Chapter 46: Chapter 45

Lanie rd barely woken up when | heard a bang on my door.

Go ds, what was it now?

AHigh Elder coming to check if | was pregnant yet?

Were Xander and Zane about to barge in and ream me out for the whole sidepiece thing with Braden?

“Helloooo, Mindy’s voice called from outside the door. “I’m knocking like you asked!”

Relief washed over me.

Mindy | could handle.

“Come in!” | called back She marched straight in and plopped down on the bed.

“Where the hell did you disappear to yesterday?” she demanded. “I even snuck into the library myself thinking you’d be there.”

My heart swelled.

Even though we were mated off, Mindy was still as loyal as ever.

But then it hit me what she’d said, and | punched her arm.

“What the f u ck?! You could’ve gotten in huge trouble with Maxim and Monroe!”

They were sweet men, but their job was to guard Xander. They’d have no choice but to punish Mindy if they found her prowling around their private quarters. “I told you not to stick your neck out for me like that”

She shrugged.

“Gotta be honest, there’s not a whole lot else for me to do when the boys are on guard duty. This keeps things interesting.

She wiggled her eyebrows, “Speaking of interesting. How’s that mystery boy of yours?”

| opened my mouth to protest the question, but Mindy interrupted before | could get a word out.

“Don’t worry about Maxim and Monroe. They won't find out | know about your secret lover.” She said the last words in a deep.

husky rumble.

| couldn't help but laugh.

“Doesn't matter anyway,” | told her. “They probably already know.”

Mindy’s eyes widened.

“Xander and Zane caught us together yesterday” | winced thinking about it. “I got pi s ed off and told them Braden n was my sidepiece”

“Im sorry, you WHAT? Mindy grabbed my shoulders. “What did they do?!”

| thought back to yesterday, to how Xander had actually backed off..aller he’d threat But still, he could've picked a fight, and he probably would’ve won.

| still wasn’t sure why he hadn't.

“For a second, | was worried they were about to start the second Great Wars, but then they just left,” | told her.

Mindy’s face twisted with confusion.

You and me both, girl.

“Okay, but the real question is what did Braden say?” Mindy asked animatedly.

When Xander and Zane left, Braden had been surprisingly cool about the whole thing.

Atingle of electricity shot through my body when | remembered what Braden had said when they’d left.

I'd be happy to reap the benefits of being your sidepiece.

| hadn't slept with him yet, but that was as open an invitation as you could get. And standing there, his smell wrapped all around me, our skin still touching from when I'd pulled him close to me, | wanted to take him up on the offer.

But then | remembered the mate bond.

Could Xander and Zane tell if we’d slept together?

Did they leave because they totally called my bluff?

“Ummm earth to Lanie.” Mindy waved her hand in front of my face, and | blinked hard, tearing myself away from my thoughts.

“Oh, uhhh...Braden was chill about it, too!

She narrowed her eyes. “Bitc h, we didn’t become friends yesterday. | know there’s more to the story”

| rolled my eyes.

Of course she could see right through that weak-as s answer.

But the truth was, | didn’t know yet how far | wanted to take things with Braden, or even where | stood with Xander and Zane, and until | figured it out, maybe it was best to keep this to myself.

Irested my hand on Mindy’s shoulder and gave her a squeeze.

“Mindy, | appreciate your concern as always, but-

Another knock at the door interrupted me.

This one was much sharper.

“Who is it?” | called.

“It's Gabriela. May we speak?”

Mindy’s eyes flew open wide. “Xander’s mom?” she whisper-shrieked My heart beat wildly Mindy and | scrambled from the bed. | grabbed my black cardigan from a nearby chair and threw it over my nightgown while Mindy ran her fingers through my bedhead.

in,” 1 “Come in tried to say confidently, but my voice shook Ata eautiful woman swept into the room Id seen Gabriela before, but I’d never actually met her She turned to Mindy “Please leave us,” she said with a small nod, and Mindy scurried away without another word I didn’t blame her.

She had the type of commanding presence that made me think do anything she asked me to do, no questions asked.

“You're the girl who’s caused all this trouble?” She looked me up and down before fixing me with a fierce glare. “You and |

need to have a little talk”