Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 116662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“Would you stop with that shit? I love you both equally.”
“I don’t know how you manage to keep a straight face when you say that.”
Waving the comment off, Adaline looked at Isaiah. “I do thank you for playing a part in killing the bastard who held the gun, but I can’t deny being angry that Quinley hasn’t been better protected. I know that isn’t fair or rational—”
“Oh, now you know you’re being irrational?” asked Quinley.
“—it’s just how I feel,” said Adaline, ignoring her interruption. “Your pride is doing the best it can to locate the Vercetti Pack, I know. But they came at her twice, Isaiah. Twice. That’s, like …”
“Two times?” supplied Quinley.
“Unacceptable,” Adaline stated.
Setting down his iced water, he looked at Adaline soberly. “Trust me when I say you can’t make me feel more pissed at myself for that than I already do.”
Her brows snapping together, Quinley looked at him. “What? So now you’re both going to be irrational?” Her agitated cat whipped her tail. “You’re not at fault for them targeting me.”
“No, I’m not,” he allowed. “But I did know that I was bringing you into the pride at a dangerous time. I did it anyway.”
Oh, Lord. “There’s always some shit going down in the world of shifters. We’re never totally safe.”
“Which is why I wasn’t going to let the situation get in the way. But I could have at least warned you before we mated. I didn’t even do that much, not thinking they’d go after you.”
“Any such warning would have made no difference. I wouldn’t have considered it a reason to not take you as a mate. So unless you would have delayed things nonetheless, the result would be the same. And if you had needed such a delay, I would have chosen a different guy to ma—”
“We’re not going to talk about that,” Isaiah asserted, lowering his face closer to hers, possession etched into his features. That look made her cat all tingly.
“Okay. But you get my point.” Quinley paused to drink some milkshake through her straw. “I’d rather be in the sights of the Vercetti Pack than be all safe and sound while bound to a different male.”
His expression softening, he dabbed a kiss on her forehead. “I know you would. And I don’t regret that I claimed you. How could I? But I can still acknowledge that I was selfish to do so when I had the Vercetti Pack gunning for me.”
Sliding his headphones backwards so they were hooked around his nape, Ren lowered his half-eaten patty melt to his plate. “Dad, can you pass the ketchup?”
“Sure, son.” Will handed the condiment bottle to him. “Liking your food?”
There was a bubbly squirting sound as Ren squeezed red sauce onto his plate. “It meets with our approval.” He offered the condiment to Corey, who paused his movie.
“Boys,” began Adaline, her tone all maternal patience, “remember we spoke about how you don’t need to speak for each other?”
“We remember,” said Corey, heaping ketchup over his fries.
Adaline exchanged an exasperated glance with Will.
Lori gently bumped her shoulder into Quinley’s, saying, “Recommending the chili was a good shout, it’s amazing. I’d totally eat here again.”
Raya hummed. “Same. We should make it, like, a weekly family meetup. Only without Adaline.”
“Hey,” Adaline complained, her frown deepening when the boys giggled. She snatched one of Ren’s fries in retaliation, and the kid promptly coughed all over it. “Ew, no!” she groused, dumping it back on his plate.
Corey gave her the sweetest smile. “Mom, can me and Ren have a strawberry sundae for dessert?”
“Don’t ask on behalf of your brother. He might not want a strawberry sundae.”
“I do,” Ren told her.
“Well, you coughed on me, so you don’t get one,” she teased.
“Speaking of desserts,” Raya piped up, “I’m so having pie after this. Maybe blueberry. Or lemon meringue. Maybe both.”
Right then, a figure appeared at the table. “Ah, Quinley, such cute little boys,” said Valentina. “These are your nephews, yes?”
“They are,” Quinley confirmed, smiling. “I tried introducing them to you at the party in the Tavern weeks ago, but they frequently disappeared to the arcade area.”
“What are your names?” the wolverine asked them.
Ren pointed at his brother and said, “He’s Corey.”
“That’s Ren,” Corey told her, tipping his head at his twin.
“I am Valentina. How old are you?”
“Eight,” they replied at once.
“And you are black-foots?”
“Uh-huh,” they again answered in unison.
Valentina’s mouth twitched. “You make me think of my Mila and Alex when they were younger. They are twins, too. They would finish each other’s sentences and would swear they knew what other was thinking. They always seemed to know when one was hatching plan to kill other.”
Corey giggled. “We like you.”
“And so you should.” Valentina pointed at Quinley. “Do not eat too much or you will be too full for hamburger eat-off tomorrow.”