Page 67 of Finlay

“No,” I said quietly. “I don’t think you are. Where is Reid, by the way?”

“Out doing deliveries.” Chester glanced at the clock and bit his lip. “He should be back in the next ten minutes or so. Should I call him?”

I shook my head. “He’ll only worry. Let’s get him here where we know he’s safe, then we can decide where to go from there.”

“Thank you,” Chester said softly. “But you don’t need to hang around. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate it, but it’s not your problem to solve, Finn.”

I tried to hide my grimace. It was more my problem than Chester’s, but it wasn’t like I could tell him that. Not without explaining several centuries worth of border skirmishes and resulting treaties. “Anyone or anything that makes you feel even slightly uncomfortable is my problem, Chester.”

He flushed and ducked his head. “It isn’t, but thank you.”

I touched his chin, lifting gently until he was forced to meet my gaze. “Aye, it is. At least, I’d very much like it to be.”

Chester was saved from answering by the bell, quite literally. It rang as Calan, Evan, and Logan stepped into the shop.

The magnitude of the moment suddenly hit me. Chester was meeting those I was closest to. My family. I’d had visions of this happening over dinner, hopefully after I’d briefed him fully on what to expect.

And after I’d beaten a warning into Logan to behave.

Unfortunately, this situation meant that neither of those things had happened. I drew closer to Chester. I wasn’t throwing him to the wolves alone.

Pun fully intended.

“Oh, hello,” Logan said, mischief firing ashe noted ourpositioning and the possessive hold I still had on Chester’s jaw. “Who do we have here? Is this Chester?”

The fucker knew the answer to that already. I ground my teeth together and shot Logan a look warning him totoe the line.

His wink had my heart sinking. Little shit had no intention of making this easy for me.

Striding over to the counter, he extended a hand to Chester. “Hi, I’m Logan, Finn’s most interesting friend.”

“Interesting is one word for it,” Calan muttered, yanking Logan away with a murderous glare. “What are you trying to touch him for? Have ye lost yer mind completely?”

“Not since I last checked.” Logan sniffed. “Besides, it’s not like Finn canna cope with me shaking the man’s hand, right?”

“Right,” I said through gritted teeth. Logan knew exactly what game he was playing, and later, I’d make sure he knew what the punishment was. Someone was going to be pulling the night shift for the foreseeable future if he kept pushing my buttons. “Chester, this is Logan, one of my…friends. The big one there is my brother, Calan. And I believe you already know Evan?”

Chester eyed Evan warily. “Yup. You going to cause trouble for Reid again, or do I need to ask you to leave before he gets back?”

My respect for Chester rose several more notches. Judging by the smirks on Calan’s and Logan’s faces, they felt the same. Shifters were a protective bunch.

Chester was going to fit right in.

“No,” Evan said quietly. He was hunched over, hands in his pockets as though he was trying to make himself assmall as possible. It was an incredible feat considering his size. “I just want Reid to be safe, that’s all.”

Chester studied him for a moment longer before nodding. “Good. Then you can stay.”

Calan stepped forwards. “Would ye mind telling us what happened?”

Chester’s gaze flitted between them before coming to land on me. “I don’t understand. Why are they here?”

I cursed myself internally. This was exactly why it was tricky dealing with humans who knew nothing about the supe world. “We all know who Reid’s family are. We’re happy to intercede on his behalf if needed.”

“Intercede…” Chester’s voice faded away as he once more looked everyone over. I could almost see his mind working. Noting mine, Calan’s, and Evan’s superior size and muscles. Did he also see the feral, unhinged gleam in Logan’s gaze? Not many noticed it.

Not until it was too late.

Chester’s eyes narrowed. “What does that mean, exactly?”

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