(Mis)fortune

At first, I couldn’t bring myself to let the boys out of my sight. Nana, Jim, and Emmitt all took turns talking to me, saying what I already understood. Nothing had changed except that we now knew how Richard had died. Though I knew they were right, it didn’t ease my fears. Liam and Aden, clueless about what I’d witnessed, didn’t understand my sudden smothering presence and started to rebel.

Reluctantly, I gave Liam and Aden a bit of much needed distance, but my concession didn’t change my nights. The slightest noise would bring me out of a doze, and panic would set in much like our first night there. So the week passed slowly, and within a few days, my head ached from poor sleep and constant worry.

Each day the concern in Emmitt’s watchful gaze grew. Thursday night after dinner, he pulled me aside.

“I’ll sleep on the couch after the boys go to bed.”

He didn’t ask, and I didn’t try to tell him no. I hoped having him there would help me sleep through the night.

When an ominous rumbling of thunder woke me Friday morning, I had mixed feelings. Liam and Aden would need to stay inside, but I’d forced too much inside time already this week. Today, they would mutiny for sure.

I heard a creak in the hall outside my door then the rapid patter of feet. Worried, I flew from bed, making it to my door just in time to look down the hall and see the boys disappear out of the apartment. Calling their names, I raced after them.

As I reached the end of the hall, Emmitt stepped into my path. He caught me in his arms and spun us, absorbing my momentum. It didn’t prevent my nose from connecting with his sternum with enough force that my eyes watered.

“Ow!” I squinted up at him.

“I’m sorry.” A tender look crept into his gaze as he studied me.

My breath caught as he slowly lowered his head. Was he really going to kiss me? I hadn’t even brushed my teeth! I closed my eyes. My heart started to beat erratically, and I couldn’t control my breathing. Then, his lips touched the tip of my nose. My eyes flew open.

“I wouldn’t have stepped in front of you if I’d known you’d get hurt.” He reached up and gently pushed back a strand of my hair that had fallen forward during our collision.

“Uh. It’s okay.” My thoughts jumbled together. “Just a minute.” Instead of continuing my chase, I pivoted on my heel and fled to the bathroom.

I rejoined him a minute later, minty fresh and with untangled hair. He stood at the stove, watching the pan on the burner until he heard me approach.

“How are you feeling?”

I tried not to stare at his chest as he spoke. Smacking myself against it, though painful to my nose, had been wonderful for the rest of me.

“Fine,” I said. “No permanent damage.”

He gave me an odd look but said nothing. Instead, he handed me a plate with a single egg and toast. After a few home-cooked breakfasts, he’d caught onto my portion size.

With the second bite in my mouth, I realized he hadn’t been asking about my nose but about how I felt in general. My fears revolving around Blake had abated with some decent sleep, but thanks to the platonic kiss on the nose, I was confused again. I took a drink of the juice he’d set before me, calmed myself with a slow breath, then asked the big question.

“What are we?”

He paused mid-chew to look at me, just like he had in the diner. It made me smile. He swallowed and tilted his head.

“I’m not sure I understand the question.”

Of course not. I needed a morning blush to start the day off right.

Frustrated, I stood.

“I get this.” I leaned forward and planted a light kiss on his nose, surprising him.

“And I get this.” I moved close to his neck, inhaled his scent, and trailed my nose against his skin as he’d done several times to me.

“And I’m told…” His skin suddenly rippled beneath my touch, and I pulled back.

His eyes glittered as he struggled for control.

“I’m sorry,” I said, stepping away.

He followed me, moving fluidly from his stool. His calm, midnight eyes tracked every move I made.

“Don’t be. I’m fine. Finish your question.” His voice was rough and intense, and it made my heart drop into my stomach.

Holding my ground, I let him crowd me. Better to leave room to turn and run than to be backed against a wall. Not that I thought I’d need to run from Emmitt, but it never hurt to leave options open.

He didn’t stop moving until he was a hand’s width away from me. I struggled to maintain eye contact. I knew what I’d done to him, and I really wanted to touch him again. But I couldn’t. Not until I understood how he saw us.

“I, uh, was just going to say that…um.” I cleared my throat. “You said I’m yours and that biting equals an engagement. But I don’t understand where that leaves us now. What are we?”

