The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates

Chapter Three Hundred Thirteen

TIMMONS

Who the fuck am I kidding?

She’s pregnant with another man’s child! There is no bond! Fuck!

You can stop pacing now, dad. The baby is fine,” Rhodes says, finally getting right up in my face and grasping me by the shoulders to

center my attention.

“What was that, Doc?”

Doc Rhodes smiles knowingly, then hands me a small leather tote with three pill bottles inside. “I said you can stop pacing. You two are doing this all wrong! Has she even been to see a doctor yet?”

“Uh…” I flinch, caught off guard for a moment. “Just you?” Sounds right.

Rhodes shakes his head at me. “You need to take better care of her, Timmons. She shouldn’t be working double shifts. What you’ve got right there in that bag is prenatal vitamins, some folic acid, and an additional iron supplement. It’ll take her a week or so of getting used to, but she needs to be taking one of each every morning. She’s probably going to get sick at first, but it’ll pass.” The Doc pats my shoulder while I remain thoroughly confused. “I know she’s a hard ass, I see her at the diner all the time, busting her butt while that piece of filth, Hugh, chases her around, from one end of the room to the next. Following her into bathrooms and cornering her-”

“Wait! What?” I snap, because now the good doctor has my undivided attention. “Chasing her…what are you saying, Doc? Who’s been chasing her?”

Doc Rhodes sighs heavily. “The owner’s son, Hugh. He’s been running her into the ground almost

week.”

Oh he has, has he?

The Doc shakes his head, and I follow him back to the couch where he begins to unhook her from the monitor. Doc explains, “I’ve seen her there sometimes from five a.m. until four p.m. All the while dodging that lousy pervert while she tried to work. Every other second he’s harassing her about something. If you want my advice, I’d say, she should quit.”

“Hugh,” I repeat. “The owner’s son.” That snaggle toothed little twerp that’s always pouring an ounce of sweat, should he so much as have to lift a finger to give directions? “The manager? Has he been…putting his hands on her?” I manage to bite out through mostly clenched teeth.

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Doc shrugs. “Not as far as I can tell. But he certainly goes after her hard enough. Fortunately, she’s a lot quicker than he is.”

“I see,” I whisper, the tension in my muscles suddenly wound with a hostile intensity. “And is he at the diner until closing?”

The Doc smiles. “I believe so. Yes. But you shouldn’t drag her down there. She needs to rest.”

I suddenly want to take her

the bar.

get her into bed and get her

moment, wondering if he’s truly concerned for Kendall the girl, or if all this is for Kendall the

better care of herself, Timmons. I don’t think she’s been eating enough. I could feel

slide out, wondering what other parts of her he took it upon himself

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signs of trauma, and her art is in

onto my shoulders for yet another ride. She’s still out cold, her dirty blond hair fanned out

rain that is suddenly barreling down. Eyeing the skimpy crop top Kendall is wearing, I growl. “Shit, Doc. You wouldn’t

arms. Goddamn she is light. The Doc may

to ear

get her wet, just not out in the rain.

She’s pregnant, remember?

your life without ever having

But…

sherpa around her a little too comfortably, and a little too tightly. “She’s good, Doc. I got it,” I announce,

front door. “She needs to get better rest, Timmons. Perhaps, given your newest set of circumstances, it’s time.”

circumstances? What circumstances would those be?

time? Time for

I not need, but that I am not particularly deserving of either, he says, “Make an honest woman out of her, Timmons.

in, carrying with it enough rain to wake the sleeping beauty in my arms. I’m about to correct him, my mouth falls open to do just that, but that’s when Kendall’s eyes flutter open and her sad, sleepy gaze finds mine. Suddenly, she is wide awake and coming completely alive in my arms. When she realizes that I’m the one that’s holding her, I feel her start to react. A nervous tremble skates across her body and her hands grip the front of my uniform. Then, it’s as if she suddenly remembers the asshole underneath, and she releases it to fidget with the blanket instead. Her mouth turns down in a sad little

them stealing my breath away.

trying like hell not to picture what I usually see whenever

me,

him. You pushed her

that night intrude on this…on

together for an entire two

a long second, I will the image of Kendall with her legs around Bartlett to wither and die, but the harder I

it, all the more vivid

it off. At least get to the bar and spend the whole evening with her before

feel of Kendall’s cool fingers sliding into the grooves of my shoulders as her hands traipse toward my neck