Lindsey’s Wolves(17)

“Fuck you. I was here first.” Alejandro couldn’t catch his breath.

“Ha. Ha. Ha. Congratulations. Do you think that makes you the winner?”

How long could they stand here in an essential stare down?

“Alejandro?” A soft voice broke through the ringing in his head. He jerked his gaze from Ryan to Lindsey. Her expression spoke volumes about his behavior. Her gaze roamed his body from head-to-toe.

He glanced down and tried to see himself through her eyes. A crazy man ready for a fight, itching to punch someone, anyone. His fists were gripped. His feet spread apart. He knew his jaw was squared. She’d never seen him like this. Hell, he’d never even been like this before. This … angry. He wasn’t usually one to pick a fight, or even dislike anyone.

Joder. Now what the fuck was he going to do?

“Don’t start cussing at me in Spanish, asshole, or I’ll arrange for you to have a new one.”

Choosing to ignore the jibe from Ryan, Alejandro returned his attention to Lindsey.

“Would someone please tell me what’s going on?” She said it like the question was up for grabs, but she didn’t glance away from Alejandro. It was his responsibility to fix this. He knew that. But he also needed to speak to Ryan. Now. Alone.

“Lindsey,” he cleared his throat, “would you please give me a minute to talk to Justin’s brother. Outside.” He directed the question to her, but the goal was to light a fire under Ryan and get him out of this room. Far away from Lindsey.

“Guys. Guys. Calm down. There’s no need to panic. Let’s discuss this calmly.” Kara stepped between everyone, into the middle of the circle. Her tiny frame could no more have stopped four heated wolves than she could have moved a mountain, but somehow Alejandro knew the sun set and rose around this woman for everyone else in the room. He would be treading on thin ice if he crossed her, or even considered the idea.

“Who’s mad? I’m not mad.” He tried to regain his composure. Shook his arms at his sides and released the fists that had caused his fingernails to dig into his palms.

“What is going on?” Lindsey’s voice rose and she held her hands in the air, jumping from her perch on a kitchen stool.

No one moved.

“What? Somebody please explain why there is enough testosterone-filled tension in this room to rival a bus of football players.”

“Honey,” Kara began, “let’s you and me go in the other room.”

“Don’t.” Like clockwork, both Alejandro and Ryan uttered the simple word simultaneously.

It burned Alex to realize they agreed on something. He didn’t see it happening again anytime soon. But at least they were on the same page about one thing. No one but them was going to fill Lindsey in on the details of her own future.

“Outside?” Ryan motioned toward the door before speaking again aloud. “Kara, please, please, please give us a minute. This is our story to tell. No one else’s.”

“Of course.” Instead of dragging Lindsey to the living room, Kara opted to sit next to her and pull her back onto the stool. “Anyone care to swap their water for vodka?” she jested without smiling.

“Look, boys,” Lindsey twisted her body to glare at Alex and Ryan over her shoulder, “obviously you two know each other or something, and I can’t even conjure a reason why this has anything to do with me, but hear me when I say I won’t be sitting here when you get back inside if either of you throws a punch. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they stated once again in unison.

The minute Alejandro shut the door behind him, he propped his ass against the side of the house and leaned over at the waist, lowering his head to avoid hyperventilating. Does that even work?

“I have no idea. But I’m all for trying.”

He jerked back upright. “Can you stay out of my head for one fucking second?”

“No more than you can stay out of mine.”

“Point taken.”

Ryan started to pace, pulling his hands through his hair enough times to rip it out. “How did this happen?”

“I don’t know. But the better question is ‘what do we do about it now?’”

“Two minutes ago I was a wild and crazy bachelor about to head out for the evening. In fact, shit, my brother Charles is waiting for me. I just stopped by to borrow a CD, not pick up a mate … and a fucking male life-mate for God’s sake.”

“Yeah, this wasn’t on my list for this evening either. I was on a perfectly wonderful date with said mate and having the best night of my life.”

“Have you two…?”

“No. Though I’m not sure I don’t regret it now. I hadn’t planned on sharing the experience with anyone, especially someone I’ve never even met.”