With Abandon: With or Without, Book 4
photographer clicked a few photos and thanked them.
“You hurt his feelings, you know.” Tara took a drink from her glass.
“Who, the photographer?” Aubrey stopped and kissed the cheek of his father’s old secretary. “Sheila,
nice to see you.”
“You too, honey.” She kissed him and blew one at Tara before continuing on her way.
“Hi, Sheila.” Tara waved and puckered her lips. “Don’t make me kick your ass, Bree.”
Aubrey snatched the glass from her and set it on a table as they exited the ballroom. The transition
from the smooth hardwood in the ballroom to plush carpet of the hall slowed his pace a little. “You wish.”
“Hey.”
“You’ve had enough.”
“Asshole.”
“Bitch.” Oh Lord, they were ridiculous. Aubrey chuckled and she laid her head on his arm, or maybe
she head butted it.
Tara pinched his side. “Come on. You know you don’t like him thinking you’re pissed at him.”
Aubrey groaned. She was right. He needed to go find Matt and see if he could repair the damage he’d
done. He still didn’t think Matt needed to be telling everyone he was gay, but admittedly Aubrey could’ve asked nicer. Damn it all, the memory of Matt’s despondent look haunted Aubrey. He should’ve waited until he calmed down some to talk about it. “Fine. Let’s go find Matt.”
“And Ashley.” She chuckled.
He’d forgotten about Ashley. “Yeah, her too.”
“You’re welcome.”
Don’t ask, Aubrey, don’t ask. “What for?”
“For the boot to the ass.”
He rolled his eyes and shrugged her head off his shoulder, trying not to crack a smile. “Fuck off.”
She laughed harder.
Who would’ve ever thought four years ago when Jarred Brandt asked Aubrey to watch over his barely
eighteen-year-old daughter who’d insisted on moving to Atlanta by herself, that Tara would’ve become his best friend?
As they walked past one of the smaller empty ballrooms toward the restrooms at the end of the hall, a
weird scent tickled Aubrey’s nose. It was unusual enough that he slowed their pace and turned his head
trying to find it. The acrid odor of fear and anger were the two most prevalent scents. There was also a hint of wolf, but that wasn’t the minute scent that caught his attention. A warm, woodsy, intoxicating— Ah shit.
“Matt.” The aroma was spiked with anger, but definitely Matt.
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“What?”
Aubrey let go of Tee and jogged toward the ballroom at the far end of the hall, past the restrooms.
He’d also just found Boskie…and Carson it would seem. “Goddamn it.” Aubrey would’ve never thought
Boskie stupid enough to start shit with Carson at a shareholders party. Panic like he’d never known seized him. If Orin Boskie laid so much as a finger on Matt—
“What’s going on?” Tara charged up next to him with her heels in her hand. She grabbed his arm, or
tried to—no way was Aubrey stopping until he made sure of Matt’s safety.
His heart raced, and his eyes threatened to shift out of anger. Matt. He had to get to Matt.
“Bree, wait.”
Aubrey flung the door open, taking the scene in at a glance.
Matt stood at the far end of the ballroom between Carson, who was clutching his shoulders from
behind, and Boskie, who was trying to reach around him to get to Carson.
Matt shoved the older man in the chest, backing him off a bit. “Leave him alone.” Matt sounded more
agitated than anything else, thank goodness.
Aubrey rushed forward.
“I told you to get out of the way,” Boskie growled, grabbing a handful of Carson’s hair.
Carson yelped and flung his arms around Matt’s waist, trying to stay behind him.
Matt shoved again. “Back off.”
Boskie released Carson with a hard heave and doubled up his fist.
A red high-heeled shoe whizzed past Aubrey and struck Boskie square in the head. “Don’t you
fucking touch him, you son of a bitch,” Tara yelled.
The older wolf didn’t even acknowledge the hit to his skull. His fist connected with the side of Matt’s jaw.
“Boskie!” Aubrey reached the bastard as Matt’s head snapped back from the blow. The smell of
Matt’s blood flooded the air, unleashing the control Aubrey had over his wolf instincts. His eyes shifted so swiftly that the transition from color vision to monochrome was seamless.
Throwing Boskie to the ground, Aubrey growled and turned his back to Carson and Matt. He was
peripherally aware of Tara running past him, but his
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