Zane looked right at him and planted a hand on Janie’s ass.
Garrett breathed in through his nose and exhaled slowly. His mom would be furious if he bloodied his brother-in-law before the big party. Even so, if Zane didn’t knock it off, Garrett would risk her wrath. “I’m not in the mood, Zane.”
“Too bad. I am.” Zane leaned over and kissed Janie on the mouth. Hard.
Garrett started for him just as the bedroom door opened and Dessie walked out. He stopped cold, his heart thumping. “You look beautiful.” True words. He’d bought her a floor-length, sapphire-blue dress with diamonds strewn along the neckline, sleeves, and bust that matched the glittering diamonds that created aVat her tiny waist. While lovely, the dress was no match for the sparkle in her eyes or the beauty of her face. She’d piled her wild mass of hair on top of her head, and delicate tendrils framed her heart-shaped face.
His. She was all his.
At the moment, she was staring at him in his tux with wide eyes, and her pretty pink lips were parted in a silent “oh.”
He reached for her hand, gratified when she instantly slid her smaller one against his.
Zane cleared his throat.
Garrett pulled her close and turned. “Zane, meet my mate, Destiny Applegate.” Her name would be Kayrs soon enough. “Zane is my brother-in-law, and he just knocked up my sister again.”
Janie sighed. “Don’t make me punch you.”
Dessie smiled. “You don’t look like what I thought a demon would.”
“Give me time,” Zane said mildly, grinning. “Although your mate is half-demon as well, you know.”
Dessie rocked on her three-inch, sparkly heels. “Yeah, but he seems like it.”
Garrett laughed along with the others, even though the feeling of doom wouldn’t leave his stomach. They had to fix that tumor. “We should go.” He snatched the silk shawl he’d purchased with the dress and draped it over Dessie’s slim shoulders, following his sister to their SUV. While it’d be a nice walk, clouds were rolling in, and it’d probably rain. So the SUV would work.
Minutes later, they arrived at the main lodge, where the festivities were already in motion. It appeared that members of the Seven were mingling with the Realm and shifter nations already, so Garrett let himself relax.
His father and uncle caught him in the vestibule. Zane took one look and squired Janie away to the dance floor.
“Nice party,” Garrett drawled.
Dage nodded, a glass of scotch in one hand. “Are the Seven going to continue cooperating with us?”
Talen’s jaw tensed, and he scanned the crowd outside as more partygoers arrived. “They’d better.”
“I’m working on it,” Garrett said, wanting to get Dessie into his arms again.
“That’s not good enough,” Talen growled. “There will be no more secrets.”
Then, out of nowhere, Dessie seemed to lose her mind. She pushed away from Garrett and stepped toe-to-toe with Talen, having to tilt her head way back to meet his gaze. “That’s enough out of you, scary vampire dude.” She turned her head toward Dage. “You, too. I don’t care if you’re the king of all the dangerous ones. Garrett is doing his best, and that means he’s…Doing…His…Best.”
Garrett’s entire body warmed. Amusement battled with arousal inside him.
His dad glowered down at her. “Listen, you—”
She poked him right in the chest. “No. You listen. Garrett is being torn apart by all the different factions and loyalties in his life, and you’re going to stop putting pressure on him. He enforces for the Grizzlies, and they are brothers. He underwent some killer type of ritual and formed blood bonds with the Seven. And you”—she poked him again—“are his family. That means you look out for him and should be the one place in the world where his blood pressure doesn’t rise.” She rose on her toes but still didn’t reach Talen’s height. Nowhere near. “Do you understand me?”
Talen swallowed. He might’ve blinked, but he faced the furious sprite evenly. “Yes. I understand.”
She swung toward Dage. “King?”
Dage’s lips twitched, but he nodded. “Got it.”
Garrett wanted to take her to the ground right there and smother her with kisses. Nobody had ever stood up for him like that. Hell. Nobody in the entire world had ever challenged Dage and Talen Kayrs in such a manner.
“That’s better.” She turned toward Garrett, her color high and her eyes an impossible blue. “Now. Let’s dance.”
