Page 19 of Haze

With a shake of his head, he speaks abruptly. “Oh, guess it’s time for me to be going. I’ll get my half of the bill.”

Finn’s hand moves past me, dropping sixty dollars on the table. Which would pay for significantly more cheese curds and soda than I’ve had, but Finn’s making a point: he can financially take care of me.

He doesn’t know Brayden’s background, but it doesn’t matter. Brayden said he would get his half. I can’t tell what’s more insulting, him giving up so easily seeing Finn or that he was only about to pay for half, given how his hand was on my knee moments ago. Rude.

When Finn pulls his hand back from the table, he gently rests it on my shoulder. He squeezes. “That’ll cover it. Kathleen, I’ll drive you home. No good for a woman out this late on her own.”

The traditional values Finn quotes and their sexist implication isn’t lost on me. But in this instance, I’m willing to go with the devil I don’t know.

Human laws protect Brayden from me, but they don’t protect me from Brayden. Wolf laws protect me from Finn, and with Cade being the enforcer of our laws, I’ll gladly take my chances that Finn truly doesn’t want to piss off my older brother.

Brayden looks at me like he’s expecting me to say something, like he’s anticipating me to object to Finn’s dominance.

Rising from my chair, I drop a heavy hint in a low voice. “I hope that helps, Brayden. Please know the tutoring center has more availability than I do.”

“Lena, you don’t have to go with him...” Brayden starts to say. His eyes look to Finn before coming back to me. The way he positions his body, it’s evident he’s trying to nonverbally finish his sentence. A sentence he should have never started.

Saving Brayden from Finn and the embarrassment of making a scene, I lean into Finn, my head resting comfortably on the soft muscle of his pec.

With a rumble of approval, Finn drapes his arm across my shoulder and pulls me against him.

See how perfect we fit. My wolf relaxes against him within me.

I push her back again to focus on the task at hand.

Finn is a means to an end.

Scowling, Brayden pulls his backpack over one arm and makes a point to bump shoulders with Finn on the way past.

It triggers a muddled growl from Finn.

I wrap my fingers into his T-shirt and plead at a whisper volume, “He’s not worth it.”

Finn waits for me to gather my things before guiding me through the bar with his hand on my low back.

Outside the bar, night has set in, and in contrast to Finn’s warmth behind me, the cool air hits me, and I shiver. I didn’t expect to be out past sundown and didn’t grab a warm enough coat. Finn’s shuffling behind me is followed by the warmth of his jacket draped over my shoulders. Taking the curb side of the sidewalk, Finn keeps me close to him, wrapping his arm across my upper back.

“Thank you, for stepping in.” The words are hard to say.

I am thankful. But I’m not interested in the difficult conversation this could prompt.

Finn gives me a small squeeze.

I look up at his face, and when he looks down at me, the green eyes of his wolf reflect back. My wolf runs to the surface to respond, and the urge to nuzzle against his chest aches through me. I fight her back, hard. Absolutely not. No. You are not coming out. No.

“I dislike that lickarse,” Finn growls.

That’s not exactly an acceptance of my offering of gratitude, but it feels kind of like it coming from him.

Finn leads me down to a side street before stopping at a gray sedan with obvious out-of-state rental plates. He opens the door for me. I open my mouth to argue, but the way he raises his eyebrows in judgment causes me to slide into the passenger seat without further objection.

Stooping down into the sedan, he buckles my seatbelt for me. A shiver ripples through me as he closes the door.

Fuck, who knew that was a thing? And why the fuck is it so sexy?

Settled on his side of the car, I instruct Finn, “I’m two blocks up and ten blocks left.”

“Thank you,” Finn answers, checking behind us and signaling to get back on the street.

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