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Kayla sat at her tiny dining table, laptop open in front of her, mug of coffee at the side. On the screen in front of her was one of her favorite shopping sites—a t-shirt company that specialized in girlie styles with cute illustrations and funny sayings. She'd found a t-shirt with a sparkly orange fox on it that said Zero Fox Given and she was buying two—one for Margot and one for Erena.
Outside around the fire pit, a few of the RCC had gathered, sipping their coffees and chatting. Nina and Gemma were talking excitedly about a new romance novel they were reading. Nolan drank his usual giant glass of orange juice and looked to be in a serious conversation with his brother, Bryce. If Kayla was curious enough, she could eavesdrop on them. But she wasn't curious. She didn't much care, if she was honest, and she hadn't cared about too many things over the past couple of days. Not since Parker had rocked her world and then rejected her, all in the space of a few minutes.
"Snap out of it," she told herself. He was just a man, and not a very good one if he was going to mess with her like that. She was ready to move on, and if her wolf would get with the program, everything would go easier.
But her inner wolf whined and curled up for another nap.
With a sigh, Kayla purchased the two fox shirts and searched for another one. Retail therapy for the motherfuckin' win. Buying things might only be a temporary salve for her inner wounds, but it was still a salve.
As soon as she clicked finish purchase, a little window popped up. If you liked the product Zero Fox, you might also enjoy these! A light pink t-shirt with a magenta tiger was the first suggestion. Kayla quickly closed the browser. Nope, no tigers. She was not interested in tigers.
Annoyed, she checked her phone. Two texts from Sloan still sat unread in her messages app. Fuck him, fuck Parker. Fuck whatever guy texted her next—she'd tell him exactly what she thought of all men. Self-righteous, patronizing assholes, every last one of them.
Her phone buzzed in her hand and she stared, shocked. The alpha had texted her.
Meet me outside when you get up.
She thought of ignoring his summons. After all, he was a guy. But he wasn't a self-righteous, patronizing asshole, at least not to Kayla. Kayla had been twenty-one when his wife was killed. His pain had been extreme, and he maybe hadn't made all of the greatest decisions when it came to running the clan. But since then, he'd met Nina and found a second shot at his fated mate, and he'd become a better leader, too.
If he had found another chance with a fated mate, then maybe Kayla could, too.
She grabbed her giant black hoodie and put it on with a pair of leggings. Then she grabbed her coffee mug and went outside. Unable to help herself, she shot a glance over to Parker's cabin. He sat on his porch in a pair of worn jeans and a green t-shirt. She quickly looked away before she could catch his eye.
Nobody knew what had happened between them that night outside the club. She hadn't shared any details beyond admitting that he was a better dancer than she'd thought. Luckily, neither Nina or Ian had asked nosy questions about what Kayla and Parker had done in the parking lot or why Parker had left early. They probably had some good guesses, but they weren't saying anything, and Kayla was grateful.
She might be able to avoid those conversations, and she might be able to avoid Parker. Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to avoid the memories of touching him and being touched by him.
She angrily shook away the thoughts.
Jameson was walking out of his and Nina's cabin, a serious expression on his face. He nodded at Kayla. "I wanted to talk to you about Sloan."
Kayla stopped in her tracks, and hot coffee spilled over the edge of her mug. "Sloan?"
"Yeah." Jameson looked around the fire, and suddenly seemed to realize it might be a sensitive topic. "We can talk in your cabin or mine if you want some privacy."
"No, it's fine," Kayla said. "It's no secret that Sloan is a creepy jerk. What do you want to know?"
"Why did you break up with him?"
Kayla suppressed a shudder. "It got to be too much. He was dismissive of me, but he didn't want to let me go."
"Dismissive of you in what way?" Jameson asked. His blue eyes were kind, but curious.
"It was mostly annoying stuff. If I told him about an idea I had, like a particular shifter to seek out and recruit, he'd act like I hadn't said anything. Then he'd share the idea with Bronson as if he'd come up with it on his own. And he bought me clothes that he thought I should wear. Stupid stuff, I know."
"Nope," Nina interjected from the other side of the fire, "that would drive me batshit crazy."
Gemma, sitting next to her, nodded. "A-fucking-men."
Jameson smiled at Nina, then ran a hand over the scruff on his jaw and turned back to Kayla. "There was no abuse?"
She hesitated. "No."
"Why the pause?" Parker asked from his porch.
Kayla ignored Parker, but answered Jameson because she knew he'd ask, anyway. "He was creepy right before I left, and cruel sometimes, telling me I was ugly, that nobody would want me. And he was clingy in a way that made my fur stand on end. But he probably sensed that I was pulling away, and his response was to scare me into staying and to latch on tighter."
