The Mane Event
Page 119

If you stay.
She couldnt let Mitch run off again. Shaw would lose his mind if his kid brother took off again. Okay. For hot chocolate only.
Mitch grinned, looking so much like Shaw it made her heart ache. Yeah. Although we may want to get you some shoes before you take off. Walking around New York in December with no shoesprobably not a good idea.
He steered her back to the hotel, leading her inside and to a small restaurant tucked away behind the more glitzy popular places. They sat down and a waiter glided over to take their drink orders. Once he glided away, Mitch frowned at her. You look like youre freezing.
Freezing? Not really. But her teeth chattered when she spoke.
Giving a snort of annoyance, Mitch took his jacket off and reached over, placing it around Ronnies shoulders.
Tell me what happened, Ronnie.
She shrugged under his big heavy jacket, pulling it tighter around her. Nothin.
Ronnie, he marked you. I can smell his scent all over you.
Placing her elbows on the table, Ronnie rested her face in her hands.
This isnt what you wanted?
It would have been nice if he asked.
True. But would a wolf have asked? Or would he have just taken his life in his hands and hoped for the best?
Ronnie dropped her hands to the table, moving them when the waiter placed her enormous cup of hot chocolate in front of her. Giant imported marshmallow right on top.
Dont you see, Mitch? Im trapped now. Ive gotta tell him where Im going. When Ill be back. If Im arrested.
Mitch blinked and leaned back in his chair. Umare you arrested a lot, sweetie?
In this country? Not really.
Thats good to know. But wouldnt you want someone to bail you out when youre arrested?
Thats what my Pack is for. And I dont need to give them constant updates on my whereabouts.
True, but now youve got Bren. Think of it like an extra pair of thermal underwear. Sometimes youre in a situation when you really need two.
Ronnie started to sip her hot chocolate but stopped and put her cup back down. Darlin, that is one of the dumbest analogies Ive heard in a long time.
He shrugged. Cut me some slack. Im winging it here. Mitchs face turned solemn. Bottom line is, babe, youll break his heart if you leave him.
Cats dont mate for life.
Who told you that?
National Geographic and the Discovery Channel. The males come and go, jumping from Pride to Pride. And wolves dont share anything but our food, buteven that we tussle over.
All of thats absolutely truefor cats who live to be about twelve and reside in the Serengeti. Last I looked, this was New York and me and Bren have another fifty or sixty years to fill. I know Bren wants to spend it with you. And neither of us have any intention of spending the rest of our lives being traded around by a bunch of females who can barely stand us.
He just wants me cause I stayed that night. They left and I stayed.
Thats not why. Hes grateful to you for staying that night. He wants you cause you look fierce in those shorts. Mitch grinned when she smiled. And he loves you because you make him happy. Ive never seen the big butthead smile so damn much.
He makes me feel Ronnie stopped and looked back at the table.
What, Ronnie? He makes you feel what?
Its what he doesnt make me feel thats the problem.
Which is?
She took a deep breath. Restless. I never feel like I have to leave when Im with him. I never wake up in the morning with one foot already out of the bed.
And thats a problem because
Because I always leave. Now I only want to stay, and its freakin me the hell out.
Youre freaking out because you know your life is changing for good. If you werent freaking out, Id be worried. He took a long sip of his hot chocolate. How about I make you a deal? Mitch suggested softly.
What deal?
You stayand Ill stay. At least for a little while.
I shouldnt care whether you go or stay. I shouldnt care how it affects him at all.
But you do care, Ronnie. And thats okay.
Fine. Ronnie pushed her cup aside. Ill stay.
Good. Now lets go find him before he tears the friggin hotel apart looking for you.
Hed checked her room. The front lobby. Even a couple of the restaurants. Shed disappeared.
Hell. What shed done was left him.
Now he had to stand here dealing with Sissy Mae Smith. A lesser man would have killed her by now.
Lets thinkwhere could she have gone? Did she take her passport?
I have no idea, he replied.
No idea.
Thats what annoyed him. She kept repeating everything he said back to him.
Did she give you a hint of where she might go?
She said Europe.
She tapped her fingers against the solid oak of the front desk. Europe.