Free Protector of the Pride (Lions of Pride Island Book 3) by Terry Bolryder Page A

cut things off?” Cain said. “I can’t see you turning your back on the country.”
    Axel sighed. “I really think she might be my mate. Maybe I just feel it inside.”
    Cain raised an eyebrow and leaned on the desk. “Really? I mean, I felt that about Brenna, but then she was picked for me.”
    “So you never felt that before she was picked?”
    “We were kids when I’d seen her before then. I guess now that you mention it, I did have a crush. Or think there was something important about us. Yeah.” He shrugged. “But how can you tell if that’s just wishful thinking?”
    “You’re both lucky,” Axel said. “You had your mates picked, and they were perfect for you. And they were picked in time. There was a huge gap for me. Long enough for me to question what was happening.”
    “Now that’s not fair. It wasn’t easy for us to win either of our mates, whereas if yours is Lucy, she just fell right into your lap.”
    Well, Lucy hadn’t agreed to fall in his lap yet. She’d only agreed to fake date him.
    “And if she isn’t my mate?” Axel asked.
    “Then that’ll be tragic but just what you signed up for,” Cain said. “Your choice. Of course, you know Beau and I will be here to help you pick up the pieces.”
    “Yeah,” Axel said.
    “All right, well, be safe out there,” he said. “And don’t ride the fire dragon. It’s bumpy and feels like it was made way too long ago.”
    “All right.” Axel chuckled. “I’ll try.” Though, if Lucy wanted to, he was sure he would. He was incapable of saying no to her.
    “And make your disguise good this time. Every time I’ve seen it, it’s been shitty.”
    Axel hmphed. “I’ll make it good. I want to blend in.”
    Cain eyed him. “I’m not sure any of us can blend in. But it should be pretty empty during a school day. Good luck. And, Axel?”
    “Yes?”
    “Try not to fuck things up.”
    Axel contemplated the weirdness of one of his younger brothers saying that after all of the heart attacks they’d given him over the years with their own fuck-ups.
    He guessed things had really changed if he was the one to get that admonition now.
    And it was all thanks to Lucy.

8
    L ucy stifled a smile as she watched Axel get out of the car when they arrived at the amusement park. They parked in VIP parking, and two security guards dressed in casual clothing followed a safe distance back.
    Axel’s disguise sucked.
    Apparently, there was one thing Axel was good at, and that was keeping peace in the country.
    Because he sucked at cooking and sucked at going out in public and wearing disguises.
    Well… there was at least one other thing he was good at doing. She supposed his skills in the bedroom shouldn’t be overlooked.
    But she was almost embarrassed to be with him.
    He was wearing Bermuda shorts and one of those embarrassing, oversized Hawaiian tee shirts, plus sunglasses and a fake beard. Unable to resist, she reached over and jerked off the beard.
    “No,” she said. “Just no.”
    Today she was wearing a cute pink sleeveless tunic that skimmed her curves and led to denim shorts that showed off her curvy legs. Plus, comfortable sandals that gave her a bit of a heel. Axel had eyed her appreciatively when he first saw her.
    He frowned as she dumped the fake beard in the trash. “That was expensive.”
    “And not worth it,” she said. “You might not mind looking like a tramp, but I have to look like your date.”
    He looked down at his clothes. “I was going more for tourist.”
    “Um, no,” she said. “You failed.”
    He shrugged. “I fail a lot with you, yet you still keep me around.”
    “Maybe that’s because you succeed at the things that really matter,” she said, putting a hand in his and leading him toward the admissions counter.
    “Like what?” he asked.
    “I’m not going to shower you with compliments today,” she said. “Your ego’s big enough as it is.” She looked over her shoulder at the guards. “Are they following us