry simmering between them. Maybe they both want what neither is willing to risk losing their friendship for. Don’t say Aspen would tell us if she cared for him that way. She wouldn’t. She’d hold it in and try to ignore it. It’s hard to voice that you want something if you’re convinced you won’t ever have it.” Bailey gave Havana a meaningful look. “You know that well.”
Havana sighed. “Yes, I do. And you’re right, she’d say nothing.”
It was hard to be sure what Camden felt for Aspen. His possessiveness toward her was almost child-like, sort of like a kid who didn’t want to share his best friend. She mattered to him when very few things did.
Havana was certain of one thing—he’d have a hard time when Aspen found her mate. That kind of bond would make Camden feel threatened, even if what he did feel for her was platonic.
Havana cut her gaze back to the ring. “Oh, someone’s decided to take on Aspen.”
Bailey winced. “Fair play to them. That woman’s a black bear, right?”
“Yep. And I’m guessing she thinks that, being taller and broader, she has the upper hand.”
Bailey snickered. “Aspen will wipe the floor with her.”