Miki actually found someone who not only got her, but liked her anyway. Angie wanted to believe Nik was that guy for her, but she refused to hold out any false hopes for a future that didn’t exist. No matter how many weird, longing looks Nik gave her across the room.
Nik wrapped his arm around his baby sister’s neck and hugged her. “What are you up to?”
“Very little.”
“Good. Keep it that way.” The male lions seemed to have a particular interest in his sister he didn’t much appreciate. He would tell her to stay near Reena, but his cousin was too busy flirting with a bunch of dogs. His whole family was going to hell in a hand basket and this time he had no one to blame but himself.
“Where’s Angie?” Kisa asked.
“Being a Nazi. The girl really knows how to run a party.”
“You like her, don’tcha, Nik?”
“No.”
“No?”
He sighed. “I love her.”
“Does she know?”
He started to respond yes, then realized he didn’t really know. He hadn’t actually said it to her. “I don’t know.”
His sister shook her head. “Typical.” Kisa turned and smiled up at her brother’s face. “So you are like Daddy after all?”
He snarled but his sister only rolled her eyes. “You might as well face it. I have to.” She shrugged. “I like Daddy, though.”
“That could explain why you’re his favorite.”
Kisa went up on her tiptoes and kissed her brother’s cheek. “She’s perfect for you, Nik. Anybody else would have killed you by now.”
Angie put a cold wash cloth against the she-wolf’s forehead. “Maybe you should lay off the tequila for awhile, hon.”
The female nodded, moaned, then dived back into the bushes.
Angie wasn’t sure, but it seemed like the wolves really weren’t good at handling their liquor.
Stepping away from the bushes, Angie turned and stared in horror. Natalia, the mother of the man she loved, stood in front of the bar talking quietly to Marrec. A nice, civilized conversation. But behind her Miki had climbed up onto one of the bar stools—a ball of yarn in her hand.
“Oh, God!”
Angie made a run for it. She’d barely reached Natalia when a string of red yarn swept across the older woman’s face. She batted it away with her hand, not quite sure what it was. Before Angie could reach around Natalia and wring her best friend’s neck, Conall grabbed Miki, sweeping her off the seat.
Giggling, Miki loudly announced, “It was just a little experiment!”
The ball of yarn hit the ground and Natalia picked it up. She looked at Angie, one eyebrow raised, looking exactly like her son.
Angie snatched it from her as Marrec stared at the ground, trying not to laugh.
“She’s taking up knitting,” Angie desperately lied.
Nik stood about fifty feet away, watching Ban hand over his daughter to Angie. Nik’s niece, an adorable two-year-old, grabbed a handful of hair and held on to her for dear life. Angie didn’t seem bothered by it at all as she talked to Ban and his niece’s mother, Connie somebody or other. A vicious tigress with a killer right hook and the longest fangs Nik had ever seen on a female.
The baby looked so comfortable in Angie’s arms. And Angie looked perfect holding her. Then it hit him. Like a brick to the head…
Nik didn’t just love her, he wanted Angelina Santiago to have his kids…and only his kids. He wanted all his kids to grow up in the same family with that crazy woman as their mother. He wanted to wake up every day and find her sleeping next to him. He wanted to buy Angie more shoes and have her wear them only for him. He wanted to have sex with her all over his home in every position humanly possible. He wanted it and knew he wouldn’t be happy until he got it.
Well, hell, now I’m going to have to marry the crazy, psychotic female!
He closed his eyes. Could this day possibly get any scarier?
As if in answer, a big arm wrapped around Nik’s shoulder. “Hey, buddy.”
Surprised, Nik looked over at Conall. “Uh…hey.”
“Hey.” A slap on the back from Zach. “How’s it goin’?”
Eyes narrowed, Nik watched the two. “What are y’all up to?”
“Nothing. Me and Zach were just wondering when you were going to move in?”
“Move in? I’m not—”
“Of course you are. If you’re staying with Angie. Ya gotta move in.”
“What?”
“Didn’t she tell you?” Zach asked. “They’ve always wanted to live together. All three of ’em. And you protected Angie—”
“And me,” Conall added with a sweet smile that may fool some human female but didn’t fool Nik for one goddamn second.
“So you’re part of the Pack now,” Zach insisted.
“Yeah. You’re one of us.”
“And don’t worry,” Zach finished, “we’ll teach you how to howl.”
Suddenly, Nik felt violently ill.
Angie decided to get some food and finally eat. Grabbing a plate of barbeque chicken and coleslaw she sat down on a long bench to relax and people watch. Of course, that moment alone lasted all of two seconds before she looked up to find Sara and Miki next to her.
“Okay. Fucking in our laundry room is unacceptable,” Sara hotly complained.
Angie frowned, the chicken leg poised at her mouth. Nik hadn’t fucked her in the laundry room…he’d fucked her in the kitchen.
“What are you talking about?”
“Two old tigers, going at it like, well, tigers.”
Miki pointed. “Those two.”
Angie looked over and immediately put her chicken down. Boris tried to take Natalia’s hand, but she snatched it away. She stalked through the crowd toward the bar. Of course Boris didn’t look hurt and definitely not discouraged. More like turned on. And Natalia may look pissed, but the flush to her cheeks also made her appear well satisfied.
Angie sighed. “Sorry ’bout that. I’ll ask Nik to, uh, control his people.”
“Thank you. I mean, dude…” Sara shuddered. “We clean clothes in there.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“So.” Miki scratched her leg. “You marrying that tiger or what?”
Angie choked on her Long Island Iced Tea.
Miki glanced at Sara. “Told ya.”
Sara shook her head. “I don’t know why you guys insist on marriage.”
“A societal construct forced on us from birth.” Miki suddenly pointed at Angie. “And you put me in any bridesmaid dress with ruffles and it’s gonna be war between you and me, sister!”
She stomped off.
Sara shrugged. “That parasite is making her so cranky.”
“Stop calling her that,” Miki yelled back.
Sara winked at Angie and wandered off.
Angie stared after her two best friends. They both moved with such confidence now. Sara didn’t just run her Pack. She was her Pack. They watched her with fear, awe, and warmth. Sara would never be her mother and definitely never her grandmother. She would always just be Sara. She came up behind Zach, who was busy trying his best to hold a civil conversation with two lions and, with a wicked grin, slid her hand between his legs. The wolf stiffened, the lions instantly forgotten as he turned to face her. He grabbed her around the waist and roughly pulled her into his body. Zach looked at Sara as if she were the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. And, Angie knew, that to Zach, Sara was.
Miki stood next to her freakishly sized giant. Conall spoke to Boris, making the old tiger laugh. Without turning away from him, Conall’s hand reached down and grasped Miki’s. She leaned into his side, her eyes checking out the entire crowd, most likely looking for some shit to start. She spotted it, her eyes locking on Victoria. She tried to pull away, but Conall yanked her back. Then she tried to get him to release his hold, but the man wouldn’t budge. His conversation with Boris never wavered and he never lost his smile. After a few moments, Boris walked away, most likely on the hunt for Natalia. Conall leaned his—what? Ten-foot?—frame down, whispering in Miki’s ear. She laughed, again trying to pull away, but he pulled her back, kissing her gently on the mouth. Miki returned that kiss, raising herself up on her toes.