“Okay, my work here is done.” Bailey stood.
Kennedy stood with her, then gave in to impulse and hugged the woman. They stood close to the same height and had roughly the same build, so the hug felt full and real and comforting.
Bailey pulled back with a wide smile. “Oh my God. We’re the same size. I can’t wait for you to come with us. We can share clothes! And speaking of which, I’m going to head out now and get you some things. It is December, and we’re heading to a place a lot colder than Dallas. Your beast will regulate your body temperature for you in extreme cases, but I still get pretty chilled.”
“Thank you so much. Anything you get will be fine for me. I can pay—”
“No, you can’t. We’ll take care of it. You can’t use a bank account or credit cards. Everything is traceable, Kennedy. And I didn’t see a purse with you, anyway.”
“Oh.” She blushed. “Stupid. All my things are at the lab.” And what little of her personal items sat in storage, which had been paid through the following year. She needed to get her financial situation straightened out.
“Don’t worry. I’ll get you plenty of things to wear—nice stuff and for free, too. Consider it an apology from the very dead Amelia Norton. That bitch.” Bailey showed a hint of fang, which looked almost cute on her pretty face, then left.
Kennedy sat back on the bed, feeling better about things. But still uncertain. She had nothing to get back to, considering her job had been working at U-Ground. She had no bills, since she’d timed the end of her lease and quit her old job with starting at U-Ground, and she’d lived in a U-Ground-funded apartment near the facility. Her car was a loss, since it currently sat at that apartment lot.
With only her clothes and some mementos in storage, sadly, Kennedy’s life was all too forgettable. What stopped her from going with Bailey, Alex, and the others? Fear that she’d grow fonder of Alex? Worry that she’d never leave them? Or that she’d have to accept the truth—that she’d never be the same woman again?
The one constant in her life to this point was Charlie. She refused to let her cousin down. She’d go with the Circs to Washington and start from there. With any luck, they’d come up with a way to track her cousin down. Then Kennedy would figure out what to do with her new life. And heck, if Lang made Charlie into a Circ, Kennedy would be able to help her adjust.
Go with pack. Stay with Alex. Yes. Good mate. Strong. Make strong young.
She groaned. What the hell; she’d go with them.
But first, she’d take a bath and relax, something she hadn’t done in what felt like forever. Now if only she could rustle up some bubble bath…
******
Four days later
Alex checked in on Kennedy and found her talking with Bailey in the kitchen. They’d been back home for a few days, and Kennedy had been avoiding him. Though it bothered the hell out of him, he understood. She needed to learn about herself, and Bailey was a good teacher. A woman who radiated kindness and safety.
The pair had become inseparable, which annoyed Gideon, because before Kennedy had arrived, he’d been Bailey’s shadow. Or so Eli and Carter liked to razz him.
Alex rejoined the guys in the gym and went to the free weights, needing to let off some steam.
“Jesus, how much can they be talking about?” Gideon groused. “I always hear them laughing and talking, then I get close, and they shut up. Baileygiggles. That woman doesn’t giggle unless she’s drunk.”
Carter and Eli exchanged a glance.
“Obviously they’re talking about sex,” Carter said. “And more specifically, about you.”
Gideon didn’t seem bothered, because he smiled. “Well, that’s okay then.”
“Not with me.” Alex scowled. “Kennedy’s avoiding me. She can ask me anything she can ask Bailey.”
“Not with your pecker pointing at her anytime she’s in sight,” Eli added,sounhelpfully.
Alex glared. “This is why you don’t have any friends.”
Carter laughed.
“Look, I get that she needs to figure things out. But I’m not here to hurt her.” Hell, his beast wanted nothing more than to make her feel good. The damn thing was pouting because she needed space and his presence wasn’t helping. Or so Bailey had told him.
Of Kennedy he saw little. Alex had his pride, so he didn’t follow her around like a sad puppy, begging for scraps of affection. But he wanted to, and that annoyed him even more. Women typically flocked to him. He’d never had a problem attracting them. He’d been big and muscular before he’d been Circ, and his dark gray eyes and compassionate nature had naturally attracted the opposite sex.
So how was it that he’d had earthshattering orgasms with Kennedy, had held the woman close and let her worm her way into his heart, and she didn’t want him back?
Frustration rode him hard as he exercised, and he worked up a good sweat as he pushed himself to the max.
