Page 45 of Brick

Brick came up to the SUV and Cinder opened the door. “Brick, you can take my seat.”

“Absolutely not, you’re the alpha,” he said.

“I want to talk to Jade, and if I turn around while the car is in motion, I’m going to barf everywhere. So either I drive, which you don’t want because Adam says I make him nervous with my lead foot and tendency to flip people off, or you sit in the passenger seat and talk to your cousin while I get to know the newest member of the Beaumont family.”

“She’s got you there,” Jade said with a laugh.

“Indeed.”

Brick opened the second row’s door and Cinder and Jade slid onto the bench seat. He closed the door and got into the passenger seat.

“We were going to try Cactus Cantina,” Brick said. “It got good reviews online, and Jade said she’s in the mood for a strawberry margarita and chips with salsa.”

“Sign me up, but not for the booze part,” Cinder said.

“Works for me,” Adam said.

They pulled away from the house and headed to pick up Leo and Solan. When they’d met up with the security escort, they hit the road. While Brick and Adam discussed security for the pack, Jade and Cinder talked about the bar, the night ahead, and Cinder’s pregnancy.

After having the most amazing strawberry margarita and the best chips and salsa on the planet, they parked at the back of Lykos.

“So we just…walk in the back?” Jade asked as she took Brick’s hand and stepped out of the SUV.

“Yep,” Brick said. “Paris has an arrangement with the high ranked males of the shifter groups who live in Northern Ohio so that they can come in the back if they’d like, along with the alphas, of course.”

“That’s pretty cool,” she said.

He took her hand and said, “It’s handy when the weather sucks, that’s for sure.”

They knocked on the back door and a female wearing a bar T-shirt opened it. “Hi, everyone, come on in.”

“Thanks,” Brick said. Leo walked through first, then she and Brick followed with Adam and Cinder, and Solan brought up the rear.

The bar was busy and the music was loud and it took Jade a moment to adjust to the pounding bass. They settled at a table that was reserved for members of the wolf pack that were high ranked, and Brick said that there was always at least one table set aside for each shifter group in the area.

Brick took her hand and led her toward the bar. “Come on. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

Behind the counter stood a striking figure. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair and eyes. He smiled when he recognized Brick.

“Paris,” Brick said as they reached the bar.

“Heya, Brick, who’s the lovely lady on your arm?”

“This is my mate, Jade. Sweetheart, this is Paris.”

He extended his hand and she shook it. “Nice to meet you,” she said.

“You’re Alli’s friend. She told me about you when she was here the other night,” Paris said.

“She’s been really wonderful,” Jade said.

“She could start a refuge for shifters in need of help, I swear.”

Jade agreed.

“What can I get for you?” Paris asked.

“I don’t want anything with alcohol,” she said. “I’m still a little warm from the margarita.”

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