He hated to admit. “No.”
“Daphne is too little to defend herself if they come after her.”
They didn’t need a name. They stood for the faceless doctors and their minions who would take them into custody and put them in windowless rooms.
“They better not dare,” Stefan growled.
“If they’re the ones watching, we’re in so much danger. Those people dared to order your death.”
“I know.” Since Stefan heard about it, he’d been having nightmares every time he closed his eyes. Memory or imagination? He couldn’t know when he woke up with his heart racing.
“Just like you also know we can’t afford to say no to the only people with the means to help.”
“What does pledging allegiance entail? A ceremony during the full moon?” He was only half joking.
“Actually, Gwayne suggested a wedding.” The bomb dropped. It took a shell-shocked second to reply.
“Out of the question.” The exclamation burst from Stefan. He didn’t even ask who they wanted to barter off. No one in his family would be sold like merchandise. “I can’t believe they’d even suggest it. I’m going to give that fucker a piece of my mind.”
“Stefan, maybe you should think about it.”
“Think about what? That he wants force Ray or Jessie? Fuck, what if it’s Maeve? She’s too young. And we both know Pammy’s not into marriage with a dude. This is bullshit.”
“Is it? I personally think he’s serious. He’s offered his sister as the bride.”
For a second, he pictured himself as the groom, only to remember, given his issues, he never planned on getting married. That narrowed it down to Raymond or Daeve. Neither acceptable. Stefan’s sudden rage blinded him. “I gotta go, Mom.”
“Stefan, wait, there’s more.”
“I don’t want to hear it.” He hung up.
Time to tell this alpha wolf where to shove his demands of fealty.
12
Nimway heard the motorcycle and thought nothing of it. Frank up the street drove a Harley anytime the weather looked clear.
The raised voices did bring her out of the office to see an unwanted visitor standing in the front hall, arguing with Percy.
“What do you want?” She scowled at Stefan, the one person she didn’t want to see.
“To see your brother. Now,” Stefan snapped, his irritation as fiery as his hair. Stefan held his motorcycle helmet in one hand and appeared unhappy to see her.
What an asshole.
“I tried telling him he had to call ahead first.” Percy had only angled his body enough for her to face Stefan. He wouldn’t budge, not with Stefan acting aggressive. As If she needed his protection.
“I don’t have time for this bullshit. I want to speak to him now.”
Now was it?
“Aren’t you demanding.” She waved to Percy. “I got this. Get the crew going.” Only once Percy was gone did she snap, “What do you want?”
Rather than answer, he asked a question of his own. “I thought this was your brother’s house.”
“It is his place. I live here as his roommate. Is that a problem?” She arched a brow.
“No. Where’s your brother? We need to speak.” Still no hello. Not one single soft word that would pay homage to the kiss they’d shared.
She crossed her arms. “Do you have an appointment?”
“No.”
“Then that explains why he’s not here to bow to your incredible rudeness at barging in.”
That brought a scowl to his handsome face. “Where is he?”
“Not here.” She enjoyed the way a muscle ticked high on his cheekbone.
“When is he coming back?”
“Do I look like his secretary?”
“You’re too damned hot in those jeans to be a secretary,” he growled.
Like literally growled.
And it was sexy.
She ignored it. “Exactly what do you think my brother does all day? Hang around his house doing nothing?”
“Isn’t he your leader?” Spoken with a sneer.
“Even an alpha has a job. The bills don’t magically get paid.” Although they could if needed. The pack had the funds to help those who fell on hard times, usually under the guise of hiring them for some bullshit job. But hiding in plain sight meant doing the mundane things other people in suburbia did, such as going to work, earning a paycheck.
“So he works while you stay home.” He seemed determined to fight. Who’d pissed in his cereal this morning?
“I have a job.”
He glanced at the door. “That requires muscle for protection?”
The misassumption brought her laughter. “Yes, but not for the reason you think. Percy is part of my roofing crew.”
He blinked at her. “Your what?”
“Remember the part where I said I have a job? I run a roofing company.”
“Like fuck.” He glanced at her hands.
She held them up. Clean, but rougher than most ladies’. “These days, I do more of the paperwork and customer service shit than I like, but in a pinch, if we get shorthanded, I know how to layer on asphalt shingle and spread tar.”
“If you’re a roofer, how come you’re wasting daylight?”
“By law. You do realize it’s only seven thirty in the morning.”
He grimaced. “Don’t remind me. My mom woke me at the crack of dawn.”
“And why, pray tell, did she do that?”
“Because your brother called her.”
That surprised and didn’t. After their argument last night, she’d hoped for more time. She should have known better. “And what did your mom and my brother talk about?” Judging by his anger, she could guess.
“Don’t play stupid. You know your brother wants some kind of oath of allegiance from my family.”
“Hardly a travesty.”
“It is if we’re not interested.”
“And do you speak for your whole family?”
His lips pressed into a line. “I’m not a fool. We both know your brother went after my mom on purpose. Made her think there’s no other choice for our family than to join your pack.” His tone left no illusions as to what he thought of that idea.
“My brother spoke to your mom because she’s obviously the smart one in her family who understands you have few choices,” Nimway snapped. “Here are the facts. This is wolf territory, and while you managed to slide under our radar for a few decades, it doesn’t change over a century of us living here. This is our land, and you are a threat.”
“Like fuck we are.”
“Actually, you are, especially given what recently happened with your brothers. Their antics have put us all at risk.”
“It wasn’t Ray’s fault. Someone spiked the chocolate.”
“Yes, and that person has been taken care of.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning they won’t do it again, but there are other threats that need to be handled. Or have you forgotten the people watching you?”
“According to you.”
“Yeah, according to me. And it’s me who’s going to have to make sure they don’t catch your family and expose us all.”