Page 60 of Taken By the Pack

I flip it between my fingers as we step back outside. “Damn. That was fast. Back home, there’d be a whole process: vetting, paperwork, background checks.”

She smirks. “Guess you’d better be a good tenant then, since I vouched for you.”

I glance at her. “The best.”

Something flickers in her eyes, and for a second, she’s just staring at me. Then she looks away too fast, clearing her throat.

“So,” she says, voice lighter now, “need help moving in?”

“I’ll probably shop for furniture this week. I’ll just be moving my clothes from the motel tomorrow.”

She nods, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel. “Well, guess I’ll see you around, then.”

“Yeah.” I grin. “Looking forward to being neighbors.”

Oh, she has no idea how much I fucking mean that.

17

ROWAN

The water is calm. There’s barely a ripple as the boat drifts, the soft lapping of waves the only sound besides Ash humming some low, tuneless song under his breath. The sun hasn’t even fully risen yet. It’s just a strip of orange bleeding into the deep blue of the sky.

I shouldn’t be out here. Not with him. Not like this.

I should be in her bed, wrapped in her tight heat.

But here I fucking am.

Ash leans over the side, fingers skimming the water. He’s been quiet for the past ten minutes, which is rare as hell, but I don’t question it. Not until he suddenly dives a hand into the shallows and pulls something out.

“Look at this,” he says, holding up a small, pale shell.

I glance at it, unimpressed. “It’s a shell.”

“No shit,” he mutters, turning it over in his hands like it’s some ancient artifact. “It’s nice, though.”

“Chuck it back.”

“Nah,” he says, shaking his head. “I like it.”

I snort. “What, you collecting now?”

He smirks, tucking it into his pocket. “It’s for her.”

My spine stiffens. “Grace?”

“Yeah,” he says easily, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “Hasn’t she done enough for me? Found me a damn house and everything. Least I can do is bring her a gift.”

Something tightens in my chest.

It doesn’t make sense. I know she’s with Jake. I’m fine sharing her with him. I’m fuckingfinewith that. But watching Ash, some new guy, talk about her like that—it pisses me off.

And the worst part? I don’t even know why.

But it does grind my teeth to hear Ash say her name like that, like he has therightto.

Maybe it’s just that I don’t know him that well yet. First impression was good, but now…

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