Page 28 of King of Tides

He usually has a laundry list, so he only has to summon us once until the next time his coward ass gets up the courage to call for us again.

Kai’s stomach grumbles, pulling me from my thoughts. Her cheeks glow as she bites her lip and holds a hand to her stomach. I give her a warm smile.

“Hungry?”

“Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve had anything. I was too wired to find something once I arrived last night.”

I stand from my desk. “Come with me. I’ll get you something to eat and we can talk some more.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

We exit my office and head to the main hall. Once there, we get Kai something to eat, and she finds a corner to sit in. I’m about to go sit with her when I see Bradan with a tiny woman clinging to him.

So he’s found himself a new fairy. I grin as I watch the two. However, I make note that she’s not a fairy at all. My curiosity gets the better of me.

“Kai, you eat as much as you want and stay for as long as you like. I’d prefer to have you here at the clubhouse for now. At least until I speak with Amadeus. I’ll check in on you later,” I say as I start in the direction of my brother and the mystery woman.

“I’m cool. You don’t have to worry about me,” Kai calls after me.

I lift a hand to acknowledge her words. There’s something about the look on Bradan’s face that’s holding my attention. This little woman is more than a warm body that has filled his bed.

This will be interesting, I tell myself. Could this be his mate? If it is, I was right to walk away from Billy last night. Her confession of her attraction was the final straw. I had been ready to strip her bare and devour her.

If I hadn’t put an end to things when I did, I would have taken things too far and hurt her in the end. She may not be my mate, but I have more respect for her than to do something like that to her.

When I get closer to my brother the first thing to hit me is the woman’s scent. It’s so familiar. I can smell her human blood, but there is something else, like Kendrick’s mate Ray and … Billy. That’s what was different last night.

That hint of something other. I had ignored it because of the high from the joint and my hope to finally find my mate.There’s something sweeter about the way they smell, with a hint of something familiar.

Could I have been with my … no.

Billy

“Hello,”I groan into the phone as I snatch it up from the nightstand.

“Billy, we need to talk. Can we meet up?”

“Carson?”

“Yeah, I can come to you if you want.”

I palm my forehead as my head clears, and I begin to become alert. Last night comes back to me. I remember crying myself to sleep after letting Ardan out.

That’s so not like me. It had to be the weed. I don’t smoke often.

I’ve had a few smoke sessions with Carson and Eddy when we were younger, but I haven’t smoked much since. I thought it would help me get my mind off things last night.

Boy did it, but what the hell was the rest of that. I haven’t cried over someone leaving me behind in years. I shake it off and focus on what Carson has asked.

He wants to come by. Bile rises in my throat at the thought of him running into Ardan or Ardan seeing him entering or leaving my place. I don’t want to come off as petty—because he rejected me or worse as some slut—who jumps from guy to guy.

Not that it should matter. I just can’t get the feeling out of my head—Carson and Ardan should never meet. I grow protective of Carson and shake my head as if he can see me.

“No, no. I’ll come to you. I’m just waking up, so give me an hour or so to head your way.”

“I’m already up and on the move. I can be to you in twenty.”

“No. I’ll meet you at your place. I have errands to run anyway.”

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