“There are a few headstrong men in our house as well,” I said. “But everyone seems to know their place and respects each other, even if they horse around a lot. There’s tension underneath the surface, but Austin knows how to command a pack, and they respect him.”
“I’ve noticed. He’s young, but he told me about his bounty-hunter days. I think that helped shape him into a man, especially considering he didn’t grow up in a pack. You learn a lot in a job like that because you see how others are doing it wrong.”
Lexi appeared and took a seat at the bar, giving me a sly grin. She had pulled her hair into a tight ponytail and was wearing a baseball hat to hide her face. A man two seats to her left leaned back in his chair to check out her T-shirt, which cut off at the midriff.
“I better relieve Reno of his duties,” I said. “Thanks, William.”
“For what?”
“I know you’re here on Lorenzo’s orders, but thank you for looking out for my family.”
“Mustn’t get all sappy on me now. Just a job.”
I briefly touched his shoulder before walking away.
A few steps before I reached Reno’s table, I glared at Fox’s men. I didn’t care if they noticed me noticing them. I wanted to go over there and give them a piece of my mind.
As if reading my thoughts, Reno launched out of his chair and quickly blocked my view. He had a way of glaring at a person down to the last atom. He lowered his voice and said, “A couple of guys I know went to check out the birthday cake, and they said it came out perfect.”
I released a heavy breath. “Time is still a factor.”
He rubbed his eyes, but couldn’t hide the dark circles. “I say we have the party here and shoot off a few fireworks. How ’bout that? Feel like making a phone call to the birthday boy?”
***
An hour later, Reno and Austin had made plans to handle Fox. Reno had connections, and one of them gave us a number where we could reach Fox. When we gathered in our private room, Reno handed me the phone. The first time I called, it went to voice mail. The second time, he picked up.
“Do I know you?” he answered.
“I wish you didn’t.”
He gave a satisfied laugh. “I knew it was only a matter of time you’d come around, Ivy. How did you get this number?”
“Does it matter?”
“I guess not. By the way, you have a lovely bedroom. Cute little dreamcatcher hanging on the ceiling. How’s that working out for you?”
I shuddered at the thought that he was in our house. “I’m accepting your offer, Fox. Not because I want to, but you have to promise me you won’t bring Lakota into this. You probably know where to find me, but I’m not leaving with your men. I don’t know them, so I need you to come get me.”
“You accept what? I’m sorry, could you repeat that? We must have a bad connection.”
“I accept your offer,” I said, voice cracking through the room like a whip. Everyone raised their eyes in expectation when I tossed the phone on the bar. It clacked on the surface and twirled in a circle.
“Fox out of the hole,” Reno said with a chuckle. He touched a few keys on his laptop, switching to another camera view of our property.
Denver and Trevor were standing on either side of him, trying to get a better look. Curious, I joined them. “What’s going on?”
He spun the laptop in my direction. “He’s leaving the property.”
I squinted at a grainy image of a car pulling out of the driveway. “Can you tell what he’s been doing there?”
Reno rubbed his stubbly jaw. None of the men had packed razors, so they were beginning to look like pirates. If it were a contest, Wheeler would have won with Austin coming in a close second. “We don’t have cameras set up inside the house, and thank God for that. Lynn would pitch a fit if he was tearing up her drapes.”
“How about your bike?” April asked. “He better not have put one finger on it.”
“Don’t worry about the bike, princess. If he tears it up, then I’ll hit him so hard he regrets it. Bikes are replaceable; you aren’t.”
April sat beside Lexi on the couch with her knees up and arms wrapped around them. Lynn came out of the bathroom and unzipped Maizy’s bag, rummaging for something.
Lexi continued drumming her fingers on Maizy’s backpack, which was sitting beside her. She lifted her bourbon-brown eyes when Austin walked toward her and tossed the backpack on the floor before sitting in its place. He kissed her forehead and rested his hand on her thigh, offering reassurance.
“Let’s keep our heads on straight, boys,” Austin began. “Fox knows we’re here, but he isn’t willing to put up an argument with Ivy and risk her changing her mind. Obsession clouds reason. It’s a rookie mistake because a real Packmaster would never let someone else dictate the conditions. He thinks we won’t kick up a fight in here because it’s a Breed bar. Well, he thought wrong. I want everyone prepared. If you have to shift, then do it, but only as a last resort. At least in human form we can change tactics, so hold out as long as you can. This is a battle and we fight together.”
“Aus, I don’t feel good about some of the women being here,” Denver said.