~
“Where’s Elizabeth and that…” Rick growled again.
“Robert,” Valerie bit out as if just his name was a horrible taste on her tongue.
“Robert,” Rick growled.
“Well, it seems that the two of you are in agreement about Robert,” Quinn said.
“Your mate, you said?” Valerie eyed the enforcer for a long moment.
“My mate,” Rick nodded.
“Good.” Valerie looked relieved, but Quinn looked confused. “Better than Robert.”
“That’s not a glowing recommendation,” Rick offered back.
“You — as a son – I can live with,” Valerie said.
“I’ll take that,” Rick nodded.
“So a shifter son is okay, but a shifter mate is…?” Quinn left his words there.
“A right Royal pain in the backside comes to mind.” Valerie’s sense of humor had returned now that she knew that Elizabeth had no intention of dating Robert.
“She’s known you how long and she already has you pegged,” Rick chuckled.
“Bite me,” Quinn growled.
“Sorry, I’m a one-woman man,” Rick grinned. “So where did Elizabeth go?”
“In the kitchen — with Robert,” Valerie huffed.
Rick grunted in annoyance as he started off across the hallway on fast feet. The sooner his mate wasn’t alone with that man, the better.
He heard voices long before he reached the kitchen door. He never thought he’d be grateful to be walking into a room with Angela and Dorothy inside.
“I’m surprised that you found us,” Dorothy said.
“We’re not exactly on the beaten trail,” Angela offered with a level of skepticism that Rick could embrace.
“I like to go off the beaten trail,” Robert offered back, but he didn’t sound convincing. At least, it didn’t look like anyone in the room believed him.
“That can lead to trouble,” Dorothy muttered.
“Sorry? I didn’t catch that,” Robert asked.
“Me too and double,” Dorothy offered as she smiled like an insane person.
Angela lifted her index finger to her temple and circled it several times.
“Just a little senior moment — nothing to worry about,” Angela offered, and Dorothy snapped her head around to glare at her friend. Angela gave a small shrug off her shoulders until her attention was taken by Rick walking into the room.
Both elders appreciated Rick’s physique. Hank grumbled a small growl before he remembered himself and the fact that Robert was human. When Robert shot him a sideways glance, Angela rushed to the rescue.
“Sounds like thunder,” Angela said.
“That’s why it’s probably a good idea for Robert to head out now,” Rick’s gruff tone left them all in no doubt that he didn’t like the man.
“In a thunderstorm?” Robert said.
“Not yet, it’s not,” Dorothy offered back. “Should probably get going while the going is still good.”
She may have been accused of having senior moments every now and again, but she could tell that Rick really didn’t like the man. If Rick didn’t like him, then she didn’t trust him.
The enforcer tended to be a good judge of character. That was good enough for her.
“Yes,” Robert bit out, although, he didn’t sound happy to do it. “Well, Elizabeth, I’ll see you back at work.”
“I — sure,” she said, not sure at all as she turned her attention towards Rick.
She was a mate. Her mother was a mate. Was she really ever going back to her previous life?
Robert caught the way that Elizabeth was looking at Rick. A flash of annoyance swept through him.
She’d never looked at him that way. Not yet. But there was still time to put that right.
~
~
~
“And where do you think you’re going?” Valerie offered Quinn a curious look.
“I’m walking you to your room…”
“I believe it’s where I left it,” she offered back.
“Well, look who’s back in a bad mood,” Quinn said as his eyebrows came down almost to cover his eyes. “You’re like the plumbing in this place – that can’t make up its mind either.”
“Cute,” Valerie didn’t look impressed.
“I’d prefer manly or sexy, but I’ll settle for cute.”
“How about we settle on me zapping you?”
“Let’s not and say we did.” Quinn frowned harder.
“Then let’s call it a night.”
“Night!” he offered back with a smug grin. “Now what?”
“I think you’re a handful…”
“Don’t underestimate me. These pants are cut very generously. I’m at least two handfuls…”
“Would you stop?” Valerie berated him with a look.
“I’m only just getting warmed up.”
“Quinn!” her eyes widened, and her mate sighed.
“Fine.” He grumbled. “But are you sure you don’t want to get our mating off to a flying start…?”
“Goodnight,” Valerie cut the man off, and he gave a small grunt of acceptance.
“Goodnight,” he folded his arms and stood rooted to the spot.
“Go home,” she berated him again.
“Not even if it was burning down.” He grumbled.
“I…” she gave up and tossed up her hands in dismay. “What are you going to do – play guard-wolf outside my door all night?”
“Could be,” Quinn offered back.
“You’re old. That won’t be comfortable.”
“Would you rather I slept at the foot of your bed?”
“No!”
“In your bed?” he wiggled his eyebrows at her and was sure that the sound that caught in the back of her throat was a muted growl. His beast lurched towards the surface.
“Not bloody likely,” she ground out.
“Don’t say I didn’t offer when you’re lying there in the dark imagining me there…”
“Not one more word,” she hissed, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Not even a little one?”
“No!”
“Too much temptation for you?” Quinn grinned, and it was catching.
Valerie turned away from him before he could see the smile break on her lips. The man was a nightmare from which there was no real escape.
“Here’s how tempting it is. Watch me walk away,” she shot back over her shoulder.
“Love too…” Quinn growled.
“You really are an incorrigible old…”
“Not so old that I can’t still show my woman a good…”
“Night,” Robert said as he strolled out into the hallway.
“What he said,” Quinn chuckled. Valerie turned halfway up the stairs.
“Leaving so soon? Such a shame,” she lied.
Robert hesitated in his stride. His eyes met Valerie’s, and he held her steely glare.
“I’m sure I’ll see you soon,” Robert said, and his words sounded more like a threat to her ears.
Valerie scowled back at the man. Even once his back was turned, and he was walking out of the door she still glared at him.
“You really don’t like that one, do you?” Quinn asked as he watched him go.
“No. I really don’t.”