Read Online McQuade: The Lone Wolf Takes A Mate by Lynn Richards - Free Book Online

whole new light. For Rose, the bar incident had put a wall up between them and she didn’t know if she could overcome it. Alice’s thoughtless actions had put Rose in serious danger. She could have been raped, kidnapped or worse.
    Of course, if Alice hadn’t stayed true to her selfish prima dona persona, then Rose would never have met McQuade. Was it possible to fall in love with someone after only one day? She knew falling instantly in lust was possible. Maybe that’s what she was feeling—a good old-fashioned case of horniness.
    “What do you want, Alice?” Rose was tired. And hungry. She thought of her empty refrigerator and cabinets. She hadn’t been to the grocery store in over a week. Not that she’d be able to afford much now with the expense of her flat tire, but a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread would see her through the week. Thankfully , she received a huge discount on food in the hospital cafeteria so she’d have some hot meals. And she had the left over pizza from last night. The man had not only rescued her, but for all intents and purposes bought her two meals.
    “I need you to give me some money.”
    “No.” Rose was amazed at how goo d it felt to tell her sister no. Before this past weekend, she would have immediately thought of ways to rearrange her finances in order to loan Alice the money she needed. But not now.
    “Come on, Rosie . I really need it.”
    Rose wasn’t going to let the sad pout get to her. Not ever again. “Just like you needed me to come get you last Friday night?”
    Her s ister didn’t even pretend to look ashamed or apologetic. “I got a ride home before you got there.”
    “You could have called me , Alice. The bar was filled with shifters. Not pleasant ones.”
    “ Duh. That’s why I was there.”
    Rose groaned. When had her sister become a shifter groupie? And where could she sign up to be McQuade’s? “I don’t have any money, Alice. I had a flat coming to get you and I can’t even afford a new tire right now. I’m taking the bus to work and walking home.”
    “I know you have money , Rose. What could you possibly be spending it on? You’re a registered nurse and you live in this crummy little apartment. You must have a stash. Now be a good little sister and give me some.”
    Alice’s face lost some of it s beauty. This was the face of the teenager who had terrorized Rose. The sister who hadn’t cared what happened to her younger sister when their parents had died. Not the pretty, loving countenance of the daughter whose parents thought she could do no wrong.
    “Absolutely not.” Any lingering guilt Rose felt about not helping Alice again dissipated at her sister’s selfishness. Rose was tired of being the good sister, tired of being the good girl. What would have happened if she’d invited McQuade to stay last night? Would he have taken her up on her offer of thanks? Thrown her on her bed and taken her hard and fast?
    “ Well, if you don’t have any cash, then give me your necklace. I can pawn it for a few bucks.”
    It was mindboggling to Rose that Alice could stand there and make such bold requests. “No, Alice. The necklace is mine.” Alice had been pestering Rose for the piece of jewelry for several years. Each of them had received a gold necklace on their eighteenth birthday. It wasn’t of much value even though it did have a long, fourteen-caret chain. The pendant was a small, facet-cut prism of color. Alice, of course, had sold hers just before their parents passed away. Thankfully, they had never found out.
    “You ’re being selfish, Rose. You’ve always been selfish. If you gave half a thought to me at all, you’d have stayed in my apartment with me and I wouldn’t be in this fix.”
    Yes, Rose thought silently , because I would have been paying all the bills. She had gotten herself out of the situation as quickly as possible. As it was, she was still paying Alice’s phone bills because it was less expensive than getting