Page 130 of Primal Bonds

“Jace Jones. I remember. How are you, son?”

“Good,” he returned politely. “And you?”

“Not bad.” She dragged on her cigarette. To Evie she said, “I wondered where you were. I was fixing to call the police.”

She grimaced. “Sorry about that. I would’ve told you but it was kind of sudden.”

“Um-hmm.” Mrs. Linney eyed Jace. “Well, as long as you’re all right.”

“We’re fine. Thanks for keeping an eye on the house.”

They headed up the gravel path. As Kyler unlocked the door, Evie’s nape prickled and she was hit by a sense of déjà vu. This was how it had started, except instead of being dark and rainy, it was a sunny morning.

“Inside—both of you.” Jace pushed her into the kitchen and turned to face the alley.

A tall man with white-blond hair sauntered into the yard. Jace tensed, but Evie set a hand on his arm. “It’s okay. It’s my dad.” Trust Fane to show up when the danger was past.

“Evie, love.” He held out his arms.

She slipped around Jace and down the steps. He was her dad, after all.

Long arms wrapped around her. “I hear you had a spot of trouble.”

“You could say that.” She rested her head against his shoulder. He smelled of the outdoors, a familiar grassy scent that made her eyes sting. “How did you know?” she asked as she released him and stepped back.

He moved a shoulder. “Word gets around. I came as soon as I could.”

Jace came up beside her. “We handled it.”

“Did you now?” Fane asked mildly.

Mrs. Linney wasn’t even pretending not to eavesdrop. Fane nodded at her. “How are you, Betty?”

She beamed back. “Can’t complain. And yourself?”

They exchanged a few words and then Fane set his arm around Evie’s shoulders and headed with her toward the house. “Why don’t we take this inside?” He quirked a brow at Jace, who was blocking the way. “Do you have something to say, fada?”

Jace shook his head and stepped aside. “Not here,” he muttered.

In the kitchen, Evie got beers for Jace and Fane, and sodas for her and Kyler. They sat at the table, Evie and Kyler on one side, her dad across from them. Jace took a stance behind Evie, arms folded over his chest.

Fane studied them with clear blue eyes that somehow didn’t give away a thing. As usual, his sharp-boned, handsome face hadn’t aged a day. Pretty soon people were going to think he was her brother, not her father. He wore his usual loose linen shirt over skinny black jeans, and his pale hair was tied back with a leather cord so that you could see his ears. With a jolt, she saw they came to a point at the top. Why had she never noticed? But then, she hadn’t been looking for proof her dad was part fae.

“Now what’s this I’m hearing about you and a night fae?” Fane asked. “And why does this earth fada think he has a claim on you?”

Jace placed his hands on Evie’s shoulders. “I’m her mate.”

His dark brows shot up. “Are you now?”

“Yes.” Jace’s tone was that of a man who wasn’t going to give an inch.

“This is true?” Fane asked her.

She touched Jace’s hand. “Yes.”

“Well,” he drawled, “that’s a complication I didn’t expect.”

“Why?” she asked.

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