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each other like Rory did. I m not judging him, I understand why he
did it, but I won t have secrets in our mating.
Right answer, I purred, giving him a heated kiss.
Aye, we be agreed in that. Brian chuckled. And for the first time
since we d met our mate, I didn t doubt that things would work out
anymore. We were so on the same page, as mates should be.
A Zane Po Boy 105
Chapter 9
Zane
He was trying to protect you, Isaac, I said again with a sigh. I
was sitting in Isaac s office in a chair across from the desk where
Isaac was, waiting to hear from my mates that they liked the vineyard
before officially agreeing to my promotion.
I know, he replied in a distant monotone. Part of me just wished
he d start bawling and get it all out. This slow, eating-away-at-him
distress was way worse than just crying. The theory that men,
warriors especially, didn t cry be damned. A heartbreak was a
heartbreak whether you had a pussy or a dick. My head understands
it.
Buddy, I hate to say you re overreacting, I said gently, raising a
hand to hold him off when he snarled and his eyes flashed with anger.
I m not saying you are. I ve not been mated to someone for almost a
year, so I can t know what you re going through. But Rory loves you.
He didn t keep the wolf from you because he was boinking it on the
side. He made a judgment call, thinking it was the best thing for you.
He was wrong, but he didn t have any ill intent.
But he lied to me. I can t help but wonder what else he s been
lying about. His voice was still that awful monotone.
Enough, I growled, not willing to listen to my best friend
question the loyalty of his mate and my new friend. Rory s not a
cheat. He s completely loyal to you. I ve never seen someone so in
love with their mate, almost to the point of it being sickening.
106 Joyee Flynn
I know, I do, but that fucking voice is in the back of my head.
He sighed, looking like a lost puppy.
Well, if that wasn t an invitation to beat you upside the head, I
don t know what is, I replied with a chuckle, trying desperately to
lighten the mood. I saw his lips twitch, and knew I was finally getting
somewhere after an hour of comforting him. Rory is new to our
world. Shifters don t have warriors and founding families or the same
rules as we do. He did the best he could in a tough situation, trying to
protect his mate.
True, he hedged before groaning again and letting his forehead
drop to the desk. He s going to kill me for the way I blew up and
accused him of cheating.
With who? My eyes went wide, not thinking Isaac had said the
evil thoughts aloud to his mate.
The wolf.
I just gaped at him for a few moments. Isaac, the wolf is stuck in
animal form. Ewww.
I know that, but I said if he d been keeping the wolf from me,
how did I know the wolf really can t turn into a man and they were
having an affair?
You. Idiot, I gasped as I burst out laughing.
Shut up, he growled as he lifted his head, but I couldn t stop. It
took me a few minutes to calm back down.
Did you smell a random man on your mate? I asked, deciding to
deal with this logically.
No.
Did Rory seem less interested in sex or not as affectionate?
No. He winced, realizing where I was going with my line of
questioning.
He ever slip out when it was an odd time or you ever realize you
didn t know where he was?
No! Okay? I suck. My mate is great and always lets me know
where he is, what s going on, and never treats me like anything other
A Zane Po Boy 107
than the best thing that s ever happened to him. He was breathing
heavily after his outburst.
Want me to look up the number for a local florist? I asked with
a smirk. Might be good information to have myself since I had two
mates.
No, I have them on speed dial, he mumbled as he pulled out his
cell phone. I threw back my head and roared with laughter. At least I
wasn t worried about Isaac and Rory anymore. They were going to be
just fine& as soon as Isaac was done groveling.
* * * *
Brian
Rory, honey, ya have to calm down, I whispered as our friend
started hyperventilating again. He d long since cried out every tear in
his body, probably dehydrating himself in the process.
Isaac s going to leave me, he whimpered, pulling his knees
tighter to his chest. He s going to throw me out and tell me to hit the
road. He already thinks I was cheating on him. I just lied about
finding a wolf. Well, technically I didn t lie. He never asked me if I
had found a wolf lately.
Lying by omission still be lying, Banning said gently. I wanted
to smack him. We all knew that. Why rub it in?
Rory s facial expression didn t change. He still had that look of
complete loss and sadness. I know, but I was trying to protect him. I
think he would have said more, but Hester, one of the house staff,
came into the study with a smile on her face.
You need to come see this, Rory. She gave him a wink and left
the room.
I don t wanna, Rory whined. Banning rolled his eyes as we
dragged him off the couch and out of the room. When we got to the
108 Joyee Flynn
main entrance, our friend bitching the entire way, I gasped. I didn t
order flowers.
They re for you. Hester chuckled and handed him a card. Isaac
mess up again?
I did, but I guess he thinks he overreacted, he said, finally
smiling. We glanced over the dozens and dozens of white roses in
vases littering the foyer. I love him so much.
Then call him. Banning snickered, bumping his shoulder into
Rory s.
Right! His eyes were as wide as his smile as he stared at his
haul. He pulled out his cell and pushed a few buttons.
I m so sorry, baby. I love you. Will you forgive me? Isaac
rambled the moment he picked up the line. We could all hear the
conversation given our enhanced vampire hearing.
Of course I forgive you, Rory blubbered. You have every right
to be angry with me. Just promise you won t leave me or divorce
me!
Never, Rory. You re my other half, the reason I get up in the
morning. Nothing s more important than you, baby.
Me, too, he whispered, wiping his eyes and smiling slightly.
Fight over?
Yes, but you have to promise not to ever keep anything from me
again. I don t care if you think you re protecting me, okay?
I swear. I ll tell you everything. Even when I jack off when I m
going into heat because I m horny and you re at work.
That sounds promising, Isaac purred seductively. Then he
cleared his throat, probably remembering he was at work. Did you
guys go see the vineyard?
No, the twins were comforting me while I sobbed and freaked
out, Rory admitted with a chuckle. We can go now. I know Zane s
waiting to accept his promotion until they say they like it.
We ll like it. Tell the damn man to accept the job already,
Banning grumbled. I agreed, but Zane wouldn t hear of it. He didn t
A Zane Po Boy 109
want us agreeing to more than we could handle and wanted us to
check it out first. It wasn t hard to understand why we d fallen so hard
and so fast for the man.
Okay, we re going now. I love you, Rory said before hanging
up. I realized I d missed part of the call while I was lost in me
musings. That was okay, I felt a little intrusive as it was. He forgives
me. Rory s smile was jubilant.
Aye, we got that when we saw the flowers. I snickered. Banning
had already grabbed our jackets and Rory s car keys. We teased Rory
relentlessly as we headed out, wondering if Isaac cleaned out all the
florists in just Virginia or the whole East Coast.
Half an hour later, we were pulling off the main road onto a dirt
drive. I glanced around, noticing there were posts for a sign, letting
people know what the name of the vineyard was, but it was gone. It
seemed so sad to me. The couple that died had probably put their
hearts and souls into this place and wouldn t be happy to know this
was how it ended up.
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