Page 41 of Her Wolf

“I…don’t know yet.” She shrugged. “I’ll have to speak to Ana. A hundred, maybe?”

“That’s a lot of people to keep track of,” Finn said.

“These the same people that fled the wedding, screaming blue murder?” Lars asked. “’Cos I kinda have a feeling they may have a bone to pick with you.”

Cora pointed at Lars, and blurted, “No! You see, that’s exactly it. I’ve been thinking, right?” She turned to Finn and took another step back. “This party can set things straight. Neo and I can announce our partnership. Our vision for the cartel. With him up there with me, they’ll understand that Javier was a problem.”

“That’s…not actually a bad plan,” Bailey said.

“It’s a fucking terrible plan,” Finn said, “But you’ve come up with worse, so I’ll take it.”

Cora looked at him as if she hadn’t registered what he’d said. And then she hopped and clapped her hands together. “Really?”

He frowned at her. “We’ll have to approve everything first. Location, guard duties—”

Cora squealed and ran into him full tilt. He caught her with ease, and held her tight against him, inhaling her scent.

It was so easy to forget how young she was but when her enthusiasm burned like an incandescent flame…it was as if her youth scorched away layer after layer of hardened cynicism from his soul.

“We’re having a party!” she exclaimed into his chest, wriggling like she was bursting with energy.

“We’re having a party,” he said as he stroked her hair.

“A birthday party, if I’m not mistaken,” Lars said as he walked past them. “Sweet twenty-one.”

And then he was out the door without another word.

Cora leaned back from Finn, glancing up at him with wide eyes. “Is he—?”

“He’ll be fine.” Finn pulled her back to him. “But we should get Ana in here so we can plan this thing. I don’t want any surprises.”

---