Page 65 of Shattered

“Huh?” Penelope scrunched up her nose.

“So much to explain.” Jefferson sighed.

Kalkin chuckled as he grabbed a couple of beers out of a large cooler sitting on the table in the kitchen. “I don’t think you can get it out in one go.”

“You like what you see?” Mackenzie growled in her ear.

She peered up at him through her lashes. “I don’t have any idea what you mean.”

He chuckled. The rough sound skittered across her skin, setting it on fire. “You can’t hide anything from me, star. He arouses you. Do you want to fuck him?”

“What?” She couldn’t believe he’d even ask such a question.

“Do you want him to join us? Have both of us fuck you?” The deep, growly tone of his voice, made her tingle with awareness.

“You’re an asshole,” she muttered.

“Not a no.” Mackenzie wrapped his arm around her middle and chuckled. “I’m not jealous. I have one thing he doesn’t.”

“What?” The second the word fell from her lips, she realized she fell right into his trap.

“A knot.”

She looked up at him this time, surprised by his candor in front of his family and found his eyes the icy shade of blue she’d come to associate with his wolf. “Mac, your wolf.”

He nodded. “I know. We’re both here—I’m here.” Meaning, Mackenzie was in control.

She relaxed marginally. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“We’ll see, won’t we?” Jefferson’s answer drew Aurora’s attention as he accepted the beer from Kalkin. “I should start at the beginning.” He glanced around the room. “My status has changed.”

Charisma tilted her head. “Status. Like on social media?”

Jefferson laughed. “No, as in I’m a mate.”

Charisma gasped before a cry of surprise fell from her. “Oh, Daddy, that’s amazing. I hoped... Well, Penny Ann and I both did, that one day you’d find a mate of your own. Who is it? What’s her name? Why isn’t she here with you?”

Aurora glanced between Jochi and Jefferson then back to Charisma and Penelope. Her heart went out to both girls. She couldn’t imagine the shock both women were about to experience. If she hadn’t been so fixed on Keeley, she would have seen the connection between the two men.

“Well, sweetheart, I know this is going to be hard to understand right now—”

“Mr. Sloan—er—Jochi is his mate,” Penelope said. “Holy shit.”

Jefferson blew out a breath. “Yes.Heis my mate. I don’t understand how this all works. A year ago, Jochi made me a proposition, and I haven’t looked back.”

“Are you happy?” Penelope hedged, while Charisma continued to stare at him.

“Very much so.” Jefferson pulled Jochi into his side. “I might not be able to explain any of it, but I won’t trade it for anything. I think your mom would be happy to see me finally moving forward instead of slowly withering away.”

“So, you’re my grandpa, too,” Mikey said, inching forward.

“Yes, xiao huzi,” Jochi replied.

“What does xiao huzi mean?” Mikey asked.

Jochi tapped his nose. “It means ‘little tiger.’”

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