Page 116 of Meet Your Maker: Part One

“Well, then my vampire might be broken.”

“Listen to me.” I sit forward, resting my forearms on my knees. “The fact that she isn’t fucking and feeding, and she’s still staying here in your farmhouse—that’s the meaningful part. Sex is easy. Feelings are hard.”

He nods slowly, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. Then, because he’s Colt, the shit-eating grin returns. “So what you’re saying is… she’s in love with me.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m saying you’re having an effect on her. You’re making her careful, and that’s not a classic Vivien trait.”

The kitchen door swings open, and Sue backs out, gripping one end of a folding table while Ben handles the other. Colt pops up immediately, scooting his aunt aside. “I got it, I got it. Go fix your hair or something,” he teases.

Sue swats him on the ass with the dish towel over her shoulder. “That one goes down next to the cottonwood tree,” she calls after him. “Cady cleared a spot, and there’s a tablecloth waitin’ for it.”

She drops into Colt’s vacated seat, her sharp eyes softening as she looks at me. “You gonna make it, Tomas?”

I take a steadying breath. “Yeah. I’m okay.” I pause, then add, “Thanks for all your help.”

She starts to wave me off, but I hold her gaze. “Really, Sue. We couldn’t have done this without you.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure you would’ve managed,” she says, but there’s pride in her voice.

“I wouldn’t have known caramel cake is her favorite,” I counter, “and I definitely wouldn’t have been able to carve a watermelon into a basket…”

“Tomas.” Her voice drops to a softer, more maternal tone. “You could ask her in a rainstorm with a plastic spider ring, and she’d still say yes. Stop worrying, darlin’. She’s smitten, and I’m so glad you decided to do this. It may seem silly, these human expectations, but it means a lot to me—and to her dad.”

I stand, stretching the tightness out of my shoulders. “Thanks again, Sue. Let me see if Ben needs a hand before he kills himself trying to string up a canopy.”

She waves me off with a knowing smile. “You go on. I’ve got the rest under control.”

Out in the yard, Ben’s perched on a low branch of the oak tree, tying off one end of the canopy meant to shade the picnic area. The bright tablecloth beneath it flutters in the light breeze, a picture-perfect moment waiting for its centerpiece.

“You good up there?” I call, shading my eyes as I look up.

He grins, his usual easy confidence in place, one hand gripping the branch and the other tugging the fabric taut. “Just had to show us all up, huh?”

“That wasn’t my aim,” I say with a smirk, grabbing the slack of the canopy to anchor it on the other side. “But if it did, maybe you should try harder.”

Ben snorts, his eyes rolling playfully. “This is me trying.”

He shifts to secure the last knot when a streak of white and blue fur bolts into the clearing. Sumi barrels toward the tree, barking like a demon on a mission.

“Oh, come on,” Ben mutters, glaring down at the puppy circling the base of the tree, tail wagging furiously.

I cross my arms, smirking. “Catahoulas are tree dogs. He’s just doing his job.”

“Tell him his job is harassment,” Ben deadpans, clinging to the branch as Sumi yaps up at him like he’s the world’s biggest squirrel.

The sound of pounding feet follows, and Mishka bursts into the clearing, his face flushed. Lily and Gemma trail behind, panting and looking suspiciously guilty.

“Mishka,” I say, crouching to meet his eye, though I flick a quick glance at the twins. “What did we discuss about having a pet?”

Mishka grabs Sumi’s collar, his grip firm. “That I shouldn’t shift into anything smaller than him.”

“Well, yes,” I say, suppressing a smile, “but we also talked about keeping him leashed to you until he learns to follow commands.”

Mishka ducks his head, guilt shadowing his features. “Sorry, Alpha. He got away from me.”

I don’t miss the way Lily shifts behind Mishka, her fingers fiddling with the edge of her shirt. The pack link hums softly as I direct my voice to her mind.

Lily Prescott.

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