Page 51 of Bonded

“It’s too late, I’ve lost her. I promised… I promised, in the forest, I wouldn’t bring girls back and I wouldn’t fuck in the house. I said I’d be exclusive, but I don’t know if I can. Man, I tried. I tried but… with the moon, and her not puttin’ out… Hell, it’s makin’ it so hard. You know her wolf scent, it’s drivin’ me fuckin’ crazy. I feel like I’ve gone mad. It’s like… he’s pacin’ in my head the whole time and I can’t think straight. All I can think about is her. I want her so bad. I think I—”

“All right, all right, we get the damn picture. Diggs, just calm down. Geez…” Zak sighs, as he tries to reassure him. “Diggs, it’s gonna be all right.”

“Yeah, but now I gotta deal with this fuckin’ Riley guy. They’re all gonna wan’ her. If I don’t bond with her this moon, then I’m gonna lose her. Someone else will take her and…” he sniffs, sitting upright staring at Zak. “You know what… I’m gonna kill him—Riley. That’s what I’m gonna do. He’s fuckin’ shifter clan, I’m just gonna kill him. No will care.”

“You know, actually… I’m pretty sure someone might. Diggs, he’s a doctor at the hospital, so I figure someone will miss him. We’re not gonna kill him, all right? Not yet, anyway. Look, we don’t even know if he’s done anythin’ with Kat but we can still warn him off. I’ll talk to Quinn and make it very clear that he needs to back off. Quinn won’t want any heat, so he’ll sort it. I mean, this guy… he’s got nothin’. Hell, he’s not even a fuckin’ shifter. As you said, he’s a freak. So, what can he offer Kat? She’s a Blood-Alpha, what the hell can he do for her?”

Digby shakes his head and they all watch as he now starts to wail drunkenly. Laying his head on the table, he thumps it hard with his fist.

Bud sighs, his mouth open, “Whoa! How the hell much has he had to drink? I’ve never seen him like this before.”

“No, this is bad. This is very, very bad. We need to sort this the fuck out. We need to get them back on track. Before she starts lookin’ elsewhere.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Oz frowns. “This something to do with her disappearing at the club? Zak do you know something?”

“No. Just… he’s right, about this Riley guy. I know she likes it, that he invited her out—to the restaurant. Look, we just gotta think of something that Diggs can do with her.”

“Yeah, well, we know what he can ‘do’ with her,” Bud laughs.

“Yeah, exactly… Not that! We need to think of somethin’ else. C’mon Diggs, let’s get you sobered up. Just drink the coffee, man.”

“Hey Diggs, maybe you could take her out to uh… somewhere?”

“Where?” Digby looks up, trying to focus. “What, you mean, take her to that fancy-schmancy restaurant? No, no, she’ll only think I’m copyin’ freak-boy. I can’t do that. Oh, what the hell am I gonna do?”

“Okay, well somewhere else. What else would she like to do? I mean, she must have said something she’d like to do? Somewhere to go… Eat? C’mon think.”

“No, we don’t exactly ‘talk’ about stuff. We just… you know we just… She’s got an amazin’ fuckin’ body. Oh man, her wolf is so freakin’ hot. You know I can smell her from here. Zak, I gotta get her back.”

“All right, and you will. We just have to figure out a plan. C’mon on man, we’re fuckin’ special forces we can do this. We just… we need a way for you to win her over. Look, the moon’s full Saturday so we’ll plan it for then—make it special.”

“Hell, that doesn’t give us long to plan anything. At this rate, they’ll be picnicking in the park.” Oz laughs.

“Picnic!” Digby sits bolt upright on the chair and turns, looking up at Oz. “That’s it! That’s totally it. A picnic! Oh, and I know the perfect place. Bud, you can do some food. Hell… that’s perfect. Really perfect.” He smiles. “We can eat and then we can… Yup, that’s it.” He wipes his face, taking a breath. “I know exactly what I’m gonna do!”

“You do?” Zak frowns, worried.

“Yeah, and you’re gonna help me. I’m gonna show that fuckin’ Doctor-freak-boy. I’m gonna romance her off her feet. She’s not gonna be able to resist this bad-boy wolf by the time that moon wanes.”

“Okay…” Zak frowns, then he takes a breath, watching as Digby slumps against the table and snores drunkenly. “Shit! Hey Bud… I think you’re gonna have to go home. QT’s cherry’s gonna have to wait for another night. It looks like we’re gonna need the couch for Mr-Picnic here.”

***

Ravenous with hunger, Kat stuffs the last piece of peanut butter covered bread into her mouth. Then, looking up at the clock on the wall, she checks the time and thinks about work. It’s six am, she’s hardly slept, and pouring another cup of coffee she takes a couple of Tylenol and washes them down with the caffeine before making yet another slice of bread.

The front door opens and a weary Digby staggers in.

“Hey,” he says. Nervously wondering what sort of reception he might receive. He smiles looking at her. She’s dressed in just a tee-shirt, one of his. Bare legs, hair piled on top of her head—peanut butter smeared around her lips.

“Hey.” She smiles tentatively. “You okay? You look a little rough around the edges… Like you’ve been out all night?” She takes an anxious breath. “So, you gonna tell me where you’ve been? Actually no. No… you know what, on second thoughts, I don’t wanna know. So please don’t tell me.”

“Kat, I haven’t been anywhere; well, I have… but only to Oz and Zak’s. I wasn’t with her; I wasn’t with anyone… not like that. In case that’s what you were thinkin’.”

“I wasn’t… Well yeah, actually I was, but… it doesn’t matter. Digby, I need to say something.”

“No. Shhh… I need to speak first. I’m sorry, I… I shouldn’t have done what I did. I promised you, and I broke that promise. I’ll never do that again. I know I can’t take it back, but I need you to know, I didn’t fuck her. You gotta believe me, I sent her away. The minute you left, I told her to go and never come near me again. Kat, I never wanted her. All I want is you.”

“I know.”

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