CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER SEVEN

Sitting in a booth nestled against the window of the pride’s diner the following day, Deke took a bite of his burger, relishing the tastes of grilled meat, soft bun, warm cheese, and fried onions. Not much of a cook, he often ate dinner either here or at the steakhouse. He hadn’t done it as often since touch-hunger rose up, though—crowded places only made him more antsy, especially if unmated females were around.

But his body felt much more settled after last night. And not merely in a sexual sense. It honestly felt as if he hadn’t breathed so easily in weeks.

The diner was always relatively busy in the evenings, so waitresses currently walked back and forth—jotting down orders, pouring coffee, or delivering food and drinks.

Most of the customers were from the pride. Others were human cops and truckers, or shifters from outside the pride. Some people sat at the counter or at tables while others were tucked in booths.

His cat generally liked it here. Liked its atmosphere, its metro décor, and having pride mates close by.

But right then, the feline was in a black mood after spending part of the day dealing with a bunch of the pride’s juveniles—two of whom actually aspired to be enforcers—who were constantly fighting amongst themselves over fuck-all. His cat had little tolerance for petty matters, especially these days. Disciplining the juveniles hadn’t placated him.

As such, right now, everything around the feline annoyed it. The chatter. The laughter. The meat sizzling. The cutlery clinking. The background music. Even the scents of coffee and spices and bacon grease.

But then, his feline was never really happy these days. Maybe if the cat wasn’t mysteriously battling intimacy, his mood would have improved after Deke so thoroughly fucked Bailey last night. Bending her over his sofa had only been the beginning. He’d taken her on his bed. Against the hallway wall. On the kitchen counter. He’d also licked her to orgasm during their shower, after which she’d brought him to climax with her clever little hand.

His cock stirred in his jeans at the memories. Fuck, she’d felt good. Tasted good.

They might not get along so well in general. But in the bedroom, they were in sync. And the knowledge that he’d soon have her again had simmered in his blood all damn day.

She’d agreed to come to his apartment again tonight. Agreed a little too easily, despite being an awkward minx the majority of the time. He figured it was because she’d rather they didn’t have sex in her apartment.

The mamba had solid boundaries, it would seem.

It suited his cat—the feline needed his space; likely wouldn’t react well to anyone taking up too much of it. At the same time, though, the feline was insulted that she wished to keep him and Deke at a distance.

The cat still wasn’t pleased with him for biting her. Deke still couldn’t find it in him to regret it. Especially when it now meant he could get rid of the touch-hunger.

He took another bite of his burger and then lowered it to the plain white dish. It surprised Deke that she hadn’t railed his ass for marking her. Most females would have. But then, Bailey wasn’t like most. The things that generally pissed people off quite often made her laugh.

Deke lifted his glass of soda just as the bell above the door chimed. A figure in a blue waterproof coat strolled inside, traffic sounds following behind him until the door gently swung closed. He lowered his hood with a little shudder and wiped at the droplets of rain on his face. Sam.

Calling out brief hellos to pride members, the healer walked further inside. His step faltered as he caught sight of Deke, and his default smile strangely wavered. But Sam quickly bolstered his smile and stopped at Deke’s table. “Hey there.”

He gave a short nod. “Sam.”

The healer glanced at his plate and hummed. “I’m hankering for a cheeseburger myself.”

“Solid choice.” Deke took a swig of his soda. “It’s damn good.”

Cocking his head, Sam studied him closely. “You seem better today. Less edgy. My healer-senses aren’t going crazy around you.”

It didn’t take a genius to guess what Sam suspected. “I’m not sleeping with Cassandra,” Deke told him.

Sam flashed him a warmer smile, but Deke couldn’t say for sure that the healer truly believed him. “I’ll let you get back to your meal.” He then strode off.

With an inward sigh, Deke took another swig of his drink. The bell above the door dinged again as yet another person swanned inside. Deke tensed, his grip tightening on his glass. Maisy.

They’d made no plans to contact each other, so he could only assume that whoever was behind the fake profile had pulled another stunt that she felt the need to share. Shit.

She hung her jacket on the rack by the door and then leaned her collapsed umbrella against the wall. Her gaze landed straight on him, and she then crossed to his booth, her steps slow and hesitant. She cleared her throat and then offered him a shaky smile. “Hi.”

