Chapter Two
Remy
If anyone were to ask him how he was doing, Remy would tell them fine. There were only a few, even among the Pard, who would know he was full of shit. Even fewer would call him out on it. He wasn’t fine, but he wasn’t one to go around bemoaning his bad luck, either.
He watched from the sidelines as his brother realized the bond between he and Mia was that of mates. He again, watched from the sidelines, as Lily found her mate in a wolf sent to take her back home. Through her, his Alpha found his mate. Then there was Beau Rousseau. It seemed he might have found his mate in a human, which was damn-near unheard of. Hell, even Julius, Mia’s twin, may have found his mate if he would let go of his fears over his sexuality. Remy couldn’t help being envious of all of them. It just didn’t seem fair.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t get women. He knew he was sexy as hell. All he had to do was go into a bar, flash a smile, flirt a little, and he had women panting after him. Human women. Not that there was anything wrong with them being human, because there wasn’t. The problem was him. He wanted the deep connection of a mate. As a result of that desire, he was seriously considering petitioning another Pard for permission to meet their unmated females in hopes of finding his mate. He was tired of being alone.
“You look like you got a lot on your mind.”
Caine’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. “Dat’s because I do. I’m tinkin’ dat maybe I need to petition a nearby Pard to meet wit’ dere unmated females.”
Caine watched him closely. “I can understand dat. I’ll be sad to see you go—you’re a good man, a good lieutenant—but if you can find your mate, who am I to stop you?”
“Thanks. I’ll let you know what I decide.” He spotted Emelise coming up from the docks with a redhead at her side and cocked a brow. “Looks like your mate’s brought company to visit.”
Caine turned his attention to his mate with a faint smile. “So it does.”
When they were close enough for the breeze to carry the redhead’s scent to him, Remy felt like he’d been hit by a tank. He damn near stumbled. Her scent was sweet, intoxicating, and it had his leopard growling. Fuck. Was this what it felt like when a shifter met their mate?
“Earth to Remy.”
He was so caught up in his reaction to the female, he hadn’t heard a word Emelise said until her ‘earth to Remy’ comment. “Sorry, cher, what was dat?”
Emelise arched a brow at him. “I said hey, this is Kylie. She just moved here from Maine, and since she doesn’t have anywhere to stay, she’ll be staying with me and Caine. She’s also my new Drink Mixologist for the VIP lounge.”
Remy gave himself a mental shake to clear his racing thoughts. “Welcome to da bayou, and da Black Water Pard, cher.” His voice came out a rough growl. “If you need anyting, anyting at all, you just say da word and it’s yours.”
Kylie
When they reached the two males, it was easy to tell which one was the Alpha because the man only had eyes for Emelise. The other male, however, was staring at her as if he could see into her soul. Just being near him made her pulse speed up and her hands itched to reach out and touch him. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with sandy-blond hair and blue eyes that made her think of photos of the Caribbean sea she’d seen once. The bit of scruff on his face gave him a rugged look and she was stunned to find herself wondering what it would feel like against her skin. There was also this air of strength and confidence about him that made a part of her want to wrap herself up in him, which was even more startling. Her reaction to his presence was unsettling.
She vaguely heard Emelise’s introduction and managed to acknowledge the Alpha before Remy spoke. The rough growl of his voice moved over her like a silken caress and she shivered. “Thank you.” She felt breathless and had to clear her throat. “That’s very kind of you.”
Eme looked between Remy and Kylie before she motioned to the house. “Come on inside, Kylie. I’ll show you to the guest area. Like I said earlier, it’s a cottage, complete with everything but a kitchen, attached to the house by a small hallway, so you’ll have some privacy if you want or need it. Oh, you don’t have an issue with kids, do you?”
It took more effort for Kyle to pull her attention away from Remy than she was willing to admit to. “No, not at all. Why?”
“Awesome. Well, because we have the most adorable four-year-old you will ever meet. Of course, I could be a little biased.” Kylie followed Emelise into the house and watched as Eme braced herself when a little girl squealed and ran to her.
Emelise picked the little girl up and hugged her. “Hi there, pumpkin. This is Kylie. She’s gonna stay with us for a little while. Kylie, this is Hailey.”
Kylie smiled at the little girl. “I have to agree, she is adorable. It’s nice to meet you, Hailey.”
Hailey eyed the other woman before she sniffed and grinned. “You’re just like us.”
“Yes, I am, little one.” Kylie noticed another woman approaching them and tipped her head in the woman’s direction, which caused Emelise to turn in that direction.
“Hey, Mia,” Eme said. “I see Caine has you babysitting while he takes care of business. This is Kylie. She just moved here from Maine. Kylie, my cousin, Mia.”
“I’m guessin’ you’re new to da Pard. Welcome.” She had her son tucked close.
“I am, thanks. I have to say, you guys are more welcoming to outsiders than my old Pard was.”
“We try. Aw hell, who am I kiddin’? You’re right, we are pretty welcomin’ to outsiders. Has she met Lily yet?” When Eme nodded, Mia continued. “Lily came here about four years ago and after she met wit’ da Pard, she became an unofficial member. I guess it’s our Southern hospitality.” Mia flashed a grin.
Kylie laughed at that. “I’m beginning to see why so many people like the South.”
