Echoes of Fire (The Mercury Pack #4)(86)

“I don’t. I just plain despise her.”

Ally laughed again. “I really do like you, Mads.” She waved a hand. “Forget about her. Bracken doesn’t see any girl but you.” She looked at the male in question, and her brow creased. “He’s tenser than usual.”

Madisyn sighed. “It’s getting to him that no one’s been able to locate the Mavericks.” Since Donovan sent the pack a list of properties owned by the Maverick’s MC chapters a few days ago, the pack had scoped out each of them. There was no sign of the clan anywhere. The longer they went undiscovered, the more tense Bracken seemed to get.

Just as he’d threatened, he followed her to the shelter every day. He also remained at her side throughout the day, pitching in to help with whatever jobs she was doing, and he’d done it all without complaint, to her surprise. He really just seemed content as long as she was right there with him. And since it reduced her workload by half, there were benefits to him being so overprotective.

As they’d worked side by side, they’d talked more. Shared more stories from their childhoods, learned more things about each other, and developed a sort of rhythm. Instead of making them crazy, spending so much time together had strengthened their relationship and, in turn, strengthened their bond. Not so much that it had advanced a “step,” but enough that it was close to doing so.

In truth, she was so far gone for him it wasn’t even funny. Not that she’d told him that. Not yet. But he probably knew anyway.

Just then, Bracken’s gaze collided with hers. His mouth curved into a wicked smile that made her stomach clench and her nipples tighten.

“Hmm, that smile promised all sorts of dirty stuff,” said Ally.

Madisyn grinned. “It did, didn’t it?” And he’d better damn well deliver. He’d been building the sexual tension since this morning. He’d sent her several explicit text messages throughout the day and then taken her to dinner at a swanky restaurant, where he’d made a point of kissing and touching her and driving her nerve endings crazy. Seriously, her body was so ready to jump him, it was like having touch-hunger all over again.

She sent him a heated look from beneath her eyelashes. His own eyes narrowed slightly, and then he was making his way to the bar.

Ally straightened. “Oh, he’s coming over. And I’m just gonna tell you, because I know it’ll make you smile . . . Claudia is hating it.”

That did make Madisyn smile.

Reaching the bar, Bracken leaned over, mouth curved. “How’s my baby?”

“Looking forward to the end of her shift,” replied Madisyn as Ally melted away, giving them privacy.

Bracken crooked his finger at Madisyn. “Come here.”

Bracing her elbows on the bar, she leaned over and accepted the soft but toe-curling kiss he sucker punched her with. “Hmm. You’re good with that mouth.”

Said mouth kicked up into a smile. “So are you.” He cupped her jaw, raking his gaze over her face. Possessive. Hungry. “That’s better.”

She blinked. “Better?”

“You had that ‘I’m gonna smack some bitch down’ look on your face before. Now it’s gone.”

“Yeah, well, I am thinking of smacking one particular bitch around the club.”

Bracken didn’t pretend to misunderstand; he’d felt Claudia’s gaze, knew what she’d been doing. “Don’t let her get to you, baby. She’s clearly just a very bored woman with far too much time on her hands if she wants to spend her Friday night doing something like this.” He brushed his thumb over her chin. “Say the word and she’s gone. I’ll have her escorted out of here, and she’ll never be welcomed back.”

Madisyn snorted. “I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of that kind of reaction.”

“If you change your mind, just tell me.” Bracken planted yet another drugging kiss on his mate’s mouth. “Not long to go and we’ll be out of here. Which is a good thing, because all I can think about is shoving up that skirt and fucking your brains out.”

“Promises, promises.”

“Oh, it is a promise.” Letting his hand slip away from her face, he straightened. “Gotta do a few more laps of the club and make sure everything’s good. Be back soon.”

She watched him walk away, letting out a dreamy sigh at the sight of his rather epic ass. Sadly, that view was obstructed by the group of girls that appeared at the bar. She served them quickly. And then the next patrons. And the next.

A little later, realizing it was time for her break, she was just about to leave when a tall, wide-shouldered male ambled up to the bar. “Beer, please. Could you have it sent over to Bracken Slater? Tell him it’s from Claudia.”

Madisyn stilled, and her cat snarled. He was watching her carefully, knew exactly who she was to Bracken. She leaned forward. “If your boss is that curious about how I’ll react to another female buying my mate a drink, why didn’t she come on over here to place the order herself?”

He licked his front teeth. “Touchy little thing, aren’t you?”

“Touchy?” she echoed.

“It’s just a drink. A beer.” His mouth curved into a patronizing smile. “You should know that guys find petty jealousy a real turnoff.”