Page 77 of Piece You Saved

“You mean like Dariel and his wolf share?” I ask drily.

“The guy’s brother fucked his mate. He has issues to work through. Those issues are not your issues.” He waits, and when I nod my understanding, he continues. “So you share. You just have to be firm about it. No one likes a weakling. Your wolf included.”

“Be firm?” Saige breathes, her eyes wide with fascination.

I’m less fascinated and more incredulous at Kade making the biggest change to my life sound so straightforward when the opposite is true.

Kade scratches his head. “Firm. When your wolf snarls, you snarl right back. If he thinks he can take the lead, he’ll take it. That’s all there is to it.”

Saige isn’t the only one eyeing Kade in disbelief. “That’s all there is to it?” I echo.

Kade nods. “Yup.”

He either doesn’t hear or chooses to ignore the heavy doubt deepening my voice. “Right.”

“Right,” he repeats firmly, giving me a pointed stare. So he hears, he’s just choosing to ignore it.

“Now he’s out there digging?” I ask.

“He grabbed a shovel from the shed. I said I’d let you know what was going on and then join him.”

I remember the way he was eyeing Harley. “Not go looking for other bodies to bury?”

Kade is suddenly all innocence. “Bodies?”

My wolf hasn’t snarled since we started this strange conversation, so I move to stand up. “Should I—”

But Kade is already shaking his head. “I’ll go out and help him.” He studies me. “You’re more in control.”

“It’s easier than it was,” I admit. “Touch helps.”

After another long moment, he nods. “Then why don’t you go upstairs and rest? Angel, how about—”

“I’ll go with him.”

A frown creases his brow.

It’s clear why he’s not happy about this idea, and the reason hurts. “Harley said touch helps keep me grounded, and he’s right. It does. I won’t hurt Saige.”

Kade curls his top lip. “Did he now?” Spinning on his heel, he stalks back out. “We won’t be long. Take the laptop up with you.”

He slams the door shut behind him, and I turn to find Saige staring after him, chewing on her bottom lip.

“It’s okay if you like him,” I tell her quietly.

She whips her head to face me, wrinkling her nose as she pushes herself to her feet. “I don’t know what you mean. Come on, you look tired, and I think I’d like to lie down too.”

Nodding, I follow, but I say nothing about the lie she just told me.

I stay quiet as I let her lead the way upstairs and settle the laptop on the bedside table in my bedroom, then we crawl into bed together.

Minutes after I’ve wrapped my arms around her slender waist and pressed my lips to her hair, I inhale and squeeze her. At the last second, I remember her bruised belly and loosen my hold so I don’t hurt her. “You smell of Kade.” I sigh. The contentment of having her in my arms sinks deep down into my bones.

She burrows closer, as if we’re still not close enough yet, reminding me of the last time we lay like this. “Extra-curricular activities,” she says with a smile in her voice.

I snort and kiss her hair, pleased Kade is giving Saige what Dariel and I can’t right now. “In the kitchen?”

“Why not?” She snorts back and follows it up with a quiet sigh.

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