Chapter Six
Liam
My irritation that Kara called me back again is completely unfair. She’s my girlfriend. She has every right to wonder what the plans are for tonight. Especially after I turned down sleeping at her place last night.
Still, I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge exasperation that she has twice now interfered with my getting to know Jude better.
She has every right to call me, but her timing really is terrible.
It’s hard to talk about personal stuff with Jude when we’re on the clock.
Off the clock is my only real chance to dig deeper.
When we have a drink, he loosens up a little.
But even if all of that is true, Kara has done nothing wrong by calling me. I need to take her call.
Sliding off my stool, I answer my cell. “Hey, babe, what’s up?”
“There you are.” She laughs. “I was beginning to worry. I called you earlier but you didn’t call me back.”
Guilt nudges me. “Oh, yeah, sorry about that. I was… uh… in the middle of something.”
“I was about to head over to The Fox & The Kettle with some work friends,” she says brightly. “I wondered if you wanted to meet us there.”
My guilt grows and I laugh awkwardly. “Funnily enough, I’m already here with Jude.” There’s a strained silence from her end and I quickly interject, “I was just about to call you to tell you to come join us.”
Obviously, it’s a lie designed to protect her feelings.
If anything, I’m annoyed that my time with Jude is being ruined.
But I can’t let her think I don’t want to spend time with her.
Of course I do. I adore Kara. It’s just that I really want to get to know Jude, and I know he won’t talk much if she or her friends are around.
“Are you sure you were going to call me? Maybe you guys would rather hang out together without me there.” Her tone is testy, which isn’t like Kara.
I laugh. “Of course not. Get your beautiful ass over here.”
“I don’t want to intrude.”
“What?” I force another laugh. “Don’t be silly. It’ll be way more fun with you here.”
She giggles. “In that case, okay. We’ll be there in a bit.”
I hang up and return to my stool. Jude is scrolling on his phone, and when I sit down, he glances at me. “Kara and her work friends are coming over to join us,” I say. “Is that okay?”
He frowns. “It’s not up to me whether your girlfriend and her work friends join us.”
I shrug. “I just know you don’t like big groups of people.”
“No worries.” He turns away. “I didn’t plan on staying much longer anyway.”
“Oh, come on, Jude.” I exhale tiredly. “That’s not true. You’re leaving because Kara and her co-workers are coming and we both know it.”
“So what if I am?” He laughs gruffly. “You’ll have plenty of people to talk to. You don’t need me. We just spent all day together and get to do it all over again tomorrow.”
I slump. “Yeah, but that’s work and this is our free time. I’m never going to get to know you if you won’t hang out with me.”
“I’m hanging out with you right now.” He looks confused. “It’s not my fault you invited other people.”
“I didn’t invite them because I wanted to,” I admit. “But what can I do? I don’t want to hurt Kara’s feelings.”
His gaze softens. “No, I know. You’re a nice guy and you did the right thing. I really wouldn’t have stayed long anyway. It’s good that you invited Kara and her pals.”
I study him. “But you won’t talk if they’re here, right?”
“Not about personal stuff.” He meets my gaze. “I don’t even know why I’m talking to you about that kind of thing.”
I smile because I like being the only one he tells personal stuff to. “You know why.”
His gaze flickers. “Do I?”
I nod. “It’s the bond.”
His face immediately tenses. “I wouldn’t call it a bond.”
“What would you call it?” I laugh. “Because we both feel it. There’s no point in denying it.”
“It’s not a bond,” he grates out. “I’m sure it’s just that you remind me of someone from my past, that’s all.”
I shrug. “Then why do I feel it too?”
“I have no idea,” he mumbles. “But the word bond implies something… deeper.”
Seeing as I’m not comfortable with anything deeper either, I’m fine backing off. “When I use that word, I’m talking about a friendship kind of thing. That’s all.”
A muscle in his cheek clenches. “Okay. That’s fine I guess.”
I signal to Jim for another round and Jude starts to protest, but stops when I give him a stern look. “It’s just us right now,” I say. “Relax and drink with me.”
He swallows hard and then shrugs. “Fine. But when they all get here, I’m leaving. Don’t try to stop me.”
“I won’t.”
Once we have our beers, I say quietly, “That call with the kid Tyler bothered you, didn’t it?”
He glances over and meets my gaze. He looks a little buzzed from the beer.
His eyes are a deeper blue and his lashes dark and thick.
His lips are full and wet from drinking, and something unsettling stirs in my lower belly.