“As you asked, we are friends,” he said.

I felt a brief stab of disappointment. Then, he leaned in again. He didn’t inhale or use his nose this time. He dropped his mouth to my neck. It wasn’t a kiss exactly, just a brush of his lips that blazed a path on my sensitive skin. I couldn’t help myself; I lightly rested my hands against his chest and leaned into the feeling as I struggled to focus.

“But, I hope we are friends who are working their way to dating.”

It took a moment for his words to register. Ah. That’s right. His dinner invitation.

“I’m not good at being friends,” he said softly, breaking contact but not pulling back. My hammering heart appreciated the move, but my tingling skin felt bereft. “I struggle with the boundaries of friendship.”

It was good to know I wasn’t the only one struggling. I swallowed and dropped my hands.

“What boundaries?” As soon as I said it, I knew the answer because something in his gaze told me he wanted my hands back where they were.

“Friends don’t get this close. They don’t touch each other like I just touched you. And I really want to be that close.”

I wanted that, too. Especially when he whispered it near my ear.

“What else?” I couldn’t believe I’d asked.

“You’ll have to let me know,” he said, reluctantly retreating. “You set the boundaries.”

He turned away from me and walked to the island. I wanted him back, crowding me. Stupid friendship talk. If I had more courage, I would tell him I wanted to be more than friends. But what did more than friends mean in the wolf-world? If I was the one setting the boundaries that defined our relationship, I needed to know the answer. Because I didn’t, I said nothing.

Emmitt stood there a moment until the shaking stopped then he sat down. I joined him and slowly started to eat my food.

He’d answered my question about our relationship. But sometimes, knowing an answer was worse than dwelling on the question.

The kids stayed downstairs with Nana all morning. After we cleaned up breakfast, Emmitt stepped out. I used the time to research stocks.

The Sunday before, after witnessing the video, I hadn’t cared enough to explain the tip I’d handed to Nana. She hadn’t asked, either. This week I planned to be prepared, again. The boring work drove me to distraction. I knew some people loved it. Richard had. But, it wasn’t my thing.

Rain continuously pattered against the roof, keeping me company. When Nana knocked on my open door near lunch, I willingly pushed aside my work.

“Do you have a moment?” she asked politely.

“Lots of them. What’s up?”

She stepped in and took a seat next to me at the kitchen island.

“Emmitt’s watching the boys while they color. I wanted to come up and let you know that I put out a call stating the person responsible for Richard’s death should step forward immediately. No one has, yet.”

My heart skipped a beat, and I felt a stab of fear. “How long will it take?”

“That’s the problem. A response should have been immediate.”

I shrugged slightly, not understanding.

“Our society has rules and laws like any other. They differ from human laws, not just in the message but in our people’s inability to break them. When an Elder like me speaks a law, it’s implanted in our kind as a restriction. Because of that, our laws are few and well thought out. At least, we believe them to be. The rules are easy to break, but the repercussions are impossible to ignore.

“For example, one of our laws forbids the forced Claiming of a human. A rule states not to kill humans. We made the first one a law—unbreakable—because we could see no circumstance in which we could ever conceive applicable exception to warrant the act. However, self-preservation must be considered before passing a law forbidding the death of another. We made it a law that anyone responsible for breaking the rule, or a witness to the breaking of the rule, must admit the deed to an Elder.

“The same applies to shifting in public. Our rules state it shouldn’t be done, while our law states that any who break the rule, or know of the rule being broken, must step forward.”

“Someone should have come to you a month ago,” I said, understanding.

She nodded.

We sat in silence for a bit, lost in our own thoughts. Had Blake done the killing himself or one of his men? Did it really matter? Either way, Blake had to have known. He should have stepped forward.

“Can you tell me where Blake kept you? We need to find him to figure out how he’s avoided us.”

I shook my head before she finished. Richard’s address wasn’t yet posted in any article I’d read online. Blake would piece it together if werewolves suddenly showed up at our old home. I wouldn’t compromise the safety of Liam and Aden so Nana could find some errant werewolves.

She patted my hand. “I understand your reason for saying no. Just think about it.” She stood and left.

