Katchum nodded. “I agree. At first I had my doubts because of the cost, but the improvements are way overdue. The coffee bar idea Aubrey sent out the other day is a stroke of genius. Not only do we have the potential to draw more staying customers, but passersby as well. The restaurant and bar currently makes up thirty-six percent of our profit. I think the coffee bar will up that number.”
Aubrey barely suppressed gaping like a fish. When had Ralph Katchum done this one eighty? He cuffed Ralph on the back and nodded. “My thoughts exactly.”
Over Smithly’s right shoulder, Matt shook hands with some man Aubrey didn’t know. Did that old man just check Matt out? Or was he looking at Ashley? He definitely held on to Matt’s hand longer than necessary.
Damn it, he was doing it again. He’d been right in reprimanding Matt. He hated that Matt had gotten so upset, but it didn’t change the fact that Matt was in the wrong.
“I hadn’t thought of that. I’d love to see the numbers,” another shareholder added.
Aubrey reined in his wandering thoughts. “I believe the report is going out early next week.” Aubrey made a mental note to check on the latest reports. Boskie was usually on top of them, but with his attitude lately, Aubrey didn’t trust him any farther than he could throw him. Speaking of Boskie… Sipping from his glass, Aubrey glanced around the ballroom. This was the perfect opportunity to corner him and get some answers over his resistance to the renovation proposals. Boskie wouldn’t dare cause a scene here. Where the heck was he? Aubrey sniffed the air covertly.
Tee left the champagne fountain and headed his way, with a procession of male gazes following her progress. He needed to find out how much alcohol she’d had. Holding her liquor was not Tara’s strong point. She’d be flinging off her shoes and pulling down her hair after two glasses.
Catching his gaze, she smiled. She slipped her arm around his and all the talking in his circle ceased. Her red-velvet-encased hip bumped his.
“Gentlemen, you remember Tara?” Aubrey covered her hand where it rested on his arm.
“Miss Brandt, nice to see you again.” Katchum dipped his head.
While all the other men fawned over her and introduced themselves, Aubrey looked around for Orin Boskie again.
Marina Boskie held court in the far corner surrounded by some of the other board members’ wives. The burgundy wallpaper at her back contrasted her perfectly. Her strawberry-blonde hair was piled high, showing off the large diamond earrings and necklace. Marina liked to draw attention to herself. She’d even picked a slinky white satin gown to make sure she’d stand out from the majority of the other women dressed in black. She caught Aubrey looking and lifted her champagne flute in a silent toast.
He smiled and returned the gesture.
“Who’re you looking for?” Tara whispered into his ear, disguising it as a kiss.
He turned toward her and found himself staring right at her mouth. Tee was taller than him, but in high heels it was quite pronounced.
She grinned. “Matt escorted Ashley to the restroom.” Swiveling back to the group, Tara flashed her most radiant smile. “Gentlemen, will you please excuse us? I’m going to steal Aubrey away. I’ve run into an old friend I want to introduce him to.”
Again the group fell all over themselves with graciousness, excusing them both.
“Gentlemen.” Aubrey dipped his head and got Tara moving.
As soon as they were out of earshot, she turned on him. “What in the hell did you say to Matt?”
Aubrey groaned. She’d been giving him the eye every time he caught her gaze. He was actually impressed at her restraint. Normally she’d have read him the riot act in the limo. “I just told him he couldn’t go around announcing his, um, personal preferences.”
“What? You mean that he’s gay?” She narrowed her eyes and her perfectly shaped dark brows drew closer together. “That preference?”
“Shh… Tara…” he warned, looking around to make sure no one heard. As far as he had been able to ascertain he, Matt and Boskie—wherever he was—were the only wolves here, so Aubrey only had to worry about people close to them eavesdropping.
As usual it had no effect on her. “Don’t you
shh, Tara
me. You’re not going to bully him. You hear me? He is gay, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. If he wants people to know, it’s
his
business. Telling him not to tell about you is one thing, telling him to lie about himself is a different story entirely.”
