“Good of you to join us,” the Alpha said with a smirk even though he was the one who had only arrived a short while ago. By the look he gave him, Jaxon didn’t have to guess at what had kept him inside while the other males had made themselves scarce.
Luca cleared his throat from where he was leaning against the railing. “All good?”
Niko grinned. He couldn’t help it. Let them think what they wanted. They weren’t wrong. “Better than good. She promised me tomorrow.”
Luca tipped his long neck in his direction, the corners of his mouth quirking up. Yeah, he remembered. “I’m happy for you, bro.”
“Where’s Emmet?” The man’s scent had all but disappeared. Either he’d gone into the forest, or he’d left. Neither made sense since they still had to discuss whatever the hell was happening with the cougar.
“Gone to church,” Jaxon said, draining what was left of his beer and setting the bottle down on the porch next to the rail.
“Now I know you’re shitting me. The only time he steps foot in there is at the spring and fall bake sales when he marches up to Bonnie’s table and buys her out.”
“I tried getting a butter tart last year and almost lost my hand for it,” Luca added.
Jaxon nodded. “And Cole had to catch that old lady before she fell when he growled. What can I say? As smart as my brother is, he’s an idiot. If he’d just mate her and be done with it, we’d all be better off.”
Niko grunted. “So, what is he going to the church for?”
“Bonnie texted him. Said there was a disturbance, and she was going in to check it out. He hightailed it out of here so fast I’m not sure he remembered to bundle his clothes.”
“What kind of disturbance? Does he need backup?” Crime wasn’t a big problem in Dexter, but like any other small town, kids got into trouble sometimes. What had him more worried was the vampire they still knew nothing about. Even hell-raising kids wouldn’t stand a chance if they came across that kind of beast.
“He’ll call if he needs us.”
Jaxon stood and dusted his ass off just as the screen door opened and Rylee emerged.
Silhouetted in the light from the kitchen, he could barely make out her shape beneath his T-shirt, but it was the sexiest damned thing he’d ever seen.
“I hope this is okay?” she asked, twisting a finger around the bottom hem.
So fucking adorable. If he had his way, she’d wear nothing but his clothes ever again, but rather than make a fool of himself in front of the other men, he nodded and raised his arm, drawing her into his side. Her eyes sparkled when she lifted her lips to his. The second they met, he pulled back.
“Maple! You’ve been holding out on me,” he accused before coming in for another taste.
A low growl rumbled from the Alpha at the mention of his mate’s name.
Niko took a small step back, putting his body more squarely between her and the other male. He didn’t fail to notice that Luca straightened from where he leaned against the rail, ready to come to his aid if need be. “Candy, man. Not your mate. Rylee’s kiss tastes like maple candy.”
Rylee wiggled next to him, then lifted her hand, opening it, palm up, proving that he was right. She had a stash, and she hadn’t even told him about it. She grinned and gave it to him. “She must have put it in the bag when Luca was carrying you out to the SUV.”
“Well, damn,” Luca piped up, his voice way too whiny for a grown-ass man. If Niko had a sweet tooth, Luca had a dozen. He’d all but kill for Maple’s sweets.
Rylee giggled and then squirmed against him again, producing a second paper wrapped treat and tossing it to Luca.
He thought he heard Luca mumble a thanks, but half a second later, the wrapper was off and he was moaning.
Rylee reached one more time, but Jaxon held his hand up. “I’ve got my own stash,” he said, producing one from his pocket.
Shrugging, Rylee continued her reach, then popped the candy into her mouth. “This stuff is like crack,” she said. The second the words were out, her whole body stiffened.
“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that they’re so good, I can’t stop eating them,” she managed to rush out before Jaxon threw his head back and laughed.
“You’re right. Thank God for wolf metabolism. Otherwise, I’d weigh a ton. Let’s get this over with so I can go home to my mate,” he finally said once he’d gotten himself under control.
Sixteen
“What’s on the hard drive that both the cougars and the vampires want?” Jaxon asked as he sipped the coffee Rylee had prepared. Now that they were around the kitchen table, the Alpha was all business.
“No idea. I’m a retrieval specialist, not an analyst. It’s not my job to know what’s on there. I get the location and logistics needed to get the item. I go in, and I get out—preferably unseen. I doubt that’ll happen in this case since there are so many people involved. It’s not just the cougars and vamps looking for it, though. The Wolfes are, as well.”
Jaxon straightened. She could almost see him in his canine form sitting with his ears perked straight up. It wasn’t that he hadn’t been paying attention before, but his focus sharpened. Rylee licked her lips and her gaze flicked over to Niko. His posture wasn’t nearly as rigid, but he leaned closer, his brows knitted. Luca rested against the kitchen counter and picked at something on his fingernail.
“The wolves, too?” Jaxon asked.
“No. Well, I guess, technically, yes, but I meant the Wolfe family. As in Aric Wolfe.
