Lacy shook her head. “Why didn’t you call the police?”
Sarah shifted, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. “I knew they couldn’t really help. I come from a different culture than you’re used to, plus I did some pretty serious damage to the guys who were after me. I might have ended up in jail right along with them.”
“They aren’t after you anymore?” Lacy didn’t like the thought of any woman being stalked by a man.
“Oh, no. They won’t be bothering me ever again, the brothers saw to that. Of course, Stephanie had a big part in that, too.” Sarah sat up straighter in her chair, leaned forward with her arms on the table and pinned Lacy with her eerie amber eyes. “Now, back to you and Ethan. Why do I get the feeling you don’t have faith in this relationship that’s forming between the two of you?”
“There’s no relationship! We’re attracted to each other, sure, but aside from that there hasn’t been enough time for him to care for me like that,” Lacy insisted.
Sarah just gave her a satisfied grin. “So there hasn’t been enough time for him to care about you that way, but obviously, there has been enough time for you to develop strong feelings for him, or you would have worded that differently.”
Oh, how Lacy wanted to smack that smug look off Sarah’s face, but sadly, she was right. “Yeah, well, not everyone gets a happily-ever-after. Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives some lucky couple a fairytale. For the rest of us, there’s always Ben & Jerry’s. And let me tell you ladies something, those are two guys who haven’t let me down yet.”
She watched as Stephanie and Sarah exchanged a look then glanced over to Angela, who didn’t look too thrilled either. What did they have to be so upset about? After all, she was the one who’d likely end up having her heart ripped out by the end of this little affair.
“You need a drink,” Angela proclaimed, waving Cash back over to the table. “Baby girl, you are thinking too hard on this. If you love him, then be with him. It’s that simple. Don’t go making things harder than they need to be.”
Relationship advice from a guy’s mom? Shouldn’t she be chasing jaded women away from her son? Why were they all so hell-bent on her being involved with Ethan anyway?
“I shouldn’t drink while I’m on duty,” Lacy said. “Besides, there was another attack tonight, so I really need to have my wits about me.”
“Fine, but do me a favor. Listen to your heart and not your head. Everyone has a past, and even a few secrets, but look at how he treats you, how he makes you feel. If you decide you don’t want that, then just let him go now before things go too far,” Sarah persisted.
Angela placed her hand on Lacy’s shoulder and bent close to her ear, “You have the power to destroy my boy, Lacy. Please keep that in mind. From what I’ve been told, you mean a great deal to him already.”
Stephanie’s eyes softened as she looked at Lacy from across the table. “I never thought I’d get my happily-ever-after either, but these guys are different. They’re an intense bunch, but don’t let that fool you. When they meet the woman meant for them, they hold on with everything they’ve got. So trust me, if Ethan is falling for you, you’re one lucky girl.”
Lacy swallowed around the lump in her throat. Could this be true? If there was even a chance he could feel the same way about her, she would be on board one hundred percent. She just needed to hear it from him and not his family.
Chapter Eleven
Ethan’s head was spinning. Gus had just left after delivering the news of Madison’s poisoning, and now, all Ethan could think about was getting to Lacy. The sheriff had assured him she’d been notified and was at the Suds Bucket, but his wolf didn’t care.
His inner beast rattled its cage, desperate to get to her despite Gus’ reassurance, and that was why he was impatiently ushering his brothers and father out of his home. Shit, he still had to get Jose back to the hotel, but he needed to go and get Lacy before his wolf broke free and tracked her down himself.
There was no way to calm his animal, either. The poor beast bordered on feral, and as a result, his voice was more of a guttural growl than anything.
Why wouldn’t these bastards go already? Didn’t they know he had to leave? “Out! I need to go get Lacy now.” Ethan’s chest heaved as he struggled to keep his composure. When his brother walked up to his side, Ethan just barely held back a snarl.
“Ethan, you need to remember your guest,” Erik quietly chastised. “Besides, you heard Gus. She’s hanging out with Sarah and Stephanie, and you know those two are capable of handling themselves if anything comes up. Not to mention the fact that they’re usually armed, too.”