Aubrey stopped, forcing her to come to a halt as well. He brushed a lock of hair back, hoping others would see it as a sign of affection. “Are you finished?” he asked sweetly.
Cutting her eyes to the left and pursing her mouth, she thought about it for a second. “Yes. I think I am.” She smiled at him, showing teeth. Anyone around them would see it as adoration. He saw it for the challenge it was.
“Good. Butt out.” He started them moving again.
Not even the constant buzz of conversation and the orchestra could disguise Tara’s snort.
“Let it go, Tee.” He nodded a greeting to one of the hotel managers. “Hello.”
“Nice to see you again.” Cheerily, Tara waved at the same guy.
The man lifted his glass as he walked by. “You too.”
Once the manager was past she whispered, “Don’t be an ass.”
Aubrey ignored her and set his glass on the tray of a passing waiter. “Where’re we going?” He surveyed the room, looking for Boskie.
“To find Matt and Ashley. I think you should consider apologizing when we do find them.”
“Mr. Reynolds, Miss Brandt?” An event photographer stepped in front of them. “Can I get a picture?”
Aubrey stopped and wrapped his arm around Tara’s waist. “Absolutely.”
Tara leaned into him, posing prettily like she didn’t mind the inconvenience. They were both well accustomed to putting on a public face, and they both despised it.
The photographer clicked a few photos and thanked them.
“You hurt his feelings, you know.” Tara took a drink from her glass.
“Who, the photographer?” Aubrey stopped and kissed the cheek of his father’s old secretary. “Sheila, nice to see you.”
“You too, honey.” She kissed him and blew one at Tara before continuing on her way.
“Hi, Sheila.” Tara waved and puckered her lips. “Don’t make me kick your ass, Bree.”
Aubrey snatched the glass from her and set it on a table as they exited the ballroom. The transition from the smooth hardwood in the ballroom to plush carpet of the hall slowed his pace a little. “You wish.”
“Hey.”
“You’ve had enough.”
“Asshole.”
“Bitch.” Oh Lord, they were ridiculous. Aubrey chuckled and she laid her head on his arm, or maybe she head butted it.
Tara pinched his side. “Come on. You know you don’t like him thinking you’re pissed at him.”
Aubrey groaned. She was right. He needed to go find Matt and see if he could repair the damage he’d done. He still didn’t think Matt needed to be telling everyone he was gay, but admittedly Aubrey could’ve asked nicer. Damn it all, the memory of Matt’s despondent look haunted Aubrey. He should’ve waited until he calmed down some to talk about it. “Fine. Let’s go find Matt.”
“And Ashley.” She chuckled.
He’d forgotten about Ashley. “Yeah, her too.”
“You’re welcome.”
Don’t ask, Aubrey, don’t ask.
“What for?”
“For the boot to the ass.”
He rolled his eyes and shrugged her head off his shoulder, trying not to crack a smile. “Fuck off.”
She laughed harder.
Who would’ve ever thought four years ago when Jarred Brandt asked Aubrey to watch over his barely eighteen-year-old daughter who’d insisted on moving to Atlanta by herself, that Tara would’ve become his best friend?
As they walked past one of the smaller empty ballrooms toward the restrooms at the end of the hall, a weird scent tickled Aubrey’s nose. It was unusual enough that he slowed their pace and turned his head trying to find it. The acrid odor of fear and anger were the two most prevalent scents. There was also a hint of wolf, but that wasn’t the minute scent that caught his attention. A warm, woodsy, intoxicating— Ah shit. “Matt.” The aroma was spiked with anger, but definitely Matt.
“What?”
Aubrey let go of Tee and jogged toward the ballroom at the far end of the hall, past the restrooms. He’d also just found Boskie…and Carson it would seem. “Goddamn it.” Aubrey would’ve never thought Boskie stupid enough to start shit with Carson at a shareholders party. Panic like he’d never known seized him. If Orin Boskie laid so much as a finger on Matt—
“What’s going on?” Tara charged up next to him with her heels in her hand. She grabbed his arm, or tried to—no way was Aubrey stopping until he made sure of Matt’s safety.
