Page 97 of Vegas Baby!

“Keep telling yourself that and you’ll never stop being an idiot about what you deserve in life.” He turned off the highway and pulled into a drive-thru along a stretch of gas stations. “You still like chocolate strawberry shakes and chicken strips with ketchup, right?”

“Uh, yeah, I do.”

He put in the order, plus a burger and drink for himself, paid, and parked us in the shade. “This whole situation is fucking weird.”

“Tell me about it.” I dunked a chicken strip into the ketchup and scarfed down half of it in one bite.

“Okay,” Nathan said after he was halfway through his burger. “First and most important question: Are you safe where you are?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re not forming a pack with Andrew or giving him the baby?”

“No to both. I’m keeping the baby and raising it with my pack. Mom is firmly Team Andrew so I wouldn’t trust much that she says about my life.”

Nathan sighed. “All right then. Finish up your chicken strips so I can take you back home and grill the shit out of Luke about his intentions with you.”

“It’s going to be fine,” Luke promised. “Nathan would never hurt her.”

“Alpha hindbrain doesn’t give a shit about that. A stranger rocked up to our house and drove away with our mate.” I paced back and forth in the foyer, half-surprised I didn’t wear a path in the tile. None of us had known he was coming and none of usknew why he had taken Ava away without a word to the rest of us.

What if she needed us? It didn’t feel like distress coming through the bond, but her feelings were definitely intense. What if something happened? I needed to know that she wassafe. I wouldn’t survive losing her, not between the bond and how quickly she had wormed her way under my skin. Ava belonged with us and I needed her home.

“I’ve known Nathan my whole life. He’s not a stranger; he’s Ava’s brother.”

“Why couldn’t he talk to her in here?”

“I don’t pretend to understand what goes on in Nathan’s head,” Luke replied.

“How long do we have to wait before I can phone her?”

“Phone her right now if you want.”

Bryce and Micah were watching me pace, both of them somehow calmer than I was in this situation.

I dialed Ava, relieved when she answered. “Hey, we’re on our way back. What’s up?”

“I just needed to hear your voice.”

“That’s unfairly cute. I’ll be home in about five minutes.”

“Okay, I’ll see you soon. I love you.” I froze as I realized what I’d just said, and the silence from Ava’s side was painfully loud.

“That’s the first time you’ve said that.”

“Uh, yep. Yep it is…” My heart pounded like a drum, my palms getting sweaty.

“I love you, too.”

My shoulders sagged with relief, my stomach full of butterflies. “I’m going to kiss you in front of your brother.”

Ava laughed. “I’ll warn him to avert his eyes.”

After the call ended, I turned to find the others watching me with amused expressions.

“Dropping the L bomb on our girl already?” Micah asked.

“It slipped out.” My cheeks were uncomfortably hot, my blush probably visible from outer space.

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