Cynthia gave an awkward laugh and looped her arm through his. “I think she’s by the buffet table.”
Sawyer looked at Riley. “It’s good to have you home, even if it’s only for a few days.” Then he and Cynthia walked away.
Tao twirled Riley to face him and snaked his arms around her waist, settling one palm on her ass. “I think we can safely say he’s still a little possessive of you.” It made his wolf want to rip out Sawyer’s throat. “Cynthia was well behaved.”
“Maybe she’s matured some.”
“Maybe.” Tao wasn’t startled by the sound of a throat clearing behind him; he’d already scented her uncle. Tao glanced at him over his shoulder, brow raised.
“I was hoping I could have a dance with my girl before the party ends,” said Max.
Tao’s grip on her ass involuntarily tightened, but he reluctantly released her. Watching Max and Riley on the manmade dance floor, Tao could tell that they’d done this many times before. She laughed as Max spun her one way and then another. Much as he hated being surrounded by strangers, Tao was glad he’d brought Riley here to see her uncles.
“I noticed you’ve marked Riley,” said Ethan, appearing at his side. “You must be a brave guy to take her on.”
Tao’s mouth twitched. “She does like to be a trial.”
“That she does,” Ethan agreed. “I saw you talking to Sawyer. He and Riley were together for a short while, but you don’t need to worry about him. He’s no threat. Riley’s moved on.”
“I know that, but does he?”
“That I don’t know. Sawyer’s a complicated creature. One thing he’s never been good at is sharing. That’s why he doesn’t want a mate—he intends to be Beta and he has no wish to share the power that comes with the role. I think part of the reason he pursued Riley was that he knew she had no interest in power. Their relationship wasn’t serious, but that suited both of them. Suited Sawyer a little too much, so he wasn’t pleased when she ended it. Not pleased at all.”
“What you’re saying is that he doesn’t care for Riley, but—”
“I didn’t say that. He’s known her all his life, after all. I think he cares for her as you would for a flock mate; her safety’s important to him and he’d rather have her back here. But even if he doesn’t still want her, he won’t like seeing her with you. As I said, he doesn’t like to share. If he can cause a rift between you two so that he can, at the very least, have her home, he will.”
“If he has any sense, he won’t try it,” said Tao. Time would tell just how much sense Sawyer had.
It was another half hour or so before the party ended. The entire flock helped tidy the mess, so it didn’t take long. After Riley said a final good night to her uncles and Lucy, she urged Tao in the direction of the parking lot so they could drive to their allocated guest cabin.
They were almost at the lot when they heard footsteps hurrying their way. Turning, they found Cynthia and Shirley striding toward them like women on a mission. Apparently they’d joined forces against Riley. Tao wondered if maybe one had egged on the other.
Glaring at Riley, Shirley began, “You and I . . .” She paused at Tao’s growl and shot him a wary look. “We’d like to speak to Riley.”
Tao planted his feet. “Don’t let me stop you.”
“In private,” Shirley bit out.
“Now, see, if I thought you wanted a pleasant conversation I’d grant you that privacy. But it doesn’t seem to me like either of you has anything pleasant to say to Riley, and that’s a problem for me.”
Cheeks flushed, Cynthia looked at Riley. “Are you going to let him dictate what you do?”
“He’s not dictating what I do,” said Riley. “He’s dictating what you do.”
“This isn’t your business,” Shirley said to him, nostrils flaring.
His wolf snapped his teeth. “Riley’s my business. Unless you’d like to find out what lengths I’d go to in order to protect her, you’ll step away and calm the hell down.”
Cynthia inhaled deeply and took a step back. Shirley followed suit, though she stepped back only slightly.
Riley folded her arms. “Now let’s get this over with. What do you want?”
“It was good that you attended your uncles’ party,” said Shirley. “I might have my issues with you, but I’ve always liked Ethan and Max.”
That was true, Riley knew.
“You said you were only here for the weekend,” continued Shirley, “but most of the flock seems to think you’re back for good. Is that true?”
Riley sighed. “No, it’s not. Maybe there are some who hope they can convince me to stay, but it won’t happen.” Hearing Cynthia let out a relieved breath, Riley turned to her. “I don’t want Sawyer, Cynthia. I’m not here to try to win him back.”
Cynthia’s eyes flared. “You say that as if you have any chance of winning him back. You don’t. You’re no one. Nothing but a dumb little orphan.”
There was the Cynthia that Riley remembered. The Cynthia who had bullied her throughout childhood; the Cynthia who had pulled out a chunk of her hair during a fight; the Cynthia who had once shoved her into the lake, laughing. Not that Riley had ever been an innocent party. She’d retaliated every time.
“I’ve yet to work out what Sawyer ever saw in you,” Cynthia continued. “Fortunately, he no longer sees whatever the hell it was.”
Riley looked her up and down. “Don’t act like you’re better than me, Cynthia. What have you ever done? Besides every guy in the flock, that is. You know, there are names for people like that.”
Cynthia’s body went completely still. “Are you calling me a whore?”
Riley snorted. “No one’s ever going to pay you. Now I know that neither of you wants me here, but there’s nothing you could say that would make me leave. There’s really no point to this.”
“You have no right to be here,” sneered Shirley. “You lost that right when you manipulated my poor boy into—”
Tao stepped in and snapped, “Don’t even start that shit. The shooting was a tragedy that I’m sure has affected the entire flock, and it’s natural that you’d find it hard to accept your son caused it, but he did cause it. You can harp on at Riley all night long, but it won’t change the truth.”