One edge of Nathan’s mouth curled up. “You’ve got no place here, human. The only reason you’re even present is because you’re hooked up with her.” He spat the last word out like a curse.
From the heads bobbing in agreement it was one of the few things they could all agree about.
“Good thing we’re not a democracy here,” I replied. “He’s got as much of a right to be here as I do.”
“Outcast.” This came from the Chandler son. “I’m not sure if you have the right to be here among us.” He ignored Jess’s warning glare. “Freaks got no place in our family.”
I sized up the pup. He had black hair like his younger brother, the disorganized mop hanging over his ears. The black T-shirt advertised some heavy metal rock band while his jeans were headed southward, allowing me to see his Fruit of the Looms.
I motioned him on with one hand. “Is that a challenge?”
Bran let out a low growl. I ignored him.
Jess shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She bit down on her lower lip but said nothing.
“I guess it is.” He smiled at his mother as he approached me, his cocky walk showing major attitude. He stopped in front of me and tucked his hands into his pockets, turning his head back toward the waiting Felis to give them a wide grin. “Yep, I think it is.”
“Good.”
My right knee slammed up into his groin. I followed up with an elbow jab to his nose, now that he’d dropped his head to the right angle.
The kid dropped to the ground, mewing. His hands flew back and forth between cradling his balls and trying to stifle the blood flowing from his nose.
I took a step back, almost unable to stand. It’d taken the last of my strength and I was done.
Jess put her hand up to her mouth, something akin to a chuckle escaping.
Jake let out some sort of cough.
Mary didn’t move toward her son but the clenched fists told me I was a whisper away from dealing with her.
“Challenge—” the young man groaned from between his hands.
“Well challenged and met,” Jess said. She glanced at me before turning her attention to the young man curled up in a ball. “When you challenge, the game is on. You don’t pose, you don’t vogue for your buddies.” Her gaze went to Mary. “I thought you’d been trained properly.”
I nudged the moaning boy with my foot. “You’ll survive. Next time don’t underestimate your opponent. Felis, human or outcast.”
Mary locked eyes with Jess, silently appealing the outcome.
Jess shrugged.
The young man pulled himself back to his mother’s side, coughing and snorting blood out his nose. Nathan pulled out a handkerchief and dropped it next to the injured Chandler without comment.
“Now that we’re done with that.” I paused for another few seconds to let Mary console her son. “Let’s get back to the issue at hand. What’s best for these two young people?”
Jake looked at Jess before turning his attention to me, picking his words carefully. “I want my daughter home. She wants her son. I’m not seeing what the problem is here.”
“The problem is that they’re not coming home unless you let them be together,” I said. “Simple as that. End the feud or you’ll never see them again.”
Jake’s eyes narrowed. “You’d keep me from my kin?”
“I’ll keep your daughter free to make her own decisions. And mistakes.” I caught Mary’s attention. “And your son. I’m appealing to you both to let bygones be bygones and put this feud behind you. I won’t tell you where they are and I won’t deliver them to you like lambs to the slaughter. If you want them you’ll have to go to Toronto and start ripping the city up.”
This brought a low cough from Jess, signaling her disapproval of the option.
“They’re ready to go rogue. Are you ready to let them do this if you truly love them?” I looked at her son, busy trying to casually check his family jewels without shoving his hands down his baggy jeans. “Let that be the last of blood spilled for this feud.”
Jake rolled his tongue around his mouth before wetting his lips. “I need some time to think about this. What you’re suggesting, well—I can’t give a decision right now.” He gestured toward the Chandlers. “I’m thinking you’ve got the same thought. It’s a big thing, what she’s asking and I ain’t going to jump without thinking it through.”
Mary nodded. Her son had managed to stand up and now resumed his spot beside her, wobbling a bit. His nose was red and swollen but I didn’t think it was broken. He held the handkerchief to his mouth as if sucking on a lollipop. “We agree. Let’s take some time to consider all our options.”
“I want both parties back here by—” Jess checked her watch. “It’s more or less one o’clock now. Let’s be back by eight. That’s more than enough time for everyone to get dinner and make up their minds.” She paused and looked at each family leader in turn. “This is going to be finished tonight, one way or another. So don’t come back without a solution you can live with.”
The two groups filed out of the living room, one after another alternating between families. Mary Chandler linked her arm with her son’s, helping him leave with as much dignity as he could. Jake Middleston didn’t look at me but muttered at Eddie, who bobbed his head up and down.
Jess waited until the screen door had slammed behind the last person before letting out her breath in a long, measured gasp.
“Woman, you know how to flip people on their heads. I was shitting nickels trying to figure out how to get you out of that one.”
“Tell me about it.” Bran spun me around and hugged me, his arms tight around mine. “Especially when that little punk came up to you. I’m assuming that’s not how you usually handle challenges.”
Jess let out a snort. “Not by a long shot. Ceremony says you declare the challenge and then choose an arena and so forth but those are just the bells and whistles. He should have realized we didn’t have the time for that and Reb was full in her rights to take him on right there.” She chuckled. “Full of piss and vinegar and wanted to show off in front of his mother and the Middlestons. He’ll think twice about doing that again.”
“If his balls ever drop again,” I said, leaning into Bran. “Damn, I need a drink.”
“Sit down and I’ll get something.” Jess headed for the kitchen. “First let me make sure they all got out of the parking lot without killing each other.”
As she left the room Bran helped me to the couch, urging me to stretch out with my legs across his lap. “You scared me something awful. Thought we were going to get into it right here with the fighting.”
I sighed as he rubbed my bare feet, his hands rubbing over the skin. “Close call there. If the little shit had Changed I probably wouldn’t have gotten the drop on him.” I winced as he hit a sensitive spot.
“Whiskey times three.” Jess came back with the same tray that had previously carried the pie, now carrying three glasses with a whisper of booze at the bottom. She handed me a glass and let Bran pick his own before settling into the chair so recently vacated by Jake Middleston. “Well played.” She lifted the glass in a toast. “You might want to consider a Board position if you ever come back to the Pride full-time.”
I sniffed the amber liquid. The good stuff. It tasted as smooth as silk and burned all the way down to start a fire in my belly.
I sighed, feeling the warmth rush through my aching bones and muscles. “I’m not sure if the doctor at the hospital would approve of me drinking.”
Bran tossed his back in one shot. “He wouldn’t have approved you getting into a full-fledged fight.” He put his glass down on the tray. “How ’bout I whip us up some lunch?”
Jess gave him an approving look. “Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. We try to keep it pretty well-stocked.”