The day had started out so well. With a sigh, I went back to my research.

A little while later, I heard a tap on the door leading to the porch. Emmitt motioned to me through the glass.

I stood with a wince because of sitting too long, unlocked the door, and stepped out onto the porch with him. The overhanging roof protected us from the rain while lulling us with the soothing patter. Behind Emmitt, a small patio table with two chairs sat near his kitchen door. Two plates and two glasses waited.

“Hungry?” he asked as I took in what he’d done for me. I nodded, and he went to hold out a chair for me. “I heard what Nana said.”

“I have premonitions.” The randomness of my confession made me cringe. I’d decided that I needed to trust someone, that I couldn’t keep going on so alone, but I hadn’t decided how to tell him.

“Did you see what happens if you give us your old address?” he asked without pausing.

I blinked at his easy acceptance of my secret.

“No, I don’t have those kinds of premonitions. The stock market.” His brows rose. “I know, not very interesting. But think of what you could gain by controlling someone with my ability. The money. Power.”

“I don’t want money or power. Just you.”

His words made my heart flutter, and brought back the memory of his lips on my neck. I blushed and pushed the memory aside.

“Blake’s tasted that power. If your laws can’t control him, what makes you think finding him will help? All it does is expose us. He will go straight for Liam and Aden. Through them, he can control me again.”

He remained quiet for a moment. “Nana won’t ask again,” he said seriously. Then, in a Jim-like way, he grinned and said, “Want to spike your tea?”

I heard Nana yell his name two stories below and shook my head, breathing a sigh of relief. I’d shared my secret, and he didn’t appear to care about it one way or the other. I was halfway through my turkey sandwich when he asked his next question.

“Why did you tell Sam which stock to invest in? Why not just keep it to yourself?”

My appetite fled. By sharing my last secret, I’d officially crossed the all-or-nothing line. I needed to spill the rest. I placed my half-eaten sandwich on his plate before I answered.

“I don’t have a choice. The information comes to me every seven days. It plays in my head like a market ticker but with just one stock on repeat. If I don’t share the information, it makes me twitchy. The longer I hold it, the more painful it becomes until I’m a mess. Blake figured that out. It became another way for him to control me. I have to share the information with someone. As soon as I do, the countdown to the next premonition resets.”

“And that’s why you didn’t want to tell me.” He schooled his features and nudged my glass. “Drink.”

I did without questioning it. The cool tea soothed my worry-tightened throat.

“There’s more,” I said.

He continued eating but kept his focus on me.

“I told you a little about what Blake said the night before I ran. That he wanted me to bite one of his men. Before that, he talked about evolving my abilities. When you asked if I saw what would happen, I meant it. I don’t have those kinds of visions. But since coming here, something has changed. I’ve gotten glimpses of people. Girls like me, mostly. I don’t know why. Those visions don’t work like the stock ones. They don’t repeat.”

“We’ll figure this out.” He reached across the table and wrapped his warm fingers around my cold hand. “Please, let some of the worry go. Trust us to keep you and your brothers safe.”

I gave a small nod.

Saturday, the rain continued. Once again, the boys snuck out early. Emmitt surprised me in the kitchen, not with a cooked meal, but a simple bowl of cereal. Lucky Charms. It made me laugh.

He left me alone for a few hours, and I used the opportunity to page through the items Richard had stuffed into the envelope. Since Nana asked about our old address, I’d been wondering what had become of the house. So I dug for the lawyer’s number, and I looked it up online. There was actually a legitimate sounding business associated with it. The site listed a physical address, fax, and an email address.

Tapping my fingers on the dark counter, I debated what to send. Richard hadn’t explained the number or why I should contact the lawyer. Perhaps he’d wanted me to press charges against Blake. But on what grounds? Richard owned the house with all the locks and security installed. Maybe Richard had provided the number for custody rights to the boys. But who else would they live with if not me? We didn’t come from a big family.

After creating an email address with no personal information, I decided on a short message. I provided my name, Richard’s name, and Richard’s request that I contact the firm. I sent the message then turned off the tablet. No point in sitting and staring at it on a Saturday.

Tromping downstairs, I found everyone playing board games in Nana’s living room. We spent the rest of the morning, and most of the afternoon, cheating and having fun.

