Free Opal (Rare Gems Series Book 4) by Kathi S. Barton Page B

pretty things in too. I just…shit, I don’t know what to do.”
    A building? Seemed strange even to him, and Rufus knew shit about women. He could lay with one just fine. He’d never had any complaints, but to have one that you wanted to buy shit for? He’d be just as lost. But to turn down a building? He tried to think what to say when Sloan tensed up.
    “ What is it?”
    Sloan nodded to the ir left, and there were five or six big wolves just standing there. Each of them were a little bit bigger than the next one, and he’d bet his life that the big dark one was this Blair. Rufus had heard nothing but great things about the alpha. Didn’t mean he trusted the big wolf, but he did have a better liking for him.
    “ My new family.” As they skirted their way around the buildings toward them, Rufus had a moment of panic. He hated wolves almost as much as he did most humans. This particular group hadn’t done a damned thing to him, but he was still a mite on the feared side of them. The biggest one moved into the closest building and came out pulling a shirt over his head. He’d been right as snow about it: the big one was Blair. The others moved in one at a time and did the same thing.
    “ Rufus, this is my brother-in-law, Blair Henson. His mate is expecting their first child any day now. She’s sister to my mate.” Rufus took his hand when it was offered and felt the connection like he’d drunk from him. He looked at Sloan. “I don’t know why that happens either, so don’t ask me. When you meet Quentin and the others, you’ll get a better understanding as to why I want to bring these men in. I think it has to do with them killing off Ballard and getting his magic.”
    He shook hands with all the men that had come with Henson, including the older man, Allen. He thought he knew the man, but he had a hard time remembering shit lately and thought it was his lack of proper rest. When Henson suggested they take over for now, he nodded. Rufus had no idea, but he thought these men were about as trustworthy as Sloan was, and that man he’d do just about anything for.
    When he got to his lair, he settled into the bed and closed his eyes. But he heard something right outside his door and tensed. It took him several seconds to realize it was the missus of the house and go to the door. He was glad then that he’d pulled on a pair of his pants. Usually if you came calling for him when the sun was up, you got what you got. She was standing there looking like she was well out of her element. If she was gonna ask him something to do with Sloan, he might well be too.
    “ I was wondering if you could answer two questions for me. Not counting that one.” He frowned. She’d asked him a question? “I don’t know how to make my fangs go back. Can you show me?”
    Rufus looked at his bed , then back at Opal. He really wanted to like this kid, and there was a time or two when he and Sloan would have shared, but he knew better than to even touch her. Instead he told her he’d meet her in the parlor and turned to get dressed again.
    “ Damned women folk.” But he was right proud she’d asked him.
    ~~~
    Fletcher knew he was being watched. He even had an idea who was doing the watching, but what he didn’t expect—and it still surprised him when he thought about it—was that Henson was out there. He had a feeling that he was simply waiting for a mistake, and when Henson found it, Fletcher was as good as dead. And there was no fucking way he was going to let that bastard take him.
    “ What do you suppose he’s looking for? Do you suppose that he thinks I’m going to go out there and just say, ‘here I am, kill me now’? Moron.” No one answered him, as those in the room with him were all dead. Hell, he figured if he were to go around the house and look, he’d find dead bodies everywhere. He’d gone on a spree last night and now…he looked around the room. This was not what he wanted to see when he’d gotten up this