Chapter 304 Chapter 304
Deacon had no idea how long he’d sat against the tree and looked down over the valley. He’d moved the traps hours ago and then just started wandering with no destination in mind. He couldn’t shift, there was no way he could control his animal right now. His animal only wanted one thing and she was petite, with silky red hair and freckles sprinkled across her nose. She also tasted better than Deacon could have ever dreamed she did. Licking his lips, he confirmed he could still taste her. He looked beside him and wondered if he rubbed dirt on his tongue would her taste last through that?
Kissing her had been the most idiotic thing he’d done in his life. He frowned, okay, in his life since becoming an adult, there were a few sketchy moments when he was a teen. Not only had he kissed her and tried to consume her for a few short moments, but he’d also then confessed he’d known about their status to each other and that he had no plans to take it further.
He should have hidden the ax and all the guns before he’d walked away. How long did it take for women to calm down? He had no idea. The women from the group he grew up around were fiery-tempered, surely all females weren’t like that. Of course, the only female he’d been around in the last few years was his team leader, Wynter and she checked exactly zero boxes on the female checklist, so that wasn’t helpful at all. He rolled his eyes, that wasn’t right, she was definitely female, but her mannerism was, well, he had no idea what, she scared the hell out of him and any other man near her.
He looked at his pack and wished he had Calum’s number. Cal always had answers to problems. Sometimes his answers were like puzzles, but there was a solution somewhere in it, and right now even a puzzle to take his mind off how fucked up he’d left things with Gia would be good. The phone in his pack rang and he dove on to get it. Calum always had perfect timing, it had to be him.
“Hello.”
“Deacon.”
He sat forward, not Calum but Wynter. “Yeah.”
“Could shit get any more fucked up?”
He nodded, though doubted they were thinking about the same thing.
“Calum just told me everyone made it out without issues, but let me just say I am getting so sick of this shit, and if I find…”
“Boss?”
“Nothing. Just pissed off. Okay, so the reason I was talking to Jesse is Nox is out.” She chortled, “what are the odds that I’d pick one of mine that was related to one of his.” She laughed. “Siblings should never work together. I should know, if I had to work with my sister, I’d probably slice her into pieces.”
Deacon didn’t know what to say to that.
“I’m trying to decide who to send back. Do you have any input?”
Pulling his leg up, he leaned on his knee. “Me?”
“No, the other Deacon I’m talking to. I know you guys get antsy when you get downtime, but focus. I don’t want to be shuffling my team around every other week. It’s a pain in the ass.”
“I guess any of the others on the team are fine.”
“You guess? Did I catch you having a nap? You’re usually a lot more assertive with your words.”
Deacon sighed, “Sorry, my head is a mess right now.” He winced as soon as he said it. Of all the people to say that to, Wynter was probably the one you’d never want to.
“That is not what I want to hear. I want to hear, I’m solid boss, I’m good to go, boss—what the hell is going on?” He heard muffled voices and wondered who she was talking to. “Who are you partnered with? They told me somewhere…”
“Giana Marin.”
She snorted, “Nox’s sister. Is she as kiss ass as her brother? Don’t get me wrong he’s solid when he’s on point, but off-mission he’s annoying as shit.”
Getting up, he leaned his forehead against the tree, stick with answering what she asks. “She is definitely not a kiss ass, boss, exact opposite.”
“Ha. I like her already. You two should get along great then, what’s the problem.”
The facts. The facts. He chanted in his head. “We, uh, get along.”
“Shit on a stick, Deacon you’re not sleeping with her, are you?” She whistled out a breath, “I’m not your mama, I don’t care who you stick it in, but you have to work together…”
“She’s my mate.” He blurted out when he felt he should defend Gia.
“Aw, ain’t that nice.” The sarcasm was heavy. “So, you’re all mated up and shit, great, there shouldn’t be a problem then.”
Deacon blew out a breath, not even knowing how to or what to say to her. This was Wynter, she was as compassionate as a rattler.