Page 71 of Warlander Grizzly

Chapter Fifteen

Landon offered his hand and helped Lucia out of the passenger’s side of his truck. God, she looked gorgeous tonight. She’d worn a tight black V-neck T-shirt that showed off her curves and that new tattoo on her arm that meant more to her than she would ever admit to anyone but him.

Strong woman. God, she was such a badass. She took no attitude from anyone, ran that entire bar with an iron fist, and would lay a grown man out if he crossed a line. Landon had always loved how tough she was. Now? Knowing how pliable and submissive she turned under his touch in the bedroom, her complicated layers became even more attractive.

He was utterly addicted to her.

“I’m lighting the firepit!” Kru announced.

“Light it all you want. I’m taking this one to bed,” Landon muttered as they passed the firepit on the way to Lucia’s trailer.

“Stop being lame,” Kru griped, stacking fresh wood into the pit. “This is the first time we are inviting you to a Crew meeting. Absorb the compliment.”

Okay, that was bullshit and just Kru’s way of getting him to stop his trajectory toward Lucia’s trailer, but he took the bait. Why? Because he couldn’t help it. That word—Crew—was the biggest damn temptation to a man like him.

Kru must’ve seen him hesitate, because he pounced. “Hey, remember when me and Lucas invited you out for boys’ night tonight? And we didn’t have to?”

“Kru!” Cadence admonished him. “They’re tired.”

“It’s early!” Kru said as Lucas pulled out a chair for Jenna by the firepit. “Look, the Alpha is going to hang out with us!”

“Because I know my mate wants to wind down with Cadence. They are predictable. Every Saturday night, they come up with some excuse to hang out here.”

Jenna grinned at Cadence. “Can’t help it.” To Lucia she said, “Please hang out with us. Just fifteen tiny minutes more. You were working all night.”

It was the look on Lucia’s face that had Landon tugging her hand back toward the firepit. She was touched that Jenna had singled her out and invited her.

Sweet, badass mate.

Mate. God, Nox would lose his shit if he knew how Landon saw her.

He settled Lucia in the empty chair between Cadence and Jenna, and he took the empty one across the fire. Did he like being this far away from her? Hell no, but her cheeks were this pretty shade of pink and she wore this pretty smile as she talked to Cadence. Bright side, he got a clear view of her from here, and she looked so pretty in the soft orange glow of the fire Kru had lit.

He lifted his camera and took a picture of her. Couldn’t help himself. She was something else. As the girls were talking, he set her picture as the lock screen on his phone so he could remember this moment every time he opened up his phone.

“Stop it,” Lucas said suddenly.

Landon ghosted a glance to him, and Lucas was rubbing the back of his neck. With a frown, Landon asked, “You good?”

“Cut it out, Kru,” Lucas uttered, and there was too much growl in his voice. The shift in atmosphere was too fast, and too much.

“Whoa,” Landon said, leaning forward.

“What did I do?” Kru asked.

“You’re throwing something at me,” Lucas gritted out.

Kru sat there looking confused with both his hands out, palms up. “I’m not throwing anything.”

The fire popped and an ember shot out. Lucas stood up like a shot and slapped the back of his neck. His eyes darted to the woods.

The hairs on the back of Landon’s neck lifted. “Lucas?”

Jenna was up, rubbing her little hands against his arm, but the look on Lucas’s face wasn’t right. His eyes were the bright gold of his gorilla.

A trio of echoing pops sounded from the woods, and Landon pointed to his side. “Lucia, here.”

And bless that woman, she didn’t argue or tell him not to tell her what to do. She stood and strode directly to his side as Landon faced the woods with Lucas.

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