Here Comes Trouble (Trouble, Tennessee 0.50)

“Nooooo! Surely not! Are you absolutely certain we’re talking about the same Draegan McCall?” Markie snapped his tongue and his wrist at the same time. “And here I’m just full of disappointment now. I’ve had my eye on Draegan.”

“If you had your sights on Draegan then your disillusioned self deserves to be disappointed.” Harley thrust his arms forward. “Donuts are hot. Pass ‘em around.”

After he flipped the box top and grumbled about the limited choice of glazed-only, Markie turned to Harley and said, “I’m not the one doomed for unhappiness. From what I can tell, your brother here is gonna have a hell of a time if he’s on one side of Ellie and Draegan’s on the other.”

“Let’s cross that bridge when we have to build it. For now, I’d like to listen.” Allister waved the offered donuts away.

Ryan couldn’t help but feel his angst. Draegan was an alpha of all alphas and Allister wasn’t far behind him. The last thing any of them would want was another McCall in Ellie’s bed. “I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. It’s not as if we were sharing Ellie just yesterday. It’s been two years.”

“Believe me,” Allister grumbled. “I know how long it’s been.”

Derek laughed. “I’d say the head with the evidence there has it down to days and hours.”

“You ain’t lying,” Allister said, sniffing and grinning.

Finally he was easing up a little. Maybe by the time Ellie set her sights on him, he’d wear a smile and pitch a few pleasantries, too.

“Wait a second.” Bradley cupped his ear. “What’d he just say?”

Markie took a bite of donut. “They’re talking about when Denny first started abusing her. I would think the lot of you fellas carrying a torch for her would sit up and pay attention.” Markie was the only person Ryan knew who could carry on a conversation with four or five individuals while eavesdropping on a few other discussions at the same time.

Draegan said, “Ellie, you made a crucial mistake when you told your gal pals about the time you spent with some of Crestwood High’s bad boys. I’m two years younger than you and Allister. I was a senior in high school when I heard the story about you, my brother, and the others. And what I heard didn’t come from Allister.

“Even though y’all had been out of high school a couple of years, not everyone had scattered yet. Most of your graduating classmates remained in the area and they were all too happy to spread all sorts of news through the rumor mill.”

She stared at him blankly.

“You know what I’m talking about.”

“Yes.”

Derek pointed at the glass. “Does that look like regret to you? Look at her, Allister. I’ve heard you moan and groan about her guilty conscience until it’s an old newspaper with faded print. Now you have the facts. She does not regret her time with us. Look at her face.”

“Yeah I see her face,” Allister replied tightly, implying he couldn’t see much more than her bruises.

“Shh,” Bradley said. “For once, be quiet. We might learn something.”

Ryan had already learned his lessons where Ellie was concerned. If he had half a second chance, he wouldn’t blow it the next time around.

“Here’s what I think happened.” Draegan dragged his chair around to the other side of the table. The metal footers raked across the concrete floor and Ryan shuddered. It served as a warning.

Draegan had decided to get comfortable, maybe even cozy with Ellie Hunter.

“I don’t know if you remember this or not, but Denny played football with my brother. He and Allister were acquaintances for more than ten years.”

“They were never friends.”

“Agreed. Some of the guys might even argue that Denny was jealous of my brother. I’m sure Denny had trouble swallowing a bitter pill when he found out his girl, the woman he married, had a last fling with the man who had beaten him out of pretty much everything all throughout life.”

“It wasn’t a last fling.”

“How would you describe it?”

“Not as a fling,” she said quietly. “How is Allister?”

Draegan left his perched seat, turned to the glass and smirked.

“Oh boy,” Derek muttered. “This ought to be good.”