Page 4 of A Lady's Heart
“That won’t be necessary,” Mandy insisted. Her marriage to Todd Ainsworth had been an arranged event, complicated by family secrets that had sealed her lips. It was only a couple months earlier that his cruelty and lust for power had come to light and allowed her to escape. “The last I heard, he’s broke and being made to work to provide restitution to the people he hurt. I’d like him to stay alive so he has to toil for as long as possible.”
Amy patted her on the arm. “You’re far less bloodthirsty than me, but your choice.” She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a room card. “This is for you.”
Mandy accepted the plastic rectangle, looking it over carefully. “Keys to the kingdom?”
“Suite at the top of the Goldenside Manor. A little more privacy than the single room where you’ve been camping out, and a lot nicer than the hotel room you booked. Spectacular view of the Yukon River from the living room and master suite. It’s yours for as long as you like.”
Mandy gave the Alpha a heartfelt squeeze. “You’ve been so generous. I feel as if I haven’t done anything except take advantage of you.”
“At some point you’ll pay that favour forward,” Amy assured her. “Maybe not to me, but to someone else. That counts.”
“I’ll be sure to do that.”
Amy cleared her throat. “By the way, I already had your bags moved to the suite. Oops?”
Mandy laughed. “You’re bossy.”
“Guilty, but I mean well.”
A flutter of excitement tickled Mandy’s belly. It was time to make the next move. “Does Evan plan to keep Justin standing in the middle of the room for the entire evening?”
“If you want him to.” Amy offered a sly smile. “It’s good to see you ready to move on.”
Mandy straightened up, nodding her agreement. “It’s good to feel ready to move on, and in fact, there’s something I need to do before I leave. Excuse me?”
With a broad arm sweep, Amy gestured her to the center of the living space before responding to someone’s call from the kitchen.
Mandy watched her friend leave the room, then gathered her courage and forced herself to leave the safety of the wall. Her feet refused to move quickly, but then again she reassured herself, it didn’t matter if she did this in an all-out run as long as she did it.
Crossing the room took mere seconds, and she boldly stepped between the men.
Justin jerked back in surprise.
The Takhini Alpha turned to her with a broad grin. “Lady Mandy. So happy to see you this evening.”
Evan took her by the hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles.
Every wolf in the room froze, and the sudden hush made Justin’s deep growl echo all the louder.
Evan rolled his eyes, dropping her hand to smack his fists to his hips as he pivoted on one heel, glaring around the room. “Good grief, do none of you have even theslightestunderstanding of chivalry? I wasn’tkissingkissing her, you fools.”
Some card in the back shouted what they were all thinking. “If Amy spots younot kissingkissinganyone again, she’s gonna rip off your lips. That’d make it really hard tonot kisskiss, period.”
“Hardy har har,” Evan muttered, before shaking his head sadly as he turned back to Mandy. “So much for trying to impress you.”
She caught his fingers in hers and gave them a squeeze. “All your wolves have impressed me. Thank you for your hospitality these past months, and for your kindness to me.”
He’d been the next best thing to a father figure for the past while, and now he looked her over carefully, caring in his expression. “Sounds as if you’re ready to say goodbye.”
Beside her, Justin tensed as if nervous to hear her response.
“It’s time for me to move on, but I’m not going far. At least, not at first. I have some decisions to make.”
“We’ll always have a place for you,” Evan promised. His gaze darted back and forth between her and the bear before a devilish smile lit his face. “Here, I’ll get Shaun to drive you. Or better yet…”
He gave a low whistle.
Instantly a handsome, dark-skinned wolf popped up at his side, grin in place as the young man glanced in quick appreciation over Mandy before averting his eyes. “Yo, Alpha-dude. What’s hanging?”
