“You see, though, we do mind, because y’all have stumbled onto our property, and that makes your trespassers.”
This didn’t seem like the ideal time to point out to him that this was national park land, and if anyone actually owned the landed it was the U.S. government. I felt like, perhaps, the distinction might be lost on them.
Santiago must have sensed the futility of the argument as well, because in spite of his tense expression he said nothing.
“We might be willing to negotiate a trade, though. For safe passage. Give you your boat back and think no more about this.”
“I’m sure it’ll be a very fair offer,” Santiago grumbled.
“Y’all got yourself a pretty girl there. Could use a pretty girl a lot more than I could use a boat, let me tell you.”
My lip curled in a sneer and a pit of disgust formed in my belly.
“Yeah, I’m gonna go ahead and decline that offer,” I said.
Dark Hair looked at me like, bitch did I ask you?
“Here’s a counter offer.” I elbowed my way past Wilder and Santiago, bless them for thinking they needed to stand in front of me and defend my honor or whatever, but I was an Alpha and I was pissed the hell off. “You go away, leave us and our boat alone, we never see or hear from you again, and I keep letting you live this pathetic little existence you’ve carved out for yourselves.”
The two gray-haired ones definitely weren’t looking as confident as they previously had. They stank of fresh, nervous sweat, and they kept checking the surrounding area, gauging whether or not they could run for it.
That, or they were watching for reinforcements.
This wasn’t my first rodeo.
“Keep an eye on our backs,” I told Santiago. “There’s a chance they’re not alone.”
He looked like he might argue, and I got it—the more obvious threat was at our front—but after a serious glare from me, he turned to face our rear approach.
Wilder stayed close, but now that it was apparent I was taking the reins on this, he didn’t speak up. I had no doubt he would have had a brutal comeback for these guys, and an even more brutal assault if it was needed, but for now I was in charge and he would let me handle it until I needed help.
These guys didn’t seem like the type to listen to anything I had to say, so I had no doubt I would need a little backup the second they decided they were bored of feigning interest.
The entire time this was happening Memere was patiently leaning on her cane, her blue eyes fixed on the men.
One of the gray-haired ones observed this at the same moment I did.
“What’s the old lady staring at?”
“A coward,” I snarled.
“Hey b-bitch, I ain’t no fucking coward.”
“Say it next time without the st-stutter.” Okay, mean and a cheap blow, but I had no reason to be nice to the men who wanted to trade Santiago’s boat for ownership of me.
Seriously, I was worth more than a boat, wasn’t I?
Not the point, dummy.
“Enough,” Dark Hair spat. “Give us the girl and the boat, and we let you walk away with your lives.”
“Oh my God, are you kidding me?” I rolled my eyes. “Have you been out here so long all your good lines come from Jean-Claude Van Damme movie villains? No. You are not getting the girl or the boat, because the girl says fuck you, and also, guess what, this isn’t your turf. It’s mine. You’re on McQueen land, and if you haven’t figured it out yet I’m a McQueen.”
Dark Hair’s confidence wavered for a second, but he was quick to paste his sneer back in place. He was trying to look like he didn’t care who I was, but I was willing to bet he’d been around when Callum had cleansed these woods of the Loups-Garous . I was also willing to bet he didn’t want to be on the receiving end of that kind of wrath again.
Callum wasn’t the only McQueen he should worry about.
Now that I was aware of what I was capable of when push came to shove, so I hoped this guy wouldn’t push, because neither of us would like my shove.