Before he had a chance to speak, she dropped onto the other side of his booth, making the leather cushion creak slightly. His cat snarled—not only at her close proximity, but at how she’d so boldly joined them uninvited as if it were her right.

She held her purse against her chest. “I, um, I saw you through the window. I … I thought we could talk.”

Feeling his brow furrow, Deke set down his glass. “Talk?”

The sound of rubber soles squeaking along the checkered tile floor quickly preceded the appearance of one of the waitresses, Hilda. She gave Maisy a quick onceover, flicked him a curious look, and then smiled at the human. “What can I get you?”

“Uh, just coffee, please.”

Hilda lifted a brow at him. “Need anything else, Deke?”

“I’m good,” he replied.

The waitress disappeared.

Maisy placed her purse on the seat beside her and then nervously rubbed her thighs. She cast him another trembly smile but didn’t speak. Just sat there. As if they did this shit all the time. As if her approaching him in public to chat was the complete norm for them.

Why would she even be in this area? If what she’d told him about herself was true, she lived two hours away.

Hilda reappeared and set both a steaming mug and a small jug of creamer in front of Maisy. “Enjoy.” Hilda gave him one last questioning look but then melted away.

Maisy went about prepping her coffee, still not saying a word.

Not impressed that she seemed to be dragging this out—he was trying to eat his dinner, for fuck’s sake—he prodded, “You said you wanted to talk. About what?”

Stirring her drink, she replied, “He called me a few days ago. Deke Two, I mean. That’s what I started referring to him as in my head.”

A civil title. Deke tended to mentally refer to him with curse words.

She lay her spoon down on the table. “I hadn’t intended to confront him over the catfishing, I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. I’d blocked his number so he couldn’t contact me. But he called from a withheld number and, not realizing it was him, I answered. God, just hearing his voice made me so mad. I blew up.”

Pausing, she took a sip of her coffee. “He insisted that though he lied about his identity, he hadn’t lied when he claimed he loved me. He said that he would never play me that way. As if he hadn’t already played me simply by pretending to be somebody else.” She shook her head, clearly pained. “I eventually hung up on him. He hasn’t texted or called me since, so I’m guessing he accepted that the gig was up.”

Hopefully the son of a bitch truly had accepted it. Deke had considered deactivating his own profile so that no one could create another replica of it, but he would be damned if he’d allow the fucker to have that level of influence over his actions.

She sipped her coffee again. “So, how is your day going?”

He blinked at the mundane, casually spoken question.

“I, uh, I tried adding you as a friend on NetherVille. Not sure if you noticed.”

He hadn’t, actually. He didn’t use the site much.

She briefly averted her gaze. “I thought maybe it might be nice for us to keep in touch.”

“Why?” he asked, though he suspected he knew the answer; suspected it would also explain why she’d come here.

She hesitated. “A person can never have too many friends, right?”

His cat bristled at the soft smile she gave him. It was a smile reserved for people who knew each other well, not for those who were relative strangers.

Deke sat back in his seat. “I’m not him.”

Maisy’s brow puckered. “What?”

“The guy you were talking to all these months and grew to care about. I’m not him.”

“Well, of course you’re not.” She put down her cup. “I wouldn’t be here if you were—he needs to have his head examined.”

Unsure if she was being deliberately obtuse, Deke clarified, “What I mean is … the personality you fell for was his, not mine. You probably feel like you know me. You don’t.”

“I kind of do.”

“You know things aboutme. That’s not the same.”

“But he did mimic you.”

And so she thought there was a chance that she and Deke would suit each other.

“In a way, I was talking to you,” she added, a belligerent little lift to her chin.

“No, Maisy, you weren’t. The details he gave you about me—they were all surface. His own personality leaked through. I know that for certain, because you showed me many of the messages he sent you. A lot of the things he did and said aren’t things I would have.”

“Maybe not totally, but—”

“I’m not a guy who’d seek out an online relationship. Sending sweet, flowery texts isn’t my style either. I wouldn’t stay awake until the early hours of the morning talking to someone on the phone. I don’t much like talking on the phone period.”

