Golden Bonds

Pushing Buttons

I'm going to be posting twice today because there are some things that need explaining. Hopefully this will clear some things up for you.

Enjoy,

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As I predicted Rikkard came to visit me the next morning. He had come the night before but after enjoying my first bath in fourteen months which I'd dragged out into a two hour soak-with bubbles and oils thanks to Laurel making a quick trip to a salon and spa for supplies. After which she gave me my medication and I was out.

    I'd been reading the copy of Don Quixote she had stashed in her bag. She lent it to me when Bash refused to send me the files on his investigation. My hips were healing well but she wanted me off my feet for a few more days. Which meant I was bored; irritable, isolated and bored.

    When Rikkard arrived I was somewhat relieved. "So what's a deep south Louisianan doing in New Mexico?"

    He laughed. "Oh, I'm not de Silver City Alpha. D'ey are de closest pack so it should'e'been Jackson. Nawlins's is home to my pack, the Crescent City Pack. Bash called in-a favor. We go back s'far as Germany."

    I squinted my eyes at him. Germany? Rikkard was a big, alligator wrestling beast-man who couldn't be older than thirty. "Like, the Green Party?" Straining my mind to think of anything that happened in Germany recently, that was all I could think of.

    The man snorted like a cannon. "Some-tin like dat." He stood wide with his arms crossed in front of him. "So lit'el wolf, Bash's been tryin to keep de attention away from ya. If he'd his way he would-ave kept ya off de radar til he could scoop ya up and ship ya to Colorado."

    It had the reaction he was hoping for, I squirmed. He watched until I turned away from him with pink cheeks. "Don be embarrassed. Tis nice to see dat man wit a few feathers ruffled. There aren't many people in dis world who can get under his skin."

    "I'm not under... I haven't.. it's not." Damn my brain-to-mouth nervous dysfunction and its impeccable timing. "There isn't anything." I took a deep breath. "It's the pack..  I mean Phoenix. The Phoenix pack makes him angry. Not me, well sometimes me. I piss him off.... sometimes, well, most of the time but that's not what's."

    Nothing I said removed the knowing grin from his face before he burst out laughing. "Calm down." He waved his arm towards me. "I don' mean na-tin by it. He's been alone for a long time. He's a pack man, de leader, always has been always will. See-n him want someding for himself is a great deal of fun. Ss-pecially when dat somethin knows just what buttons ta push."

    "I don't push buttons."

    "Oh, yes ya do. Ya push all his buttons." He uncrossed his arms and sat down on the stool. "Those green eyes of yours dat make people think you're look-n into deir souls. When ya tell him what ye're gonna do instead of asking. He told me about try-n to row yerself up to the third floor. Bash expects discipline and orda among his pack. A demand-in litt'el sunbeam who don' take no for an answer is a sure fire way ta get his juices pump-n."

    Blushing, I cursed whatever genetic sequence in my DNA that caused my face to turn into a stop sign. "That's not why I did that."

    "I know." His feet were spread out sitting so low to the ground. It was like seeing a grown man trying to ride a tricycle. "Don mean ya don' strike all de ri't cords."

    Something clicked. "Is that why you're here? Found a few buttons of your own?"

    Rikkard shrugged but the sly grin on his face gave away his amusement. "What's a bit of competition amings'st friends?" He watched my face. "Don' worry. It ain't hard to figure out ye've made up yer mind. Joseph even knows yer goin to Colorado but e's still gonna offer."