His heart raced, and his eyes threatened to shift out of anger.
Matt.
He had to get to Matt.
“Bree, wait.”
Aubrey flung the door open, taking the scene in at a glance.
Matt stood at the far end of the ballroom between Carson, who was clutching his shoulders from behind, and Boskie, who was trying to reach around him to get to Carson.
Matt shoved the older man in the chest, backing him off a bit. “Leave him alone.” Matt sounded more agitated than anything else, thank goodness.
Aubrey rushed forward.
“I told you to get out of the way,” Boskie growled, grabbing a handful of Carson’s hair.
Carson yelped and flung his arms around Matt’s waist, trying to stay behind him.
Matt shoved again. “Back off.”
Boskie released Carson with a hard heave and doubled up his fist.
A red high-heeled shoe whizzed past Aubrey and struck Boskie square in the head. “Don’t you fucking touch him, you son of a bitch,” Tara yelled.
The older wolf didn’t even acknowledge the hit to his skull. His fist connected with the side of Matt’s jaw.
“Boskie!” Aubrey reached the bastard as Matt’s head snapped back from the blow. The smell of Matt’s blood flooded the air, unleashing the control Aubrey had over his wolf instincts. His eyes shifted so swiftly that the transition from color vision to monochrome was seamless.
Throwing Boskie to the ground, Aubrey growled and turned his back to Carson and Matt. He was peripherally aware of Tara running past him, but his focus stayed squarely on the man in front of him. He tried to calm himself, remind himself there was a human who didn’t know about wolves present. He’d never dared a partial shift in public, but he was very close to forgetting his reserve at the moment. Chest heaving, he clenched his hands into fists. Instinct demanded he defend his mate and make the man who’d dare touch him pay.
Boskie backpedaled on the ground like a crab running for the ocean.
The door clicked shut, and Aubrey sensed more than saw Ashley standing with her back against it.
“I can’t believe that butthead hit me.” Matt’s voice cut through Aubrey’s haze of anger. He sounded more shocked and angered than hurt.
Calm, Aubrey. Think. Matt’s fine.
He took a deep breath and stopped stalking Boskie. It was an effort not to shout, but he managed it. “Would you like to explain yourself?”
Tara’s and Matt’s soft voices reached him, but he only concentrated enough to realize they were talking to Carson, checking on him. That did the trick. Aubrey’s eyes turned back to normal, and the restraint he’d been grasping at came into reach. “I’m not going to tell you this again, Orin. So I suggest you listen and listen carefully. If I catch you messing with my EA again, not only will he file a restraining order, but I’ll go right to your wife and the board of directors and let them know what you’ve been up to. Am I understood?”
Boskie stood and held his hands out in a show of nonviolence. “Aubrey, I can explain, I—”
“Do you hear me?” Aubrey arched a brow. “I only want one word from you at the moment.” His heart pounded a mile a minute and he was still pissed, but in control.
“Yeah.” Giving one last glance past Aubrey—at Carson, Aubrey presumed—he nodded. “I got it,” he gritted out between clenched teeth, and without another word he scurried toward the door.
Ashley stepped aside and closed it after he left.
It was like the entire room breathed a sigh of relief. Aubrey wanted to slump to the floor. Not because he was relieved, just the opposite. He’d given Boskie an ultimatum. Something told him the games were only beginning.
“This is your office?” Matt walked around the desk, trailing his shaking hand across the top of it. Facing the angry older wolf hadn’t fazed him, but alone with his mate for the first time since their disagreement, his nerves were on edge. Not only had he displeased Aubrey earlier, now he’d stuck his nose in pack business again. Could this be considered a pack issue? Orin Boskie was a wolf. Carson wasn’t. Oh great, that made it even worse. He’d interfered in a work-related problem. Matt swallowed down the lump in his throat. He should’ve kept walking when he’d heard Carson cry out.
Aubrey came out of the bathroom with a wet cloth in hand. “Yeah, this is my office.” He grabbed Matt’s hand and led him to the cushy leather chair in front of the window. “Sit.”