Page 83 of Scars of the Sun
I didn’t miss the very canine harrumph the Leader gave as we took our seats. Or his narrow-eyed glance at me. “Oh hush, baby.” Sylvie, I tried to remember to use her name, gave the Leader a kiss on his cheek that only made them redder. She set the flowers on the wide patio ledge beside her and grinned conspiratorially to Ramona, “Now you’ll know what it feels like to have a possessive mate.”
“As if she isn’t the same way.” I slammed my lips shut and prayed that my smartass mouth hadn’t gotten me in trouble. You’d have thought with all the punishments, the tendency would’ve been eradicated long ago. In every other situation, I liked to think that it was part of my whole charm.
The witch—Sylvie—snorted and nodded. “Looks like we got two protective Wolves. S’not so bad if you ask me.” The Leader narrowed his eyes at me again, as if I was the one talking about him, and put an arm around Sylvie’s chair.
He finally spoke after our server deposited glasses of water and took our drink orders. “So, why did this happen so fast?”
My eyes widened, but Ramona just settled into my side while leaning toward him. “No one else can have a mate besides you? Doesn’t seem fair.”
He rolled his eyes as if he expected these sorts of retorts from my princess. “You just met, so I’m trying to understand how this happened.”
“I don’t think you want the details, O,” she said, and I winced.
Sylvie heaved a big sigh and massaged her temple. “If you two would stop this back and forth, I’d like to actually get to know him.”
I sent her a grateful smirk and cleared my throat. “Sure. Shoot.”
Before she could ask whatever question was in her mind, her mate cut in. “What’s your name again?” Though he wasn’t meeting my gaze, and I knew now from Ramona’s debrief that it was to be expected, there was an underlying meaning to his question that sent alarm bells off in my head.
“Uh, Río.”
“Last name,” he demanded a touch more gruffly, and I was getting more suspicious.
“Bernal,” I drew out the last syllable, trying to gauge why he was reacting this way about something he surely already knew. Though it wasn’t alie, it was only one of the surnames I’d been born with. He couldn’t possibly know that, though. Right?
His responding grunt made me feel even more uncertain, but when Sylvie started asking me about working at Vinny’s, I tried my best to focus in on her cheery demeanor. It made me feel a little better to know that she’d worked there for a time a few years back, that she and the Leader had met there, just as me and Ramona had.
Our drinks and appetizers came, and by the time we finished the charcuterie board filled with intricately plated meats and cheeses, the conversation had thawed a bit. My new brother-in-law kept sending me looks, but I truly didn’t know what the fuck his problem was. Aside from his initial, curt question regarding the timeline of our relationship, I didn’t get the sense that he necessarily had an issue with the idea of his sister being mated. It wasmethat was the problem, but what else was new?
I’d gone with a steak for my meal, as had Ramona. The two of them ordered two different pasta dishes that smelled pretty good, but at the first bite of my filet, I was happy with what I’d ordered. Our chatter died down a little while we ate, but apparently, we were all pretty speedy eaters because it wasn’t ten minutes later that we were pushing our plates away. Only Sylvie had any food left, but I supposed that made sense.
We ordered another round of drinks, with which our server brought the check. I snatched it before the Leader could, and I counted it as a win, triumphantly slapping my card down.
At least, until he leaned back and opened his mouth. “I’m going to have to be frank,” was this what it felt like to watch the flash of headlights before a car hit you head-on? “What’s your relation to the Serafim Group?”
The beer I’d been setting back on the table slipped from my hand. My heart dropped just before racing like it had the night I’d left that life. Racing off into the night on my bike, I’d been convinced my father would catch me, send Mara or Catalina for my head.
Ramona caught the glass before it could topple over and make even more of a mess of all of this, but I couldn’t bring myself to thank her or take my eyes off of her brother’s. I couldn’t tell whether I wanted to bolt or be sick.
The Leader sniffed, tasting the air and, no doubt, the fear that was clouding all of my thoughts. How did he know about my family? But that was quickly answered. I felt so stupid, thinking that Xo had just been passing through or following me on her own personal mission. Why else would she be here if it weren’t for business? After all, I’d been sent to territories to make deals with Pack Leaders more than a few times in my old life as an enforcer. And with the decisions I’d made in that role, I knew that whatever contact he’d had with my family had been unpleasant.
No wonder why he hated me.
I clenched my eyes shut, wanting this all to be a night terror that I’d wake up from with Ramona’s arms around me, her licking my face and saying she loved me. Instead, I’d seen the confusion in her honey eyes. I felt the prickles of her growing suspicion in my chest like it was my own, and I fucking hated it.No matter how far I ran, I should’ve known that my father would always catch up to me.
After a tense silence, I gritted out the response, “My father and sisters run the organization.” There was no sense in lying, now.
“And they come to town, just as you start spending time with my sister. You take her as a mate after your siblings sent me to return to my pack with the dismembered head of one of our own. A son of an elder. Sitting here with you now, I can’t deny the scent of family you all hold.” He spoke low enough to keep the conversation private but direct so that I couldn’t escape.
Despairingly, I opened my eyes and looked to my mate. Her brow was furrowed, looking at me like she didn’t know who the fuck I was, and that just about broke my heart. I should’ve known I wouldn’t be able to have such a precious thing in my life. But, selfishly, I’d wanted her.
I swallowed and forced back the tears that were starting to collect in my eyes. “It’s the reason why I left. I didn’t want that life anymore. You may not believe me, but I love your sister more than anything, and my family hasnothingto do with us.”
I turned my head again, taking in the sight of my princess since it was looking like it was the final time. She looked so beautiful. Had I told her tonight how much I loved the curls that draped so cutely on the sides of her face? Or how bright she looked in that dress? What about the fact that with her, I felt… good. Like I wasn’t the worthless one in a family of Shifters.
My princess raised her hand, and my old instincts had me bracing for her to hit me.It’s what you deserve, after all.
Instead, a soft caress met my cheek, and I was helpless in keeping a tear from falling. I clenched my jaw, fighting the memories that flashed through my mind, and the adrenaline that was still pumping into my blood. But I wasn’t going toattack or run. Even if this was over, I wouldn’t do that to Ramona. Not after the last time I’d fled from her.