Page 109 of Cost of Courting

She gives me the side-eye while she walks around me, making sure she’s out of arm’s reach.

She can’t see Kingston, but he pounces, picking her up and swinging her round so her feet fly out.

“Where were you?” he growls.

“She’s got a nest,” I announce loudly.

He stops, his arms still locked around her. “You have a nest, oh, those lovely delicious words. Where is this nest?”

“It’s top secret,” I say before Selene can say anything.

She glares at me. “It’s mine.”

“Of course, it’s yours, and we won’t push. You can show us your nest or not, whatever makes you feel comfortable,” Mael murmurs and cups her face. “Are you okay?”

She bites her bottom lip and shakes her head. “No. I’m not. I’ve tried so hard to protect her, and she just throws it back in my face.”

“Okay, we’ll talk about it. Come up with a plan. Let’s go find Bailey before he disappears and goes hunting.”

Selene looks startled. “No, he can’t do that.” She struggles free and starts stomping down the road.

I exchange a puzzled look with Mael and Kingston. Why is she so afraid of this guy being around Bailey? Just who is he exactly?

She finds Bailey before the rest of us do. He’s on a roof hanging fairy lights.

She stops on the footpath and stares at him. Instead of the happiness, she gets a tension in her shoulders and presses her lips in a firm line.

I want to burrow into her head and find what she’s thinking. No doubt it will be confusing and so warped I won’t understand her properly, but whatever is important to her is important to me.

Kingston reappears with his cat, who promptly jumps at Selene. She catches it and starts stroking its fur like some evil mastermind. Her eyes never leave Bailey.

Shade narrows his baleful orange eyes on Jo, who is approaching her. I met the guy earlier today. He feels like he’s carrying the weight of the world. I’m not sure if I like him or not, but I do trust his intentions.

“Why is she with him again?”

Selene shrugs. “Probably because I ruined her life and tried to help her. How dare I!”

Jo growls. “This is serious. She could be-”

Selene turns so she’s facing him, and, despite his size, I would bet on the omega any day of the week. “Hurt? Injured? Taken advantage of? Killed? I am aware, Jo, thank you for rubbing it in. But she is an adult, and I can’t cure stupid.”

“She’s not stupid,” he says sullenly.

“Isn’t she?” Selene mutters and leans down to nuzzle Shade. The blasted evil cat arches his head up and smooches her face.

“No! We have to help her! We have to-”

Selene walks away from him and puts Shade down. He climbs up the porch and onto the roof where, unbeknownst to Selene, Bailey has frozen in apprehension.

I cover my mouth with a hand as I watch Shade stalk Bailey, while Selene stalks Jo. There is a lot similar about them. Eerie.

“Do not tell me what we have to do, Jo. If you have any ideas that won’t come back and hurt the people here, then, by all means, I’m listening, but the fact is if you take her by force or upset her, she will go to him, and he will make our lives a nightmare.”

Bailey falls off the roof, managing to catch himself on the guttering, but I’m no longer paying attention.

“What will he do?” I ask.

She turns to face me and turns away with hard eyes. “He will do whatever the hell he wants.”

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