Madison kicked her feet up onto another chair at the table and sighed in relief. It was the first time that she’d been able to sit down since she’d shown up at Sienna’s place. Except for the drive from Sweet Retreat to Dark Moon. That didn’t count in her book, since her ass protested sitting in that particular seat again.

What she really wanted to do was crawl into bed somewhere and crash for the night. Her liger was exhausted but happy. Working at the bakery had been a lot more fun than she thought it would be. The customers were crazy for donuts, and the blissful looks on their faces when they sunk their teeth into them were rather comical.

Sienna sold out of everything not long after Maddie got there. Then she helped her cousin clean up and prep for the next day. Catching up with each other’s lives as they went about their business.

Tipping her head, she let it rest on the back of the chair, scrunching down in the seat just a little bit more. People shuffled around her, and she caught random murmurs from them, wondering who she was. Some felt a cause of alarm that a feline mix was in their midst.

The chair next to her scraped annoyingly against the floor, causing her to turn her head and peek to see who was disturbing her not so quiet rest. Gage plopped his exceptional ass in it and slid a shot in her direction.

“Thanks.” Sitting straight, she picked it up and threw the amber liquid back quickly before setting the empty glass back on the scarred table. Fire from the scotch raced down her throat and into the pit of her stomach. “Damn, that’s good,” she wheezed and wiped an errant tear from her eye.

Gage shook his head. “You’ve got questionable taste then. It’s a pretty bitter whiskey from a local distillery the owner of this joint likes.”

“Figures. I’ve always had questionable taste though,” she laughed. “Hoping some time here will change that.”

Gage shrugged and glanced around the bar. “Sometimes a change of scenery can do wonders for a person.” Maddie had the impression he talked from personal experience. He turned his gaze back on her. “Running from something…or someone?”

Maddie lowered her feet back to the ground, and turned in Gage’s direction. Her cousin’s taste couldn’t be called questionable. The man she was mated to—yes, mated, she had the bite mark to prove it—was a handsome devil. Short, dark blond hair and lean hips and long legs. He was built with solid muscle and sex appeal. And, he was completely devoted to her cousin.

Lucky bitch.

“Not running from anything or anyone. Just trying to get some breathing room from a failed relationship. What better place to do that than here?” She waved her hand to encompass the noisy room.

“So, we aren’t going to see some guy rolling up, begging you to come back to him?”

She snorted. “Nope. He’s already moved on; and now that he’s been with his new skank, sorry, girlfriend, it’ll take a whole host of vaccines and years of clean bill of health certificates for me to even think about touching him.”

Gage grimaced. “Harsh.”

“Necessary.” She sighed and looked around the room. “Where’s my lovely cousin anyway? I was hoping we could catch up without having to be on our feet.”

“She’ll be down in a bit. She’s making sure your room is ready for you. You don’t mind staying here, do you?”

“Hell no, I don’t mind. Saves me from having to look for a place, and it’ll make carpooling a breeze. I appreciate you guys getting me in here. I didn’t do a lot of planning before I hit the road.”

“You’re family. Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Sienna took that lull in conversation to show up. Gage pushed his chair back and dragged her onto his lap. Maddie had to suppress a wistful sigh that tried to escape when he captured Sienna’s mouth in a deep lip lock.

At some point, she had to look away when they didn’t come up for air. What they had was what she thought she’d had with Mack. Clearly, she was wrong. Sienna and Gage were perfect together. He doted on her. Touched her. Kissed her. Made sure every male in a twenty-mile radius knew she was taken and loved. That he’d do bodily harm if they even thought about looking at her cross-eyed.

Mack would, at best, hold her hand in public near the end of their relationship. Some of her pissy attitude about the man faded at the realization. It didn’t make her change her mind about his dick falling off though. A girl had to be allowed some hurtful thoughts about the man that dumped her.

Her chuckle must have caught the attention of the couple next to her. Sienna’s face came into view, an eyebrow raised. “What’s so funny, cuz?”

“Oh, nothing. Just thinking about my ex.”

“And you find your ex funny? I didn’t think you had fond thoughts about him.”

“When I think of his dick falling off and the reaction that would cause, I find him hilarious.”

Sienna’s eyes popped open wide before laughter flowed from her chest. “That is funny.”

“Hey,” a very affronted Gage said.

Sienna patted him on the cheek. “Don’t worry, babe. I don’t want your dick to fall off. I like it, a lot.” She giggled and kissed him quickly.

Maddie canted her head to the side and studied them. “So…”

Sienna mimicked her. “Yes…”

“A shifter?” She leaned forward and sniffed the air. She rocked back in her seat when she caught a familiar scent. “I mostly smell wolf, but you’re,” she inhaled more of his scent. “Part feline, and I don’t know what else. It’s something I’ve never smelled before.

Gage’s dark brows shot up in surprise, and Sienna’s mouth dropped open.

“How do you know about shifters?” Her cousin sounded both surprised and angry. “I thought I’d have to break it to you, then find a way to keep you here forever. They kinda frown upon humans learning about shifters.”

“I have my ways,” Maddie smirked.

Sienna’s gaze turned on her mate. “Do you know? Oh my god, you didn’t tell her, did you?”

“Babe, why don’t you think about that for a second.”

Sienna’s brows drew down in confusion. It really was mean of Maddie to keep her hanging, but a girl had to have some fun.

When Sienna came up empty, she nudged Gage with a sharp elbow to the ribs. “Tell me.”

“Think about it. She scented me.”

That seemed to do the trick. Sienna’s eyes rounded again, and her mouth dropped open. “You?”

“Me,” Maddie replied.

“But…what?”

“Liger.”

“What? I haven’t heard of that.”

“Half lion. Half tiger.”

“How?”

Maddie couldn’t help the snicker of amusement that escaped. “The usual way I’d guess. Though, I’d prefer to think my parents never had sex.”

“That’s not what I meant, dork. Our dads are brothers.”

Maddie smiled. “My dad was adopted, remember?”

“Oh yeah.” She scrunched up her nose like she did when they were growing up, and she was finally figuring something out. “I never would have guessed he was a shifter, and how did my dad never know?”

Maddie shrugged. “I guess dad kept it a secret, afraid grandma and grandpa would toss him out on his ass like his biological parents did. As soon as he could, he moved from Sweetwater up to a more shifter-friendly place.”

“Well, will wonders never cease. I wish I would have known all of this sooner.”

“Why?”

“Because then it wouldn’t have come as much of a shock when I did find out.”

“Yeah, but then you probably wouldn’t have met him,” Maddie nodded her head in Gage’s direction. “Everything happens for a reason. I hope,” she murmured, the last two words not needing to reach anyone else’s ears.

Sienna reached across and grabbed Maddie’s hand, squeezing it tight. “It does, and I know I forgot to tell you earlier, but I’m glad you’re here.”

Maddie smiled and flipped her hand over to squeeze her cousin’s hand back. “Me too, but I am dead on my feet. If you want me to be of any use tomorrow, I need to sleep.”

“But it’s still early.”

Gage shifted Sienna off his lap and stood. “I’m sure Maddie could use a bit of a catnap. Being on the road for any length of time will zap most people. And did you see the size of that tiny ass car? Her liger probably felt like it was locked up in a cage.”

Sienna wrapped her arm around his waist. “Ha ha, I get it. A cat nap.”

“That’s sounds like the best idea I’ve heard all day.” Maddie stood and stretched.

Sienna rolled her eyes and led them out of the bar. She got Maddie situated in her room, and minutes after she and Gage left, Maddie was face down on the bed and headed into slumber.