“What if—”

“His sense of humor is nothing like mine. The advice he gave you on this or that wasn’t the kind that I’d have given you. His goals and dreams definitely aren’t in line with my own—I’m not looking to get married, go on road trips, climb Mount Everest, or move to Italy one day.”

She swallowed hard. “Okay, so I don’t really know you,” she reluctantly relented, “but would it really be so bad for us to get to know each other?”

He sighed. “Look, I get it. You cared for him. A lot. And all the emotion you invested in him is tied up in my pictures.” It had to be easy for her to feel comfortable with Deke; to imagine them together because she’d been doing it for so long. “But it wouldn’t be healthy for you to have any contact with me when you’re trying to heal from what he did.”

With a frustrated groan, Maisy dipped her head and buried her face in her hands.

The bell chimed again as the door once more swung open. Traffic noise swept in, overridden by a female laugh. A laugh he knew well. So he wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Bailey file into the diner with Havana and Aspen.

His gut clenched at the sight of the mamba. Her gaze did a predatory scan of the large space. Her gaze halted on him and then narrowed as it took in Maisy. Bailey sniffed … and went right back to scanning the diner in an act of pure dismissal.

Predictably, his cat bared his teeth. Deke really was going to throttle her later. Or maybe just fuck her until she couldn’t take it anymore.

Her mouth curved, and he tracked her gaze to see that Blair and Elle were waving from their table in the far corner. Bailey and her girls began making their way to said table. Havana and Aspen noticed him, and both sent a pretty smile his way. Bailey pointedly ignored him once more.

Yeah, he was going to pound into her until she could no longer take it.

Maisy lifted her head and dropped her hands. “I get what you’re saying, Deke. I do. But I can’t see it being a big deal for us to strike up a friendship.”

Jesus Christ.

Bailey didn’t care that Deke was having dinner with another female. Nope. Not in the slightest. It mattered not one iota to her.

Me thinks I doth protest too much.

What-the-fuck-ever.

Taking a mental dump over the questions that tried flowing to the forefront of her mind—who was the bitch? Why was he meeting her? Was it Dayna? Did the asshole have another female lined up to help him with the touch-hunger—Bailey continued heading toward Blair and Elle. The latter female was the sister of Tate, Luke, and the youngest of the Devereaux brothers, Damian.

She hadn’t told her girls what went down last night, or about the agreement that she and Deke had made. Mostly because it would annoy them to find out days later. But also because part of her suspected that, in the light of day, he’d change his mind. She’d find out soon enough. For now, she’d ignore him.

Reaching Blair and Elle’s table, she smiled. Both women were slouched back in their seats, a hand on their stomach, empty plates in front of them.

“Hey, it’s great to see you guys,” said Elle. “You should sit with us.”

Shedding her jacket, Havana frowned. “You’re not done eating?”

“Not yet.” Blair slurped some milkshake through a straw. “We’re just giving ourselves a break before we order dessert.”

“I highly recommend the chili,” Elle told them. “Bailey, before you settle, maybe you can go rescue Deke.”

Pausing in hooking her damp coat over the back of a chair, Bailey tilted her head. “Huh?”

Elle leaned forward. “I think the brunette with him is Maisy.”

Aspen’s brows shot up as she plopped her butt on a chair. “Really?”

Bailey took a long look at the other female. “Yep, that’s her, all right. I saw her NetherVille profile photo.” She hadn’t recognized the human on first entering the diner—she’d only had a view of her back.

“Thought so,” said Elle. “I’m not good enough at lip reading to know what they’re talking about, but I was pretty sure he said ‘Maisy’ at one point.”

“I wonder why they’re meeting up,” said Havana, shuffling forward in her seat slightly.

“I don’t think it was arranged,” Blair claimed. “He was sitting alone, and she just turned up. He looked surprised. Then awkward. Now he’s looking impatient and annoyed. I think she’s coming onto him.”

Bailey was thinking the same thing. There was pure longing in the human’s eyes—eyes that were regarding him with more familiarity than a stranger should.

“Go save him, Bailey,” Elle urged. “Just walk over there and act as if you’re his girlfriend. It’ll make her back off. I’d do it myself, but you’re on your feet, so …”

Every female at the table looked at Bailey, expectant. Aspen was all-out smirking, clearly thinking that Bailey would refuse. Pfft. Like she’d pass on an opportunity to dick with him. This could be fun.

