like it was yesterday, when in truth it had been years since he’d been permanently damaged.
Damaged in a way the women found unacceptable. He glanced at his reflection --hardened, his lips set in a tight line -- before smearing lingering mist on the mirror with his hand.
Xander could shove his mixer up his ass.
He wasn’t going. It wasn’t worth it.
An hour later, he tossed back a longneck, mostly ignoring the laughter and chatter around him, to soak up a few minutes of relaxation while he nursed his beer. Men from his clan were there along with some fellow ranchers from land closer to Bozeman. His brothers and a handful of friends sat at the table with him, laughing their asses off about something and he was trying not to get wrapped up in it.
Until Bo made a high-pitched kissy sound and socked Trey on the shoulder. He gave his brother a lazy sideways look.
“What?”
“You gonna shave your legs for the mixer? Get all nice and smooth?”
A roar of laughter went up from the group. Trey eyed the men across the table and the laughter died off. His brothers might be able to poke fun at him, but he was still an Alpha and every man in this place knew it. So, Xander had shot off his mouth about tossing Trey into the dating piranha pit. Great.
Trey winked at his brother. “You’ll have to give me a few tips, seeing how you’re so good at it yourself.” That brought the ribbing and laughter back and he let it ride. Didn’t take long before the group moved away from the table to go for a round of pool. Dellan Kyle, a member of Blue Mountain Clan and one of Bo’s best friends, stayed behind, nonchalantly moving to a seat next to Trey.
“What’s up, Dell?” Trey took a drink of his beer. Dellan followed suit, saying nothing, his gaze dropping to the table as he picked the label on his bottle.
“You, ah… you thinking about going to that mixer?”
The back of Trey’s neck prickled at Dell’s low, wary tone. “Haven’t decided yet.”
Dell nodded and Trey thought that might be the end of it, though he had the distinct impression there was more to be said. “I… I don’t want this to get out, okay? But I think you should know.”
Trey turned on his stool to face Dellan.. The other man’s face was shaded, but Trey could feel his discomfort. “It’s just between us, man. You have my word.”
Dell glanced around before holding Trey’s gaze. “I went to the last one, two weeks back. Found this woman… damn, she was perfect, you know? It’s kind of a rule there that you don’t take anyone home that first night, but I… I couldn’t help it.”
“What happened?”
The younger man spread his hands as if he wasn’t sure himself. “She gave me something -- drugged me -- slipped it in my beer, I think. I remember getting to my place and getting us some beers, and the next thing, I’m on my back and she’s standing over me, holding a wad of cash in her hand. My cash.” Dell looked around again, nearly whispering. “I couldn’t move, but I could hear and see everything. She went through the house, took whatever she wanted, including five grand. She said she knew I’d never talk, because what shifter wanted to be bested by a woman, right?”
Trey pushed his beer away. “Why didn’t you come to me sooner?”
A desperate, self-recriminating sneer crossed Dell’s face. “I was bested by a woman, Trey. Fuck. I’m six-four, two-hundred and eighty pounds and I got robbed by a five-foot something little minx. I’m not really proud of it.”
Trey slapped Dell on the back, wishing there was something he could say to ease his friend’s pride. He got it; he understood.
“That’s not all.” Dell drained the last of his beer. “Guys at the feed store were joking about a member of Gray Trees Clan who had the same thing happen. I tracked him down and he was embarrassed as hell, but he confirmed it. Sounds like the same woman.”
A soft prickling began to spider along Trey’s skin,
Damaged in a way the women found unacceptable. He glanced at his reflection --hardened, his lips set in a tight line -- before smearing lingering mist on the mirror with his hand.
Xander could shove his mixer up his ass.
He wasn’t going. It wasn’t worth it.
An hour later, he tossed back a longneck, mostly ignoring the laughter and chatter around him, to soak up a few minutes of relaxation while he nursed his beer. Men from his clan were there along with some fellow ranchers from land closer to Bozeman. His brothers and a handful of friends sat at the table with him, laughing their asses off about something and he was trying not to get wrapped up in it.
Until Bo made a high-pitched kissy sound and socked Trey on the shoulder. He gave his brother a lazy sideways look.
“What?”
“You gonna shave your legs for the mixer? Get all nice and smooth?”
A roar of laughter went up from the group. Trey eyed the men across the table and the laughter died off. His brothers might be able to poke fun at him, but he was still an Alpha and every man in this place knew it. So, Xander had shot off his mouth about tossing Trey into the dating piranha pit. Great.
Trey winked at his brother. “You’ll have to give me a few tips, seeing how you’re so good at it yourself.” That brought the ribbing and laughter back and he let it ride. Didn’t take long before the group moved away from the table to go for a round of pool. Dellan Kyle, a member of Blue Mountain Clan and one of Bo’s best friends, stayed behind, nonchalantly moving to a seat next to Trey.
“What’s up, Dell?” Trey took a drink of his beer. Dellan followed suit, saying nothing, his gaze dropping to the table as he picked the label on his bottle.
“You, ah… you thinking about going to that mixer?”
The back of Trey’s neck prickled at Dell’s low, wary tone. “Haven’t decided yet.”
Dell nodded and Trey thought that might be the end of it, though he had the distinct impression there was more to be said. “I… I don’t want this to get out, okay? But I think you should know.”
Trey turned on his stool to face Dellan.. The other man’s face was shaded, but Trey could feel his discomfort. “It’s just between us, man. You have my word.”
Dell glanced around before holding Trey’s gaze. “I went to the last one, two weeks back. Found this woman… damn, she was perfect, you know? It’s kind of a rule there that you don’t take anyone home that first night, but I… I couldn’t help it.”
“What happened?”
The younger man spread his hands as if he wasn’t sure himself. “She gave me something -- drugged me -- slipped it in my beer, I think. I remember getting to my place and getting us some beers, and the next thing, I’m on my back and she’s standing over me, holding a wad of cash in her hand. My cash.” Dell looked around again, nearly whispering. “I couldn’t move, but I could hear and see everything. She went through the house, took whatever she wanted, including five grand. She said she knew I’d never talk, because what shifter wanted to be bested by a woman, right?”
Trey pushed his beer away. “Why didn’t you come to me sooner?”
A desperate, self-recriminating sneer crossed Dell’s face. “I was bested by a woman, Trey. Fuck. I’m six-four, two-hundred and eighty pounds and I got robbed by a five-foot something little minx. I’m not really proud of it.”
Trey slapped Dell on the back, wishing there was something he could say to ease his friend’s pride. He got it; he understood.
“That’s not all.” Dell drained the last of his beer. “Guys at the feed store were joking about a member of Gray Trees Clan who had the same thing happen. I tracked him down and he was embarrassed as hell, but he confirmed it. Sounds like the same woman.”
A soft prickling began to spider along Trey’s skin,
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