Page 48 of The Enforcers: NOAH

The inside of the cabin was nicer than she expected—but then, she gathered it used to belong to a billionaire. There was a vaulted living room with a loft, furnished with comfortable-looking leather couches—though one sported a huge set of claw marks. Under the loft was an open kitchen with an island and granite countertops, and next to it a heavy wooden dining table that looked like it had once been expensive, but also had a set of claw marks down the middle.

This was not a place where you could ever forget the people were also animals.

Flynn stopped in the middle of the living area. “You should put the kid to bed,” he said to Mina. “Tank’s bedroom is down the hall on the right. The bed’s plenty big enough for both of you—you could have an orgy in that thing.”

Mina just nodded. She was too tired to complain about swear words and sexual references in front of Brock, and considering they had also been talking about crazy werewolves and bullet wounds, orgy references were probably the least of her worries.

Flynn had stopped paying attention to her—he was building a fire in the big stone fireplace. She didn’t know what to say to him. He’d saved her, and helped her, but he was scary as heck and she didn’t know what he or his people planned on doing to her.

“Ask Amy” did not have any etiquette tips for this.

“Um, thank you,” she said. “For everything. And…please thank the others for me too.”

Flynn turned his dark, scary eyes on her. “You can thank them yourself tomorrow,” he said. “Go get some rest, Mama Wolf.” He gave her one of his crooked half-grins and went back to lighting the fire.

Mina turned to take Brock down the hall, but he pulled away and ran over to Flynn, hugging him around his big shoulders as he squatted by the fireplace. “Thank you for carrying me, Mr. Roary Lion,” he said.

Flynn gave a surprised snort. “No problem, kid.”

He turned to Mina. “There’s a bathroom across from Tank’s room. The generator’s running, so there’ll be hot water. Use whatever you need.”

Brock turned to Noah. “Will you come with us to put me in bed?”

Noah hesitated, turning his gaze to Mina.

Mina bit her lip. She did not want to deal with Noah right now. But she wanted even less to upset Brock. He’d been through enough.

Flynn was watching the two of them, his face impassive. “Two minutes, Wolf Man,” he said. “If she’ll even let you stay in there that long.”

Mina led Brock down the hallway to the bedroom. At least the generator meant there were electric lights here. She flipped on the light.

More than half the room was taken up by a big, soft, Tank-sized bed. There was a small dresser with a mirror over it, and the rest of it was a cliché guy’s room: a big easy chair in the corner, a small TV, clothes scattered around and some muscle car magazines and empty beer bottles.

Brock immediately climbed under the comforter and snuggled into the pillows. He really needed a bath, but she was too exhausted to even think about it.

And she was not taking her clothes off and showering in this house, with all those strange naked men wandering around.

Noah was hovering in the doorway. Just the sight of him made Mina want to cry. For a few glorious hours, she’d thought he really cared about her. She’d opened up her body and her heart to him, and he was nothing but a sham.

“Are you okay?” he asked finally.

“Don’t be stupid, of course I’m not okay,” she snapped.

Hurt and guilt flashed across his face.

Well, she didn’t need him and his guilt. She had enough to worry about.

“But you don’t have to worry about me, I’m not going to lose my mind. Brock needs me. And don’t give me those sad puppy eyes. You have a lot of explaining to do, Noah Reilly. If that’s even your name.”

“He’s Mr. Noah Gray Woof,” Brock said sleepily. “I want him to tuck me in and tell my woof to stay inside tonight.”

Mina’s heart almost broke. Brock was still afraid of his wolf coming out. Was he afraid of being put in the crazy shed?

Noah came over and sat on the edge of the bed, smoothing Brock’s hair back so tenderly it made Mina’s heart crack even further. “Hey, Mr. Black and White Wolf Cub,” he said softly. “Brock’s tired, okay? And you guys are safe here. I’m here, and Mama Wolf, and Mr. Roary Lion and his friends. And we’re all going to keep you safe.”

“Safe,” Brock murmured.

He moved his hand to the back of Brock’s neck, pressing ever so slightly on either side of it. The way his wolf jaws had pressed on the cub’s neck, Mina realized.

“So, go to sleep, Mr. Black and White Wolf Cub, and stay inside Brock so he can rest.”

“Mmm, nice,” Brock said. “G’night.”

“Goodnight. Sleep tight.” Noah’s hand lingered on Brock’s neck for a moment, and then he got up with a sigh and faced Mina. “What do you need from me?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I don’t need anything from you, Noah Gray Wolf. And neither does my son.”

He looked like she’d slapped him. Flynn’s voice bellowed from the living room. “Fucking Wolf Man. You might be staying up all night, but I’m not!”

“Go,” she said.

“Mina—” He reached out to her.

She stepped back. “Go talk about shifter things,” she said. “I’m staying here with my son.”