Page 42 of Primal

His cell rang from his back pocket. He pulled it out, read the display. “Hey, Jimmy, what’s up?” he asked. The soft demeanor he seemed to have for me slipped away. His body tensed, and his jaw clenched so tight I thought he might crack a tooth. “Are you serious?” He set a hand on the back of his neck and tipped his head down. “Fuck. He still there? Okay. Yeah, I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

He ended the call and shoved his phone away.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, worried.

“Sorry, sugar. I’ve got to go. That was Jimmy at the bar. Says someone from the sheriff’s department showed up because of an anonymous tip that we’reserving underage drinkers. He’s hassling our customers by IDingeveryperson in the place.”

“Oh no,” I groaned. I knew exactly who that was and why. “My dad’s there, isn’t he?”

Cody shook his head. “Was, but Levi, the sheriff, showed up and sent him home.”

I knew Dad was upset about me being with Cody, but to mess with his business? To mess with everyone in the bar who was there just to have a good time… because of this? He was taking this too far.

“You deal with the bar,” I said, lifting my chin in determination. “I’ll deal with my dad.”

19

CODY

I wouldn’t hidemy emotions from my mate, but I wasn’t going to share with her how much her father was pissing me off. I understood his overprotectiveness. Hell, if I had a daughter, I’d–well, I had no fucking clue. I’d be ridiculous–like he was–when it came to her safety, but I wouldn’t keep her from her fated mate. Maybe that was because I was a fucking shifter, and he wasn’t.

Which was the crux of the whole fucking problem. Every time I thought I was closer to winning Riley’s heart, something came up. Like her dad’s petty shit. And it had only been a few days!

I didn’t want to get between the two of them, but I wasn’t giving up my fated fucking mate. Riley wasalmostright there with me. Kyle Abbott was just going to have to come to terms with everything. And knock off his fucking with me and mine. What he didn’t understand was the more he messed with me, the more he actually messed with his own daughter.

He was making things worse between them instead of better.

Ten minutes after the call, I pushed through the door to my bar. Country music blasted, a guy was on the mechanical bull, and half the tables were occupied even though it was still early. We had a decent dinner crowd on most nights, and tonight wasn’t an exception. Everything appeared normal except for Levi leaning against the bar, shooting the shit with Jimmy. Levi was the sheriff of Cooper Valley and Kyle Abbott’s boss. Plus, he was a shifter. Having one of our kind in law enforcement often came in handy. Like right now.

I approached, shook his hand, then looked to Jimmy. “Thanks for the call. Why don’t you go do inventory, and I’ll watch the bar?”

The younger guy’s eyes brightened at that, which meant it had been pretty awful since no one wanted to count liquor bottles. “You sure? Deputy Abbott had his balls in a twist about something while he was here.He’s a nice guy, and I’ve never seen him like this before. I can help up front–”

I raised my hand. “I’m good.”

He tossed down his rag and gave me a finger salute.

The playful tug on Levi’s mouth showed his amusement. Then it slipped away once Jimmy was halfway to the back rooms. “Why does Kyle Abbott hate your guts?”

I chuckled then ran a hand over the back of my neck. “You picked up on that, huh?”

He raised a brow.

“His daughter’s my mate.”

His other brow went up.

“He doesn’t appreciate my interest in her.”

He drummed his fingers on the bar top. Levi was a formidable sheriff. He had mammoth shoulders and a broad chest beneath his uniform. His sandy blond hair was cut short, but he kept scruff on his jaw. A summer beard. “Isn’t she Tyler’s age? I think she babysits for Clint and Becky.”

I winced because he made it sound like I was robbing the cradle. “She’s nineteen,” I muttered, wondering if I was going to have to justify the match to everyone in the fucking state.

“Oh, then hereallydoesn’t like the idea.”

I sighed. “He didn’t like finding me in his daughter’s place this morning making coffee. In only my jeans.”

“Oh, shit. That explains the age-raid on this place.” Now he laughed fully. “Thefatedpart of fated mate really kicks our asses, doesn’t it?”