“This feels like more than your usual protectiveness. Whatever your issue is, you need to find a way to get over it, fast. I agreed to let her stay for as long as she wants.”
Luke spun around with a glare. “Dammit, Blake—”
“And to think you used to be one of my more laidback Enforcers. Look, Luke, she told me what was going on and then told me she was staying whether you liked it or not. Said she’d just find another place to stay until she felt like she should leave if we didn’t want her in the clubhouse. And she was dead serious. We can’t stop her from staying in the area, so the best way to make sure she’s protected is to keep her here, where we can watch over her. This isn’t just about saving our own asses—it’s about making sure, when she finally goes home, that she arrives in one piece. So you need to get over whatever the hell your problem is, and do it soon.”
“I don’t fucking like this.”
“You don’t have to like it. But you’d better not hurt her in any way. The War Cats are a friend to us. You and Noah stayed there for a long time, and the top warriors, including Jameson, were completely welcoming to you. You, a lion, the tiger’s natural enemy. The least we can do is make her feel welcome.”
Luke could feel the muscle in his jaw ticking, and he took a deep breath, hoping to calm down. “I won’t hurt her feelings, but I’m not sure I can make her feel welcome. I told her she needed to go home.”
“She’s a grown ass woman, idiot. You can’t order her around, and who are you to think you can try? And making her feel welcome, giving her the same courtesy we would any shifter, isn’t a suggestion, Carlisle. It’s an order.”
Blake spun around and stalked to the door, his frustration with Luke evident in the way he was holding his body tightly. He didn’t slam the door—that wasn’t his way—but it was clear he wanted to.
Fuck. That had gone well. Blake had a point, though. If she was staying, it was better she was at the clubhouse, so they could keep an eye on her.
Well, it was better for her safety. Far less so for his sanity.
He guessed he better get used to the thought of her being there, because Blake was right. He didn’t want to make her feel badly. His intent was to protect her, not hurt her.
Time to reconcile himself to their new houseguest and making sure she never found out just how attracted to her he was.
Tarun paced through her temporary quarters, trying to get up the nerve to leave the room. She couldn’t hide out in there the whole time, no matter how much she wanted to. It would totally defeat the purpose of being there. Plus, Blake said Liam—who apparently ran the grill part of B&B Bar and Grill—would be serving up dinner soon, and she was hungry.
The problem was, she was nervous about how Luke was going to react to her staying. And she couldn’t for the life of her figure out why. After all, she was still pissed off that he’d tried to order her around. If anything, he should be nervous to see her again, because she refused to back down, and she wasn’t going to stand for his shit.
Yet butterflies felt like they were taking up permanent residence in her belly—the feeling so intense that she could barely breathe through them.
It was like she was equal parts silly, nervous girl and pissed the hell off.
And it had her feeling crazy off kilter.
You like him, her tiger said, her voice smug and knowing.
What? No, I don’t.
I can hear the lie in your voice, you know. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. What’s not to like about Luke?
Um, how about the fact that he tried to order me around? How about the fact that even if I did like him, he clearly doesn’t like me? So it would make liking him pointless, IF I liked him to begin with. Which I don’t.
It’s okay if you do. It’s good, actually—
Nope. Don’t want to hear it.
Shutting her cat down, she squared her shoulders and left the bedroom, making her way back to the bar. Weirdly enough, the exchange with her animal had mostly taken care of the butterflies. She was aggravated enough in that moment to take on Luke and anyone else who came at her.
Like Georgie, who was staring at her in shock as she walked out of the hallway. Eyes narrowing, the waitress stomped over to Tarun. “You’re not allowed back there. It’s off limits for everyone except MC members.”
Raising an eyebrow, she looked the pretty waitress up and down, wondering at the confidence she’d felt wash over her the second she left her room. “Maybe it’s not to anyone else, but it is to me. After all, how else would I get to my room?”
Taking perverse pleasure in the way Georgie’s mouth dropped open, she smirked as she brushed past her and made her way to the bar, nodding at Blake as she sat down.
“Settling in okay so far, Tarun?” he asked as he wiped down the counter in front of her and handed her a menu.
“So far, so good.”
His eyes looked behind her for a second before settling on her again. “And Georgie? What was that about?”