comes into play at all with all the stolen things,” said Isaac.
“It’ll never work,” said Kevin. “Dad always said…”
“Surf and turf don’t mix.” Colin said it with him.
“Any other cogent observations, boys?” pushed Judd.
Colin couldn’t stop himself from smiling. “I managed to keep the pants.”
Judd turned just enough so Colin, who was sitting directly behind him, could see his smile. “So did I.”
Colin gave a little cough gulp noise.
“Yeah, we all did. Shall we start stripping as another source of income?” Kevin sounded only party-joking. “I mean Heavy Lifting works either way. My stripper name is Big Guns MacCum.”
“That’s your porn name, dude.” Isaac sneered at him.
“Yours is Oh My Gaga.”
“Stop it now, Kevin.”
“What’s mine?” asked Colin.
“You’re my little brother, you start stripping over my dead body. But Judd’s is—”
“Don’t bloody even, Kevin,” said Judd.
Fortunately for Kevin, Judd’s phone started ringing. Since he was driving, Kevin picked it up and looked at it. “Shit, it’s the client.”
Judd pulled over into the parking lot of a convenience store. “Give it here, MacCum. Hello?” Lexi’s manager’s voice on the other end asked if they had any additional contracts for tomorrow.
“No.”
Would they be available to act as security again, starting around four in the afternoon? Apparently Lexi wanted to stay longer. Risa had told her about some shops she simply had to visit before they left the Bay Area. Same rate plus fifty percent for such short notice? Same team, please.
Judd didn’t play along. “I’ll have to ask my Alpha.” Colin knew he didn’t really have to, and this was a delaying tactic.
Would he be able to respond right away?
“Yes, I’ll wake him when we get back. Should be twenty minutes or so.”
Judd hung up.
They all looked at one another.
Colin said, “Well, shit, maybe she wants the pants back.” Pause. “I wonder who has it.”
“What?” said Judd.
“The stolen, uh fenced, uh whatever, money.”
“Not our problem, that’s on Lenis and Faste.”
“Yeah, but I like the mystery.”
They made it home, parked, and hauled themselves out of the truck, feeling more tired than nocturnal werewolves had a right to feel.
Judd’s big warm hand steered Colin though the overgrown yard, into the pack house and up the stairs. It was both exciting and reassuring.
“You know what we should do?” Colin suddenly thought of something quite brilliant. Or at least his sleepy brain thought it might be brilliant. “We should show pictures of Lexi’s team to Trick.”
Judd pandered to Colin’s exhausted whimsy. “Sure thing, Gingersnap. Soon as we wake up tomorrow, we’ll do that.”
“Cool. Because Risa and that jacket, you know. Suspicious.”
“You gonna go out for a PI or something, baby?”
“Do you think I could?”
“Probably. You have the patience and you’re smart enough, but I’d rather you stuck to computers. Safer.”
“Ha, shows what you know. Computers is where the porn is. Nothing safe about that.”
“Depends what kinda porn, I suppose. You gonna show me what you like?”
“Do I have to?”
“You could tell me instead.”
Colin considered. “Now?”
“Nope, now you’re gonna go take a shower, and then come to my room.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Imma ask Alec about us working again tomorrow, or tell him. I’m sure it will be fine, but best to involve the Alpha. I’ll be right back.”
True to his word, Judd was back before Colin finished his shower. Colin stumbled into Judd’s room with a towel wrapped about his waist, the hot water having made him even more tired.
“We on for tomorrow again, then?”
“Looks like. I’m sorry, baby. I know you wanted to be done with her.” Judd lounged on the bed, making a note in the contract.
Colin knew the pack needed the money, so he didn’t mind. Feeling brave, he used the towel to dry his hair, standing naked before Judd. Judd really did seem to like the way Colin was shaped, didn’t care about how slim he was. Didn’t want someone shaped like himself. Which Colin supposed made sense − he didn’t want someone shaped like himself, either.
Colin prodded at his feelings about his mother. It had been weird watching her perform. He’d seen footage online, of course. But being there, in person, was different. It made him realize something. They might look alike, but she was nothing at all like him. She was nothing to do with him. She was this other alien entity. The fact that she had once, a long time ago, given him birth, didn’t really matter anymore. She had left him and gone away to make herself great. And why shouldn’t she? Why shouldn’t she want that? She was awesome at being