“I’ll be back in a sec.” Humming to herself, she headed to his table. Both he and Maisy looked up. The human’s eyes widened in surprise. Deke’s narrowed in what appeared to be suspicion. Ha. She did love that he was so wary of her motives at all times.

Bailey sidled up to his chair and bent down just enough to press a kiss to his cheek. “Sorry I’m late. Who’s your friend?”

Deke curled an arm around her waist and gripped her opposite hip, clearly deciding to play along. “Bailey, Maisy. Maisy, Bailey.”

Ignoring that even through her clothes his grip was like a red-hot brand that she’d swear she could feel beneath her skin, she smiled at the human. “Yo.”

Maisy’s brow creased as she turned to him. “Your online profile says you’re single.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, are you a prospective play partner?” Bailey asked her. “Deke, you should have told me you were interviewing one today.” She frowned down at him. “Did you forget or something?”

He watched Bailey for a long moment. “Yes,” he finally said, his voice hesitant.

Bailey turned back to Maisy. “Just to be clear, we’re not officially in a relationship. I’m just one of their current toys. Deke and Isaiah have … specifications for whatever partner they’ll eventually commit to.”

Maisy frowned. “Isaiah?”

Bailey lifted a hand. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d have no problem being part of a triad. But I don’t meet their other specifications.”

“Specifications?” the human echoed.

“I’m no virgin, for one. I don’t get off on pain, for another. Swinging ain’t really my jam either. And I’m not good at puppy play—I kept laughing instead of barking, and I got stage fright every time I was supposed to pee on the newspaper.” She chuckled to herself and then looked down at Deke. “Remember that?”

He stared up at her, his eyes narrowing even further. “I remember.”

“Your punishment was a little harsh.” Bailey gave him a playful look of admonishment and then turned back to Maisy. “Outdoor kennels are seriously cold. Especially when you’re naked. Then again, it was better than when he poured candle wax on my nipples. I got him back for that, though. Poured it on his balls. But he likes pain, so it worked out well for all, I guess.” She cocked her head. “What kind of kinks are you into?”

Maisy opened and closed her mouth a few times. “Uh …” She glanced around, as if hoping someone would save her from the conversation. Abruptly, she stood. “I have to run.”

Bailey frowned. “So soon?”

“Yes.” Forcing a smile, Maisy quickly edged out of the booth, hooking the strap of her purse over her shoulder. “It was nice to meet you, Bailey. Deke, it was good to see you, I hope you enjoy what’s left of your dinner. You both take care now.” She rushed to the doorway, grabbed her jacket and umbrella, and then scampered out of the diner.

Releasing her hip with a sigh, Deke fired a glare at Bailey. “You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”

She smiled, shrugging. “A girl has to get her kicks where she can.”

“Does she really, though?”

“Yes.” Bailey glanced at the door. “Am I right in guessing she was looking to start something with you?”

He exhaled heavily. “You are. I think it’s safe to say that you officially changed her mind.”

“Then my work here is done. Peace out.”

He fisted the bottom of her tee before she could walk away. “Don’t forget about tonight,” he said, lowering his voice, his eyes heating.

Huh. It turned out that Bailey hadn’t needed to worry that he would change his mind. Well, how about that. “I won’t. Ten pm at your place, right?”

His jaw tightened. “I said eight pm. As you well know.”

“I’m pretty sure you said ten.”

“No, you’re not. You’re just trying to irritate me. And don’t think you won’t pay for it later.” The sexual implication there made her blood sing.

“I feel I should tell you that punishments don’t really work on me. They just encourage me to be more difficult.”

His lips flattened. “So, basically, you’re just testing in every way a person could be testing?”

“That’s pretty much how it goes, yes.” She nudged his upper arm with her elbow, giving him a taunting smile. “But you want to fuck me anyway.”

“I will fuck you anyway. Again.”

“Then I’ll see you at ten.”

His eyelid twitched. “Eight.”

“Dude, are you sure you didn’t say ten?”

He growled. “Do you want me to throw something at you?”

“Not particularly.”

“Then don’t push me.”

“Fine. Whatever. See you at nine.”

“Bailey, I swear …”

She only laughed and walked away.