Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 128380 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128380 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
“First of all, you have to stop referring to them as things,” said Havana. “Second of all, they’re not afraid of the snakes. They simply don’t want said snakes making a home for themselves in their building. Which is reasonable. Not that I’d expect you to understand that, since you and ‘reasonable’ are pretty much strangers. So you’ll have to take my word for it.”
“But—”
“No, stop being difficult.”
“I can’t. Your frustration warms the coldest parts of my soul.”
Havana reached over and flicked her on the forehead.
“Ow. That hurt, you know.” Her hands occupied, Bailey couldn’t rub at the smarting spot, so she just spooned the last of her cake and wolfed it down.
“Good. It was supposed to.”
Aspen materialized and retook her seat beside Havana, her usual smile absent. “I could throttle her.”
Feeling her brow crease, Bailey put her empty bowl on the table. “Who? Why? What?”
Aspen held up her cell phone. “I just spoke to Corbin,” she said, referring to a male grizzly shifter who was both their boss and their savior. “He’s been trying to call you. Where’s your cell?”
“In a bag of rice on my kitchen counter,” replied Bailey.
“You dropped it in water again?”
“Only the mop bucket. I didn’t drop it in the toilet this time. Why was Corbin trying to call me?”
Aspen rested her phone on the table. “Apparently, Ginny is insisting to all and sundry at the rec center that you’re responsible for the recent attack on Jackson.”
Bailey almost chuckled in sheer surprise. “Me? Is she kidding?”
“Nope. She’s convinced of it. She claims it’s another of your attempts to punish him for cheating on you with her.”
Bailey snorted, and her mamba flicked her gaze skyward. “That happened yonks ago. Hey, I’d have no problem nonetheless kicking his ass. I’d also enjoy it.” Her ex would deserve it for sure. “But I wouldn’t blindside him. I’d make sure he saw me coming. And I definitely wouldn’t leave him for dead in an alley. I don’t kill those who wrong me. It’s more entertaining to break their mind.”
“Yeah, for you. But not everyone operates that way.”
“They should. They’d enjoy life so much more.”
Havana cut in, “No one at the center will heed Ginny. They know that jumping someone from behind isn’t your style, Bailey.” Pausing, she batted salt off the golden-brown skin of her arm. “Plus, considering you were at a mating ceremony the evening he was attacked, you have plenty of alibis.”
“I’m not worried that the members of the center will believe her. But I don’t like that she’s trying to stir up drama there.” Owned and managed by Corbin, the rec center gave loners a place where they could relax, make friends, and be safe.
Bailey and her girls had once been loners in need of somewhere to go as children. Corbin had been the one to take them in. They’d worked at the center for years. And they hadn’t retired even after they joined the Olympus Pride when Havana mated its Alpha male, Tate.
“According to Corbin,” Aspen began, absently skimming her fingers through the dark, sleek, choppy layers of her long, angled bob, “Jackson is saying that he thinks it was a random attack. He’s probably right. Sad as it is, it isn’t uncommon for loners to be targeted by packs or prides or whatever.”
Bailey gave a slow nod. Having no protection, loners were easy prey. She herself had been “preyed on” from time to time over the years. It had never ended well for those who’d thought to come at her.
Havana chomped down the last of her food. “I doubt Ginny’s as angry about the attack as she claims to be.” She focused her gaze on Bailey. “I think she’s just throwing accusations your way to get back at you for tormenting her all these months.”
“Probably,” said Bailey. “She was seething when all I did was laugh at her for starting the petition to have me fired from the center. Though why she thought I’d be upset, I don’t know.”
“Most people would be,” said Havana. “But since it’s well-known that you feed off the frustration of others and find their subsequent reactions amusing, yeah, I have no idea why she expected you to be upset.”
People could be so weird.
Aspen went to speak, but then a waitress appeared at their table with a black, garbage bag.
“Any trash?” asked Therese, her powder-blue eyes bright and clear.
Bailey handed over her spoon and empty bowl. “I like the nose piercing. It suits you.”
Tentatively touching the rhinestone ring, the slim blonde flashed her a smile. “Thank you. I’m still not used to it yet, but I love it already. My cat thinks it looks stupid, though.”
Havana laughed. “No offense, but pallas cats are disapproving creatures in general, so I wouldn’t worry about it.”
Loosely stroking a fist down her golden-blonde ponytail, Therese gave a sheepish smile. “Disapproving indeed. Mine is always grumpy anyway—it comes with being latent,” she said with acceptance, not resentment, though it couldn’t be easy to resign yourself to being unable to release your inner animal. She quickly bagged every bit of trash on the table. “You girls need anything else?”