Bailey cleared his throat.
Jordan glanced his way, but didn’t say anything. He stuffed the rag into his back pocket and went back to work. Bailey had the distinct impression the man was pissed at him. Was it for shooting him or making Travis take him away? Both?
He was about to turn around and leave until Mark walked out of his office, smiling at Bailey. “Come to check on your car?”
Bailey latched onto that excuse. “Yeah, have you fixed it?”
Mark gave him a knowing grin. Bailey glanced over to where Jordan was working, but the man was acting as if Bailey wasn’t even there. “Jordan was on it as soon as your car hit bay two. It’s ready, I just haven’t had a chance to call you yet.”
Bailey was stunned. He had treated Jordan like shit and the guy still made sure his car was taken care of. Letting out a deep sigh, Bailey knew the least he could do was take Bear’s advice and give the guy a chance. If nothing else, they could become friends.
“Is it okay if I go over there and talk to him for a minute?”
Mark nodded. “It’s more than okay.” He said it like he knew that Jordan was supposed to be his mate. Bailey was beginning to wonder if he was the only one in town who hadn’t known that shifters existed. It seemed everyone he talked to knew about the nonhumans.
He approached Jordan, watching him work for a very long moment. Neither said anything and he was just about to give up hope when Jordan moved around him to get a tool, touching the small of Bailey’s back. If the black panther hated Bailey, he wouldn’t be touching him.
“I’m sorry about last night,” he began.
Jordan didn’t say a word. The guy sank back under the hood, leaving Bailey standing there feeling as if he should just get lost. Jordan had every right to be mad about Bailey for shooting him. He still wanted an explanation about the guy killing a man in his backyard, but he was starting to see that more was going on in Brac Village than met the eye.
“Thanks for fixing my car.”
Jordan glanced over his shoulder and gave Bailey a curt nod. Okay, he was willing to give this a try, but there was no way he could carry on a one-sided conversation. Bailey didn’t care how hot Jordan looked with the bandana wrapped around his raven hair, or how good he smelled even though he was covered in grease.
He pivoted and began to walk away.
“You missed breakfast.”
Bailey stopped walking and turned, gazing at the muscular man. “I thought—”
“You agreed to meet me.”
The guy hadn’t said anything about Bailey putting a bullet in him, but he was angry that Bailey missed their breakfast date? “Uh, sorry about that.”
“Don’t ever stand me up again,” he said as he dipped back down under the hood. “I’ll see you over there for dinner.”
Bailey walked back over to Mark who was standing there with a clipboard in his hand. “Damn, that’s the most I’ve heard him talk since he started working here,” Mark said as he gave Bailey the paperwork to sign.
Grabbing his keys from Mark, Bailey strode out of the garage, heading over to the diner to wait for Jordan.
Chapter Four
Maverick sat at his desk looking over business proposals. Skyler was sitting on the black couch, playing with her dolls. The two had a dinner date at the diner. Murdock had just dropped her off and Maverick was ready to head out when his cell phone rang.
“This better be important. I have a very pretty lady waiting on me.”
“Ah, another dinner date with Skyler?” Christian asked.
Maverick relaxed in his chair. “You know, I’m good looking enough to attract the ladies.”
“Yes, but you would have no interest in the ladies once you caught them. Besides, I wouldn’t say that too loud when your mate is working down the hall from you.”
Maverick glanced at the door, hating that Christian was right. “He doesn’t have me on a yoke.” He couldn’t let the vampire know that he really didn’t want Cecil to hear him.
The bastard laughed, unfortunately knowing Maverick a little too well when it came to his mate. That only aggravated him. Christian was the same way with Yasuko and Minsheng. The man had no room to talk. “Did you call to harass me or was there something you actually needed to talk to me about?”
“One of my coven members captured a Vampire Hunter. He had some very interesting things to say by the time Christo was finished interrogating him.”
This got his attention. “Shi—shoot.” He glanced at Skyler, giving her a wide smile. She slipped from the couch and walked over, handing Maverick one of her dolls.
“I’m hungry.”
“We are about to head out, princess.” Thankful that no one could see him, Maverick played dress up dolls with Skyler while he talked to the prince. He still sucked at doing the dolls’ hair, but he was getting better at it.
“It seems Kenyon is rallying his men to come and investigate Brac Village. My second-in-command caught the Vampire Hunter in my club, snooping around.”
Maverick snarled into the phone. “Let him come. I’ll”—he glanced down at Sklyer—“put them in time-out.”
Christian burst out laughing on the other end. “It is amazing the way we speak when our children are around. But yes, we will kill them all if they mess with our families or the people we protect.”
“Dang right.” Maverick was five seconds away from sending Sklyer to Cecil so he could talk freely when his mate walked in. Maverick immediately set the doll down, but not before Cecil busted him. His mate grinned from ear to ear. He ignored Cecil as he pointed to Sklyer and then the door.
Cecil understood. “Come on, little lady. You can play dolls with Uncle Maverick later.”
Making sure Skyler’s back
