Craving Her (Keeping Her Series Book 4) by Kelly Lucille

issues with her honesty.  Whatever.
    Again the frozen
silence.  “Hellooo?  Let me guess, you’re back in fantasyland where you have a
say in how I act?”
    “We will speak again.” 
This time the bite was more hot than cold, and then turned almost smug.  “Your
mother sends her regards.”
    Then with the blood
draining from her face, and her eyes turning to her father’s, the arrogant
fucker hung up in her ear.
    “Did he say ‘your mother’?”
Shawn asked, his eyes going from her to her father and back again, while Cleo’s
were glued on her dad.
    “That’s exactly what he
said,” Cleo answered, her voice so cold every single eye in the room turned to
watch her.  No one said predators didn’t have good instincts.
    My mother sends her
regards?  Motherfucker!

CHAPTER
EIGHT
     
    To say she was unhappy to
hear her mother was involved in this mess was an understatement.  But from the
look on her dad’s face, he was suppressing a whole lot more rage than Cleo. 
When Lucas Gibb was ordered to choose between his children or his pride he left
without a backward glance.  The mother of his children, a full pride female
used to a certain type of life, refused to have anything to do with him and cut
all ties.  To insure she did the same with the children she had thought to
barter off for breeding, he threw more money at her than she could get in a
mate price for either of them.  Apparently that worked just fine for her
because she made the deal.  Cleo had met the woman one time in passing.  She
had her father’s eyes, but she could see a great deal of herself in that
haughty, high cheek-boned face and long, thin figure.  The other thing she saw
was curiosity, and then dismissal.  To a preteen learning how to be a woman
among men, that moment of slow recognition and dismissal was devastating.
    It was not until she met
Miley the first time that she saw how mothers should be.  The last thing she
wanted to deal with on top of Shawn’s rejection was her mother back in the
mix.  Especially considering she had no legal right even in shifter circles to
barter Cleo off for mating.  She had given that up legally years ago.  Yet,
from the few words Gerent had spouted, it seemed likely he had some financial
agreement with her mother that made him think he could kidnap and force a
mating claim on Cleo.  Awesome.  Thanks again, mom.
    After the third time she
flinched at the sound of the word being bandied about, Miley spoke up, her eyes
solely for Cleo.  Her hand in her mate’s much larger one, she was leaning
against his side in silent support, but her eyes were all for Cleo.
    “How about from now on we
call her by her name, and leave out the labels she never earned.”  Miley’s
voice had everyone pausing in their different discussions, and everyone looked
at Cleo and then away. 
    All but Shawn, who had
moved close enough that she could feel him behind and to the side of her – a stalwart
rock to lean on.  His eyes had never left her.  If only it wasn’t all a lie, it
might be comforting.  As it was, all it did was piss her off and want him out
of her space.  Immediately.
    To make that happen she
moved back to the kitchen and the opened bottle of wine.  It would take
something a whole lot stronger to help in this situation, but at least she had
something to do with her hands, other than strangle someone, or fondle her
guns, which might send the wrong message.
    “Anyone else want a
glass?” she asked, holding up the wine bottle. 
    Logan moved over to take
the stool across from her.  “Got any beer left?” 
    She turned and pulled a
few from the fridge, passing him one and leaving a couple on the island for
anyone else who might want one.  Logan pulled off the bottle cap and tapped his
long neck against her wine glass gently.  His eyes on hers were serious and
understanding enough that she knew he was letting her know she wasn’t alone,
and that he understood how hard this was for her.