Page 46 of Beware of Dog (Lean Dogs Legacy #6)

“You couldn’t call?” he demanded, still pissed. “Fucking knock? It’s goddamn one in the morning.”

“Wrong, it’s four in the morning,” Tenny said, digging back into the chip bag. “And I thought it best to catch you in the act.”

Aw, shit. “Act of what?”

Tenny’s face remained otherwise lax, but his eyes sharpened, suddenly. They were the exact shape and color as Cass’s eyes, but the look in them was wholly different, and wholly terrifying. Shep wasn’t scared . But. Still. “Corrupting my little sister.”

“Shut your hole,” Cass’s voice said from behind him, and Shep turned.

Cass stood in the mouth of the hallway, swallowed up in the dark gray Lean Dogs hoodie he’d had on yesterday, arms folded. Her mussed hair and her bare legs, tiny little black-painted toenails on the carpet ruined the authoritative vibe she was aiming for, with her head cocked and her jaw set.

“See,” Tenny said, pointing with a chip, only half-joking. “Corrupted.”

She adored her brothers. Shep had known that from the start.

It bordered on hero worship. But the scowl she aimed at Tenny now was one he hoped never to be on the receiving end of.

“I said shut your hole ,” she repeated, voice going boarding school formal.

“You don’t get to barge into our home and say awful shit to my fiancé, you wanker. ”

Shep grinned.

When he looked, he had the gratification of seeing Tenny gape for a split second before he schooled his features. “You used to like me. You used to be sweet, before this—”

“No,” Cass snapped, and charged forward, one arm peeling away from her chest so she could stab a finger through the air at Tenny.

“I see you, what, once a year? I love you, but I love him, too, and you don’t get to come in here and act like he’s done something terrible to me when he’s the one who’s been here! ”

Tenny looked at her, and then at Shep, and then at her again. “Well,” he said, rather stupidly.

But Cass was just getting revved up. She lifted her left hand, flashed her ring. “Do you see this? He gave me this. He’s going to marry me. You don’t get to waltz in at four in the morning and threaten him!”

Tenny stared at her, and then turned to Reese.

“Don’t look at me,” Reese said. “I like Shep. Hi, Shep.”

“Hi, weirdo,” Shep said, and Reese smiled, pleased.

Tenny and Cass stared at one another, at an impasse.

“I think she’s pissed at you,” Shep suggested.

Tenny said, “Yeah. I got that.” Then he grinned, tossed the bag of chips in the direction of the sofa, and opened his arms. “Hey, brat.”

Cass resisted. Longer than Shep thought she would, long enough that Tenny started to look doubtful. Then she took one step, and then the next, frown compressing, until she was within range to hug her brother tight.

Tenny, despite everything Shep knew about him, cupped the back of her head, briefly, and said, softly, “Hi.”

Cass leaned into his chest, face buried, for a long moment; this was, Shep thought, the first time she’d seen any of her brothers since they got together. When he darted a glance to the kitchen, Reese was sipping water and watching them fondly—if robots could look fond.

Then Cass pulled back and socked him in the arm.

“Ow!”

“You scared us to death!” Cass accused. “Why didn’t you call? Why are you here?”

Tenny backed up, palms held out in surrender. “Raven called Walsh. She said you were getting married .” He tilted his head meaningfully in Shep’s direction. “Which: what the fuck?”

“I am getting married.” Cass held up her ring again. “And if you’re ugly to Shep, you’re not invited to the wedding.”

He waved dismissively. “I’ve never been to a wedding, I don’t care.” But his eyes said that was a lie. Shep was proud of himself for being able to read that, after all this time with Cass, and, to a lesser degree, Raven.

“You’re married,” Cass said.

“Yes, but that was signed documents, the courthouse.” He flapped his hand again.

From the kitchen, Reese said, “You’re an asshole.”

Tenny rounded on him. “Hey, you knew that when you married me.”

Reese ignored him. He smiled at Cass and said, “We’re very happy for you.”

Cass smiled back at him. “We have similar taste, apparently.”

“Hey,” Shep said, and Tenny echoed him.

They made regrettable eye contact.

Cass lifted both hands and made a shooing gesture at Tenny, then turned to Shep and beckoned him with a flick of her fingers.

What could he do but join her on the sofa?

When they were settled, and she’d wormed her way under his arm and into his side, she said, “Okay, seriously. Why are you two here?”

Tenny dropped into the old threadbare recliner. “Because you’re getting married.” He wrinkled his nose. “To him .”

“ Him has a name, and I love him more than anything, so get over yourself.”

Shep had never felt so warm inside. So secure. If Tenny stood up in five seconds and shot him in the head, it would have all been worth it. He tightened his arm around Cass’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple, one that she leaned into, her hand small but steady on his stomach.

