Proof of Life (The Potentate of Atlanta #4) - Hailey Edwards Page 0,31

“Yes?”

“Yes or no.” She snapped her fingers. “Well?”

Checking myself over, I confirmed what I already suspected. “I don’t have a scratch on me.”

“You almost gave me a heart attack.” Metal jingled in the background. “I’m on my way.”

“I said I was fine.” I shot Bishop a pleading glance. “You don’t have to—”

“Call my son and tell him what you told me.”

Kicking a rock, I mumbled, “Do I have to?”

“You really don’t want me to do it for you, sweetheart.”

Taking her at her word, I ended the call and prepared to take my medicine, dialing before I lost my courage.

“Lon challenged me,” I blurted after Midas answered. “I won, I’m fine, and you’re still the beta. Your mom is on her way, and I’m not sure, but she sounded mad. The Knoxville pack keeps calling me alpha, and it’s freaking me the frak out.” I sucked in a breath and blasted out, “I need you. Please come save me.”

For long moments, Midas didn’t say a word, but then he sighed. “I’ll be right there.”

He ended the call, which hurt, and I would have gnawed on my thumbnail if my hands weren’t gunky.

“A minor scuffle, and you’re coming unglued.” Bishop stepped up beside me. “This isn’t like you.”

“I know, I know.” I pocketed my cell and started popping my knuckles. “Tisdale is coming.”

“Wait.” He laughed. “Are you scared of her?”

“Um…”

“Technically, she’s your mother-in-law.”

“And?”

“That means she’s family, and she’s not going to bite you.”

“Family?” A breath stuttered out of me into a shaky laugh. “Seriously?”

Bishop waited for me to explain my tone or my words or my panic, but I didn’t talk about this.

Ever.

To anyone.

You could share blood, a last name, or an address your whole life with the person or persons who brought you home from the hospital and it—you—mean nothing to them.

It’s not like I expected Tisdale to love me, or even like me, because I was mated to her son. She was nice to me, but we hadn’t known each other long enough for me to guess how she reacted when members of her family disappointed her.

Midas adored her, but then again, Boaz had loved our mother too. Until she, and Dad, disowned me.

But it was the kind of falling out that might fall in again when he finally married Addie or they had kids. It wasn’t that he would forgive her what she had done to me so much as he had a big heart and holding a grudge was harder for him than most. I could picture him deciding one day that I had healed, that I was okay, and start to work mending what was broken in our family.

In my humble opinion, there wasn’t enough super glue in the world.

But how long would he hold out unless I gave him a good reason?

I had plenty of them, but call me greedy, I didn’t want to share.

A soft whine in the throat of the stringy gwyllgi on four knobby legs brought my head around as Midas turned onto the street where we waited and prowled toward me. He didn’t spare them a glance, and that dismissal left them cowering, huddled together and panting the way dogs did when they got nervous.

Each step he took forward tempted me to take one back, but I couldn’t say why exactly. He would never hurt me. I wasn’t afraid of him. But…yeah. I had to force my feet from itching to turn and run.

“Congratulations.” He swept his gaze over my face then down my body. “You’re all right?”

Spinning in a quick circle, I proved I didn’t have guts hanging out my spine or anything. “I’m…weird.”

One of my favorites from his arsenal of smiles kicked up the right corner of his mouth. “I’m aware.”

“Jerk.” I shoved a palm against his chest. “This whole thing was…”

“…weird.”

“Anyone who doesn’t know Hadley will think she’s the weak link.” Bishop invited himself to join us. “Anyone who’s wanted to take a shot at Tisdale, or the Atlanta pack, will aim for her too.” He tagged Lon with his gaze. “Unless she gives a demonstration of why that’s a bad idea.”

“This was enough.” Though Claudia deserved to be avenged, I shook my head. “I’m not killing him.”

“They’ll target you even harder if they think you’re a bleeding heart and the weak link.” Bishop flattened his lips into a hard line. “Look where compassion got Claudia. Her own people killed her.”

“You’re not going to goad me into lopping off his head while he’s asleep.” I tucked a wayward curl