“Not all of us can be Einsteins.”Krys had on his usual attire—leather pants, leather jacket, leather boots with chains, and no shirt.The pendant around his neck was shaped like a shield and had a wolf’s head on it.
Krys didn’t talk as much as the other men, and Lucian liked that.They could sit in silence or have small talk and both be fine with it.Virgil, on the other hand, loved telling his life story in explicit detail.Montana focused on the happenings around town and his past jobs as a detective, which was interesting.
Lucian intentionally chose not to borrow a car tonight.Montana might’ve tagged along, which wasn’t possible on Krys’s bike.He was a smart guy, and it wouldn’t take him long to wonder why they were sitting in the same dining room with Eden without saying hello.
When Krys’s phone vibrated, he set it on the table and swiped the screen.“It’s Archer again.Second time in the past hour.”
“What does he want?”
After tucking his phone back in his inside coat pocket, he scratched his head.“Cleo’s not eating.”
Lucian frowned.“What does he expect you to do?Force feed her?”
“Fuck if I know.”Krys ran his hand over his short mustache and connecting goatee.“Usually if I’m the one who brings her the food, she’ll eat.”
“She trusts you.I can scent it.”
“Yeah, but I’m not a mama bird.I can’t feed her all day.”
“You heard what the Relic said.She can’t go anywhere until she’s healthy and gains weight.”
Krys stared at his glass.“We should probably head out soon.We’ve already been here two hours, and I’m about to eat this fucking table.”
“Why didn’t you order anything?”
Krys folded his arms.“Because the leftover ribs in the fridge have my name on them.I hid them in the back for later.”
Before leaving their table, Lucian peered out the curtain to make sure Eden wasn’t up and about.He wondered if Deacon had spotted him, but the beta wolf wasn’t paying attention to anyone but the beautiful woman across from him.He was zeroed in on Eden like a homing device.
As Lucian scooted out of his plush bench seat, he noticed Marcus Seaborn standing by the door on the right.The same asshole who set fire to Eden’s property.
His gums throbbed as his fangs wanted to punch out, and he fought his inner animal to avoid flipping his switch.After collecting himself, he stalked full speed toward Marcus.
“Hey, wait up!”Krys complained.
Marcus was staring directly at Eden, and Lucian’s pulse jumped.He flashed at Chitah speed, gripped the man’s throat, and propelled him through the open door and into the red room.
Dance music boomed as red lights created silhouettes in dark corners.They crashed into a table, and Lucian slammed him against it.Marcus was a stout man, so it took every ounce of muscle to knock him down.
He pinned the Mage’s wrists to the table and bared his fangs.“If you come near her again, I will kill you!”he roared.“Do you understand me?”
Krys hauled him off.“What the fuck’s going on?”
Marcus rolled off the table, his jaw still whiskery, as if he was incapable of using a razor.
“Do you know this asshole?”Krys growled, his arms still hooked around Lucian.
Marcus rocked with malevolent laughter.
Lucian seethed.“I will fucking end you!”He lunged two feet forward before Krys hauled him back again.
Onlookers watched with rapt interest.
Marcus brushed off his blue T-shirt.“A man can’t even have a beer without being attacked by a mentally unstable Chitah.That’s the second time you’ve threatened my life.”
Local business owners had been put on alert, so Marcus shouldn’t have gotten past the entrance.
“How did you get in here?”
