Page 37 of Matched into the Mob

“New love, Clyde. Let them be.”

“But we’re conducting an investigation.”

“Ranger, enough.”

Ranger pulled away, leaving me breathless and cross-eyed. Or whatever, but the world looked different than it had moments earlier.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Ranger grinned, and I almost kissed him back until a gruff voice interrupted.

“You’re mated.”

There was that mate word again. I faced the phone, rubbing a finger over my wet lips, before eyeballing the man beside me.

“Is this like a friendship bracelet?” I hissed, waving my hand at Ranger. I turned toward the phone. “He won’t tell me the significance.”

The five men held up their hands, saying that was for Ranger to explain.

“Are we done?” Ranger asked.

“We need to hear more about why The Obsidian Circle Alpha supposedly wanted to kill Matt,” the one with the beard said.

I had to try and spin this so both Ranger and I looked good. Best I just spit it out. “Dane and his cronies are bad guys, and they were trying to smear Ranger’s organization and run them out of the recycling business.”

There were sharp intakes of breath from the five men on the screen.

“Ranger, is this true?” the head guy asked.

“It is. I’ve done my own investigation and reached the same conclusion.”

“Wait.”

The screen went blank, and I reached for Ranger with my wounded hand. We sat not speaking until the screen flickered and the same five faces appeared.

“We’re glad you’re safe, Matt, and thank you for what you have accomplished. Ranger, I leave this to you and Flint as to how to settle this matter. It’s out of our hands.”

“Will do.” Ranger ended the call.

“You kissed me.”

“You told them Dane was going to kill you,” he said.

“He was,” I answered.

“I liked it.”

Now I was lost. “That Dane was trying to hurt me?”

“No, silly.” He rubbed his nose against mine. “That we kissed.”

“Oh, that.” I rolled my eyes, and Ranger rested his brow on my forehead.

“Yeah, that.”

“Do friends kiss one another and poke their tongue into the other person’s mouth?” I gulped. “Asking for a friend. Not me. Another friend.”

“Not friends.”

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