I’d been feeling the same damn thing more and more ever since Grant had showed up.
If I kept pushing him, we’d fight. There was a part of me that wanted to, that wanted to work out all this fury I’d kept trapped inside for our laws and decency’s sake.
But then Maia cleared her throat.
“Jax,” she said softly. The outer corners of her eyes were scrunched up. She looked nervous and tired, but who wasn’t, after the last couple of weeks? “He saved my life.”
My nose flared as I inhaled.
I didn’t like this. There was absolutely nothing good that could come from letting this man walk into our home.
We’d turn our back, and some other coffee would wind up poisoned. We’d let him relieve himself and he’d—he’d glue razorblades to the toilet seat for when we sat down in the dark. He’d?—
Okay, I was being ridiculous. As much as I hated Grant, Aleks hadn’t earned my hatred.
He’d been critical of Grant, reasonably frank, considering the circumstances, and hehadsaved Maia’s life.
And still, I had a duty of care to look after Cash first, as a guest of the pack.
“Dakota, would you please let Cash know that Aleks is here to see him? Ask if he’s willing to talk to him.”
Dakota nodded and stepped toward the hall where Cash was staying.
I turned back to Aleks. “If he’s willing to see you, that’s fine. But if he doesn’t want to, you have to leave. Understood?”
Aleks rolled his eyes so dramatically it moved his head too. When his chin dropped and he stared up at me through hooded eyes, I was honestly impressed it didn’t bounce. “Yes, papa.” He spread his arms wide. “Your roof, your rules, okay?”
I glared. He might be a condescending little piece of shit, but he was also right.
“Precisely.”
Dakota was only gone a minute before he led Cash out into the main room. Everyone was standing around awkwardly, unsure what to do, unable to relax again.
Cash shuffled out behind him, wearing gray sweatpants and a plain white T-shirt I suspected had come from my collection. He looked paler than he had in days. His mouth trembled, like he wasn’t sure what to do with it, and the way he ducked hid his face behind his shoulder-length hair.
Finally, he whispered. “Hi, Aleksander.”
“Cash.” Aleks inclined his head, but his eyes never left Cash from the second he entered the room and the hair on the nape of my neck stood on end. Was that a predatory look?
Whatever it was, Cash didn’t fare so well in the eye-contact department. He managed to hold Aleks’s gaze for about two seconds before his ears turned red and he looked at the floor. He shuffled his feet and crossed his arms.
“Do you want to—” he started to ask, stammering his way through. I wanted to pace the room growling, reaffirm territory boundaries, put a stop to this bullshit.
But while Cash was trying to speak, I’d bite my tongue.
I was supposed to bite my tongue, right?
Dakota’s hand squeezing my arm said that I was supposed to bite my tongue.
“We could talk,” Cash continued. He glanced at Aleks again briefly, swaying back toward the hall he’d come from. “In private. If you want...”
“Cash, you don’t have to—” I started.
At the same time, Aleks said, “I want.”
My exhale hissed through my teeth, and Cash stared up at me. It should’ve been heartening, that I didn’t make him nervous.
But I didn’t fucking like that this stranger did.
