Fractured (Deep In Your Veins, #5)(17)

“Hmm, maybe Max does have a little thing for you, Paige,” said Ava.

My BFF snorted. “Max has a little thing for everyone.”

Alora’s smile dimmed. “Okay, I can’t deny that his dick doesn’t seem to be very discriminating. But that’s only if the rumours are to be believed. What about you? Do you like him?”

“What’s not to like?” said Paige. “He’s cute, strong, fun, and he’s got a great body.”

“I sense a ‘but’ coming,” said Alora.

“But I don’t want to be with a slut.”

“Like I said, they could be just rumours. There are always rumours about guys who are that hot.”

Ava turned her smile on me. “Speaking of rumours, I heard Butch is kind of wild in bed. All dark and dominant. That true?”

I gave her my best mysterious smile. “A lady never tells.”

“So is it true?”

“Are you implying that I’m not a lady?”

“I thought you already knew that.”

“Bitch,” I chuckled.

Imani, Jared called telepathically. Come to the beach house. Sam would like to see you.

Blinking in surprise, I replied, Sure thing. “Girls, I’m done for the night. According to Jared”—I tapped my temple—“Sam wants to see me about something.” Maybe she had more questions about my nest. That wasn’t a pleasant thought.

After saying my goodbyes, I headed for Sam and Jared’s home. I’d been inside the beach house a few times before, and I loved it. The place had such a cosy, relaxing feel to it. They must have heard me coming up the steps to the porch, because Jared opened the door before I had a chance to knock.

As we passed the noisy living area, I asked, “Is that Sebastian and Luther I can hear grumbling at each other?”

Jared’s lips pressed together. “Yes. They’re playing on Sam’s PlayStation.”

The image made me laugh as I entered the kitchen, where Sam was sitting at a table, drinking an NST. “Imani, come sit.”

Accepting her invitation, I pulled out the chair opposite hers. “So, what’s up?”

“In the interests of full disclosure, I’m letting you know upfront that we’re going to forewarn Butch about your past with Marco,” she told me. “He knows that Marco is your Sire, but he doesn’t know the arsehole was also once your boyfriend. If he finds out another way, he might go ape-shit. It will be hard enough to stop Butch from killing Marco on this trip.”

I shook my head. “If you order him not to hurt Marco, he’ll follow that order.” Regardless of what Butch said, he was a good soldier.

“He would if this was about anyone other than you,” said Sam. “Look, I’m not going to pretend I don’t know that Butch is suddenly all up in your space.” When I didn’t comment, she added, “I heard he went to your apartment last night.”

I should have remembered that nothing that happened on this island stayed secret for long. “We just talked.”

Sam cast me an impatient look. “You know you’re crap at lying, right?”

“I can so lie.”

Jared snorted a laugh. “Um, no, you can’t.”

“Well, seven of the eight voices in my head say you’re wrong.”

He laughed. “Back to the subject of Butch…he looked really concerned for you in the arena. He even asked me to tell you to take a break. I thought about it, but you seemed to need to escape your thoughts for a while.”

It was exactly what I’d needed.

“So, why is he back in your space?” Sam asked me.

I couldn’t tell her. Not when I hadn’t even told my best friend, and not when I wasn’t even sure how I felt about it. I didn’t want other people’s opinions to colour what decision I made. And Sam no doubt intended to tell me that I should stay clear of Butch. “If you’re going to warn me that it’s in my best interests to stay away from him, you don’t need to. He already told me he thinks he’s not good for me.”

“He probably isn’t,” said Sam. “I don’t mean it in a bitchy way. But we have to be straight here. Butch is…he’s not broken, but he’s fractured.”

I could agree with that.

“He’d be a difficult mate. He’s an alpha, which automatically makes him a bloody handful. He has qualities that make him great at his position. He’s confident, disciplined, forever alert, and loyal to a fault. He’s got a brilliant, strategic mind. And he doesn’t let fear hold him back; never flinches at anything.

“But he’s also very dominant. And he’s so direct, his words often come out cold. That means he’ll be overbearing and absentmindedly hurtful in a relationship. He needs a mate who’ll be careful not to take things too personally and to give him a lot of room to f*ck up. But she’d also have to push back or he’d walk all over her.”

She wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t already know. Not wanting to hear any more reasons a relationship with him would be hard, I said, “You really think he needs to know that Marco’s an ex of mine?”

Sam’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she allowed the subject change. “I do. He’s never said anything, but I think he found it hard to see you with Dean. He can be jealous when it comes to you. So when he finds out you used to date Marco, he’ll want to see him dead even more than he already does. It really is best if he hears the truth from us.”