Jim’s stomach growled in the middle of a card game with Aden, and he asked if I would get him a snack from across the hall. Emmitt and I took a break from our own game to go look.

When we stood in his kitchen with me rummaging in the fridge, Emmitt surprised me with a serious mood. He pulled me back from the open door, turned me, and framed my face with his hands.

“Do you know you’ve been here a month?”

I hadn’t really thought about it. But apparently, he had; and it meant something to him.

“Let me take you to dinner tonight. Please.”

His midnight gaze pleaded with me, and I found myself nodding. Dinner with Emmitt. My heart fluttered with excitement as his thumb feathered ever so slightly over my skin.

“Wear the dress,” he said freeing me.

He opened a cupboard and pulled out a bag of chips.

Absently, I followed him out of the apartment. The dress? I panicked, not even remembering what it looked like. Black. It’d been black and knee length, maybe, on the hanger. Why hadn’t I tried it on? Then I remembered. Nerves about leaving the boys for so long then the video about Richard.

A few steps behind Emmitt, I heard Nana Wini offer to watch the boys. Darn her excellent hearing. The boys turned their puppy eyes toward me, already pleading without words. My gaze flicked between Nana and Jim. Was it safe? I trusted them with the boys, but what about…no. Nothing had changed. Emmitt was right. It had been a month since I left. If they were going to find us, they would have already. Again, I nodded. Trapped.

“Could we leave in an hour?” Emmitt asked me while handing Jim his chips. Jim grinned at my stunned expression and passed the bag to Aden. He’d ruin Aden’s dinner.

“Sure,” I mumbled, taking a step back toward the hallway. An hour to try on the dress and, if it didn’t fit, find something else to wear. The dress had better fit.

I didn’t waste any time but bolted up the stairs as soon as I cleared the door.

In the apartment, I pulled my hair from its ponytail and ran a brush through it. It fell straight and smooth after a few minutes of brushing. I stalked to the bedroom, reached into the closet, and tossed the garment bag on the bed. Then, I bent to search for the shoes that weren’t there. I straightened slowly, thinking back. After shopping, I’d carried them up to my room and put them in the bottom of my closet. I was sure of it.

I looked under the bed. Nothing. Hands on my hips, I stood in my room, scanning and thinking. They didn’t just walk away on their own. Tracing my way through the apartment, I looked under everything, behind the doors, and in the broom closet. I was ready to go ask Nana if she’d seen them but walked to the boys’ room just to double-check.

The shoes lay under the bunk bed while the box stood on its side with the lid propped at an angle to create a temporary shelter for Aden’s army men.

“Seriously?” I mumbled, snagging the shoes and leaving the box.

Dropping the shoes in the hall, I closed myself into my room and unzipped the bag. The clock on the dresser motivated me. I’d wasted too much time looking for the shoes and only had thirty minutes left.

The black material slid from the bag. There appeared to be less of it than I remembered. Black burnished clasps adorned each shoulder, gathering the material to show more skin. The silky fabric fell softly to the waist panel where shining, black thread glinted in ornate patterns. The plain skirt ended abruptly not far below that.

I picked this? I turned the dress around. No zipper. Shaking my head, I stripped from my shorts and tee then stepped into the dress, tugging and twisting it into place. It felt okay. Not too tight or loose.

I left my bedroom and closed myself into the bathroom to get a better look. I couldn’t see all of me at once, but what I did see had my stomach pitching wildly.

The dress was gorgeous but a bit more revealing than a simple date called for. The material draped loosely from the shoulders and gapped in the middle, showing the center of my bra. I turned around. Same with the back. The skirt ended mid-thigh, much longer than the cutoffs I wore, but short for a dress. Well, for my dress. A bit of anxiety crept in.

What else did I have? T-shirts and sweatshirts hung in the closet. No other options. I looked back at the mirror as I unclasped my bra and wiggled out of it. I tried tugging the material to hide the valley showing. Nope. Not going to happen. I’d just need to change quickly and run across the hall to see if we could go somewhere that wouldn’t require a dress.

I opened the bathroom door and froze. Emmitt and Jim both stood in the hallway. Emmitt’s gaze raked me, and Jim gave a wolf whistle.

