rubbed his back harder, crooning. Bryan went over to him, as well. He offered Trick a napkin and told him it would all be all right. That they didn’t blame him for anything his family might have done.
Even though it wasn’t directed at him, Judd could feel the Beta’s calming influence.
Judd almost wanted to comfort the dratsie, too. Except, somehow, Trick’s family had put Colin into an uncomfortable and possibly dangerous position. Judd would not have that.
He suddenly realized that Colin had been questioned and bullied by his mother. The same mother he hadn’t seen since he was a baby. He must be wrecked and emotionally wrung out. Not to mention Agent Lenis was the worst kind of bossy Alpha. Poor Gingersnap.
Judd looked over to find Colin wasn’t watching Trick. He was staring at Judd, his face full of sad longing.
Judd took a risk. Smiled tentatively and patted his leg.
In a flash, Colin was across the room, curled into his lap.
Everyone but Trick froze and stared at them.
Colin had, on occasion, sat next to Judd at a barbecue. But he’d never sat in his lap. He never initiated any kind of physical contact with any of the pack.
Judd was impossibly proud to be the first. Look at me, he wanted to crow, shoving it in all their faces, he trusts me. Which was kind of what his actions said right now anyway – openly cuddling Colin in the middle of a cafe. Big strong enforcer, made soft-bellied and sweet. Look at me, look what I got! Look at this precious, beautiful being who chose me. Isn’t it glorious? Aren’t I lucky?
“Fucking damn it! Who had this week in the pool?” That was Kevin, of course.
“Marvin, I think,” said Lovejoy, from where he leaned over the espresso machine.
“No,” said Max, idly licking the foam off the top of his tiramisu latte. “Wasn’t Marvin.”
A throat was cleared at the front of the cafe.
Tank gave them all a cheery wave.
The others grumbled. They threw twenty-dollar bills onto the coffee table. Kevin gathered them up and delivered them to Tank with ill grace. “You can collect from Marvin yourself, damn it. How’d you know?”
Tank shrugged, grinning big, and stuffed the wad of cash into his pocket.
Alec, who clearly hadn’t been in on the wager, nevertheless let it play out with only a single raised eyebrow of mild annoyance. “If you’re quite done, gentlemen?”
Judd shrugged and snuggled Colin against him. Careful not to squeeze too hard. Happy to have his rich scent mingle with that of the cafe. He should pretend to be annoyed. But how could he, when he had what he wanted in his arms? If his Gingersnap was going to let him close in public, Judd intended to take full advantage.
“Holy shit,” whispered Colin in Judd’s ear, face hot against his cheek. “They had a bet going?”
“‘Course they did.”
“‘Course they did? Were you in on it?” His voice rising, Colin was prepared to take offense.
“Don’t be silly. We aren’t allowed to bet on ourselves. That’s insider trading.”
The rest of the pack tried manfully not to smile or stare, but they did not hide the fact that they were listening avidly to the conversation. Judd took this as unilateral support and reveled in it.
“But you knew it was going on?” Colin waved one elegant hand about.
“Well, I figured it might be. Didn’t you?”
“Oh my god, no!”
“Kid, I’ve been circling you from the moment I joined San Andreas. This pack isn’t stupid. Frankly, I’m glad Tank won. Seems he had the most faith in me.”
Colin looked up and around at the silent men carefully not looking at them. “Everyone else thought it’d take us longer to get together?”
“I thought it’d be at least another year.” Max sounded almost gleeful, even though he’d lost. He was the only one staring at them openly. Max had no subtlety.
Fortunately, this ridiculousness was the perfect thing to calm Trick. He stopped crying, watching the back and forth with bright dark eyes.
“I kind of love you guys,” he said.
Judd whispered into Colin’s ear, tolerably certain the dratsie (at least) couldn’t overhear, “I suppose we shouldn’t tell him there’s a new bet going on him?”
Colin nuzzled Judd’s neck and whispered back, “And Kettil?”
“Of course.”
“I want in.”
Judd chuckled. “Of course you do, Gingersnap. Talk to your brother about it.”
“I will. And I wanna talk to you about him.”
“Something happen with your mom you’ve not told us?”
“Yeah, and I don’t know if I should say something to Kev about it. I want