Page 7 of The Enforcers: NOAH

And it felt like someone had stabbed him in the heart. Of course she was married. Why wouldn’t she be?

And why should he care?

The woman gave the boy another neck chomp and a kiss, and said, “But what are you doing here, sweetheart?”

“Daddy bringed me,” he said, leaning his cheek on his mother’s shoulder.

“I figured, baby, but I thought Daddy was bringing you to the house just before supper.”

A man’s voice broke in.

“Oh, so now you don’t want him? You beg the judge for more time, but you complain when I bring him early.”

A guy in his early thirties tromped into Noah’s line of sight, scowling. He was about six foot, blond and scrawny and pissy-looking, like he was forever trying to figure out why the world hadn’t given him everything it owed him yet. Noah hated him on sight.

“I’m not complaining, Robbie,” the woman said, in a tone that said she was used to placating this loser. “I love spending time with my munchkin. I was just surprised, is all.”

“I bet,” he said. “You love surprises, don’t you? Were you trying to surprise me by stalking my house last night?”

Shit, Noah thought. Robbie. She’d called this loser last night to keep him from finding Noah, and now she was paying for his stupidity. He felt like dirt.

She dropped her eyes. “I was going out to do some nighttime observation and just happened to pass by the house. I saw Janine’s car there, and your truck was gone. You know I don’t think she’s an appropriate babysitter.”

“She does a better job than you,” the man sneered. “At least she hasn’t been in a rubber room.”

Noah saw Mina’s hands clench convulsively, and the little boy started to wiggle uncomfortably. She put him down, still not looking at her husband. Or ex-husband, it seemed.

Noah felt a growl starting in his chest. If this douche was any kind of a man, he’d be taking care of his mate and his child, not intimidating her and berating her.

The man pressed his advantage, moving in on Mina’s personal space.

“I know what kind of ‘nighttime observation’ you’re doing,” he said. “You’re fucking stalking me, and you need to stop. Because I can’t be responsible for what will happen if you don’t.”

Mina backed up a step, but he followed her, still up in her face. “Don’t go past my house. Don’t look in my windows. Don’t go in my goddamn woods, and stop trying to pretend I’m doing something illegal. All you’re doing is making yourself look bad to the judge.”

“Well, you should be happy about that,” she hissed. “I don’t even know why you’re fighting with me. You spent four years not giving a crap—”

She broke off, glancing at the little boy, who was watching them wide-eyed.

“I don’t know why you suddenly care about things you never cared about before,” she said.

“But if you think I’m going to let you get away with illegal trapping—”

He moved in on her again, and Noah growled. He was on his feet at the front of the cage, wishing to hell he could get out and rip this asshole’s throat out. Or at least beat the shit out of him.

The asshole broke off and stared at him, his face draining of color. “Holy fuck, you brought the wolf back here,” he said. “You took the trap.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said.

He shook his head. “You stupid bitch,” he said. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

“I saved an animal that some sonovabrisket poacher maimed. That’s what I did,” she said. “And you need to leave now.”

Robbie looked from her to Noah and back again, running his hand through his hair like he wasn’t sure what to do.

“Now, Robbie,” she said. “I’ll have Brock ready in the morning when you come to pick him up.”

Robbie looked at Noah again, and Noah lifted his lip and growled.