She scrambled out of the cab, yanking her bag repeatedly when the strap got caught on the door.

“I’m going to tell all of them exactly what I’m thinking!”

“Good.” The wolf easily removed the strap from the car door. She saw him reach back into the cab and hand the driver money.

Angry at the world, Toni headed up the stairs and into her parents’ rental house. But before she could say a word or take a step farther, Kyle ran into the hallway from the library.

“She’s here!” he yelled. “She’s back!”

And like locusts, they descended on her. Her mother. Her siblings. Her father and Cooper tried to stop them, but it was no use.

“You have to do something,” Oriana ordered. “Mom can’t schedule to save her or my life. I’ve already missed three classes today!”

Troy pushed Oriana out of the way. “I need you to arrange a meeting with the head of the math department at Columbia. Aunt Irene called him, but she ended up arguing with the guy.”

“Because he’s an idiot,” Aunt Irene complained from the stairs. “At least whoever I actually spoke to that refused to let me talk to the head of the math department is an idiot. And obviously jealous.”

“Jealous of what?” Troy demanded.

“That I easily raise more money for my department than he does.” Irene came down the stairs, a duffel bag in her hand. “Plus, I have, according to your Uncle Van, amazing legs.”

“Is that why you’re walking all slow and sexy down the stairs?” Cooper teased.

“Yes.” Irene pushed her way through the children and handed Toni the bag. Then she turned her around and pushed her toward the door.

“Wait,” Kyle said. “Where is she going? Why is she leaving? Stop this madness!”

The door closed behind Toni and she could hear the arguing continue as she walked back down the steps and met up with the wolf.

“That went well,” he said.

“I can’t go in there,” she admitted. “I can’t handle them right now.” She looked around. “But I have nowhere to go.” She let out a sigh. “I hate my life.”

“Come on,” Ricky said.

“Where are we going?”

“I’m not exactly sure,” he said, not making the least bit of sense. “But I swear, entertainment seems to follow you around, like a puppy after its momma. So I am along for the ride, darlin’.”

Ricky showed the keys to the doorman and, without question, he sent the pair to the fifteenth floor. Once they arrived, they walked down the hallway to the last apartment. Ricky unlocked the door and together they stepped in.

“Wow.” Toni sighed as she entered and looked around.

“Your apartmentis amazing.”

“This ain’t my apartment.”

Toni stopped, faced him with wide eyes. “Are we doing some illegal Smith thing?”

That made Ricky chuckle. Everybody thought the Smith Pack was always running around doing illegal shit. And, mostly, they were. But that wasn’t how Ricky and his brothers were raised. Their momma didn’t like “the criminal types,” so she made sure that none of her boys were. Too bad she didn’t really convey that attitude to her daughter, too, but Ronnie had cleaned up her act since the Pack had moved to New York and she’d mated with that big-haired lion male.

“No, darlin’, we’re not doing anything illegal. This isn’t my apartment, but I think it’s yours.”

Toni blinked and her back snapped straight. “What? What are you talking about?”

“This is your apartment. You were having a meltdown in the cab when that little full-human handed me the keys and this address.” He held out the sheet of paper the full-human had written the address on. Toni snatched it out of his hand and gawked at it.

“Maybe she was hitting on you,” Toni said desperately. “You’re cute. She was probably trying to lure you to her house so she could hook up with you.”

“Awww. You think I’m cute?”

“Good God, would you focus?”

“No need to blaspheme.”

“I don’t even know what that means.”

“You might as well accept that this beautifully furnished home is yours.”

“Lies!”

Ricky pointed at the two dozen white roses on the long table underneath a mirror. “The card by these flowers has your name on it.”

“What?” She snatched up the card, tore it open, and read out loud, “ ‘Because it’s time you had a place of your own. Ric.’ ”

“See?”

“See?” she repeated back to him, her eyes locking on him. “See? Don’t you understand? This is a nightmare!”

“You know what?” Ricky placed the duffel bag back in Toni’s hand and turned her toward the bedrooms. “Why don’t you go change out of that uncomfortable-looking suit?”

“Why does everyone hate this suit?”

“We don’t. We hate you in that suit. You’re clearly not comfortable.”

“I know. I’m so miserable.”

Ricky gave her a little push. “Go change. I’ll order us some food. Chinese work for you?”

“Whatever.”

Ricky dropped his head in case Toni looked back and saw him laughing.

Such a cute, confusing little thing. But, again, entertaining. Really, truly entertaining.