Cynful

tattoos.

At least her life was never boring.

Julian stared at the phone as if it was going to reach out and bite him in the ass. “You want to do what where now?”

“Dancing.” The duh tone of Cyn’s voice was obvious. “It’s that thing you do when you move your body to music and pray you don’t look like a total spaz like that woman on the Seinfeld reruns.”

He sighed heavily and brought the phone back to his ear. “Sweetheart, did you clear this with Gabe?”

“I had the Stupid tattoo removed from my forehead a long time ago, Jules. He says we should be all right as long as we bring you guys with us and keep him informed if anything happens.”

He thought over his schedule for the following day and realized he didn’t have to be in work until the afternoon. “Sounds fun then. I’m in.”

“Excellent.”

“I don’t suppose you could wear the Sailor Mars outfit just for me?”

“I’m planning on wearing something even better.”

His heart nearly stopped even as his cock sprang to attention. “There’s something better?” Man, his voice hadn’t cracked like that since he was thirteen.

“Think leather. Tight leather.” She chuckled, low and rough and so very Cyn. “Don’t whimper like that, you’ll get to see it tonight.”

Damn. She’d heard. “But tonight is so very far away.”

“Don’t pout, Care Bear. Maybe tonight I’ll rub your tummy symbol.”

If he were a canine he’d have been panting. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

“You might get to hold something else if you’re really good.”

Did he just whimper again? He was dying to get to second and third base. He figured he really would die if he ever slid home. “Did you tell Alex and Ryan where we’re going?”

“Nope. Tabby might tell Alex, but we’re leaving it up to you to tell Ryan. You’ve never seen Glory in club clothes, have you?”

He groaned. “I’m not going to like this, am I?” If Glory was going to flirt with danger, she was going to get her cute little ass bit. If Ryan caught another man’s scent on her, he’d go ballistic. They’d be lucky if he didn’t kill the man.

It was never a good idea to taunt a Grizzly.

Then again, he might have a way to keep Ryan occupied. “What do you think about bringing Chloe with us? Poor girl hasn’t been out of her apartment for weeks except for doctor trips and physical therapy.”

“Can she handle that level of noise and light?”

Julian was touched by the level of concern in Cyn’s voice. “I can ask her. If she can go it might just cheer her up and keep Ryan distracted at the same time.”

“Much as I might like having her there, the whole point of inviting you guys along is to protect us. If Chloe is there, Ryan will be too busy taking care of his sister.”

Julian laughed. “I don’t think you understand exactly how strong the mate bond is. If he thinks for even one second that someone else is trying to steal his mate that person will be twisted into a pretzel so fast not even Bear himself could stop it. He’s already on red alert thanks to the attack on you. Trust me, he’s going to notice every move she makes.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“Then we’ve entered some sort of freaky alternate reality where shifters don’t exist, ’cause that’s the only way that’s going to happen.”

“If you say so.” He could practically see her shrugging, dismissing Glory and Ryan’s budding mating. “Will you be noticing every move I make?”

Damn. He really needed to stop whimpering. It was so…unmanly.

Chapter Nine

A woman’s figure caught Julian’s eye before he’d taken two steps into Nocturne. He found himself fascinated by her movements. The skin-tight black leather pants showed off a well-rounded derriere. The tight pink tank top she wore showcased slim, strong shoulders and lean, lightly muscled arms. On one wrist was a thick leather band, a huge gleaming turquoise decorating the center. Perched on her head was a black fedora with a silver band. The fedora was just the accessory she needed to showcase her multihued hair.

She danced like a woman who knew who she was and challenged every man on the dance floor to dare to take her on. One tried, and was dismissed with the wave of one slender hand and a derisive toss of her head. It was a miracle that hat didn’t fly off and hit the guy, not that Julian would’ve minded. No one should be sliding up to his woman like that, eager to touch her. He was the only one who got that privilege, thank you. Her hair swung gently as she moved to the beat, her body twisting and writhing in a primitive rhythm that had every nerve in Julian’s body standing at attention. He found himself unable to tear his eyes away from the sight of his mate as she danced with her friends.

“Holy shit. Is that—?” The shock in Alex’s voice had him turning to look at the Grizzly. Alex’s mouth was hanging open, his expression full of unholy glee.

“Oh fuck no. No, she didn’t.” Even over the pounding music Julian could hear that Ryan was growling. His hands fisted and his blue eyes darkened to near black.

Julian turned back to the dance floor to see what the two of them were staring at. His own jaw dropped at the sight that met his eyes. “Holy crap, is that Glory?”

And he’d thought the Sailor Mars skirt was short. She’d be more covered up wearing a bikini bottom. He might be nearly mated, but even he could admit she had a damn fine ass. He tilted his head as he stared at far more of Glory than he’d ever thought to see. That pale blue mane of hers was playing an interesting game of peek- a-boo between her butt and the men dancing around her. She’d somehow straightened the curly mass, causing it to fall nearly to her knees. Thigh high boots gave the outfit the illusion of decency. “I thought people weren’t allowed to go out dancing in just their underwear.”

Ryan’s low growl showed the man was not amused.

“She’s wearing a corset.” Alex’s gaze drifted over to his own mate, dressed in her own pair of skintight jeans and one of the lacy tops Tabby tended to favor.

“I noticed.” If the Grizzly clenched his jaw any harder his teeth would snap.

Alex tilted his head, a slow smile drifting across his face. “Do you think she’ll tell me where she got that? I’d like to get one for Tabby.”

Julian eyed the corset. It was one of those strapless thingies that turned Glory’s molehills into mountains. He could just imagine what it would do to Cyn’s glorious breasts. “Ditto.”

From the way Ryan’s chest was heaving Julian figured he was two seconds away from storming the dance floor.

But then he forgot all about Ryan as Cyn caught sight of him. She crooked her finger at him with a wicked grin, daring him to join her. Julian knew his eyes had gone silver, but he didn’t care. He stepped out onto the dance floor and grabbed his mate, pulling her close. He could practically smell the disappointment in the men around him as he showed that Cyn belonged to him. “Having fun?”

“Always.” She glanced behind him. “Where’s Chloe?”

“She decided not to come. She still tires easily.”

She shimmied and he damn near moaned. Cyn looped her arms around his neck and tugged on his braid. “I should have asked you to wear your hair down.”

He rolled his eyes. She had the strange obsession with his hair. “Should I have put it in curlers first?”

“Sure. I was also thinking of scheduling us for matching facials and mani-pedis.”

There was only one response to that. “The one with the cucumbers over the eyes? Sign me up! I hear they