Startled by the unfamiliar sensations, I pull my gaze from his mouth, trying to ignore the heat shifting through me.
Thankfully, Jude seems unaware of my problem. “Yeah,” he says. “Tyler seems like a nice kid. I’m sorry he has to go through that with his folks.”
“No kid should have to.” As an excuse to not meet his gaze, I poke at the condensation on my beer mug.
God knows what he’d see in my eyes right now.
“Randy has been in trouble so many times, I have a feeling they won’t go easy on him.
But I honestly think the best thing for him would be to go into a rehab program instead of prison.
Hopefully the judge offers him that chance. ”
“Agreed,” he says. “Otherwise, he might just get out angrier and do something stupid.”
I hesitate. “You said your parents would get drunk and fight. Did they ever get… professional help?”
He grimaces. “No.”
“I’m sorry.”
He laughs humorlessly. “Me too. But it is what it is.”
He shifts on his stool, and his leg brushes mine before resting there as if he doesn’t notice.
If he were any other guy, I’d immediately move my leg away.
For some perplexing reason, I don’t. Instead, I allow myself to feel the heat of his thigh against mine.
I know it’s strange behavior on my part.
Dumb. He’s gay, but I’m not. The last thing I should do is give him mixed signals.
What the fuck am I doing?
Embarrassed by myself, I subtly adjust my leg so that we’re not touching. I clear my throat. “So, you’re really don’t belong to any pack anywhere?”
He glances over, frowning. “Nope. But it feels normal to me. You don’t have to worry.”
I wrinkle my brow. “I’m not worried, but don’t you miss it? The connection with other wolves?”
“There’s nothing to miss.” He lets out a harsh breath. “My parent’s behavior got us kicked out of our pack. I grew up without any real wolf comradery. Being on my own feels more normal to me.”
I narrow my eyes. “But you enjoyed our run together. I know you did.”
The faintest blush appears on his high cheekbones, but he avoids my gaze. “Yes, but that’s because it was just the two of us. A whole pack would be more intimidating.”
I’m once more pleased that he likes it when it’s just he two of us.
I have no idea why I enjoy that idea so much.
Am I an egomaniac or something? Why else would it feel so satisfying that Jude only wants to be close with me?
If I really care about Jude as a friend, I need to encourage him to trust others too.
If he stays in Golden Peak, belonging to a pack might be possible, if he plays his cards right.
As if on cue, Caleb Rourke walks into the bar with his enforcer, Evan Pike.
Caleb moves through the room without posturing, but he has a quiet authority that makes people notice.
He’s tall, broad-shouldered but rangy, the kind of build that suggests endurance over brute force.
His dark brown hair has silver threading at the temples, and his steel-gray eyes sweep the bar with a steady, watchful calm.
He’s not looking for trouble. He’s just aware of everything.
Evan Pike is a different story. He’s younger.
More aggressive by nature. Caleb’s enforcer is thick through the chest and shoulders, physically imposing in a way that’s clearly intentional.
His honey blond hair is cropped short and his brown eyes are sharp, openly suspicious as they land on Jude.
Where Caleb reads a room, Evan challenges it.
Jim greets them with a respectful nod and starts pouring shots of whiskey without being told. Caleb spots me and changes course toward our end of the bar, Evan trailing half a step behind.
“Liam.” Caleb’s voice is congenial. He clasps my hand briefly, his grip firm. “How’s the family?”
“Good. Everyone is healthy and happy.” I smile. “Jack busts my balls every chance he gets.”
“Isn’t that what brothers are for?” The corner of Caleb’s mouth twitches. Then his gaze shifts to Jude, and it stays there a beat longer than casual. He’s not aggressive about it, but he’s reading him. Scent, posture, energy, all of it getting processed behind those gray eyes.
Jude straightens on his stool. He doesn’t shrink or posture, but I catch the subtle tension in his jaw. He knows exactly who he’s looking at.
“This is Jude Collins,” I say. “My new partner at the department. Jude, this is Caleb Rourke.”
Caleb extends his hand. “I heard we had someone new in town.”
Jude shakes it. “Nice to meet you, sir.”
“Likewise.” Caleb’s expression is pleasant. “I heard you’re from Atlanta?”
“I came here from Atlanta, but I’m originally from Florida.”
“Is that right?” Caleb’s eyes flicker. “What part of Florida? We’re friendly with a few of the packs there.”
“Placerville,” Jude says quietly.
Caleb purses his lips. “Ralph Flores is the alpha of the Placerville Pack, right?”