Page 15 of Touched By Moonlight
Stephan and Nicolas came over and hung at the bar, looking at me. We were tight, my betas and me. A single nod and they would be over at my side in aminute.
I shook my head ever so slightly, and they relaxed. This was an alpha matter and I didn’t want my guys getting into it with a cranked up alpha who was already on edge. Not that Stephan and Nick can’t hold their own against any male. But right now, I needed everyone to calm the fuckdown.
EspeciallyDante.
Only one thing would pull Dante back from the edge. I mouthed a command to Stephan, the charmer, and he took off. A minute later, he returned with the one person who could turn Dante’s thermostat from volcanic tochill.
Hismate.
As I expected, Dante’s expression turned mushy as soggy oatmeal as he caught sight of the lovely brunette. Her scent carried his, and her own – human, but psychic, with power of her own. Peyton, Dante’smate.
“Honey, what are you doing? You promised no fighting tonight. Only sex.” She flashed him a smile and then mouthed “thanks” toStephan.
The big alpha relaxed and slid an arm around her waist. “I was protecting myown.”
“I’m not yours, Dante.” Sienna flashed a smile at Peyton and a warning glare at Dante. “I only workhere.”
Such independence. Admirable. Some males might get turned off by that. Insecure, wimpy males who didn’t appreciate a woman who could hold her own. Not me. It only cranked up myarousal.
Of course, I’m an alpha in the bedroom. Or the ground, or the woods, wherever I have sex. I have to dominate. Sienna represented a challenge I hadn’t had in a longtime.
Her prickly, stand away attitude made Sienna almost untouchable. Almost. I needed her toomuch.
“You’re my employee, Sienna. And I take care of everyone under my roof.” Dante pulled Peyton a little closer, his gaze hard as he glanced atme.
The hard stare of a blatant challenge hadvanished.
His mate smiled at Sienna, a woman to woman secret smile I’ve seen before. “Once an alpha, always an alpha wolf. Sienna, since Dante is closing early, do you need a hand cleaningup?”
“That’s sweet of you, Peyton. But I’ll be fine.” Sienna waved a hand, a smile on her beautiful mouth. “Go home with Dante, have a goodnight.”
Two women, powerful in their own right, taking over the situation. I could applaud their cleverness in diffusing thetension.
Stephan and Nicolas joined me at the bar. “Hey Sienna, don’t ever refuse an offer to clean up. We never hear such generosity at our place.” Stephan told her. “Especially when you live with thisguy.”
He punched Nicolas in thearm.
“I clean up,” Nicolas protested. “When I don’tcook.”
Sienna blinked her lovely eyes. “You both cook and clean? Most guys I knew would consider that women’swork.”
Peyton snorted. “In a fair pack, everyone hasresponsibilities.”
“Right,” Danteechoed.
Sienna glanced at me, her expression filled with curiosity. “What about you, Grayson? What’s your responsibility when it comes todinnertime?”
“Eating it,” I said and everyonelaughed.
It was good to see the tension die in the room, except the heaviness in the air grew. Gotcloser.
I knew what it was. Fae. Not just anyFae.
FionnFae.
That damn Fae that had been at the bar earlier found Sienna, and told her enemy. And now he headed in this direction. The malevolent stench wasn’t here yet, but soon, it would creep through the front door. Surround the bar like smoke from awildfire.
I murmured to Stephan and Nicolas.He’s coming. Getready.
