Page 37 of Brock’s Mate

Desi narrowed her eyes. That spidey-sense—or wolfy sense—said he was telling the truth. Just maybe not much of the truth.

“Brock didn’t mention you staying here,” she said.

DB cocked his head. “Um. He doesn’t actually know about it?” Desi waited. DB sighed. “Are you going to rat me out?”

Desi studied him. She recognized the tough stance, the look on his face. She’d seen it so many times—many of them in the mirror.

Runaway kid.

She put the knife down and asked casually, “Did you take off from home for good? Or do you just leave now and then, when wherever you’re living is a bad place to be?”

He didn’t answer. She hadn’t really expected him to. Desi added, “I was about your age when I ran away from the people I was living with. I’ve been on my own ever since.”

That brought his eyes back to her face, and he narrowed them as if trying to get a read on her. Maybe using his own spidey-sense. Then he nodded. “Sometimes where I live isn’t a good place to be. They… want me to do things I don’t want to do. But I’m good at escaping.”

Desi suppressed a shiver. It was almost like hearing an echo of her own voice. She wondered what the ‘things’ were that they wanted him to do. But she knew better than to ask. He wouldn’t say.

“Been there,” she said. “Do you really think Brock would be mad if he knew you were staying here?”

DB shrugged. “Brock’s okay.” She sensed that was high praise. “It’s only, sometimes it’s better if people don’t know too much. Especially if you’re a kid. They all think they know what’s best for you.”

“News flash—they still think it, even after you grow up.”

“Well, that sucks.” He gazed at her speculatively. “So are you going to rat me out?”

“Is that stuff really yours?”

“Yeah.”

She could hear the truth in his voice. “Then I have no reason to.”

He nodded. “Cool.”

Desi said, “So can I ask you something?”

DB shrugged.

“Aside from not telling Brock you stay here—do you trust him?”

He tilted his head, and she could almost see the gears turning in his mind, wondering what her deal was. Finally he said, “Don’t you?”

“I don’t really know him. I’m having some shifter issues, and he said he could help me.”

“Oh. Then yeah. Brock’s good with shifter issues. Like, a genius. If he says he’ll help you, he will.”

She nodded. Good to know. “So then I guess the next question is, what’s he going to want in return?”

DB said, “Nothing, probably. Jaeda says he’s too nice—he gets burned way too often.”

“Who’s Jaeda?” See, Brock probably did have a girlfriend. Or a wife.

“She’s in our crew—she’s mated to Remy.” Ah. One of the Asshole Twins. DB went on, “Jaeda and Brock have been friends for like, ever. Since they were kids.” He tilted his head, considering. “You should give Brock something, for helping you. If you can. Jaeda says Brock is always giving, but he’s not good at accepting stuff from other people. Even love. It’s why his wolf is messed up.”

Before she could ask any more questions, he changed the subject in true kid-like fashion. “Want to see a trick?”

Why the hell not? He probably didn’t get any attention at home. “Sure.”

DB grinned. “I just made it up.”