Predator's Serenade Read Online Free Page B

suspicious laugh stung her for some reason. “I’m sorry, Gioia, I have my doubts about the man’s reputation.”
    “I know. And if I see he’s a bad influence, I’ll tell him to back off. No one will hurt my son while I’m alive and kicking.”
    Wes rubbed her shoulders and smiled. “You’d make a good lady bear, Gioia.”
    She stared into the distance, not focusing on anything in particular. “Yeah, well, I’ve given up hope of that ever happening. If it didn’t happen with Paul, it certainly won’t happen with anyone else.”
    Wes grew serious, his brows knit in a frown. “You don’t know that.” He tucked a stray hair behind her ear, letting his fingers graze her lobe. “It could still happen, you know. With the right man.”
    Oh, ick! She shook her head, effectively removing Wes’ fingers from her ear. She’d been trying to convince herself she was wrong, but she was pretty sure Paul’s cousin was coming on to her. He’d already made a few comments that felt distinctly non-familial, but she’d managed to change the subject every time he did. Wes had only ever been a friend, Paul’s good friend. She just didn’t see him in a romantic light.
    He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Have dinner with me tonight.”
    What the…
    “Come on,” Wes teased with a shrug. “Nothing wrong with keeping it in the family.”
    “Oh, Wes. Not you too?” Had the whole world eaten a loco pill? Ever since Paul’s death, men had been acting strangely around her. It seemed she was always fending off bizarre advances, often from men she didn’t know. She didn’t have the energy to deal with it. No. Her son was the priority and always would be.
    As Gioia swallowed yet another prickly lump of emotion, she heard shuffling on the walkway. She looked toward the sound and saw Ryland returning with Soren.
    The percussionist spotted her and Wes. His gaze lingered where Wes’ hand touched her shoulder, and then he looked at her. A crazed fury emanated from him as his gaze darted quickly between her face and Wes. Soren’s gorgeous lips twisted, his face turned scarlet, and he breathed so hard she feared he might explode into a puff of smoke like on a cartoon. When his left eye twitched, Gioia really started to wonder. Seriously, what the…
    Ryland looked between the three of them, He paled, and Gioia saw him mouth the words, “Steady, bro.” He grabbed at Soren’s elbow, but the fair-haired brother charged toward her and her kinsman, his hair flying in the breeze created by his speed.
    What was wrong with him?
    “Soren,” she began in a tentative tone, feeling she needed to placate him for some strange reason.
    He stopped short in front of them, his gaze narrowed on Wes as if the other man were a poisonous viper wrapped around her. He addressed her in a cracking voice. “Gioia. Who’s your… friend ?”
    Ryland rushed over with the intensity of one who knew he was about to break up a fight. And Wes, being a bear shifter and just as territorial as any other, stood and took up a spot in front of Gioia in Soren’s way.
    Uh oh . She didn’t know what was going on here, but it was in no way good.
    She looked around Wes’ big body and whispered to Ryland, “Is he having a fit?”
    Soren’s eyes bugged out. “No, I am not having a fit!” And then he stomped around in a circle, pounding the pavement so hard pebbles flew, clearly having a fit.
    Wes put out a hand. “Look, man, I don’t know what your issue is, but you can take it away from the lady.”
    Soren stopped pacing, stood still, and offered Wes a withering glare fashioned of icicles and death. “And you can f—”
    “Soren,” Ryland said as he jumped in and pushed his brother back. “Didn’t you need to unpack? Like, now?” He gritted his teeth and stood his ground.
    The blond volcano stared at him and then at Gioia and then back at Ryland. He looked just about ready to vomit. As he gagged, her gaze was drawn toward his torso. His fitted