Prickly Business (23 page)

It didn’t keep Dylan from releasing Avery’s hand and swinging a proprietary arm around him to pull him closer. Jaden’s eyes widened a hair, and then he swallowed audibly. Dylan only smirked.

He was glad Avery had called Jaden to be there for the meeting. Dylan liked being the one Avery leaned on, but surprisingly, jealousy and possession didn’t enter Dylan’s mind when he thought about their friendship. Jaden was good for Avery. Dylan thought possibly Jaden was the one who kept his hedgehog grounded.

“Hey, Jay.” Avery spoke with more confidence than Dylan expected, but he still heard the shakiness in his tone, the uncertainty. “You know Dylan, right?” He tilted his head in Dylan’s direction.

“Yeah.” Jaden threw a tight grin at Dylan and eyed him skeptically for a moment before nodding. “I know who he is.” He was a cute kid. Not Dylan’s type, but still, Dylan could admit Jaden’s sweetness could be attractive to the right person.

Dylan laughed and waved at Jaden with his free hand. “Hey, man,” he said, cordially. “Good to see you again.”

Finally Jaden met Dylan’s stare, his head held high, gaze filled with determination. “You too. Do you guys want to come in?”

Nervously, Avery looked up at Dylan just as Dylan turned to him.

“You’ve got this,” Dylan whispered, dropping a kiss on his forehead.

Avery swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing, then nodded. He didn’t look sure, but Dylan couldn’t have been prouder when he turned back to Jaden.

“Yeah, let’s get this over with.” Dylan caught a slight tremble in Avery’s voice, almost imperceptible. Though by the sympathetic expression on Jaden’s face, Dylan thought he may have heard it as well.

When Jaden looked like he might say something more, he turned on his heel and walked away. Dylan assumed he and Avery were expected to follow. As he pulled away, Avery reached back and took Dylan’s hand then trailed behind Jaden as he led them through the house to the living room. It was a large room situated at the far back corner of the house. The two outside walls consisted of floor-to-ceiling windows. The room itself was comfortable, inviting. Dylan chalked that up to Mrs. Odell. She was one hell of a woman, exactly like the room—open, soothing, and elegant.

“Dylan,” Odell greeted cheerfully, with a wide grin. He commandeered the overstuffed seafoam green chair he sat in as if it were a throne.

“Alpha.” Dylan nodded solemnly.

Kitty-corner to the chair on both sides sat two equally large dark brown sofas. In any other room it all may have seemed a bit busy, but under Samantha Odell’s thumb it more than worked with the driftwood coffee table and nautical decorations.

Dylan’s father was situated on one of the couches. Law wasn’t looking at him or Avery, but at their joined hands. If looks were lasers, he and Avery would probably both be minus one hand.

Dylan cleared his throat. “Father,” he said through gritted teeth. It was both a greeting and a warning. Dylan treated his father with dignity in public due to his position as beta, but Dylan wouldn’t put up with disrespect toward Avery.

Lawrence pierced Dylan with a glare he’d learned from his days as a rookie. Not that it did any good. He lifted his lip in a silent snarl, and just when Dylan was certain his father was about to go off on one of his hate-filled rants, the alpha’s gaze landed on Avery.

“Avery, my boy,” he called, his smile never wavering.

It warmed Dylan that Odell approved of Avery, even if it was only because he was Jaden’s best friend.

“Alpha.” Avery nodded slowly and kept his voice low.

“Well, come in. Come in.” Odell motioned them into the room and toward the sofa opposite Dylan’s father and the other two betas—Broderick and Russell. The three men barely fit on the piece of furniture, squeezed together shoulder to shoulder.

Dylan let go of Avery’s hand, then slid his palm up Avery’s spine to his neck, where it rested as he guided Avery to the sofa where Jaden sat quietly.

“So, Dylan says you have something to tell me.” Odell directed the comment at Avery, and Avery nodded.

“Yessir,” he squeaked, likely louder than he’d intended. A blush stole over Avery’s cheeks, and he dipped his head.

Alpha Odell chuckled warmly, and a growl came from across the room. The sneer on Lawrence’s face directed at his mate had Dylan wanting to put himself between Avery and Law, to protect Avery from the ugliness of his father’s intolerance. Dylan smirked when Broderick elbowed the old man, cutting him off. He thought he may have seen a twitch of the lips from the ever stone-faced Russell.

“Let’s hear it, then.” The alpha spoke as if he hadn’t noticed the tension in the room. That was unlikely. Odell was the most perceptive man Dylan knew.

