The Mane Squeeze
Page 58
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Grinning, Ric smiled at Bren. Brendon Shaw. Nice to see you again.
Ulrich.
Did you get the payout from the Board for the territory encroachment and the attack on your sister?
Uh-oh.
Brens eyes grew wide in panic and Mitch asked, Someone attacked Marissa?
Uh
No, Ric answered, probably trying to be helpful. Maybe. Gwen. And Blayne. By the McNelly Pack out of Staten Island. It was a toss-up of who Mitch would go after firstbut he went with Brendon.
My sister was attacked on your territory, and you didnt tell me?
I can explain
My baby sister! Mitch threw his arm around Gwens shoulders and pulled her into his side. So tight, she was positive bones were breaking. The most important woman in my life
Hey! Sissy snapped.
and you dont tell me this?
Ronnie said not to.
Outraged, Ronnie snapped, No you didnt just toss me under the bus!
I was going to call him from the medical center, but you said not to.
Medical center? Mitch glared at Gwen. Why the hell didnt you tell me youd been attacked?
I was too weakyou know, with dying and all.
What?
Im kidding, Mitch. It wasnt a big deal.
Like hell it wasnt! And what exactly did you or Blayne do to start this fight?
Gwen pushed away from her brother. Blayne and I didnt do a goddamn thing! It was an assault!
Yeah. Right. You and Blaynethe innocents. When did that happen? Did hell freeze over, too?
You are an asshole. And you know what else? she hissed Youre getting split ends!
Mitch gasped and stepped back while Sissy shook her head and said, Low blow, Gwenie. Low blow.
Lock leaned in, studying Mitchs hair. Kind of accurate, though.
Eyes narrowed to slits, Mitch scowled at the bear. Lock leaned back, shaking his silver-tipped hair out of his face. Ive never had that problem. It must be genetic. He glanced at Brendon. On your fathers side.
Gwen snorted before quickly covering her mouth, which was around the same time Locks sister, Iona, came out of the kitchen, three children behind her. She stopped and stared at Gwen. Why are you here?
But before Gwen could reply with an adequate lie, Alla burst from the kitchen, her arms wide.
Gwendolyn!
Shocked, Gwen stumbled back, but Lock stood behind her, keeping her from panicking and running. Alla smothered her in a warm hug, the embrace only lasting a few seconds, but Gwen could feel the strength running through Alla and she had toadmitit humbled her.
Hello, Alla.
Youre late, she said with a wink, but thats okay. Gwen smiled at the She-bear, adoring her for eternity in that instant. And who do we have here, dear?
This is Mitch, Brendon, Sissy, and Ronnie.
Nice to meet you. Im Dr. Baranova-MacRyrie.
Doctor? Mitch asked, raising his brows to his sister.
A Ph.D., Gwen happily tossed back, as if shed spend more than two seconds with an actual butcher.
And this is my daughter, Iona, my husband, Brody. You all know my wonderful son Lock, his friend, Ric, and the always-emaciated Judy.
Thats when they all noticed the weak-looking sow sitting at the table.
Glaring at Alla, her mouth briefly twisting in hatred, the too-thin She-bear said, Nice to meet you all.
Im Locks date.
Allas mouth dropped open and Ionas blinked wide in confusion while the silence in the room grew oppressive as everyone waited for Locks response. But he was too busy staring out the window. Then, as if hed suddenly heard her, Lock glanced down at Judy. Since when?
Oh, Lock, she giggled and Gwen thought about strangling the bitch. Im sure Iona told you I was here to be your date.
Not that I remember.
What kind of answer was that? And if she was lying, why wasnt he livid? Gwen was used to men who got livid over not having enough maple syrup for their pancakes, much less some heifer lying about being their date while standing in front of their date for the following day.
Lock shook his head, Im pretty sure Id remember that conversation with my sister.
Oh, my God! Gwen suddenly burst out, startling the bears in the room, which made the rest of the predators nervous. She grabbed Locks arm in order to drag him outside so she could slap some sense into his big bear head, but he didnt actually move when she tugged, pulled, and yanked. He simply kept looking at her with those big, innocent bear eyes.
His mother tapped Locks shoulder. Son, remember when I taught you how to give the smaller, weaker ones the illusion theyre dragging you places? This is one of those times.
Oh. Right. He smiled and let Gwen drag him out to the backyard.
Shes your date?
Lock stared at Gwen, wondering what she was going on about. Why was she here? Why were her brothers here? Why did his mother and Ric seem to know what was going on? When had Judy Bennington lost her mind and started thinking they were dating? And how could Gwen be even prettier than the last time he saw her? Not a spot of makeup, wearing only jeans, a T-shirt, jacket, and sneakersand she easily outshined all the overpaid Judys of the world.
