Page 83

Shayne glances at her only for a second. But I whisper the word “yacht” and her eyes are immediately back on me.

“His name is –“

“Shayne!” Grace says again, sitting up straight and brandishing her spoon at her friend, flicking a tiny bit of milk onto Shayne’s scrubs. The two lean close, speaking quickly and softly. I lean closer, engaging my Alpha hearing –

But Grace shoots out a hand when I get too close, her palm smacking flat into my face and making me sit back in my chair as I laugh.

They converse furiously for a few more seconds before they both turn back to me.

“Fine,” Grace says, her eyes narrowed to two dark lines. My mouth spreads into a slow smile. “You get no names and details. But since we arerootingfor you, Cole, you should know that…Nadia’s kind of been stuck on someone for a while.”

My smile drops. My wolf howls in agony.

“We hate him,” Shayne says, leaning close, nodding eagerly. “He’s such a prick – and he’snotnice to her.”

“But he is…hot,” Grace says, nodding. “And he plays all sort of cat-and-mouse games with her, luring her in and then playing the victim whenhebreaks it off. For some reason she just…can’t quit him.”

Shayne nods too. “That’s why we call him Catnip.”

My wolf snarls. “Where is he?” The threat in my voice is dead obvious.

“Seethisis why I didn’t want to tell you, Cole,” Grace says, crossing her arms. “You’re going to go all Alpha-wolf, that’s-my-mate, Ima-kill-that-boy –“

“No, I’m not,” I say, scoffing, sitting back.

“Then why do you want to know where he is?” Grace asks, brow raised.

“Because I’m going to…send him…a damn fruit basket,” I mutter, snapping my head to the side, unhappy to be caught in my lie.

Because okay, yes, fine, murdering him for treating Nadia like that isobviouslythe first thing that came to my mind.

But Grace is right.

God. Crap. In moments like this, I hate that my parents raised me with good morals.

Catnip. Who the hell is this guy?

“I don’t think you should worry about it,” Shayne says, calmly sipping her tea. “They broke up for the fifth time likesixmonths ago and she hasn’t talked to him since. I think we’re in the clear. Door closed.”

“Door isneverclosed on Catnip,” Grace murmurs, glancing at her friend as she digs into her cereal. “That’s what we said the first four times they broke up.”

Chapter 37 – Yacht

Cole

“Yeah, but now Nadia’s got Cole,” Shayne says, beaming at me. “Catnip can’t live up tothat.”

My wolf picks up his head, bolstered by her faith.

“That boy has Nadi wrapped around hisfinger, Shay,” Grace says, shaking her head at her. She turns back to me. “Sorry, Cole. But in my opinion, you’ve got your work cut out for you.”

I sigh, my wolf putting his head back down with a tiny whine. Things with Nadia have already been difficult – I do not need this littletwiston top of it all.

I raise my eyes to look at both of them. “Okay. Thank you. I won’t push for details but…if he’s everaround? Will you pointhim out to me so that I don’t make an ass out of myself being nice to him from the jump?”

Grace hesitates but Shayne just nods, giving me a bright smile. “Will do! Code word ‘yacht’ will let you know that his dark presence is near.” Her voice gets low and ominous on the final words and I can’t help it – I laugh.

Even as I hope that this guy would just…fall off the face of the earth. Both to make things easier for meandbecause anyone who treats Nadia like that probably deserves to.