Page 69 of Blood of Vengeance

Her smile exploded across her face, every bit of joy practically bursting from her body. “He’s outside with Rush—who is really nice, by the way—so you’ve got probably thirty seconds to tell me everything.”

I rushed over and settled myself on the couch next to her, relief making me feel almost giddy. “He’s so…giving.”

“Yeah, I know. I heard you hollering every time you ‘received’ last night.”

Eek. I had expected that, but still. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. At all. I’m happy he makes you happy.”

“He does. He really does.” I sighed and laid my head on the back of the couch, so damn thrilled to have Zella back in my everyday life. “What’s this about Rush and you and breakfast?”

She waved me off. “Girl, no. It’s not like that. He’s really nice, though.”

“What did you two do last night?”

“Nothing. I ended up going for a ride with Cutter.”

“Cutter?”

“Yeah. He stopped by, so I talked him into showing me the sights.”

I huffed, knowing Zella far too well. “I doubt he had to be talked into anything.”

She laughed. “No. Not really. Now, come on—the guys are taking us for coffee, and you need it.”

We headed outside to find Flinch and Rush laughing about something by the passenger side of Flinch’s truck. When the door opened, both men turned to look. Flinch’s eyes raked over my body from head to toe, his smile turning more wicked. The man was able to look at me and make me feel his gaze, a trick I had never seen anyone else accomplish before. I could practically taste his attraction to me.

“Good lord,” Zella said. “Stop eye-fucking her and let’s go.”

Flinch raised an eyebrow but softened his gaze. “Whatever you want, Zella. You ready, short stack?”

“Are we back on that nickname?” I headed right for him, grinning up into his face as he opened the door for me. “I’m not short.”

He leaned in for a quick peck of my lips. “Compared to me, you’re a tiny little thing.”

That sort of made sense—Flinch and his fellow wolves were some of the biggest men I had ever met. Being average around them meant you were the smallest. The nickname suddenly clicked.

“Fine, I’m a short stack next to you. But I’m honestly not short in the human world.”

“I am,” Zella said as she rounded the front of the truck with Rush following her. “Come on, Locklyn. Get your ass in the truck.”

Flinch took that moment to growl right in my ear, to lean close so he could grab my ass and whisper, “Yeah, Locklyn. Get that ass in my truck so I can caffeinate you.”

The teasing tone had me giggling, his playful nature something new and quickly becoming a favorite for me.

“Fine, but only because you say the sweetest things.” I hopped into the passenger seat of the truck, not needing his hand on my ass to climb in but appreciating it, nonetheless. “Thanks for the help.”

“Gotta protect that ass.” He squeezed my thigh then shut the door, hurrying around the front of the truck to the driver’s side. He quickly opened the crew cab door for Zella. She slipped into the back and took her seat, Flinch helping her just as he’d helped me. Without the ass-grab.

“Thanks,” Zella said as she scooted into her place. “So, where are we going?”

“We’ve got a little mom-and-pop in town that serves good coffee.” Flinch sat in the driver’s seat and started the engine. “The one the prospect took you to a few days ago.”

My heart thumped and my skin went cold. “Yeah, I remember. Sounds good.”

But it didn’t sound good. All I could think about was the man who had been outside watching me. Staring. Making me feel vulnerable.

Flinch pulled out onto the highway but reached over and squeezed my leg just above my knee. “You okay?”

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