Page 40 of To Teleport, or Not to Teleport?
“Through the back window? A rock?Right,I’ll head over now. Thanks, man.”
“What happened?” I asked, studying the tension around his eyes.
Grayson grabbed the back of his neck with both hands, his face toward the sky, and growled low in his throat. When his eyes met mine, they were green, his panther on the verge of bursting forward.
I rose to my toes and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Whatever it is, I’m here. Are Bear and Kaleb okay?”
“Someone’s thrown arockthrough the back of the house. They cracked two panes before completely shattering a third. Since he’s been here, that rules him out,” Grayson said, nodding toward Kenny.
“See, I told you I haven’t vandalized anything,” Kenny said.
Cami scoffed. “I mean, all it proves is you didn’t throw a rock, but it doesn’t absolve you of the rest, and it’s clear you’re a bigger prick than I’d always told Lee.”
“Gray, weneedto get Mac and Zelda in on this. What if whoever just did that hurt the guys or you?”
“Or you—” He growled, his skin rippling as he fought his shift.
“I’ll call Zelda and tell her to meet y’all at the house,” DeeDee said from the diner’s open door.
I jumped, surprised at her presence and the audience we’d acquired during the altercation with Kenny. “Thanks, DeeDee! Come on, Grayson.”
* * *
“I’ve pulled some plywood from the barn to cover it, but I wanted you to see it first,” Bear told Grayson when he spotted us entering the backyard.
Little wild garden beds lined the forest and large deck. It offered bursts of colors that soothed my gnawing anxiety of the latest attack on Grayson. In the corner of the deck sat a fountain similar to the one he’d gifted me. How the man had time, I didn’t understand, but pride filled me at his expert craftsmanship.
“Thanks, Bear. We’re just glad you two are okay,” I said, giving the large Shifter a hug.
“I’m guessing neither of you noticed who did it?” Grayson asked, looking from Bear to Kaleb, who’d joined us with a toolbox in hand.
Kaleb set the toolbox at his feet. “After you dropped us off, we both went to wash up and didn’t see the damage until we called.”
“If we’d been here when it happened, that fucker would be tied to a tree right about now.” Bear growled, showing me a side of the Shifter I’d never seen.
Grayson ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “That means Kenny could still be responsible.”
“I’m sorry, Grayson. None of this would be happening to you if you’d just stayed away,” I whispered, my heart clenching at the realization.
“Sweetheart, it’s a miracle he stayed away as long as he did. Whoever did this… This istheirfault, not yours, Grayson’s, or ours,” Bear said, kindness shining bright in his brown eyes.
“Trust us, he’s been more bearable since we moved here, vandalism and all.” Kaleb’s lips twitched with amusement at the light ribbing.
“Who’d you piss off?” Zelda asked, her eyes focused on the damage. Her long red hair flowed behind her as she joined us in whatever latest fashion her father, Fabio, had acquired from Paris.
“Grayson, this is worse than you led on, son,” Mac said from Zelda’s side. I stared at him a second too long as was the norm. Not only was the man good looking, the power emanating from him as king of the Shifters drew folks in like honey to bears.
Zelda winked in my direction and wound her arm through Mac’s. “How’d you piss someone off so much, they’d take out your windows? You’ve been here for like two minutes.”
“According to your porn-loving therapist,” Sassy said from behind me, wisps of teleportation smoke trailing her. “People think this hunk of butter and his daddy-o stole a bunch of money and—”
“Enough!” Mac snapped. “What are you doing here, Sassy?” he asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Sassy released an exaggerated sigh. “Well, I was on my way to the bar, because no one told me what a pain in the ass Chad, Chip, Chunk, and Chutney could be when they’re bickering over their nuts, and I ran into Roger. Roger mentioned this slice of warm apple pie, something about a rock, and that you two were coming here, so—”
“Quit acting like they’re the reason you drink,” Zelda said, shaking her head.
“You may stay if you remain quiet,” Mac announced, and Sassy mimed locking her lips and throwing away a key.
