Page 50 of Lying Lainey

“He’s right,” Kerian grumbled.

“Yeah, I know… he’s always right,” I muttered, gulping down the last of my coffee and getting up to refill it. “I suggest we either work this out now or put it on the shelf to come back to when we don’t need to worry about Lainey walking in on a heated discussion.”

“Why would we need to worry about that?” Quintin questioned. “It’s inevitable that she’ll see us having disagreements in our day-to-day lives. When you have more than one person living together, they are bound to occur.”

My hand stopped with the coffee pot in the air halfway into pouring my refill. Shifting, I looked back at Quintin, brows raised. “Are you under the impression she’s staying here with us?”

“Well, yes. Isn’t that our end goal? I realize we haven’t officially extended the offer, nor has she accepted, but I feel like that is what will be happening by the time this week is over. Why hide who we are and how our family acts from someone who we wish to be a part of it?”

The man had a solid point. Keeping Lainey with us forever, becoming a permanent part of our lives, is exactly what I wanted. However, anyone could see she was a runner, ready to bolt at the slightest sign of something that would tie them down or possibly hurt them again. From the bits and pieces we’d gathered over the past few days, her past didn’t paint a rosy picture, so it was understandable, which is why we needed to move ever so carefully lest we lose her for good.

“Was I wrong to assume we all felt this way?” Quintin demanded, narrowing his gaze at me behind his horn-rimmed glasses.

“No, Quin, you’re not wrong,” Kerian answered first, placing a hand over our clearly agitated partner. “I think the only reason H asked was to see if the three of us were in agreement on that thinking. It might also have to do with the small detail of her clearly not looking for a pack and having kept her knowledge of us being her scent-pairs to herself. I don’t think she ever would have told us if we didn’t stumble upon it the way we did.”

“All the more reason for us to show her why that was a mistake and staying is the better choice,” Quintin argued. “I won’t stand by and let her walk away without being honest about how we feel. While I understand many people see sex as a physical act having the ability to remove emotions from it, that’s not what happened between us. She was truly honest about herself for the first time when she told us about her childhood. To me, that shows trust, no matter how small, has begun to build between us. If she gave us a chance, I know we could be happy together.”

“You caught that too, huh?” I commented, taking my seat once more with a full mug. They nodded their heads with dower expressions. “It’s clear she’s running from something or someone and has been for a long time. I agree we should show her what we have to offer her as a pack and Alphas who can be a support as well as a safe haven. Although, I think the question of having her move in might be better received toward the end of the week when she’s more comfortable with us.”

Kerian gave Quin’s hand a squeeze. “I agree with H on this. Let’s show her how much we want her to stay by proving she can fit into our lives effortlessly, then when the weekend comes to a close, we broach the topic.”

Quintin adjusted his glasses, giving him the moment he needed before giving us an answer. “You both make convincing arguments, so I will agree to waiting, but if either of you try to talk me out of it when Sunday rolls around, I’m not going to listen.”

I was stunned to hear the conviction in his tone. “She’s really made an impression on you, hasn’t she?”

“Are you going to sit there and tell me she hasn’t done the same to you?” Quintin challenged, promptly putting me in my place.

“No, I can’t say that,” I admitted softly. “There is nothing more I want than to build a better life with her in it. Lainey Collins has left her mark on me even if I haven’t put my mark on her yet. Something I plan to make happen sooner rather than later if I have any say in the matter.”

twenty-one

Lainey

My heart thundered in my chest at Halstead’s words.

I’d just been about to enter what I assumed to be the kitchen as I followed the sound of voices once I’d come downstairs. Hearing my name, I paused to listen and instantly regretted that choice, as those words were a stab to the heart. He wanted to build a life with me? Mark me to create a bond more sacred and meaningful than any other commitment ceremony in the world?

Tears burned in my eyes as emotion made my chest constrict to the point I was subconsciously rubbing it with my hand. Was I having a panic attack right now? Everything seemed so overwhelming, and I didn’t know what to do as my heart thundered in my ears. Then the next thing I knew, something crashed into my legs catching me so off guard that I toppled to the floor with a yelp.

The face of an English Bulldog appeared before me seconds before half its body was on me so it could reach my face to lick it. Giggles erupted out of me as the felt of the slobbery tongue accompanied by the snuffling and wheezing sounds coming from the dog. Reaching up, I grasped the stocky fella and tried to move him off me, but he was having none of it. Instead, he stuffed his face under my chin and scrambled to fully lay on top of me, grinning with triumph, his body all one giant wiggling mass.

“Tater-Tot,” Kerian barked. “Get off her now.”

The pup whined but slid off me and hurried over to sit at his person’s feet, staring lovingly up at him.

“I’m so sorry, Lainey. He normally isn’t this interested in people,” Kerian explained as he grabbed me under my armpits and hoisted me to my feet. “Oh God, he got you good and after you just took a bath. Come on, let me help fix this mess since my child caused this.”

“Aah… so this is the infamous Tater-Tot,” I said once I got my laughter under control as Kerian pulled me into the kitchen and over to the sink.

I spotted Quintin and Halstead over at a beautiful antique-looking round wooden table that could seat about six people. I flinched when Kerian started to wipe down my neck. “That’s fucking cold, asshole,” I yelled reflexively.

Kerian just froze, dishcloth in hand, inches away from my skin. “Aah… right, sorry.”

Flipping the water on, he turned it to hot and let it run. I spotted the coffee and headed right for it, opening the cabinet above. “Yes, I was right,” I cheered, grabbing a mug from the shelf.

“I suppose I don’t need to tell you to make yourself at home then?” Halstead commented, humor in his voice.

Before I could answer, Kerian dragged me back to the sink. “Come here, you slobbery woman. I promise it’s warm this time.”