“Aww, come on. I’m your best mate. Surely I get insider information.”
“There’s nothing to tell!” Nothing at all. So what if I was counting the hours to seeing him tonight? No way was I admitting that out loud, especially after Axel’s little display.
Mase’s eyes narrowed. “You’re forgetting how well I know you. It might’ve been six years since we both lived in Bude, but I’m coming to realise that not much has changed with you.”
Oh Mase, if only that were true.
I almost laughed at how epically wrong that statement was.
“I can tell the difference between when you’re flirting for fun and with intent for more.”
“Is that so?” I called bollocks. If I was going to the effort of flirting with someone, it was usually with the hope for more. But I let him have his moment. I’d missed this, our friendship. Having Gabriel Mason back in my life was something I thought I’d never get, and I was more than happy to sit there and indulge him in whatever crazy ideas he had in his head, because spending time with him gave me back a little of what I’d lost when my family shipped me up here for my own good.
“For what it’s worth,” he said, smile turning sly. “I think you and Dathal make a cute couple.”
I barked out a laugh. “Cute?” I was six foot two, muscled, and covered in tattoos, and I was pretty sure Dathal had been moments away from ripping Zane’s throat out in that interview room. The last thing we were was cute.
“Yeah, well, saying you look hot together is a big fat no because Rys has only just about accepted that we’re friends and nothing more. I don’t want it getting back to him that I called youandDathal hot.”
I grinned at the thought of Rys’s jealous streak. It had been fun to poke at it a little when Mase had first got here. But now they were bonded, I wouldn’t even think about doing it. That didn’t mean I didn’t find it amusing that Rys had thought of me as a threat. I’d be lying if it didn’t make me preen a little too, because Rys Calder was a fine specimen of a shifter.
I didn’t comment on what he’d said though. Whether Dathal and I would or wouldn’t make a hot couple was irrelevant. This afternoon had been more than enough to put me off pursuing anything with him.
“So,” I said, steering the conversation away from my private life. “You bringing anyone other than Rys with you tonight?”
Mase snorted but humoured me. “With everything settled down a bit after all the Tombs shit, I think both Sasha and Talis are coming tonight. Maybe some of the others, I’m not sure.”
“That should make for a fun evening. Are Axel and Talis still being weird around each other?” I knew the moment they hooked up that it wouldn’t end well. I’d told Axel as much, but he’d been adamant that they both knew it was a one-off. While that might’ve been true at the time, there was a definite atmosphere lately whenever they were together.
Mase shrugged. “Rys won’t talk about it. Says as long as it doesn’t affect the pack, it’s none of our business.”
“Ahh, if only more people thought like Rys.”
“Yeah, right.” Mase huffed. “That’s not what you used to think.”
“That was when he wanted to rip my head off for even talking to you.”
Mase cocked an eyebrow and, yeah, he probably still wanted to do that; he was just less obvious about it.
“Anyway, as fun as this visit has been…” I raised my eyebrows and Mase snorted. “I have shit to sort out before we open tonight.”
“Is that my cue to leave you in peace?”
“Yes.”
He stood and I did the same, walking around to give him a hug. “See you later.”
“Looking forward to it.” With a wave over his shoulder, he disappeared out the door and I perched on the edge of my desk.
I hadn’t lied—there was still a lot to be done before we opened our doors at ten o’clock this evening. Nerves hadn’t been a problem up until today, but they were starting to make themselves known now.
This was essentially my club now. Midnight had a reputation to uphold, and I didn’t want to be the one who tarnished that. Everything had to be just as good, if not better, than when Zane was in charge, because I knew that a lot of people would be making comparisons when they came here later.
With that in mind, I pushed all thoughts of Dathal and Axel out of my head and concentrated on getting my club ready for its reopening. Distractions weren’t something I could afford right now.
Considering how busy I was likely to be for the night, I doubted I’d even notice Dathal when he arrived later.
DATHAL