Ulrich.
Did you get the payout from the Board for the territory encroachment and the attack on your sister?
Uh-oh.
Brens eyes grew wide in panic and Mitch asked, Someone attacked Marissa?
Uh
No, Ric answered, probably trying to be helpful. Maybe. Gwen. And Blayne. By the McNelly Pack out of Staten Island. It was a toss-up of who Mitch would go after firstbut he went with Brendon.
My sister was attacked on your territory, and you didnt tell me?
I can explain
My baby sister! Mitch threw his arm around Gwens shoulders and pulled her into his side. So tight, she was positive bones were breaking. The most important woman in my life
Hey! Sissy snapped.
and you dont tell me this?
Ronnie said not to.
Outraged, Ronnie snapped, No you didnt just toss me under the bus!
I was going to call him from the medical center, but you said not to.
Medical center? Mitch glared at Gwen. Why the hell didnt you tell me youd been attacked?
I was too weakyou know, with dying and all.
What?
Im kidding, Mitch. It wasnt a big deal.
Like hell it wasnt! And what exactly did you or Blayne do to start this fight?
Gwen pushed away from her brother. Blayne and I didnt do a goddamn thing! It was an assault!
Yeah. Right. You and Blaynethe innocents. When did that happen? Did hell freeze over, too?
You are an asshole. And you know what else? she hissed Youre getting split ends!
Mitch gasped and stepped back while Sissy shook her head and said, Low blow, Gwenie. Low blow.
Lock leaned in, studying Mitchs hair. Kind of accurate, though.
Eyes narrowed to slits, Mitch scowled at the bear. Lock leaned back, shaking his silver-tipped hair out of his face. Ive never had that problem. It must be genetic. He glanced at Brendon. On your fathers side.
Gwen snorted before quickly covering her mouth, which was around the same time Locks sister, Iona, came out of the kitchen, three children behind her. She stopped and stared at Gwen. Why are you here?
But before Gwen could reply with an adequate lie, Alla burst from the kitchen, her arms wide.
Gwendolyn!
Shocked, Gwen stumbled back, but Lock stood behind her, keeping her from panicking and running. Alla smothered her in a warm hug, the embrace only lasting a few seconds, but Gwen could feel the strength running through Alla and she had toadmitit humbled her.
Hello, Alla.
Youre late, she said with a wink, but thats okay. Gwen smiled at the She-bear, adoring her for eternity in that instant. And who do we have here, dear?
This is Mitch, Brendon, Sissy, and Ronnie.
Nice to meet you. Im Dr. Baranova-MacRyrie.
Doctor? Mitch asked, raising his brows to his sister.
A Ph.D., Gwen happily tossed back, as if shed spend more than two seconds with an actual butcher.
And this is my daughter, Iona, my husband, Brody. You all know my wonderful son Lock, his friend, Ric, and the always-emaciated Judy.
Thats when they all noticed the weak-looking sow sitting at the table.
Glaring at Alla, her mouth briefly twisting in hatred, the too-thin She-bear said, Nice to meet you all.
Im Locks date.
Allas mouth dropped open and Ionas blinked wide in confusion while the silence in the room grew oppressive as everyone waited for Locks response. But he was too busy staring out the window. Then, as if hed suddenly heard her, Lock glanced down at Judy. Since when?
Oh, Lock, she giggled and Gwen thought about strangling the bitch. Im sure Iona told you I was here to be your date.
Not that I remember.
What kind of answer was that? And if she was lying, why wasnt he livid? Gwen was used to men who got livid over not having enough maple syrup for their pancakes, much less some heifer lying about being their date while standing in front of their date for the following day.
Lock shook his head, Im pretty sure Id remember that conversation with my sister.
Oh, my God! Gwen suddenly burst out, startling the bears in the room, which made the rest of the predators nervous. She grabbed Locks arm in order to drag him outside so she could slap some sense into his big bear head, but he didnt actually move when she tugged, pulled, and yanked. He simply kept looking at her with those big, innocent bear eyes.
His mother tapped Locks shoulder. Son, remember when I taught you how to give the smaller, weaker ones the illusion theyre dragging you places? This is one of those times.
Oh. Right. He smiled and let Gwen drag him out to the backyard.
Shes your date?
Lock stared at Gwen, wondering what she was going on about. Why was she here? Why were her brothers here? Why did his mother and Ric seem to know what was going on? When had Judy Bennington lost her mind and started thinking they were dating? And how could Gwen be even prettier than the last time he saw her? Not a spot of makeup, wearing only jeans, a T-shirt, jacket, and sneakersand she easily outshined all the overpaid Judys of the world.
