Chapter 26 – Irishen
Disbelieving, Irishen stared at the place where the portal had been a moment ago. Wayla was gazing forlornly at the empty space before turning back to face him and Jarred.
“That was Lord Esserieh Brokenstar,” Irishen choked out. “What the—heaven.”
Wayla’s lips twitched at his changed curse.
“That wasn’t your uncle—” Jarred sounded equally stunned.
Wayla looked at both of them like they were slow. Then she looked around and sighed. “I don’t think we can talk about it here.”
“The house might be a bit tense now, too,” Jarred muttered as he walked over to Wayla and folded her into his arms. She went easily. Something had changed between them, and Irishen didn’t know what. It was driving him crazy on top of everything else. Esse-fucking-rieh.
“My place,” he snapped.
Jarred growled. “Watch your tone.”
“Don’t start with me, furry—”
A ball of ice-cold water splashed straight into his face and a second one landed on Jarred’s feet. Not on him, Irishen noted drily.
“Cut it out,” Wayla groaned, exasperated. “I’m tired, sticky, I think I have cum leaking out of me, and I need a snack,” she fired off. The smug look on Jarred’s face morphed to worry when she mentioned food.
“Lark’s isn’t open at this time,” he said, looking morose.
“I can make her some fucking cheeseburgers,” Irishen grumbled. “My place. Now.”
Jarred threw a glare at him, but then focused on Wayla. “You good with that, precious?”
“Fine. Whatever. As long as I get a shower.”
“Great, I’m parked one block that way,” Irishen said, and Wayla groaned again.
“Your car is tiny.”
“I’ll get a fucking minivan next,” Irishen huffed as he motioned for her to get moving. “For one more ride, I think you can survive.” Something flitted over Wayla’s face too fast for him to read, but it got his instincts up. “What?”
She shook her head. “Not here,” she said and followed him to the car, groaning when she climbed in after Jarred.
The drive was tense and silent. When Irishen pulled into the parking garage under one of the new apartment buildings close to the campus, Wayla lifted her brows.
“What?” Gods, he sounded snappish, but seeing Hell’s number one enforcer walking with his mate would do that to any male.
“Nothing,” Wayla retorted.
Jarred was rubbing what Irishen could only imagine were meant to be soothing circles into her shoulder and throat.
“Let’s get inside,” Irishen said and climbed out of the car. He headed around the hood and helped Wayla up from Jarred’s lap. He couldn’t quite release his hold on her waist once she was standing in front of him.
“Risha?”
“Just give me a second,” he snapped again.
“Hey—”
Irishen’s grunt cut Jarred off. “She’s my mate.”
“And she’s my Claimed, bond in place,” Jarred replied.
Irishen’s eyes fixated on Wayla’s neck, where the bite had been, and he inhaled through his nose hard when he saw the silvery scars.
“She’s right here,” Wayla groaned, but she didn’t sound angry, just frustrated.
Irishen took a step forward, pushing her back against Jarred’s chest, and tilted her head up with a finger under her chin.
“Yes, you are, and I’m fighting the urge to bend you over that hood and fuck that leaking cum right back into you, so just give me a fucking second,” he snarled.
What he didn’t expect was Jarred chuckling.
“Do it.”
“Hey—”
“Fuck you,” Irishen barked at Jarred, right over Wayla’s enraged shout.
Jarred laughed and kissed the top of Wayla’s head.
“He’ll do, love. Now, let’s get you into a shower and then some food.”
Irishen watched Wayla melt back into Jarred and some of his anger faded away at seeing the happy smile on her face.
“You’re an ass,” he muttered to Jarred. They would need to sort shit out between them, but he couldn’t lie and say it didn’t feel damned good to have his off-handed approval. It helped that Wayla was still holding his hand.
“Duly noted.” The damned jaguar smirked back at him. “Now, lead the way.”