Chapter Ninety-Two
Lucas waited for them by the car as they came out of the hotel. He leaned against the car with his head back, eyes closed, and a pleased smile on his face. If she didn’t know exactly what he’d been up to the night before, she may have assumed he’d spent the night getting massaged by beautiful women. At the sound of their approach he rolled his head forward and his blue, green eyes crinkled in humor. She had to admit he looked handsome in his blue three-piece suit while leaned casually back with his arms crossed.
“Finally,” he whined. He shoved off the car. Graham let go of Catherine’s arm to reach for the back door. “What the hell took you so…” Lucas’ nose pinched and he took a step back when Catherine got to the door Graham held open. Lucas rolled his eyes and gave Graham a look of annoyance. “Seriously?”
“Seriously,” Graham responded.
“Why don’t you just get a sign that says, ‘Touch and Die’ and pin it to her dress?” Lucas asked.
Catherine’s face burned as she sat in the seat. She looked up to see her mate giving Lucas a self-satisfied smile. “My way is much more fun,” Graham argued.
Lucas gave Catherine a dubious look. “Come on, Catherine, you can’t tell me you like broadcasting that your man just…”
“Hey,” Graham warned.
Lucas rolled his eyes but continued to wait for her answer. Graham’s fingers twitched nervously against his thigh and he looked down, curious for her
answer too.
Catherine shrugged and her face heated impossibly further. “I don’t know… I think it’s kinda hot,” she whispered.
Graham gave Lucas a victorious grin.
“Whatever, freaks,” Lucas sighed with a shake of his head. “Next time, call Theo and Nat and have them drive your possessive asses where you need to go.”
Graham leaned down to take Catherine’s hand. He kissed the back of it and winked. He closed the door softly before walking around the back. He and Lucas continued to bicker while Catherine fastened her seatbelt.
“Hey Mark,” Catherine said.
Mark waved from the driver’s seat. “Hi Catherine, you look great.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m just saying,” Lucas said as he fell into the front seat. Graham slid in beside Catherine. “Remember how pissed you’d get when Theo pulled that shit? Have some consideration.”
“That was completely different.”
“How?”
“Cause Natalie is my sister. End of discussion,” Graham explained.
“Whatever, I give up with your nasty ass. Back to what’s important. Did you ask her?”
“Ask me what?” Catherine asked.
Graham intertwined their fingers. “Lucas here wants you to put a good word in for him with Juno.”
“Juno?” Catherine sat forward. “You have a thing for my best friend, Lucas?”
“Hell yeah, have you seen her?”
Catherine laughed. “Once or twice. Is that why you’re dressed so nice and are practically giddy?”
Chapter Ninety-Two
Lucas spun in his chair and smoothed his tie. “You think I look good, Kitty?”
“Don’t answer that, Catherine,” Graham warned.
“She’s being stubborn. I just thought a sweet word or two from you might grease the wheels a bit for me,” Lucas rationalized.
“Feel free to say no, Baby. We all know how much of a horndog Luke is,” Graham told her.
“Yeah, well if I’m being honest, so is Juno.”
“See? We’re made for each other. Sluts recognize sluts,” Lucas said with a jovial smile. He turned quickly to shoot Catherine a desperate look. “And I mean that with utmost respect.”
Catherine gave Graham a devious smile. “Should I tell him?”
Graham sighed. “I hate to do it to the poor guy. He’s going to get all upset and mopey for the rest of the night.”
“He’s going to find out eventually,” Catherine rationalized. “Maybe it’s better he cries it out now.”
“As much fun as this back and forth is, why don’t you just say it? She told you she only dates guys with small dicks, right?” Lucas asked.
Catherine laughed. “No, it’s just that Juno isn’t coming tonight.” Lucas’ face immediately fell. “I’m sorry, she said she’s sick and isn’t going to make it. Which reminds me,” she said, turning to Graham. “I’d like to check in on her tomorrow morning before we head home.” Graham nodded with a smile.
“Fuck,” Lucas groaned. He sat forward again and glared at Mark when he chuckled. He peeled off his suit jacket and shoved it in the floorboards.
“Jeez,” Catherine whispered.
3
“Give him a break, he was hoping to use Juno as a distraction from his daddy issues,” Graham told her.
“Daddy issues?”
“I do not have ‘daddy issues,”” Lucas growled. “It’s just that damn woman was the only thing I was looking forward to about this fucking party. If I had known I would have kept that damn rogue around a bit longer.”
“Daddy issues?” Catherine repeated.
Lucas shot Graham a look which he proceeded to ignore. “Dane,” Graham answered.
“What?!” Catherine shrieked,
Lucas threw his hands in the air.
“She was going to find out eventually,” Mark reasoned as they pulled onto Main Street.
“Alpha Dane is your father?” Catherine asked. She never thought her eyes could get so wide.
“Yeah. My mom was his fated mate,” Lucas said, shaking his head and narrowing his eyes at Graham who merely smiled.
“So, you’re next in line for his pack? That guy raised you? Why are you in Blackmoore? You have alpha blood?” Catherine asked, her mind whirling. The car pulled to a stop in front of Shepherd’s. There was a large group of people filtering into the restaurant. “Wait,” Catherine held her hands against her cheeks. “How old are you?!”
Lucas turned and shot Catherine a smile. “I’ll never tell.” He gave her wink and shoved the car door open.
“Way to drop a bomb right before putting your mate on the frontlines,” Mark joked.
Graham shook his head. “It’ll keep her distracted,” Graham reasoned.
Nin
Graham got out while Catherine continued to try to reconcile the Lucas she knew before with the one he became in less than a second. Her door opened and a hand appeared for her to take. She took the hand absently and stepped out.
“Do a sweep and link me when you’ve checked in with security,” Graham instructed Lucas.
“Sure thing,” he responded before strutting into the restaurant.
A chill swept up Catherine’s spine. She felt eyes on her. She glanced over her shoulder. Something in the air didn’t feel right. There seemed to be a certain ominous energy. She focused her gift and tried to follow the lines of energy flowing around them. She was mesmerized as always at the intricacies of people’s tethers. So many people who you would never believe to be connected were somehow tethered together. She tried to focus on the individual energies of those around her but could only see bright, glowing, warm currents of energy. Nothing seemed out of sorts but… She glanced up worriedly at Graham.
“I know, I feel it too,” he whispered.
“What do you think it is?” she asked, still glancing around looking for the threat.
He shrugged his shoulder. “Could be nothing. I have the men on alert just in case.”
She studied his expression and caught the tick of his jaw, telling her he was trying not to worry her. She opened her mouth to ask more questions when he took a step toward her, forcing her back until her butt brushed the car. Catherine glanced around at the groups of people, some of whom took a great interest in the couple of the hour.
“What are you doing?”
“Enjoying one last private moment with my mate before we go inside,” he explained. He cupped her cheek and brushed his thumb across her smooth skin. “Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”
Catherine blushed. “Maybe not in words.”
“You look beautiful tonight, Baby,” Graham whispered, stepping closer. “Do you remember the rules?” He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers.
Catherine nodded and counted them off with her fingers. “Stay away from Dane, stay away from Gerald and Bitch, don’t say anything about my gift, don’t drink or eat anything that you haven’t tried first, and keep you from losing control.” She held her five fingers up for him and wiggled them. “Easy.”
He smiled before kissing her deeply. “Right. Easy. Come on, Lucas just gave the all clear.”
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