Wild and Free (The Three #3)(159)

She had a point.

I moved to a vacant armchair and slumped into it.

“All that starin’ and throwin’ your arm out and shit, it’s gotta take it out of a girl. You want me to get you a beer?” Jabber offered.

I’d learned from years of him being around that Jabber was annoying.

He was also sweet.

So I grinned at him and said, “No, Jabber, I’m good.”

He nodded and reached for his own beer.

The door behind me opened.

I twisted to look around my chair and saw Abel striding in with his brothers, those being the brothers Jin.

Instantly, I decided I was pissed at him, and I decided this because I hadn’t seen him since he’d asked us to leave the room when we were talking to Poncho’s auntie.

So I turned right back around, crossed my arms and legs, and started bouncing my foot.

I felt Abel stop at the side of my chair.

“Bao bei,” he greeted.

“Bao bei yourself,” I muttered irately, not looking at him.

“Lilah?” he called.

“What?” I answered, still not looking at him.

“Baby, what’s up?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I answered and finally tipped my head back, my slitted eyes catching his. “I was asked to leave the room.”

“Lilah—” he started.

“Feel a domestic comin’ on,” Dad said over Abel, his voice sounding like he was on the move. “Recommend we vacate the premises.”

“I’m all over that,” Jabber said.

“I’m comfortable,” Moose grunted.

I looked his way to see Dad punch Moose lightly in the gut, to which Moose opened his eyes and knifed up a couple of inches, head and feet, scowling at Dad. But he did not get up.

“Bud, give my little girl and her man some space,” Dad ordered.

“No one has to leave,” I declared. “Since I’ve decided I’m not talking to Abel for the next three hours, there actually isn’t going to be a domestic.”

I felt Abel’s hand curl around the back of my neck even as I felt the room empty of people. Dad jerked his thumb toward the door at Moose, then grabbed his hand and yanked him out of the couch.

“Good luck to you, bubba,” Dad muttered to Abel on his way out.

I heard the door close, then I was out of the chair but back in it, sitting in Abel’s lap.

“Uh, dude,” I said low. “Think I made it clear how I felt about you hauling me around when I’m pissed.”

“How about when I’m pissed?” he asked, and it was then I felt his vibe and took in the look on his face.

My back went straight. “Why are you pissed?”

“I don’t know, maybe ’cause we had a powerful witch who finally came to us after Poncho jumped through hoops for her, but she wouldn’t talk unless you were gone and we need her to help us and the only way to get her to do that was actually speak with her. So the best thing my mate could do to help with that situation was move her ass out of the room, trust I’d tell her everything when I got to her, and not get shitty about it.”

He was being annoying because he was right.

“How would you feel if you had to leave the room when important shit is happening?” I asked instead of giving in.

“I wouldn’t like it. But if it had to be done, if anything in this situation has to be done, I’d do it.”

He was right again, thus, even more annoying.

“Just an FYI, but sometimes it feels like you big, powerful vampires and wolves don’t think we girls have anything to offer,” I shared.

“Bullshit,” he returned, and I blinked.

“Uh…say what?” I asked.

“That’s bullshit, because that’s not it,” he told me. “You’re frustrated. I get that. I am too. Nothing is happening with the potential of everything happening, it’s all bad, and we’re hangin’ around doin’ f*ck all. It’s puttin’ you in a bad mood. I get that because I’m in a shitty mood too. I also get that I’m the safe one you got to lay your shit on when it gets too heavy.” His arms around me gave me a squeeze. “I’ll shoulder that burden but that offer doesn’t include me not holdin’ that mirror up to your face. You got no reason to be pissed, Lilah. You lashed out, now rein it in.”

And he was right again.

I looked to my knees.

“She’s gonna help,” he said, and my eyes went back to him. “Poncho’s aunt. Her name is Josefa.”

I wanted to hug him. He’d called me on it. He was right. He knew it and he knew I knew it.

But he didn’t push it. He didn’t rub my face in it. He didn’t drive it into the dirt. He said his bit and now we were moving on.

I didn’t hug him. I didn’t say anything about that.

I moved on with him.

I did this by relaxing into him and asking, “She is?”

“It took time for us to get her to agree, but she’s gonna try to get her some visions. Tell the future,” he said.

Sudden fear gripped my throat. “Oh God, that might not be good.”

He shook his head. “Future is elastic, according to her. She could say it like it is now, that doesn’t mean that’s the way it has to be.”