When we resurfaced, two dozen puzzled faces were gazing down at us, including those of the pretty girl and the young wolf. Lucas was already climbing out, looking remarkably graceful for someone who’d been knocked into the water. In addition, a familiar blond was smirking down, extending his arm to help me out of the pool. I grabbed the hand Dominick, Desmond’s brother, was offering, and let him pull me up like I weighed nothing. He was a small man, not much taller than me, but he made up for it in strength. Not to mention personality.
“So, Secret,” Dominick said, his smirk widening. “You haven’t forgotten how to make an entrance, I see. ”
The other people had stepped back to allow Lucas and me room to get out, but I could see a few of them moving into a defensive stance near him, clearly thinking I was crazy enough to try it again. That none of them seemed worried about the new wolf made me feel foolish and very aware of the mistake I’d made.
“What’s he doing here?” I pointed an accusing finger at the young man. Now that his face had healed from my attack at the motel, the familiarity of him was driving me crazy.
“Jackson?” Dominick asked. All I needed was to hear his name, and then I remembered why I recognized him. He’d been one of the werewolf guards I’d left alive while trying to take down Marcus. Dominick continued without being aware of my discovery. “Jackson is from Albany. When the dissenting wolves were banished, he was one of the only ones to stay loyal, so we moved him into the city so he could be with our pack. He’s been living out here with Lucas. ” He seemed to remember something else and laughed a little. “Oh, yeah. I guess you’ve met Jackson. ”
“What does that mean?” This I directed at Lucas. I couldn’t tell if Dominick was referring to my previous interaction with Jackson at the Orpheum theater, or if the bodyguard knew about Jackson’s part in my kidnapping. The wolf king would have my answers.
“We’ll talk about it inside,” Lucas said.
“I’d like to talk about it now. ” I know I sounded petulant, but it was hard not to be when I’d just found out someone who’d kidnapped me happened to be living with my boyfriend.
“Secret. ” His voice had taken on the authoritative tone of his royal position. “We will discuss it when we are alone. ” The wolves around him seemed hesitant to stand down until he said, “You all remember Secret McQueen, of course. ”
A murmur of uncomfortable hellos moved through the crowd, and finally those nearest the king stepped out of the way so he could come towards me. He put a wet arm around my shoulder, and when he pulled me in, our embrace was exactly how I imagined it would be all those lonely months. In my mouth, Desmond’s flavor was gone, replaced now by the spicy bite of cinnamon. Being this close to Lucas, I could taste our combined flavors, and the result was like biting into a fresh cinnamon bun.
“I’ve missed you so much. ” He spoke into my hair. “Please come inside. ”
&n
bsp; “Lucas, aren’t you forgetting something?” This from the pretty brunette he’d been speaking to. She’d balled her hands on her hips and looked none too happy about any of this. Lucas frowned at her, clearly displeased to be scolded in front of his pack by someone who was his inferior. The girl had balls though, and that gained her instant respect in my book.
“Of course. ” He sighed and held out his hand to indicate I should focus my attention on her. “How rude of me. I’d like to introduce you to someone. ”
I hesitated. If he planned to tell me he’d been soul-bonded to someone else while I was away, I was so out of here. I didn’t need any more wolf drama in my life. Really, I didn’t need any more of any drama in my life.
Ignoring my cold response, he continued. “Secret, please say hello to Kellen. ” He looked at me to ensure I had made the connection—I had—but in case I was oblivious—which I was not—added, “Kellen Rain. My sister. ”
The girl now seemed satisfied she hadn’t been overlooked and reached out her hand to me.
“It’s nice to finally meet you. ” Her whole demeanor had changed. “I’m hoping now that you’re back it means Lucas will shut up about you. ” Kellen’s smile was sweet, but her words betrayed a small amount of genuine annoyance.
“I find that unlikely,” Dominick said, which got him a warning glare from Lucas and a smile of appreciation from me.
“It’s nice to meet you too. I guess it’s true what they say, you shouldn’t believe everything you read. ”
Her smile faltered a little, and she raised a well-shaped brow. “Meaning?”
“Well, I was led to believe when I met you you’d be buck naked, riding a New York Jet or three, and that you had found a way to replace oxygen with vodka. And here I thought Page Six had a fact checker. ”
There was a long pause where everyone waited to see what her reaction would be. Bad press or not, it was no secret Kellen Rain had a short fuse. Then, in an instant, her face lit up and she laughed so loud it surprised me. She continued to laugh until the people around us began to as well, proving I hadn’t overstepped.
“I’m more of a Rangers girl, Secret. At least in their off season. ” This made Lucas frown, until she added, “I like her, Luke. You hang on to this one. ”
“I intend to try, but she doesn’t make it easy. ”
Kellen smiled at me. “The good ones never do. ”
Inside the house, Lucas led me upstairs to the master suite. Dominick, ever the dutiful bodyguard, trailed behind us at a reasonable distance, then settled onto a loveseat in the hall outside the room. I guess my display at the pool hadn’t proven I was ready to be trusted with the king. At least not out of earshot.
As soon as the door closed, I turned to him and tried to speak, but I found he wasn’t interested in chatting. He had removed his wet shirt, and his damp skin glistened in the low light of the room.
“Oh. ”
He crossed the distance from the door to me in a heartbeat, and I was in his arms as he held me tight and met my lips for a long, soft, painfully deliberate kiss. It was nothing like the way Desmond and I had kissed earlier. In fact, apart from both being wolves who were soul-bonded to me, there was almost nothing similar in the relationships I had with my two men.