Dylan nodded his encouragement after Avery drew his attention by glancing up at him. Vulnerability in a room full of people was not Avery’s strong suit. Dylan knew that, of course, but the rest of the room obviously didn’t.

“Avery, honey.” Samantha breezed into the room, her blonde hair twisted into a loose bun on top of her head and a beaming smile on her face for Avery as she made a beeline for him. “Why don’t you visit more often?”

Avery stood as she approached, and Dylan watched as he let himself be pulled into a hug. It was strange, the dynamics of the Odell household. Dylan knew her to be affectionate, but not touchy-feely. He’d certainly never been hugged by her nor had he seen anyone else receive the same treatment—outside of the Odell family, that is. He’d also never seen Samantha look at anyone other than her son with that mama wolf softness. Yet that’s exactly how she looked at Avery.

For a moment Dylan wondered what he was getting himself into with Avery and this family. They obviously looked at him with compassion and caring, unlike Avery’s own parents. Hell, Dylan’s father didn’t even feel that way about Dylan.

Then Dylan glimpsed his mate’s stunned expression, staring down at the small woman in front of him, and knew that whatever he was getting himself into was worth it, if only to be one of the few people who knew the real Avery.

The thought made Dylan glance at his father where he sat between the other betas, watching the interaction like a petulant, misbehaved child.

“Oh, Mrs. Odell, you know how it is.” Avery grinned amiably—his first since they entered the house.

Was he flirting?

Dylan narrowed his eyes at his mate. No, not flirting. The closer he looked, the stiffer Avery looked. He was probably uncomfortable with Mrs. Odell’s affection. As his mate returned to his side, unthinking, Dylan looped his arm around Avery’s waist and pulled him closer.

Samantha’s eyes grew marginally wider, but Dylan didn’t see shock or disappointment in them. Instead, he saw curiosity and… happiness. She was so overjoyed Dylan thought it was practically a living thing. Then she squealed—actually
squealed
—and clapped her hands, and Dylan could just about see the schoolgirl she had once been shining through.

At the sound of the alpha clearing his throat, Samantha glanced over her shoulder at her husband, then back to Dylan. “Dylan,” she whispered, quickly. Her glowing grin was reassuring. “I’m very happy for you.”

With that, she winked and made her way across the room to perch on the arm of her husband’s chair.

Once everyone was seated and quiet, Odell focused once again on Avery. “You were saying?”

Then with a confidence Dylan assumed was bolstered by the presence of Samantha Odell, Avery spoke about Otis and Lacey Acker. He told of how she’d gone missing and how he was worried for both Ackers. Then he finished with the information he’d retrieved on his own at the two separate clubs.

“And tell me, son, have you ever met Lacey?”

“No, sir. I… I’ve seen her. Out. At the clubs.”

“So you don’t know that she’s done something like this before?” Odell’s voice was level, even though he seemed to be indulging Avery.

“Well, no.” Avery swallowed hard. “I… I didn’t know that.”

“Hmm. Then let me tell you about our girl, Lacey.” He sat forward, elbows on his knees. “She’s young and impulsive, and I’m pretty sure she falls in love with a different man at the turn of each full moon.”

That wasn’t quite true.
Was it?
Dylan knew Lacey could be somewhat airheaded and gullible. She was young, as the alpha said, but she wasn’t entirely stupid or careless. Not the Lacey Dylan knew. Admittedly, Dylan hadn’t seen her in months, and it had been even longer since he’d spoken to her in depth.

“The last time she disappeared, which was the second time,” Odell continued, “she resurfaced a couple weeks later, tail tucked between her legs, talking about finding her true love—not her mate, mind you. She’d run off to California with the man and he’d broken her heart. My contacts at the police bureau searched high and low those entire two weeks. An APB was issued. We even had pack members forming parties and plotting out search grids around the city.”

The others in the room nodded, even his father who still scowled like a bear. Dylan held back his sigh. Maybe Lacey wasn’t as careful as he’d thought.

“So because she screwed up once—”

“Twice,” the alpha interjected. “The first time she was gone for a couple days, barely enough time to begin that kind of search, but with the same result. That time I think she was at the beach with her friends.” He looked to Broderick who had his beefy arms folded across his chest. Broderick grimaced and nodded his confirmation.

“Twice, then. Since she screwed up
twice
, you’re not going to look for her? What if something really happened?”