“What are you doing here?” My voice sounded too high but I couldn’t help it. What if I’d stepped out in a towel? Well, maybe that would have been safer. The big towels Nana gave us would have covered more.

“You sounded upset,” Emmitt said absently as his eyes continued to travel my length. On the way back up, he closed his eyes briefly, swallowed hard, then returned to his slow appraisal. He didn’t bother to look at Jim when he spoke.

“Okay, you saw. Now go away.”

With a laugh, Jim left.

“Saw what?” I asked, looking Emmitt over as well. He wore dark grey slacks and a sport coat with a lighter grey V-neck sweater.

“He wanted to see how you looked in the dress. Nana Wini told him about it,” he said absently, still studying me.

Nana remembered the dress, and I hadn’t?

“Could we maybe go somewhere casual enough for jean shorts?” I fought the urge to cross my arms, knowing it would just make it worse. Then, I realized I still had my bra in my hand. Please don’t let him notice, I thought.

“I can smell your nervousness. You look lovely. Please wear it,” he said quietly, meeting my eyes again. “Do you need a jacket?”

A trench coat would work. Instead of speaking, I shook my head.

He bent to pick up my shoes, and I quickly tossed my bra behind me and turned off the bathroom lights. He motioned for me to lead the way to the door. There he bent and helped me with the shoes.

He didn’t say anything as he slipped the black heel onto my foot. His light touch at my ankle made my legs Jell-O. Once the shoe was on, his hand lingered on my calf before he moved to the other shoe. The longer he stayed quiet, the more nervous I became.

When he stood, he smiled slightly and leaned forward. He carefully swept my hair back over my shoulder, moving it out of the way. The warmth of his palms heated my upper arms as he held me steady. His breath tickled the skin at the base of my neck as he breathed a path up to my ear. I forgot all about the dress.

“Thank you for saying yes,” he said softly then pulled back.

Yes to what?

He clasped my hand in his and led us out into the hallway. My brain came back online when he closed the door with a soft snick. He wrapped my hand around his arm as we walked downstairs. I could feel his eyes returning to me but didn’t look his way. Navigating stairs with heels required my full attention.

When we reached the bottom, I gave in and met his gaze. His intense regard sent shivers through me. He leaned in once again, his breath tickling my neck near my ear. I focused on the sensation of his lips brushing my skin. Please just kiss me already, I thought. The anticipation of it was driving me crazy.

“You smell wonderful.”

I turned my head slightly and pressed my cheek against his. He groaned.

When he finally straightened and motioned me through Nana’s open door, I walked in on autopilot, my neck still tingling from overexposure to Emmitt.

The boys already played a board game at the table with Jim and Nana. I could see Aden was in hero-worship mode when it came to Jim. Neither boy seemed to care too much that we were leaving for the night.

As I stood there saying goodbye, my head cleared enough that I started doubting the dress, again. I tried to think of an excuse to go back upstairs and change, but couldn’t. At least, not a diplomatic one. So, I allowed Emmitt to escort me out the door. The rain had stopped, but the ground still glistened with water. My heels sank a little when I stepped off the porch.

“Where are we going?” I asked while he held the door open for me.

“A steak and seafood place just outside of town,” he said as I carefully got in.

He hesitated then closed my door and walked around the front of the truck. The moment reminded me of the day I’d bought the truck, and my heart fluttered as he slid in behind the wheel. I wouldn’t have guessed then that the attraction I’d felt would have led to the revelation it had.

Emmitt was a werewolf, and he was mine.

He reached over and brushed back a strand of my hair. I took a calming breath and hoped he thought my racing heart was due to leaving my brothers and not him. He started the truck and pulled out of the driveway.

I settled in and watched the scenery. After a few moments of silence, I glanced over at Emmitt and caught his gaze.

“You’ve never mentioned any family other than your mom and Richard.”

I sighed and turned to glance out the window. “No family as far as I know on either side. It’s just us, now.”

He was quiet the last few miles to the restaurant. When he turned into a wide, paved drive, I saw the restaurant and was surprised. White Christmas lights wound along the fence and cast a soft glow over the parking lot. The place definitely looked more high-end than I would have expected being out in the middle of nowhere, though I could see the glow of city lights on the horizon.

