“Cole,” I mumbled. “Can’t we just leave?”
“Hell no, Ren. This was just getting fun.” Cole growled, smiling darkly, while Trey snickered and gave the women a scathing once-over.
“Yeah. What were you saying, Kimmy? That Shane wanted you? Want to discuss how your dad offered him money to mate you?” Trey drawled, snickering even harder when Kimmy flushed and a round of gasps broke out.
“He didn’t…”
Even I couldn’t suppress a flinch or pity when the poor woman stammered and turned white as a sheet, but I would have been lying if I didn’t admit it made me feel good as Cole and Trey started in on them all. This must be what it felt like to have…family. To be cared for, and as the thought took root, I stood there, suppressing laughter and watching the women squirm under Cole and Trey’s blistering rebukes. Something inside me unfurled.
Hope.
I had people now, and I could hardly wait to rush home and tell Caleb all about it.
Chapter 10 Caleb
“…
so great. Did you see their faces when you threw your head back and roared!” Ren laughed, skipping into the house with Trey and Cole behind her, carrying grocery bags.
Suppressing a snarl because they were all laughing together, I kept my big ass at the table and kept my mouth shut before I said or did something I’d regret. Like beat my brothers to death, using their own arms, I thought, my mouth slashing into a mean smile as the image formed in my head.
“Babe, I think Jenna Farmer broke Alice’s fingers when they stampeded and stomped over her fat ass.” Trey laughed, his shoulders shaking under a fancy suit jacket that made me sneer at him.
He wasn’t even working, dammit. Why the hell was he dressed up, and why the fuck was he standing so close to my…housekeeper!
“Oh, she definitely did. I heard Alice scream bloody murder before she managed to get up and run. My favorite part was when Trey told Lisa she’s so rank even a flea wouldn’t mate-bite her!” Ren yelled, her laughter maniacal and so beautiful I finally lost my temper, threw my head back, and roared.
It wasn’t my finest moment. I’d cop to that, but I’d just spent all morning pacing and waiting for Ren, and now she was laughing with these two hyenas and hadn’t even noticed me.
“What the hell is going on, and where the hell have you been? You went to the store three hours ago.” I snarled, giving Trey a nasty look when he opened his mouth.
Shutting it, he blinked at me before I turned to Ren with a scowl.
“Uh, erm, sorry? I got a little caught up,” Ren said, frowning when I growled again. “You okay?”
“What did they do to you?” I asked, already up to speed on everything that’d happened after listening to the trio laugh their asses off.
I didn’t find it funny, not even a little, and I knew if I didn’t do something about it, I was going fucking explode. I should march into town and break the legs of every male married to those females. Leave a little reminder to them to keep their wives from cornering Ren again.
“Nothing! It wasn’t that bad, I swear. They’re just mean, that’s all.” Ren huffed, turning to pack the food away while I glared at my brothers.
“Mean?”
“Nasty. The women say nasty things, okay. But I don’t care. I mean, they're just words. No big deal. Chill out, Caleb. Seriously, I’m fine. Now, what should I make for lunch, huh? I was thinking of a chicken pita with garlic chicken and lots of salad greens.” She mused, bustling around while I gaped and shook my head in wonder.
Was this female for real?
“Come on, you can walk us out,” Cole murmured, smiling when I shook my head again and followed my brothers down to their trucks.
“She’s so great.” Trey groaned, stopping to lean on Cole’s truck while I struggled with my temper and bewilderment.
“You should have seen her in the store, man. She was so pissed. I don’t think she even realized she was shifting in and out.” Cole whispered, his shoulders shaking while Trey snickered and bent over to grab his belly.
“She grows a beard, man. Cutest shit I’ve ever seen.” He wheezed, his laughter snorting out while I gaped and felt a bubble of laughter rising up from deep within.
“A beard?” I croaked, a full-blown bark of amusement leaving me when Cole grunted and shoved his phone at me to show me a picture.
“Took that before we decided to step in. I don’t think Ren even knows this, but she’s got one hell of a temper, man. She was practically half-shifted by the time we intervened. She thinks those females ran from us, but the truth is, they were shitting themselves already by the time we got there. Alice and Mary kept running their mouths, but it was all bravado, and I don’t blame them. Ren looks scary as shit when she’s angry.” Trey whispered, sputtering again when I flicked through the photos on Cole’s phone and landed on one where Ren’s face was almost full human, but for the half muzzle and razor-sharp teeth.