“Like what? Being sold as a sex slave?” Odell scoffed, and Dylan bristled. It was one thing to deny help. It was another to belittle Avery’s concerns.

“Yes,” Avery croaked. “Exactly that. What if—”

“Do you think I haven’t had people look for her this time?” Odell sat up straight, and Dylan could see his irritation with the entire conversation, in spite of wanting to appease Avery. “I had two of our pack members, both detectives for the PPB, look into it. It was a dead end.”

Odell’s tone bordered on patronizing, and the pity he aimed at Avery pissed off Dylan, increasing his frustration.

“But—”

Again Odell cut him off. “I’m sorry, Avery. If you’re so worried, possibly try talking to the detective in charge of the missing persons cases. Maybe they can help. Though it’s only been a couple of months. I’m sure she’ll turn up soon.”

For the first time, that was what worried Dylan. He was pretty sure Lacey would turn up too, but in what shape?

“But I found a lead,” Avery tried again with less confidence.

“Human trafficking? That’s hardly a lead. There are as many human traffickers in Portland as there are strippers. Maybe more. I’ll admit it could be a possibility.” Odell held up a hand when Avery opened his mouth to speak. “A very slim possibility. She could have just as well run away, which has been exactly the case in the past. Look, Avery, I’m sorry I don’t have better news for you.” Finally the alpha stood. It was obvious they were being dismissed.

Avery looked like he’d argue more, but then he only nodded and stood as well. “Thank you for listening, sir. We’re gonna go.”

Dylan ignored the condescending smirk he was sure to find on his father’s face. He took Avery’s hand.

They said their good-byes with promises to Samantha of joining the Odell family for dinner soon. Avery remained sullen and despondent through it all. When they finally stepped outside, Dylan led Avery and Jaden to the curb where he’d parked.

“This is why I didn’t want to come here in the first place,” Avery muttered. “No one listens to the stupid hedgehog.”

Dylan had no one but himself to blame, but Avery obviously didn’t understand why. Sighing, he faced Avery. “It’s how things are done when you’re part of a pack.”

“But I’m not pack,” Avery argued.

“Yes, you are.” It was the first thing Jaden had said since greeting them at the door. His soft argument held an anger Dylan had never expected from him.

By the look of shock on Avery’s face, he hadn’t thought it likely either. It apparently stunned Avery into silence, as he merely stood there, wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

“I’m sorry your family sucks, but mine loves you, and then there’s Dylan….” Jaden blushed again and trailed off. “And fuck the rest of the intolerant dickheads in this pack. They don’t matter. You may not understand pack and family, but we understand you, and my mom and dad and I will protect you and love you no matter what.”

When Avery didn’t say anything, Jaden added, “Get used to it,” then stormed back up the drive and into his house.

Yep, Dylan had always liked the kid. For a good reason.

“He’s right, you know?” Dylan smiled when Avery turned back to him in a daze. “You are pack. Besides, being given permission to live in Portland—which technically makes you part of us—you’re… well….” Dylan paused, and for the first time, couldn’t find the words he meant. “Mine. You’re mine. Whether that matters to the assholes who run rampant through this pack, it matters to me and to my crew, and to Jaden and his family.”

A feeling of warmth—not his own—washed over Dylan, and he sucked in a sharp gasp, watching Avery in awe. It was too soon for their connection, the bond of shared emotions, to develop. Wasn’t it? They were only just getting to know each other. His mind darted back to that night in the woods when he’d felt Avery so strongly. It had only been because of Avery’s strong feelings at the time, right? That’s what Dylan had thought back then. Now he wasn’t so sure.

Wonder filled Avery’s eyes, and suddenly Dylan felt the need to slay all his dragons. Knowing Avery, he would jump in on the slaying. So instead Dylan said, “Whatever it takes, we’ll figure something out, okay? We won’t leave Lacey out there alone.” He bent and dropped a kiss on Avery’s lips.

He knew Avery wasn’t going to give this up. Dylan had a bad feeling about the whole situation, and he’d be damned if he sat back and watched him walk into danger. Alone.

“I
DON
’
T
know about this.” Avery shifted from one foot to the other and looked nervously in the direction of the Portland Police Bureau’s Central Precinct. The stretch of sidewalk between where they’d parked Dylan’s Harley and the building’s front door seemed to span for miles. Avery wanted to hop onto the motorcycle and refuse to get off until they were back at his loft. His meeting with Alpha Odell last Saturday had been a spectacular—and mortifying—failure. He didn’t hold up much hope for the cops.