Page 61 of Shifters' Fated Summer
“Hey!” I squeaked, although I didn’t have any defense. “Okay, so how do I address your uncle and cousins? Wait, are they Jem’s siblings?”
Shaking his head, he chuckled. “Jem is on my mom’s side, and Rhett is my dad’s brother. You can call him that. And his daughters are Lana and Lux.”
“Who’s the one with the tits?” I tried to keep the growl out of my voice, but it was impossible. Luca beamed, loving my jealousy.
“Lana. And I’d try to convince you that she’s actually a good person behind the tits, but that’s just not true. She’s mostly harmless, but she’ll irritate the shit out of you while they’re here, I’m sure. I can barely stand her and I’m the one guy she won’t be hitting on.”
Wrinkling my nose, I pretended to gag.
“Lux isn’t so bad though. She’s just, I don’t know, boring?” Luca shrugged.
“Is she really? Or do you simply have a short attention span?” I retorted, smiling at him. His responding grin filled my chest with sunlight.
“Want to see just how short my attention span is?” he flirted.
I couldn’t help rolling my eyes. “I think it’s time we go down and face everyone. They probably think we were up here fucking with how loud you were in the bathroom.”
“Hope so,” he said, shaking his head to fluff his wild hair. “Hungry, wildcat?”
“Starving,” I muttered, taking his hand as we headed to the door.
Chapter 22
McTits
Huge bowls of steak salad covered the dining table on the deck, and Holt was adding fluffy rolls as everyone sat down.
Cade rarely sat at the head of the table, but with guests present, he took the traditional role. To his right, the twins settled, with Lana-McTits nearest to my mate. Their father, Rhett, settled on his left.
Luca squeezed my hand as we headed for the table. I smiled as he pulled out a chair for me, and we sat beside his uncle. This put me three seats away from Cade - far enough he could ignore me, but close enough I could see every move Lana made.
It didn’t bother me when Cade and Luca embraced. But when Lana ran her hands over Cade’s forearm, my vision went red. Every instinct roared for me to attack. Rip her arm off her body and beat her with it.
I silently chanted that she was his mate’s cousin and it was platonic, but then she leaned forward and used her arms to shove her boobs together while fluttering hereyelashes at Cade, and I lost it.
That bitch was going to die.
Luca’s hand slid up my thigh, his fingers gripping the soft flesh there. “Calm down, wildcat.”
His tone was gentle and concerned, and it gave me pause.
Cade had a dazed look on his face, one I had assumed was from the titty show, but now I realized he was processing my intense emotions and letting them flow through him.
Across from me, Elowen raised her eyebrows and tilted her head in a silent question.
My lips thinned as I grimaced. My shoulders dropped, and I let out a harsh breath. I would have to endure.
Dishes were passed around, and Luca loaded extra steak onto my plate.
“I can’t eat this much,” I protested.
Luca pursed his lips into a pout. “Please, for me? You were really active today. You need the extra fuel. And it’s fucking delicious.”
Scoffing, I let a small smile bloom on my face. I loved how Luca took care of me. This was what I wanted from a partner. Not the icy indifference I got from Cade.
Conversation swirled around us. Rhett was giving Luca and Cade updates about their pack of origin, and it was all unfamiliar names. Mates having babies, people retiring. Lana popped in with commentary, making me bristle each time.
I tried to focus on the quiet discussion between Finn and Archer, but my attempt at ignoring Lana and Cade shattered when she placed her hand on his forearm. She looked up at him through her eyelashes and brushed that hand over his arm slowly.
