Xander stared at Dominick, debating whether or not to trust him. “You said you were keeping him under guard.”
“I was, am.” Dominick ran a hand through his tousled brown hair and gave a weary sigh. “He incapacitated two of the guards and nearly killed a third. That woman had been planting ideas in his head after she saw him accost her on the street. I’ve been away dealing with pack business and didn’t become aware of it until I returned about an hour ago to find the men laid out.”
Xander studied the man in front of him and wanted to believe him, but something just didn’t seem right. Almost as if he was holding something back. “I want to believe you aren’t involved, but it just seems a bit too coincidental for my tastes.”
“You’d be right. I, too, thought it was odd that my brother randomly found your mate to attack. It would seem the people trying to take my land by force and your mate’s ex-husband are in cahoots. That’s where I was since I left you the other day.”
“What a fucking mess.”
“You can say that again. I don’t know how Michael got caught up with that group, or why he targeted my brother onto Josilyn. These people want me thrown out of my leadership role so they can railroad my pack. If my brother caused enough harm, then it would be likely they could succeed.”
“What convoluted chaos. Thank you for what you did today. I’m sorry about your brother. I wish there had been another way.”
“My brother died that day along with his mate. That man lying on the asphalt thirty feet below is what was left after his psyche broke from their connection shattering. I had never seen two people more in love than those two. My only solace is they’re together again now.”
Xander nodded. There was nothing he could say to that.
“Dude, I think there is something you need to see,” Keir called out as he came to a stop in front of a door.
Xander gave him a questioning look and moved to his side. It was a child’s room, sparsely furnished and decorated but definitely a child’s room.
“She has a kid?” Keir asked quietly.
“She’s taking care of her nephew who lost his parents in an accident,” Xander replied just as quietly.
“This place is neat and clean, you can tell she works hard at it, but it’s also old, used furniture. Almost as if she got everything from a secondhand store. I even looked in the cabinets and fridge. They’re all empty or close to empty.” Keir glanced around to make sure Josie wasn’t around. “I think she is really hurting.”
Xander sighed and rubbed at his temples. It hurt to see his mate struggling with so much. She was tough, there was no doubt of that. “Josie?” Xander called out as he moved to the kitchen where she sat on a stool looking dazed.
“Yes?”
“Was Nick here?” Xander asked gently.
“He is with his grandmother for the week.” She trailed off as a tear slipped down her cheek. “After this, she will probably push for custody. I promised I would keep him and raise him. I’m so afraid I’m failing him.” She glanced at him. “I don’t care about myself, Xander. Nick”—she gulped—“he’s my life.”
Xander slipped his arms around her and pulled her into his side. He didn’t think she was even aware of the people in the room with her. She’d hit her breaking point and needed a few minutes to pull herself together.
Keir nodded and gestured for Dominick to follow him to the back of the small apartment. With their shifter hearing, they would still hear everything, but it would give Josie a semblance of privacy.
“Why will she take custody of Nick?” Xander asked quietly as he pulled Josie into his lap.
“His grandmother wants him, but I promised I’d raise him. Michael took everything, literally everything, including most of my clothes during the divorce. Though I handled accounts, he was the face of the firm. I mean he wined and dined people. It’s how he made so many high-profile friends. This? Nick? It’s a battle I’m losing, and if his grandmother finds out about this, she will use it to take him away.”
“It’s not going to happen. You’re the most amazing, strongest woman I have ever met. This place may not be high priced, but the love and comfort are obvious for anyone to see. You have options, we were going to talk to you about a few of them at dinner tonight, as matter of fact. Just trust me that things are turning around. I promise.”
“You know, I came here to take a bath and soak in some bath oils so I could rock your world tonight.” Her laugh sounded hollow to him. “After the other day, I wanted something special again. Now here you are seeing me a crying mess. This wasn’t supposed to happen this way. I was planning on us making memories I could carry with me after I was no longer your employee.”
Xander cleared his suddenly dry throat. “We can still make it all happen.”
She sighed. “Let’s get through dinner and we can go from there. How much time do we have? I have only one nice outfit, and it needs to be cleaned after that night in the alley.”
“Don’t worry. We will get it taken care of. Keir, Dominick,” Xander called out with a wink to Josie.
“Josie, are you here? What’s going on? Josie?” A frantic voice called from the living room.
“Shawna, I’m in the kitchen. It’s fine. Come in,” Josilyn called out and slumped against Xander.
Xander’s body slowly relaxed as he heard the familiarity in Josie’s tone as she called out. “Friend?”
“Yes, she is my best friend and neighbor. She keeps me sane most days. I don’t know what I would do without her.”
“Hey, baby girl, what happened to your door and who is this sexy thing you’re drooling all over? Girl, you been holding out on me or something?” Shawna catcalled as she strolled into the kitchen.
“Shawna, this is my fake mate, Xander.” Josie turned and looked into Xander’s eyes. “She is the one who set me up with you.”
Xander’s smile widened. “I owe you a debt I can’t repay. Thank you for bringing this feisty hellion into my life.”
Shawna giggled and winked at Josie. “I like him.”
Xander shook his head at her antics and placed Josie on her chair. “Shawna, I’d like to introduce you to my best friend, Keir. Just be warned, stay away from him. He is a bit of a womanizer and I’d hate to have to hurt him for making Josie cry with his mistreatment of you.”
Keir frowned but nodded a hello to Shawna before moving off to scowl at Xander from outside the kitchen. “Ass,” he mumbled as he went by.
“And this is Dominick, a new acquaintance of ours,” Xander added, introducing the wolf.
“How do you both do? It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Shawna grinned.
Xander smiled and moved to stand next to Dominick and Keir. “Dominick, you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s been a shitty day,” Dominick grunted.
Xander and Keir watched Shawna and Josie catch up on what had happened.
“Why don’t you come to dinner with us tonight, and I’ll see if I can convince Shawna to come as well?”
“Thank you, but I can’t. There are things I have to handle.” Dominick waited a beat before growling, “Life’s unfair.”
“Things will work out well, I hope.” Xander frowned.
“I hope so. I must make arrangements for my brother.”
Xander watched the alpha walk off, his posture ramrod straight. He knew how hard it was to have to handle a family or, in Dominick’s case, a pack depending on him.
“Bro, do me a favor. Can you order a dress for Josie and have it delivered ASAP to my apartment? Shoes and all that necessary stuff too, please.”
“Done, don’t even think twice about it. I’ll have it there in an hour, tops. What time is dinner, by the way?”
“Eight. I’ll see you there?”
“Of course. Later, bro,” Keir said as he tossed a jaunty salute and headed out the door.
“Sweetheart, we have got to go so we won’t be late for dinner. Shawna, would you be interested in joining a few of us at Ricardo’s for dinner tonight at eight? My treat, of course.”
Xander chuckled quietly as Shawna’s eyes widened and mouthed to Josie, sweetheart. He would never understand women.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to be a third wheel or anything,” Shawna said as she bit her lip in indecision.
“Decision has been made. You will meet us. There will be six or seven of us, at least, so don’t worry about feeling uncomfortable,” Xander said with a wink as he grabbed Josie’s hand and dragged her to her feet.
“Come on. We need to go.”
Josie frowned. “But it’s barely five now. We have plenty of time.”
Xander smiled devilishly and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Not if you’re going to make me scream like you promised.”
He couldn’t help the chuckle when Josilyn’s face flushed a deep scarlet. He took a deep breath and bit his lip to hold back his groan. She was hot and wet. Fucking hell, he was dying already. It wouldn’t take much to make him lose control at this point.