A Prideful Mate by Amber Kell Page A

held up his journal. “This was my grandmother’s. I’m slowly going through her baking book. I’m up to brownies. I baked brownies yesterday but this is a different recipe.”
    “I somehow doubt anyone would care if you baked brownies two days in a row.” Who didn’t like a brownie?
    “You think?” Those green eyes looked up at him.
    Payce nodded.
    Adrian went back to his book. “You’re probably right. As long as it contains chocolate they don’t seem to care. They’re gonna freak when I get to lemon bars and orange cake.” Like a magician, the smaller man started pulling bowls, ingredients and baking pans from concealed cabinets.
    Watching Adrian crack eggs and melt chocolate was relaxing. Payce wasn’t prepared when the interrogation began.
    “You don’t have any idea who is after you?”
    “Um, no.” Payce sat up straighter on his stool.
    “No threats, no suspicious lurkers.”
    Payce shook his head. “Nope. There were a few incidents on the job site, but nothing I couldn’t brush off as an accidentuntil they blew up my car.”
    “Hmm.” Eggs were blended into chocolate before the next question. “Anyone at the scene all of those time?”
    “Sure the entire crew. We’re all working on the same building.”
    “True.”
    Adrian was quiet for a while, but Payce was learning that just meant the wolf was thinking, not that he’d given up the idea.
    “What about your foreman?”
    “I’d peg him for some of the worksite accidents, but I don’t think he’s smart enough to figure out how to blow up my truck.”
    “Well, don’t worry too much. Kevin and Talan will figure out who’s doing it and take care of it.”
    “Not you?”
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    Adrian laughed. “No, I’m more of a pacifist. If they came to the house, I’d take care of them.”
    The look in Adrian’s eyes told Payce he was looking at the scariest pacifist he’d ever met.
    “There you are, darlin’.” Kevin’s voice was a welcome relief.
    “Payce and I were getting to know each other,” Adrian said in a soft voice.
    “Great. You two can bond over bein’ inferior in a super lion world.” Payce looked at Kevin to see what he was up to. There was a teasing light in his mate’s eyes as he watched Adrian.
    Adrian stirred his batter as he responded. “Now, Kevin, you know we only let you live because you’re too pretty to kill. Don’t make me damage your one talent.”
    “Ouch, Sugar. I think you have sharper claws than any cat.”
    “Are you picking on my mate?” a deep voice asked from the doorway.
    Kevin’s eyes went wide; Payce turned around. Shit, that was the biggest fucking lion shifter he’d ever seen. Neither Kevin nor Payce was small, but the man standing in the doorway made him feel as small as Kevin’s children.
    Kevin got to his feet, motioning for Payce to follow his cue.
    “Talan, this is Payce, my mate. Payce, this is our alpha, Talan.”
    “And Adrian’s mate,” the large alpha reminded him.
    “And Adrian’s mate,” Kevin dutifully parroted.
    Payce heard a low snicker behind him and knew Adrian was enjoying his mate’s grand entrance.
    “I hope you’re making a double batch of those brownies,” Talan said. The look of total adoration he gave Adrian made Payce’s nervousness disappear. No one who looked at his mate with such love could be a completely bad guy.
    “I quadrupled the batch; the woman went hunting.”
    “Lord, you’d best have those done when they get back,” Kevin said, his drawl slow and easy, relaxing Payce more than any words of reassurance could.
    “And be out of the kitchen,” Talan added. “They almost trampled you last time.” Adrian popped the brownies into a couple of ovens and set a timer. “I’m sure you can think of something to keep me busy for the next forty-five minutes.” A PRIDEFUL MATE
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    Talan’s gold eyes flared. Without a word to Payce or Kevin, he marched over, threw Adrian over his shoulder and walked