“Like you’ve ever faced something like this? I know you haven’t, so don’t try that line on me. Even if you had, you can still give me advice without us living in the same house. And how about you give me a little bit of credit? I can handle this. I can lead the troop. Either you think I’m incredibly incompetent, or this is just you trying to control my life again.”
“You’re too soft to be a true Silverback, boy. Axel should have stayed. Maybe then, with him in charge, I wouldn’t worry so much.”
“You only say that because you think he would have been easier to manage than me,” he replied, refusing to let his grandfather’s taunts get to him. “You never really knew him at all, just like you never knew me or your own son. Axel never would have let you try to run his life either, Pops. I let you get away with it for far too long. He wouldn’t have even let you try.”
Pops just tightened his mouth as he shook his head, ignoring that Cody said, as he always did when he knew he was right. “I warned you. I told you strangers are bad right now, and I told you to stay away from that little bitch from the beginning. Now look what you’ve brought down on our heads!”
Fury washed over him as he straightened and turned to face his grandfather. “And I told you not to ever talk about my mate like that. I’m serious, Pops. Never. Again. You still have a place in the troop and in this business, but I will strip you of both faster than you can blink if you disrespect her one more time.”
Pops let out a gravelly laugh full of disbelief. “You’re calling her your mate? Have you turned delusional? Our kind don’t have mates, you know that. Maybe I need to call a meeting with the troop, let them know how unstable you’ve become.”
“It’s not a delusion. I know that historically, our kind haven’t had mates. But my gorilla told me she was mine yesterday, and I’m inclined to believe him. Everything I feel for her is perfectly aligned with the way shifters feel for their mates. And as the mate of the rightful Silverback, you will treat her with the respect her position demands.”
His grandfather studied him closely for long moments. Finally, a look of shock filtered into his blue eyes, and Cody knew he believed him. “Your animal actually talked to you? And you found a mate? I… I didn’t think that was possible.”
“Yes to both. And apparently, it is possible. Maybe you don’t know as much as you think you do, Pops. So how about you leave me to live my life and lead the troop the way I see fit? No more interference from you. I mean it. And when Olivia comes to live with us, like I hope she will, you will be on your best behavior. I won’t tolerate anything less. Understood?”
Subdued, his grandfather sank back into his seat. “Ye
s.”
That was all he said, but Cody figured it was the best he was going to get. Pops would see soon enough that he meant what he said. He’d tried to stay respectful and loyal to his family, but when it came to keeping his troop safe, and most especially to anything Olivia related, all bets were off.
They worked in silence for a while, and then a bang from outside caught his attention. Walking to the back door, he pulled it open, a smile immediately stretching his lips when he saw Olivia.
“Hey, you,” he said, walking toward her. “I didn’t know you were here. I would have given you a ride if you’d told me you were coming to work on your truck.”
Looking up from where she was peering into the engine of her truck, she returned his smile, her green eyes bright in the sunlight. “Hey. It’s fine, Carlie brought me in. I wanted to get the truck fixed and back home.”
“You get that spark plug changed out?”
Frowning, she nodded. “Yeah, but it’s still running rough. I’m pretty sure it’s the coil pack, so I’m going to have to run back down to the parts store.”
His eyebrows rose. “You know what a coil pack is?”
Her smile turned teasing as she looked back at him. “What, because I’m a woman, I’m not supposed to know what that is?”
Damn, that was beyond hot. The fact that she knew how to fix vehicles, and the way she looked right now, grease already on her hands as she fiddled with the engine.
Pushing his hands into his pockets, he shrugged. “Most women wouldn’t. Not trying to be sexist, I’m just sayin’.”
“You’re not exactly wrong,” she replied with a light laugh that sent a bolt of warmth through him. “I’m different than most, though.”
He trailed his eyes down her body and back up again. “You can say that again.”
Laughing again as she caught his perusal, she shook her head. “Not what I meant.”
“I said what I said, and I won’t take it back. You’re beautiful.”
Wondering if she’d stop him and hoping she wouldn’t, he leaned in to kiss her. Her eyes darted around for a second, and he knew she was thinking about the fact that they were in public.
But she didn’t stop him. In fact, she met him halfway, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning her body into his. His blood caught on fire as they kissed, slowly at first, then deeper, long, open mouth kisses that stole his breath.
When they finally broke apart, they were both gasping for air, and he pressed his forehead to hers as he sucked in oxygen. As they stood with their arms wrapped around each other, a thought popped into his head that quickly turned into a desire he couldn’t ignore.
“What are you doing after you finish fixing your truck?”
Pulling back slightly, but leaving her arms around him, she met his gaze and tilted her head. “I don’t have any plans. I was thinking about going home and reading. Why?”