Page 68 of Third Offense

My eyes narrowed.Isn’t that what her mother has been doing all week?

But Auric ignored me, his focus on Layla and Ketos’s extended arm. “You can fill us in after,” Auric added.

After what?I nearly demanded, my hand clenching at my side.Why the fuck are you allowing this?

Clearly, I hadn’t been paying enough attention earlier.

Auric had said something was wrong and now he was proving it with this insane behavior.Letting Ketos escortourmate. Have you completely lost your fucking mind?I wanted to demand.

Sure, she would be safe with the male. He was compatible, which meant he’d protect her. But I didn’t want him touching her—something that was happening right fucking now as she slid her arm through his.

I took a step forward, ready to remove the offending limb from Ketos’s body, but Auric stopped me with a palm against my chest.

I growled at him, causing Layla to glance back at us.

“It’s fine,” Auric lied. “Novak and I just have some aggression we need to work out.”

She frowned, clearly uneasy with that thought. “Maybe I should…”

“Go,” I told her, my eyes on Auric now. He’d wanted to make a statement, to snag my attention, and he had it.

“It’s fine, Lay,” Auric lied again, making my gaze narrow. “Ketos was just telling me about his work. I think you’ll find it fascinating.”

The other male arched a brow, telling me they hadn’t been discussing that at all. But he quickly smoothed the expression with a smile, saying, “Yes. In Dublin. My work with financial investments.”

I snorted.

But Layla seemed drawn to the Noir’s accent. Or maybe to him.

Because he’s touching her.A fact I would be taking out on Auric since he’d fucking orchestrated that.

Ketos started speaking, distracting Layla enough to walk with him, while Auric and I remained silent in their wake, my gaze on the Nora while Layla moved away from us in my periphery.

With each step she took, my ire mounted.

You just let her walk out of here with that golden boy,I accused with my eyes.

“He’s not going to steal her away,” Auric replied quietly. “He doesn’t believe in making her choose.”

And you fucking believe that?I nearly demanded.

“He seemed pretty offended when I suggested the alternative—that he intended to take her for himself. He spouted off a retort asking why he’d want to do something that would knowingly hurt Layla, which… is arguably a good point.”

I scowled.So he blew some smoke up your ass and you believed him?

“If our roles were switched, I wouldn’t want to make Layla choose. Not if I knew how much her mates meant to her.” He swallowed uneasily. “I might not like the bastard, but his connection to her means he’ll protect her. And I’d rather have him on our side protecting her than fighting us.”

I rolled my eyes.So he seduced you with his scent.

Auric narrowed his gaze. “Stop with the silent game and fucking speak.”

“You’re an idiot.”

My commander barked out a laugh and took a few steps back. “Probably. But what the fuck am I supposed to do? None of you will listen to me.”

Oh? So your response was to confide inhim? The Noir Prince? Our fucking competition?

I turned on my heel and threw a fist at Auric’s face because that felt a lot better than watching my mate walk off with the pompous prince. And it helped dispel some of my fury at beingreplacedby that fucking prick, too.