Emmitt got out and opened the door for me. I watched his gaze stray from my eyes as he helped me down. A blush heated my face, and he gave me a small smile as he held my hand and led me inside. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to cover up or bask in his attention. So, I focused on walking.

A maître d’ stood at a podium, ready to greet us. Behind him, the polished wood floors of the bar area glowed in the soft light.

Emmitt gave his name and led me to an open place at the bar. He held out a barstool for me. I didn’t miss the brush of his fingers on my exposed back as I sat. He settled beside me and ordered us each a glass of red wine.

I didn’t say anything about the alcohol though I knew Nana would smell it on me. I wondered if I’d get another scolding. The bartender smiled a bit too warmly at me as he set my glass down, and Emmitt scowled in response. I took a sip. Nana would certainly understand.

I’d finished half a glass by the time the maître d’ came to seat us at our table. I studied the menu and immediately spotted what I wanted. The last time I had chicken parmesan, my mom had been alive.

Glancing up to ask Emmitt what he planned to order, I found him studying me instead of the menu. I rolled my eyes and reached across the table to pick up his menu and wave it in his face. He laughed, took it, and finally opened it.

Our server wore a crisp, white shirt under a black vest and matching black tie. He was politely formal when he came to ask if we wanted a fresh drink before ordering. Emmitt ordered another one, but I asked for water, instead.

It was no surprise when Emmitt picked the biggest steak on the menu…and appetizers.

Relaxed by the glass of wine, dinner had progressed pleasantly, but nervousness had crept back in toward the end. Our ride home remained quiet, and I didn’t mind. I doubted I could maintain any form of intelligent conversation. My focus was on what would happen at the end of our date. Would he finally kiss me?

The crunch of gravel under the tires announced our return. He parked the truck near the porch and got out to open my door. Although it wasn’t far to the ground, he offered his hand to help me down.

“Did you enjoy yourself?” he asked as he closed the door behind me.

Had it not been for the very exposed feeling I’d had throughout dinner, I would have been able to answer with an honest yes. Instead, I tried for vague.

“I think it will take a while before I’m comfortable leaving my brothers.”

We walked inside the quiet house. It wasn’t yet past nine, and I thought the quiet odd, but Emmitt didn’t appear concerned.

Nervous anticipation filled me as we walked upstairs. He opened my door for me, and I didn’t know what to expect next. Would he come in with me? Would he try kissing me? My heart did a crazy stuttering beat at the thought. I wasn’t sure what I wanted. I turned to face him.

“Thank you for tonight. Let me know if you want to go shopping with Nana again. You have amazing taste.” His gaze slid my length again, but he remained in the hallway.

“I think I’ll be fine for a while. Besides, I prefer shorts and t-shirts. Your t-shirts are the best.” Usually, because they hung to mid-thigh and covered me well. It didn’t hurt that they smelled like him too.

He handed me his jacket, and I watched as he pulled his sweater and t-shirt off over his head. The jacket almost fell from my hand. Emmitt, shirtless in the sun, was breathtaking. But this…I swallowed hard. If I appealed to him half as much as he did to me, I understood why he’d kept looking at me all night.

Seeing him in just dress pants made my knees melt. He handed me the white cotton shirt still warm from his body and reclaimed his suit jacket.

He stepped close. “I’ll give you my shirt whenever you ask.”

Clutching the shirt to my chest, I stopped breathing for a moment.

He grinned slightly. “So there’s no misunderstanding, we’re officially in the dating phase of our relationship.”

I nodded dumbly, glad we were officially ignoring my friendship talk now.

He hesitated there, standing toe to toe with me, consuming my space and air as I gazed up at him, held in his spell. Then he shook his head, leaned in to brush his lips against the side of my neck, and left me with a racing heart.

His clarification of our relationship hadn’t helped. When he announced we were dating, I’d expected—assumed—a kiss would follow. On the mouth. Instead, I stood staring at his closed apartment door in confusion and more than a little disappointment.

I spent the remainder of the evening dressed in his shirt and sitting in the kitchen as I researched for the next day’s premonition. I wasn’t sure if Emmitt had told Nana my secret or not.