Savage Hunt

Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen: Mercury is in Retrograde, you know?

I caught my phone before it fell and looked at the screen. Seeing a picture of my mom making a goofy face at the camera flash across the screen. I swiped my thumb over the green button on my phone’s screen, accepting the call.

“Hey, mom.” I said, leaning back against the couch and drawing my lets up onto the couch.

“Hi, Tillie, Scott said you called earlier and he was worried about you.” She said and I tangled my fingers into the fringe of the throw blanket. “He said you sounded, I don’t know… Different.”

“Yeah, Jake and I broke up. It’s just been a really strange day.” I answered, smoothing my fingers through the tassels.

“Oh baby, I’m sorry. I know you liked him. You know it might be because Mercury is in retrograde.” She said and I could hear Scott in the background. “She broke up with her boyfriend.” Mom said to him and I let out a sigh, already knowing how even after the months that Jake and I were together, that how he would feel about the news.

“That’s too bad,” Scott said and I looked up at the glossy white wood paneling that covered the ceiling.

“Scott, be nice.” Mom hissed and I could hear her slap her palm against his chest. “Tillie, are you okay? Do you need us to go to the lake house with you? I can leave the shop for a few days. The girls will be fine on their own without me.”

“It’s okay, mom. Jake and I weren’t ever going to be a happily ever after type of relationship like you and Scott.” I sighed, wishing that I could tell her the rest of it. I doubted that she would take hearing that I was now mated to three guys very well. Best to save that news for another day.

“I know, but breaking up is always painful. Are you sure you don’t want us coming up? I could come up by myself and bring some wine. We could make it a girls’ trip.” Mom said, an almost hopeful tone in her voice. “I can pick up Charity and we can make a week of it.”

I shook my head, thinking about what the text from Jason had said.

No, I couldn’t have my mom come up here knowing that he, Travis, and Ryan would be hunting me. That would be super awkward to explain what was going on to my mom. “I think Charity has to work and so do you. I just need a few days to recharge, then I’ll come to see you guys.”

“If you are sure, baby.” Mom said, but I could hear the pout in her voice.

“I am. When I get back, I’ll fix dinner for you and Scott.”

“We’ll bring wine and Scott says he’ll bring steaks.” Mom huffed out steaks and I let out a laugh, it was something that Scott and I always teased her about. My mom was not a meat eater and both Scott and I enjoyed the occasional rare steak when we all got together for a family dinner.

“Sounds good. I love you guys.” I said, trying to hold back my smile.

“Take it easy, baby. We love you so much.” Mom said before ending the call.

I dropped the phone into my lap before lifting it back up and looking at the screen. Worrying my lower lip with my teeth, I scrolled through the different messages.

Jason.

Ryan.

Travis

Who should I call first? A part of me wanted to reach out to Travis first. His messages had struck something deep inside of me and I could feel a worry building inside of me. At first, I had thought that it was my own. But as the day had gone on, I realized that so many of the emotions I was feeling couldn’t be mine.

The excitement that had filled me after I had left Charity at Aaron’s apartment this morning after our brunch. The almost giddy anticipation that had hit me so hard that I couldn’t sit still while I was driving up here. The strange need to search for something and then that joyous feeling of finding whatever it was.

Thad realized when I stopped to put gasoline in my jeep that those feelings had to be coming from my mates. There was no way that I was feeling this way, not when I was so confused about everything. When I had gone inside to use the bathroom and get a cup of coffee, jealousy had hit me so hard that it took my breath away.

Anger had flushed through me and I had gripped the paper cup so hard that the hot liquid had spilled out over the side. My hands had shook for nearly ten minutes after and I was glad that I had used plenty of creamer to sweeten the hot drink. I was pretty sure that was the only reason my hand wasn’t burnt now.

Now, though, I felt like myself. I wasn’t filled with the strange need to search for something. Or the overwhelming panic followed by lust and self hate. Now, I just felt like Tillie Mason. A girl that had just been broken up with by her boyfriend and a girl that had a wild night last night.

My phone vibrated again and I didn’t look at the screen as I swiped my thumb over the cool surface. Lifting the phone to my ear. “Mom, I’m fine.

“Not the title I like, but I’m glad you are feeling fine, baby girl.” Ryan purred out and I sat up straighter.

“Da-Ryan.” I said, catching myself before I called him daddy.

“I just wanted to check on you.” He said, his voice was warm and thick and made my nipples tighten up beneath the thin tank top that I had pulled on this afternoon. “See how my baby is doing?”

Why did the thought of him checking up on me turn me on so much? I pressed my thighs together, pulling the blanket off of me. I suddenly felt too hot to be under the blanket.