Lawful Mates - Liam Kingsley Page 0,3
to setting the cake on the table and removing it from the box. However, my wolf continued to pace restlessly—whining and pushing for me to return to Percy. I could barely believe my wolf was reacting to Percy like that. Percy Rivers was my mate? Percy Rivers, of all people! I laughed out loud at the idea.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Jamie asked again, his eyes full of concern. “You look a little…”
“A little what?” I asked, forcing a smile, though I knew my best friend would see right through it. Still, I didn’t want him worried. “I’m fine.”
“Uh-huh,” he said, looking back toward where his mate and Percy stood.
I couldn’t help it. I glanced toward them as well, still finding Percy’s gaze trained on me. I quickly turned back around and fussed some more with the cake.
Though this was the first time I’d met Percy, I’d heard enough about him from Jamie and Tucker that I didn’t have a very high opinion of him. Especially from the things Jamie had said. Like how Percy consistently blew off spending time with Jamie and Tuck. Some best friend Percy was. I couldn’t imagine not being right there with Jamie through some of the most important moments of his life. Yet Percy had blown off dinner invitations more than a couple of times over the past months. I knew that firsthand, having been there when invited.
Tuck and Jamie had both wanted their best friends to get to know each other. But every time, without fail, Percy had some excuse not to show up. Usually because he was too busy with a crucial case, working at all hours of the day and night. Tuck seemed like he was used to it and often made excuses for Percy. But I just didn’t understand it, and I was pretty sure Jamie didn’t either. When you were someone’s best friend, you were supposed to be there for them, to support them, to show them love, to give them what they needed as they worked to build their life, and it rubbed me the wrong way that Percy couldn’t be bothered to be there. What kind of friend would blow someone off time and time again with some flimsy excuse about work?
I worked hard, I had long and exhausting days, but I’d never let it keep me from being the friend Jamie. As far as I was concerned, Percy was a piss poor excuse for one. Yet he’d shown up today and was holding little Addison with a fiercely protective loyalty that anyone could see. Maybe there was another side to him. Maybe I was writing him off too quickly.
I dared another glance back at Percy. Tucker was saying something to him, and Percy nodded, seemingly reluctantly. The next thing I knew, they were walking toward Jamie and myself.
I tensed as they got closer, and the air seemed to thicken with an awareness of Percy’s presence with every approaching step. When they reached us, Tuck wrapped his arm around Jamie, and I forced a smile, stepping back so they could see the cake.
It was only then that I noticed the other cake on the table. I’d been so distracted by my wolf going crazy that I’d been entirely focused on ignoring both him and Percy.
“The cakes are both lovely,” Jamie said, breaking the tense silence.
Percy narrowed his eyes as he studied the cake I’d brought. The cake I’d spent hours on, wanting Amy, Tuck’s seven-year-old daughter, to feel just as special as the new baby. Half of it welcomed the new baby, the other half congratulated Amy on being the best big sister in the world.
“Perhaps if you hadn’t been late with the cake in the first place, I wouldn’t have had to go get a second one. But it seems you weren’t able to be on time,” Percy said, his voice clipped and full of disdain.
I blinked, my mouth dropping open. Did he seriously just say that? Anger bubbled up in my chest. I wasn’t one to let my temper get the best of me, but I’d worked damn hard on that cake, wanting to make it extra special for the entire family. So what if it had made me a little late?
Before I could think better of it, I whirled on Percy and crossed my arms over my chest and bared my teeth. “At least I showed up and didn’t flake out on my best friend at the last minute like someone has been known