Page 13 of Midnight Rain

Knowing he had that kind of look bothered Cormac more than it should have. “I understand your concern for Austin, and I really like you, Orion, but you’re right. This isn’t any of your business.”

Until he told Austin that they were mates, Cormac wasn’t telling anyone else, even if that would ease Orion’s mind.

“Are you serious right now?” Orion asked. “My cousin comes over here for a barbeque and you’re in there putting the moves on him. You’re taking advantage of his situation.”

Cormac snarled deeply at being told he was taking advantage of Austin.

Duncan and Izel leapt from the table, racing toward him. Cormac braced himself as Duncan tackled him, but Cormac was bigger and stronger. He flipped his brother off of him as Izel slung Orion behind him.

“Do you mind telling me why you just got aggressive with my mate?” Izel demanded as Duncan went for Cormac again, grabbing him around the waist. But Cormac flipped backward, knocking Duncan off of him as Beckett and Hayden jumped up to pull them apart.

“If you ever snarl at Orion again, I’ll forget we’re related and bury you,” Duncan growled as he struggled against Hayden’s and Beckett’s hold.

“It’s not like that,” Orion argued, but no one seemed to be listening to him. “I overstepped!”

“I will crush your fucking heart in my fist!” Duncan shouted just as Austin hurried outside and looked their way.

“I want an explanation,” Izel demanded.

“I said he was taking advantage of Austin,” Orion explained.

“You did what?” Austin shouted. “How is that any of your goddamn business, Orion?”

“Boys!” Paloma marched over and glared at Orion and Austin. “Flying attitudes isn’t going to solve anything. If there is an issue, we can discuss it like adults.”

“It was a mistake coming here.” Austin spun and ran back into the house but not before Cormac saw tears in his eyes.

“You have no idea what’s going on.” Cormac glared at Duncan. “I wasn’t being aggressive with Orion. I was just pissed he’d said that, you fucking asshole.”

“I’m not the asshole,” Duncan shouted as Cormac headed inside. He cursed when he saw the front door wide open.

Cormac went outside to stop his mate from leaving, only to find Austin leaning at the back of Paloma’s car, his face in his hands.

“Austin.”

“I can’t leave,” he said. “My aunt drove us here.”

Taking Austin’s hand, Cormac led his mate to his SUV. “Get in.”

“Why?” Austin demanded. “There’s nothing to say. Things are a mess, and I need to find a hotel to stay in for the foreseeable future.”

Fuck if his mate was staying in a motel. Cormac was ready to go back inside and beat the hell out of Duncan for attacking him and ruining their evening.

In the back of Cormac’s mind, he knew he’d been wrong to snarl at Orion, but it had been a knee-jerk reaction to being accused of taking advantage of his mate.

“Please.” Cormac sighed. “Can you please just get in?”

Austin yanked the door open and climbed inside. Cormac let out a long breath before he jumped into the driver’s side and pulled from the driveway.

“Lila!” Austin shouted.

“She’ll be fine,” he said. “No one is going to hurt her.”

Austin curled his arms around his midsection as he looked out the passenger window. “I need her, Cormac. She’s my emotional support animal.”

His mate sounded so despondent that Cormac turned back around. He parked, opened the front door, and whistled. Lila came running, barking her ass off.

Cormac scooped her up, and she nipped at him. “I’m really not in the mood right now, girl. Settle down. I’m taking you to him.”’

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