King chuckles before he wraps his hands around my face. “Tristan, you are the bravest woman I know. I fucking love you, yeah?”
“It’s why we’re here.” I wink back at him, dropping my head to his chest and taking in a lungful of bourbon infused air. “Because you and I were always going to be.”
“Be what?” Raney demands as she flies out of the lift, looking half terrified and definitely panicked. “Who died?”
Koz is right behind her, armed to the goddamn hilt too. Though he doesn’t race, his movements are slow, but it’s a guise. The guy is a fucking unit who has threatened me about upsetting Raney before.
“No one. Let’s keep it that way, hey?” King says calmly before looking at me, giving me the chance to tell her, giving me the option of him telling her too.
Instead, I grab his hand again at the same time he makes a reach for mine. I take a final inhale, trying to maintain a calm, confident facade when I look at her. “Raney, King and I are together together.”
Her eyes bug for half a second before she starts laughing, grabbing a hold of Koz in the process.
“Not quite the reaction we were hoping for, kid.” King’s mood drops as he watches her, and I know it’s because he’s worried. It’s instinctual the way I move, lifting his arm up to settle it over my shoulder so my hand can bury into his jeans and get as closeas I can to him. My need to comfort my Alpha is as evident as his need to protect me.
“It’s okay,” I say, looking up to him.
I swear the way he looks at me with such love overrides my worry.
“Bullshit!” She hisses, her laughter drying up.
“No, it’s not bullshit.” I’m being as non-confrontational as possible as I stand my ground looking at her.
I want us to be okay, god how I do, but I’m also way past the point of being intimidated or scared of the consequences of falling in love with her dad. Her friendship means the world to me, and I hope I’m one of those people who get to keep her man and her bestie, but I’ll survive without her if needs be.
I hold her attention, staring at her making it near impossible for her to misinterpret what I’m saying. “The instant I saw King, I knew he was my scent-matched Alpha, Raney. It wasn’t something either of us could ignore.”
The colour drains from her face, her eyes harden before she snaps. “But you should have”.
Her words are like a physical slap. But I knew they were coming, so I was already leaning against King. I’ve got no issue with how she reacts because she knows the truth.
“Wasn’t going to happen,” I stare at her. And I hold her look, ignoring her disgust. I do not let her unnerve me before I tell her all of it. “I met King before I knew he was your dad. And it wasn’t done to be malicious or to tick you off.”
“How could you?” she spits. And yeah, all her focus and anger is aimed at me.
I take a slow steady breath, trying to find the right way to answer her accusation because Raney might be quick to rise sometimes but she also had the most amazing and giving side of her personality.
“It wasn’t a choice, Raney,” King answers.
“I was not speaking to you!” she snaps.
“And you are not a fucking three-year-old either. Tone down the attitude or we’re fucking done until you are ready to discuss this like an adult! Jesus, Raney, I raised you better than this.”
She scoffs a vicious laugh. And Koz settles behind her, his hands on her hips but she slaps him off her, “Were you in on this too? You know they were together?”
Koz doesn’t immediately answer with words, but instead he uses his eyes; the anger in them flames until his love for her burns brighter. “Micina, you are not yourself. And if you were, I’d be agreeing with King about the attitude. Take a deep breath for me.” Without looking at us, Koz talks again. “Now is not a good time. Perhaps you should go have coffee, and if Raney feels up to it, we will invite you back.”
“Nah,” King says, shaking his head slowly. His anger taints the air as much as his daughters does. “We have travelled for a fucking day and a half to be here because Tristan has wanted to tell Raney for a long fucking time. If I was in Raney’s position, I’d be shocked, but I would not be a cunt about it.”
“You were an absolute asshole when…”
King interrupts Raney, his tone and mannerisms full of frustration. “Ah, so you do remember the moment you told me you were involved in a relationship with one ofmy best friends,and business associate. It only took you both a few years, wasn’t it? Sneaking behind my back, lying to my face.”
“Which is exactly what you have been doing, apparently.”
“And if the threat on Tristan’s life was still active, Raney, I would still be fucking lying to your face. Stop making this about you! This is about two adults finding each other.”
“My bad,” she bitches.
