Page 168 of Haze

Finn

Opening the door to Lena’s lab, I step in. There’s something different about Lena this week. She’s found me for lunch and smiles when she sees me on my trips around the different lab departments.

And this time, when Lena sees me, it’s no different. Her face lights up. It’s a stark contrast to the glare I’m getting from Brayden.

Sick of his constant proximity to Lena, I take to tucking my hands in my pockets to stop me from hitting him.

“Speak of the devil.” Brayden rolls his eyes.

“Lena, you ready to bunk off for the night?” I ask, trying to choose the high ground and ignore him altogether.

“She has work to do.” Brayden answers for her. “You’ll just have to go home without her.”

“I will, yeah?” I try to stop the sarcasm.

Lena clears her throat. “Yeah, give me two minutes to get cleaned up?”

Brayden glares at me while I answer her. “Of course, foalan.”

“Finn, can we have a word?” Brayden asks with a pathetic little human growl.

He’s going to be more trouble than he’s worth. I nod. “That’d be grand.”

Brayden bumps elbows with me on his way out of the lab.

“For fuck’s sake, the audacity of that ass,” Lena whispers under her breath.

“Don’t worry, faolan, I won’t kill him with witnesses,” I whisper to her, heading out to the hallway with him.

Brayden’s pissing mad, and with a wave of his gangly arms, he insists we head a good two meters down the hallway to speak. His face turns beet red all the way up to his ears. With his cheeks pinched in as he tries to draw his lip into a thin line, he looks more like a toddler about ready to throw a tantrum than a grown man ready to have a conversation.

“Out with it then,” I growl.

He shakes his head, crossing his arms in front of his chest before throwing them up in the air. “I thought we had an agreement, Finn.”

Oh, this again. My wolf rolls his eyes with me.

“Sure thing, the problem that you’ve missed is that Kathleen and I are mates. It’s not something that I can simply let go because your pea brain can’t figure it out.” I try to keep the insult out of it, but the pea brain slipped out. “Kathleen—”

“She doesn’t even like you,” Brayden cuts me off, starting on a rant. “She doesn’t want or need someone like you. Lena is special and needs someone who can handle the difficulties that come with who she is.” If Brayden is trying to talk in code, it’s not making a lot of sense. “You’re just all wrong for her, and I don’t think you see the kind of trouble you are for her. You’re going to hurt her, and she’s too nice to tell you to leave her alone.”

“I appreciate your concern for her, but Kathleen’s perfectly capable.” I try dismissing him again.

“You know what, Finn? I don’t think you understand.” Brayden shakes his head, his lip pulling up into a ridiculous sneer. “Fuck her and fuck you. Whatever happens now, it’s on your head. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

He takes off down the hall, muttering under his breath, “Going to show that Irish prick what it means to have a woman. Dinosaur can’t fucking...”

He could be trouble. My wolf and I agree, listening to him go. I should follow him and see what trouble he’s up to, but the click of the lab door opening distracts me.

Lena is waiting for me with her jumper on and her purse strap draped across her chest. Her face lights up when I turn to look at her.

It’s another new development in whatever it is that’s happening with her this week. Smiling.

“Ready to go, faolan?” I step toward her, letting my eyes roam, admiring her.

Her long hair, draped down her shoulders, catches in the fluorescent lights, shining beautifully despite the lights’ harsh tones. “Yeah.”

Something’s not right. Nervous tension fills the air despite how smiley she is.

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