Jameson nodded to himself and seemed to be thinking over her answer. Nobody else around the Ring of Fire said a word.
Kayla felt more exposed than she'd expected. If she'd known Jameson was going to ask so many detailed questions, she'd have taken him up on the offer to talk in one of the cabins. But they were here now, so she'd muddle through.
"Otherwise, you were safe?" Jameson asked.
Kayla nodded. "Yeah."
"Would you say things were definitively resolved between you when you left?"
With a brittle laugh, Kayla pulled her phone out of her hoodie's pocket and held it up. "I thought I'd been very clear that things were over, but it seems Sloan doesn't think so. Half of the texts here are about how he'll do whatever it takes for me to stop taking a 'break' from him."
"How often does he text you?" Jameson asked.
Kayla had to think about it for a second. It hadn't been much at first, but he'd been texting more and more often. "Lately, about once or twice a day."
Jameson folded his arms across his chest. He had an idea, and Kayla was starting to guess what it might be.
"I have to word this very carefully," Jameson said, "and I want you to know I mean absolutely no disrespect toward you, and there's no pressure here. Would it be possible for you to re-open the relationship?"
Closing her eyes, Kayla thought it over. Images flashed in front of her mind like stills from a cheesy movie montage. Sloan with a sneer twisting his face, telling her she was gaining too much weight. Sloan's green eyes flashing dark with distrust every time he saw her on her phone—even though she'd only been tapping out a grocery list. Sloan's breath hot and damp on her neck during another disappointing session of sex.
She thought back to Jameson's question. He'd worded it carefully, as promised, and it didn't take long for Kayla to figure out why. The Rock Creek Clan hadn't had any luck finding the sphere, and they had no idea what the Bitterroots were up to or why they wanted it. Information was crucial. So, Jameson wanted Kayla to spy on the Bitterroots, but he couldn't ask her to do it in case Bronson questioned her. Kayla needed to be able to tell the truth about her reasons for being there, and that started with lying to herself.
She forced herself to remember another memory—one of Sloan taking her out on Whiskey Lake in a rickety old canoe, and how they'd laughed and splashed each other when the canoe toppled only twenty feet out into the water. The relationship hadn't always been bad. It hadn't started bad. And if they started over, maybe it could be good again, for a little while.
Exhaling, Kayla said, "Yes, that would be possible."
"For what it's worth," Jameson said, his tone measured, "I don't like this."
"Thanks," Kayla said. Everyone in the Ring of Fire had fallen silent, and she was hyperaware of the audience. "Um, I'd like to text him now, if that's okay?"
"No," Gemma said. "Don't do it."
Kayla smiled over at her. "He actually has some really good qualities. He's intense. Passionate. Affectionate, even."
Gemma's eyes were wide with fear. Wordlessly, Nina took Gemma's hand.
"Seriously," Kayla said, opening up her messenger app. "It's going to be fine."
She found Sloan's latest string of texts and responded with three words. Okay, let's talk.
"It's a brave thing you're doing," Jameson said, stepping forward and placing a hand on Kayla's shoulder. "Mending things with Sloan. Even though I don't like the thought of you going over there, you know we'll support you every step of the way."
"If someone could drive me to and from the Bitterroots," Kayla said, "that would help. I know it's a lot to ask, but..."
"I'll take care of it." Jameson gave her an encouraging smile.
"Thanks." Kayla lifted her coffee mug. "My brew is cold, so I'm going to head back inside. I'll let you know when I hear back from Sloan. Probably won't be long."
"Good luck," Jameson said. "And thank you."
She turned away from Gemma's and Nina's pitying gazes. It wasn't such a big deal. Sloan had been nice sometimes—it wasn't like he was a complete monster. She could do this.
She was halfway through her kitchen when her front door banged open. Parker stood in the frame, his broad shoulders filling it, lifting up and down with his heavy breaths.
"What the fuck are you doing?" he asked.
After setting down her mug with a loud thud on the table, Kayla marched over to him. She hadn't talked to him, hadn't even really looked at him, since the night at the club.
"You're barging into my house without even knocking, and asking me what the fuck I'm doing?" she asked.
His eyes widened and he took a step back onto the porch, looking horrified. "Fuck, I'm sorry."
He started to close the door, but just then, Kayla's phone buzzed.
Parker froze as Kayla fished her phone out of her pocket.
"Don't do this," he said.
Sloan's text popped up on the lock screen. When can you meet?
Kayla held the phone up so Parker could see. With a false smile, she said, "Looks like it's on."