Page 44 of A Lady's Heart
“So she really does know you?” Cole demanded.
Mandy nodded, touching Danielle’s face gently. “Although I didn’t recognize you for a moment. You’ve changed.”
“Grown up.”
Mandy twisted in her chair to offer Justin a brilliant smile. “Danielle is my middle sister. I haven’t seen her or Susanna since I moved away.”
Some of his fears faded, but he still had concerns. “But who was with her? Why did she chase us with the snowmobiles? And what was she doing in your apartment?”
Danielle didn’t flinch, but she only answered part of his questions. “Trying to get information. We heard rumors, but no one would tell us anything for sure, so I figured I had to find out for myself.” Danielle looked Justin up and down slowly, assessing and apparently finding him wanting. “I wanted to know that she was free of the controlling bastard who’d taken her from us.”
“I am,” Mandy assured her. “Everything has changed, and it’s all going to be okay. Justin’s boss is the new head of the bear clans, and he’s making changes.Goodchanges.”
Danielle and Justin exchanged another glance. Her youth was now a lot more apparent after he’d spent some time watching her. She had to be barely out of her teens.
She shrugged then ignored Justin and focused on Mandy, joining their hands. “We’ll see. But now that I found you, I want you to come home with me.”
“No.”
The word jerked out of Justin involuntarily, and the only thing that made it better,maybe, was that he wasn’t alone in declaring it.
Cole had snapped the word at the same moment, staring at Danielle.
The two women at the table moved as if in a well-choreographed routine. They pushed their chairs back and turned, folding their arms over their chests as they offered stern glares at the men.
“No?” Mandy asked in shock.
Justin struggled to find a way to reverse his outburst, but it was impossible to turn off his protective instincts. “Not until we find out more,” he insisted.
“She’s mysister.”
“Which means you trust her,” Justin answered back. “Which is exactly what someone with more nefarious purposes like your ex would do. They’d think nothing of using your sister to get at you.”
Cole turned on him, pulling his lips back to show teeth. “Are you saying Danielle’s bait in a trap?”
The wolf’s hackles were up, and Justin motioned for him to relax. “I’m saying we don’t do anything without thinking this through.”
Dead silence fell at the table. Mandy’s gaze burned into him as she made her disapproval clear.
It took Nadia stepping forward to bring them back where the tension was low enough they could think again. The small blonde tugged out a chair and sat in it backward, leaning her arms along the backrest. “Nothing has to be decided this instant,” she pointed out.
“I’m not letting Danielle out of my sight,” Cole insisted.
“I know, because she was talented enough to give you the slip for such a long time.” Nadia clicked her tongue soothingly. “I’m sure she won’t be so mean to you, ever again. Poor wittle wolfie.”
Cole sputtered even as Danielle’s lips twisted into a smirk.
“We can figure out something that keeps everyone around and happy until Mandy has made a decision. Because, unless I’m wrong, and I don’t think so, this isherdecision to make.” Nadia pointed at Mandy.
Mandy stood, pulling Danielle into her arms and hugging her tight. “Yes, it is my decision, but there’s no way I can make it unless I have time to talk with my sister. Alone.”
She twisted rapidly, fists going to her hips as she glared at both Cole and Justin. “Stop with the growling, guys. If you’re worried about Danielle magically whisking me off under your nose”—she shifted her gaze to Justin, her chin tilting up defiantly—“or if you don’t trust me to stay around like I promised I would, we’ll just sithereand talk. But you two have to sit overthere.”
She pointed across the room.
“Cole will be able to hear you,” Justin reminded her reluctantly.
The wolf jabbed his fingers into Justin’s ribcage like a knife.
