Page 113 of Vicious Luna

“You’re about to be a very rich man, Cameron Knox,” Avery comments as she tugs her leggings up her hips and smooths the waistband across her abdomen. “What are you gonna do with all that money?”

“I have a few ideas,” I mutter cryptically, turning to glance toward the bedroom door. “Think it’s safe to go downstairs and grab some coffee?”

“Sure, grab me some, too,” she quips, picking up herhairbrush and combing it through her damp tresses. “If you run into Madd, just tell him to fuck off.”

“And here I thought you liked me,” I snort, heading for the door.

I steal one last backwards glance at my girl before pulling it open and stepping out into the hall, casting a cautionary look down each end before starting for the stairs. I’m a little relieved there’s no sign of Avery’s surly brother, but that relief is tragically short-lived. As I draw closer to the stairs, the sound of heavy footsteps clomping up them registers and I suddenly regret not asking Avery if she had a shirt to go with these pants.

Madd emerges from the staircase into the upstairs hall, turning in my direction and stuttering a step when he spots me. He quickly recovers his composure, continuing toward me as if he didn’t just balk at the sight of me up here. “So you’ve just moved upstairs now?” he mutters as he approaches, giving me a critical once-over. “And why the fuck are you wearing my sweatpants?”

I open my mouth to respond, but then I see his eyes hone in on the shiny new mate mark I’m sporting in the crook of my neck, widening in recognition. A growl rumbles in his chest, lips twisting in a scowl as he abruptly pushes past me, slamming his shoulder into mine and storming off down the hall.

“Avery!” Madd bellows, and I wince as I glance back over my shoulder to see him disappearing through the doorway of her bedroom, his voice carrying into the hall as he asks, “You two marked?”

“We did,” I hear her reply calmly.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t think I needed your permission.”

“So he’s staying?” Madd asks.

“Yeah, if you’ll let him.”

I stiffen, knowing that I shouldn’t be eavesdropping on this conversation and dreading his answer.

“Aves…” he growls.

“What, Madd?” she fires back. “Is this the part where you tell me I’m being stupid and he’s not good enough for me?”

“Well obviously he isn’t good enough for you,” he scoffs, and I grit my teeth, waiting for the other shoe to drop. “No man on this earth is good enough for my sister. But that’s not the point. He’s your mate, and if he makes you happy…”

“Then you’re happy, too?” she interrupts hopefully.

“Then I’ll learn to live with it,” he grumbles.

“So he can stay, then?”

“Of course he can stay, was that really a question?”

Avery squeals, the sound of it lighting me up from the inside. “Thanks, bro. I knew I could count on you to have my back.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Madd sighs. “Don’t go telling hunter boy I said that shit, I’ve got an image to uphold here.”

She barks a laugh. “Sure thing, ya big teddy bear.”

Before I can turn around and make a break for it, Madd emerges from Avery’s bedroom, stepping back into the hall. Of-fucking-course we make eye contact the moment he does. Both of us freeze on the spot, Madd cringing at the realization that I just heard their conversation. Then he whips around, striding down the hallway toward his bedroom at the end. He pulls open the door, glancing back at me over his shoulder, and I swear I see the ghost of a smile on his lips before he steps through and slams it behind him.

“The Greasy Spoon is still open?”Gray asks incredulously.

“Still open, and still terrible,” I confirm, nodding.Turns out Avery’s old man spent some time out in northern Nevada decades ago, in the same town where The Guild was sent on a three month long wild goose chase following a tip from one of the message boards. We didn’t find any shifters there, but we did discover some truly terrible dining establishments. “Well, it was four years ago when I was out that way,” I tack on. “But there were no signs of them closing their doors anytime soon. The locals love it for some reason.”

“That place gave my whole pack food poisoning,” Gray mutters, grimacing. “Only reason I remember it.”

“I have a feeling that's why a lot of people remember it,” I chuckle. “The locals must have iron stomachs.”

Avery makes a gagging noise as she returns from the kitchen, rounding the table and sliding back into the chair beside me. “Gross, remind me never to consider vacationing in northern Nevada,” she remarks, reaching over to rest her hand on my thigh.

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