“Yup. I didn’t know anything about it until Simon carried Becky off to heal her and change her.”
“And claim her.”
“And claim her.” She could hear a different kind of pain in Belinda’s voice and wondered if the other woman had feelings for Simon. If she did, it was too bad; Simon was obviously devoted to his mate.
“But the ring—”
“Doesn’t make you the Curana, right? But if Emma handed it over—”
“She’d be seen as weak,” Sheri finished thoughtfully.
“Exactly. She’d be cat chow.”
Sheri laughed. She was going to like it here.
Adrian waited outside the diner and watched as the two women talked and laughed. Something in his heart eased as he watched her truly relax for the first time since he’d met her.
“Maybe if you stare hard enough her clothes will fall off by themselves.” Simon stepped into view and stared at the two women.
Adrian rolled his eyes. “She’s my mate.”
Simon grinned. “And if anyone is going to use their amazing cloth-ripping stare powers on her it’s going to be you?”
“Asshole.”
Simon flipped him off, and Adrian grinned.
“She seems to be settling right in,” Simon said, leaning against the brick wall of the diner.
“Yup.”
“Becky trusts Belinda.”
“And you don’t?” Adrian kept his eyes on the two women but his attention was on Simon.
“To a point, yes.”
“Do you trust Becky and Emma?”
Simon sighed. “Yes, damn it.” It sounded like he’d had, and lost, this argument already. Probably Becky had gotten to him and given him an earful. He decided to help reassure Simon. There were things he knew about Belinda that would shock Simon to his core.
Adrian nodded. “Have you ever been in Kelly’s when Belle’s in there?”
Simon looked at Adrian, one brow raised. “ Belle ?”
Adrian nodded. “That’s what they call Belinda in there. Belle.”
“No, I haven’t been in there when Belle’s been in there. Why?”
“She might surprise you.”
Simon snorted. “I dated the woman off and on for years; nothing she does would surprise me, unless it was to grow a second brain cell.”
“Really? Let’s go in.”
Adrian opened the door and pushed Simon in. Simon, surprisingly, allowed it.
“Hey, Belle!”
Simon’s eyebrows rose into his hair as Frank Kelly called Belinda’s name. Adrian grinned and waited.
He already knew what was coming.
“Yes, Frank?”
“What do you do when a blonde throws a pin at you?”
“Run like hell, she’s got a grenade in her mouth.”
The entire diner laughed. “Hey, Belle,” one of the patrons called out. “He ever throw one at you that you didn’t know the punch line to?”
“Nope,” Belle replied proudly.
“I’ll get you one day, Belle!” Frank laughed.
“And my little dog, too?”
More laughter. Adrian could see Simon’s shock as he pushed the man back out the door. “See?”
“The only time I ever saw her was with her upper-crust friends,” Simon said. “She didn’t act like that around them.”
“Of course not, they would have kicked her out of the country club,” Adrian replied. He set up against the wall again and stared into the diner, watching Sheri and Belle eat. “Besides, everyone knew why you went out with Belinda, and it wasn’t for her conversation.”
Simon winced. “She didn’t act that way around me, either.”
Adrian nodded. “She gave you what she thought you wanted.”
“A blonde bimbo,” Simon said thoughtfully.
“I hate to make you feel even worse, but as far as I can tell she never dated anyone but you.”
Simon winced again. “Gee, thanks.”
Adrian shrugged. “I don’t know if she thought you were her mate or what, but when she finds him she’ll know. Until then, I think Sheri’s safe with Belle.”
“Okay,” Simon agreed with a sigh. “I’ll trust her.”
* * *
“Spill.” Adrian stared hard at his friend and partner, crossing his arms as he blocked the way out of the office. They’d just finished closing for the day and were the only ones left in the practice.
“Excuse me?” Max’s blue eyes glittered gold for a moment, sensing Adrian’s challenge.
Adrian sighed. “She’s my mate, Max. How would you feel if Emma was threatened?” Max’s low growl answered that question. “So tell me. What am I facing here?”
Max sighed and pushed his hand through his hair. “Rudy Parker is a sick fuck. He tried to mount her as a wolf. When that didn’t work, he bit her. If she hadn’t torn free she’d be Pack now instead of Pride.”
“That kind of thing happens pretty fast, I thought. How did she get away before he managed it?”
Max shrugged. “I have no idea. All I remember is her shoulder was torn all to hell and gone, and a chunk was missing.”
Adrian’s growl slipped out. “He took a chunk of her shoulder?”
Max nodded. “It’s why the scarring is pretty bad there. Even the Magic Puma Potion couldn’t heal it.”
Adrian snorted a laugh, his eyes returning to their normal dark brown. “Magic Puma Potion?”
“Becky’s words, not mine.”
“She would know.” Adrian started to pace. “Okay, he tried to rape her, she managed to get away before he changed her, and he’s been chasing her ever since. That about sum it up?”
Max nodded slowly.
“What are you leaving out?”
“She got away intact because she left before the abuse got too bad. She knows how dangerous he is now, though, and if he finds out the two of you are mates he’ll do everything he can to take you down.”
“I can handle him.”
Max shook his head. “He won’t come at you alone. He’ll use his Pack, and Puma versus a Wolf Pack…”
“Puma loses.” Adrian stopped pacing and stared blankly at the wall, his mind racing. “We need to keep the Pride around us, then.”