Page 192 of Wicked Savage Wolves
But the idea of living with a stranger isn’t something I could get on board with, so I buried my shit with Zheng and got a place with him since the fucker was the only other one in our crew riding solo like myself.
Since he and the girls are all close, it made sense, even if he is a cat. We weren’t going to be getting rid of him anytime soon. And looking back, it was the right call, even if I didn’t love the idea at the time.
Zheng’s good people. He fucked up when we were all kids, but since then, when any of us need him, he shows up. He’s there when it counts, and he’s put his ass on the line for me more times than I can count. I won’t repay that by banging his sister behind his back, even if there was that one time we kissed, and it still fucking haunts me.
“You good, man?” Rafael asks.
I grunt, refusing to take my eyes off the girl in front of me, my wolf instincts riding me hard as a growl works its way up my throat. “Fucking peachy.”
Rafael snorts and places his hand on my shoulder.
“Right. Well, while you pine over baby Liu, I’m gonna go get my girl before Jordy tries to steal her.”
“I’m not pining,” I retort. I don't pine after chicks, least of all a cat with too much sass and too little sense. What the fuck does she think she's doing right now? And where the hell is her brother. Shouldn't he be watching her or something? At the very least, he should be fending off the assholes who just want to take advantage of her. No way would I let guys be all over my sister like that.
He laughs, shaking his head. “Call it whatever you want, but your jealousy is showing, man. Might want to get that in check.”
I grind my teeth together, flipping off his retreating back. Rafe doesn't know what he's talking about. Baby Liu isn’t anything special. A piece of ass and soon to be jailbait. Not someone I'd be jealous over.
Speaking of Liu’s, Zheng walks up beside me and hands me a Coke. I accept the drink, knowing the fucker is just being nice, and against my better judgement I ask, “You cool with older guys from other Clans all over your baby sister?” I feign indifference and take a drink of the soda, waiting to see how he reacts. It has nothing to do with wondering if the age difference between her and I would matter to him and everything to do with making sure he knows what's going on with Meiying right now.
As expected, Zheng follows my gaze. His eyes narrow and he mutters a curse. “Shit. I’ll have to drag her away from a fucking harem and I’ll have to deal with her snarling about it the entire way home today.”
I force a laugh. “She’s a handful.”
He shakes his head. “That’s putting it mildly. I don’t know what her deal is, man. Lately, it’s like she’s looking for trouble.” He sighs. “I better go deal with that.”
I thrust a hand out to stop him. “Let me.” I don't know why I make the suggestion, but I don't try to walk it back once it's out there.
His dark brows pull together. "You sure, man?"
I nod. "Yeah. Let her be pissed at me. Then on the way home when she's bitching you can pretend to agree with what an asshole I am."
He gives me a feline smirk and slaps me on the back. "Thanks, man. I owe you one.” I nod like it’s no big deal. Just helping the guy out. I don’t have a single selfish reason for making the suggestion.
Isa calls his name and Zheng turns. “Go,” I tell him. “I’ll get it handled.”
He hesitates for a moment. “You sure, man? Meiying can be—”
I cut him off. “Bro, I’ve got it. Go see what Isa wants.” He walks away, heading toward Rafael and Isa on the other side of the yard, and without missing a beat, I head straight toward my prey. She's got herself surrounded by some of Isa's friends from back home. I met the guys earlier, Damian, Kai, and Josué. They seem nice enough, but that doesn't mean any of them should be talking to her right now.
I pick up on their conversation with my heightened hearing and slow my steps, casually walking closer to the group. Damian, who's on her right, is laying it on thick. He's smiling at her like she's all that he sees.
Not happening, asshole.
As soon as I'm behind her, I pull her back into my chest and wrap my arms around her, pinning her in place with her back to my front. I ignore the way she feels pressed up against me and focus on the miscreants in front of me.
Meiying doesn't bother trying to twist to see who's grabbed her. If my scent didn’t give me away, my dark arms banded around her is telling enough. I'm the only black guy here. She doesn't have to see my face to know it's me, and being the smart girl she is, she doesn’t bother putting up a fight to get away.
"You know Baby Liu is jailbait, right?" I direct the question first to Damian before making eye contact with the other two. Meiying stiffens in my arms and a beautiful shade of pink creeps up her neck as a low growl vibrates in her throat.
"For you, maybe," Damian retorts with a shrug.
The corner of Josué's mouth lifts into a smirk, like he's in on some secret, but he doesn't say anything. He takes a drink of his soda and rocks back on his heels, watching things play out. Kai, on the other hand, gives a hard shake of his head. "Ain't no one trying to tap that," he says. "We're all friends. Just having a conversation. No one's crossing any lines."
Damian snorts. "Speak for yourself," he tells him, and then looks Meiying right in the eyes. "I have no problem saying I am very much interested." He licks his lips and gives her a heated look that makes me want to punch the fucker in the face. "Wanna blow this place? Go have some fun?" I can smell the lust on him and it’s taking everything in me not to shift and tear into the asshole.
I can't see Meiying’s expression, but if I had to guess she's probably eating this shit up, if only to irritate me more. But her scent hasn’t shifted like his. She still smells like oranges and ginseng, without any trace of desire.