Tenny watched them a moment. His mouth pursed up, unhappily, but then smoothed out. He sighed. “Raven said…” he started.

Reese ambled over, still sipping water, and leaned both forearms on the back of Tenny’s chair.

“What did she say?” Cass demanded. It was after four in the morning, and she was ferocious , Shep’s girl. Taking no prisoners.

“That you were going to be…”

“Defensive?”

“Determined,” he countered. He smirked. “You are.”

“God,” Cass groaned.

“Alright.” Shep had had enough. “If you’re going to shoot me, do it already. Otherwise, we’re going back to bed.”

Tenny pointed again. Shep wanted to break his skinny finger. “You…”

Reese gripped his shoulder. “Babe,” he said, softly. “Just stop.”

Tenny stopped. He sighed. Deflated into the chair.

In a softer voice, Cass said, “You aren’t actually angry. Are you?”

Tenny tipped his head back, so it rested against Reese’s hand. “Would you care if I was?”

“No. But I’d make the appropriate noises.”

Tenny smiled. Then chuckled. “Shit,” he said. When he looked at Shep, his gaze had softened. A little. It wasn’t soft , but he looked less murderous. “You in it? I mean, for the long haul. For King, and Charlie, and Phil, and the old man?”

“I’m not in it for them,” Shep said. “Just her.”

Tenny’s grin widened, and it was uncanny how much it looked like Cass’s.

“Can you please,” Cass said, “stop being a wanker? I will throw you out. Sorry, Reese.”

Reese tilted his head in an understanding way.

Tenny looked at Cass. At Shep. At Cass again. “Damn,” he said.

“Yeah,” Cass responded.

It was silent a second, two, three, four…

Shep said, “Can I punch him?”

Cass scratched pleasantly at his chest. “No. I don’t guess so.”

~*~

It was Saturday, so Cass didn’t have class. She didn’t question it when Shep stood, went to the kitchen, and started pouring drinks. Tenny could for sure benefit from some whiskey, she thought, and she herself wasn’t going to turn down some five a.m. wine.

Reese sat down in the second chair, and sipped his whiskey slowly.

Tenny threw his back, got up, and went for seconds.

Shep, his arm heavy and sturdy around her shoulders, said, “Just say what you wanna say and get it over with.”

“Okay,” Tenny said, and when he aimed his glass, it was off-center.

Reese snorted, softly, and adjusted his hand.

They were that couple. The kind that filled in each other’s sentences, and completed each other’s angry gestures.

“Okay,” Tenny said again, sloppy, squinting, and Cass knew it would be okay. Dad was still a wild card, but he’d approved of Toly, so he couldn’t be too strict. King would fuss, but what could he do? “Do you,” Tenny said, “love her?”

Shep snorted and said, “Yeah. Ask me a fucking hard one.”

They regarded one another, and Cass thought, maybe, things were okay.

“Tenny,” she said, “do you disapprove?”

“What if he says no?” Shep asked. “You gonna leave me?”

“No.”

“I don’t disapprove,” Tenny said, head tipping back against the chair. “Women are an enigma. You especially.” He looked at Cass. “I thought you were so innocent.”

“You thought wrong.”

“Clearly.”

Shep sighed. “Are we good?”

“No,” Tenny said, grinning. “But we’re okay. Wait until the others get here.”

~*~

When the others would arrive, Tenny refused to say, smirking.

Shep retaliated by informing him that they could take the couch or bunk beds in the bunk room.

Tenny looked startled, then tried to insist they would take Cass and Shep’s bed, chin lifted.

Reese snorted into his drink.

Cass said, “Try it. I dare you.”

She didn’t know where they meant to sleep, but she and Shep went back to bed. Where, once they were settled all tangled up together, he exhaled heavily.

“I’m sorry,” Cass said, scratching at his stomach, “but you did know he was my brother before we got together.”

“Yeah. Shit.” He chuckled. “And he’s the craziest, but he’s not the one I’m most scared of.”

Cass pushed up on an elbow, startled. Tucked her hair over her shoulder. “Wait. What? Who are you most scared of?”

His face crinkled up. “Now I don’t wanna say. And, I’m not scared .”

“You said scared.”

He rolled his eyes, and huffed. “Your Honor, I’d like to change my answer.”

She made a conciliatory hand gestured that made him snort.

“I am the most…”

“Worried? Concerned?”

“ Convinced ,” he said, triumphant half-grin at the corner of his mouth, “that Walsh is the one most likely to shoot me in the face without even calling me an asshole first.”

“Huh,” she mused. “I can actually see that.”

“You gonna be my human shield?”

“Well, if he’s shooting you in the face, I wouldn’t be tall enough,” she said, sweetly, and bent down to kiss him.