Chapter 16
Hadrian
When I wake in the morning back in my apartment, soft snores echo from my nest. Which is about the moment I remember I have a little sister.
Dismay rushes through me, quickly followed by depthless frustration.
I don’t know what to do with a kid. After everything with Bluebell last night I gathered Petra up and drove us all back into town.
Both girls slept on the way and my need to protect had me practically feral the whole way home.
I’m in no way set up for this—not here in my apartment and not yet at the ranch. It’s barely livable out there, and with my game schedule, I figured it’d take me the better part of winter to get it fully ready. And that was fine. I’d wrapped my mind around that.
The realization that I was on the precipice of having everything I wanted, and now there are considerably more roadblocks has me frustrated beyond belief.
Glancing over from my spot on the sofa, I stare at Petra.
She’s asleep in the nest, body curled around a pillow, flopping her tail softly in her sleep.
She looks even younger than her nine years.
What am I going to do with her?
Rising, I run my hands through my hair then stalk to the door. I cross the hall and knock on Bluebell’s door.
The soft pad of feet announces her arrival, and when she opens the door, she looks like she slept about as well as I did. Lifting a hand, I drag it along her angular jawline, smiling when she nuzzles into my palm.
“Good morning, little witch,” I whisper. “Was last night a dream?”
Her beautiful blush makes an appearance. “Which part? The part by the fire or the part where you have a little sister?”
My smile grows bigger. “All of it, honestly.”
Bluebell’s eyes drift to the open door behind me. “She still asleep?”
I nod, sliding my hand down her arm to slip my fingers through hers. “Yeah. I was just lying there thinking about how I have no idea what to feed a kid or do with a kid, and—”
“Let me help,” she says softly.
I shake my head. “I don’t want to pile another thing on your plate, Bluebell. If you’ll remember, just yesterday, I promised to take a few things off there.”
She smiles. “Yeah, and I’m gonna let you, too. Why don’t y’all help us with decorating downtown later? There are a few things I like to do manually before the sheriff glamours Main Street to look more festive. And it could be a good way to introduce Petra around, assuming you want to?”
“Will do.” I wrap my tail around her waist, cocking an ear to make sure Petra’s not up and observing. “I have a late practice, and she can come with me, but we can help until about six, if that works?”
She nods. Just then, my comm watch rings. When I lift my wrist, Jasper’s name hovers over the band.
“Hey, bro,” he says when I answer. “You figure out what to feed a kid yet? I’m coming over with groceries.”
Bluebell’s dark brows lift. She looks impressed.
“I was just talking to your sister about that,” I say with a smile. “C’mon over.”
“Already there,” he quips before clicking off.
Bluebell steps backward, and I unfurl my tail from around her waist as I slip toward my doorway.
Moments later, the downstairs door opens.
Jasper’s a loud, exuberant presence as he shoves through the doorway and bounds up the stairs.
When he joins us with a huge smile, I take two bags of groceries from him.
“Morning, sis,” he says with a big smile, reaching over to noogie the top of Bluebell’s head.
She rolls her eyes and swats him away.
He waves at her pajamas. “You might wanna put more clothes on, girl, ‘cause none of us want a view of those itty-bitty titties first thing in the morning.”
Bluebell barks out a laugh, then disappears into her apartment, padding toward her bedroom in the back.
Jasper jerks his head toward my door. “Shall we?”
I lead him back into my apartment, and we set the groceries down on the small wooden island in the kitchen. Jasper glances over at my nest, then back at me.
“Dude, this is crazy, right? How are you feeling this morning?” Wide green eyes focus on me as he pulls groceries out of their bags.
I shake my head as I do the same. “Shocked. It’s gonna take some time for this to sink in, you know?”
Petra yawns and rises from the bed, stretching her wings out wide. When she sees Jasper standing with me, she beams. “Hi, Uncle Jasper! How come you’re here so early?”
He waves at her. “Hey, kiddo. I was worried your brother would have no idea what to feed a little girl, so I brought pancake mix, syrup, a bunch of fruit, and then these little sponge cake cup things your brother loves.”
Petra bounds across the room and slips onto one of the barstools, smiling at the groceries. “This is awesome! Can I help put it away?”
“Sure,” I say with a smile. The apartment door opens, and Bluebell comes in wearing tight jeans, brown leather work boots and a hot pink V-neck tee. It highlights every inch of her muscular figure. Her hair’s up in the typical space buns, long tendrils framing her face.
She stops next to Jasper, bumping him with her hip as she smiles at Petra. “Morning, kiddo. How’d you sleep?”
Petra beams. “So good. Hadrian’s nest is the best; it’s so soft. Have you ever tried it?”
Bluebell barks out a cough, and Jasper laughs. “They ain’t that kinda neighbors, sweetheart.”
Oh my gods. I was very sure she didn’t overhear any of what Bluebell and I did last night, but now I’m having doubts.
Bluebell recovers faster than I do. “I make the best pancakes. Should we make some while the guys put the rest of the groceries away?”
Petra flaps up off the barstool, clapping her hands together. “Yessss! I’d love that! Let’s do it?” Purple eyes flick to mine, and her smile falls. “I mean…if that’s okay? I shouldn’t assume we can use your kitchen.”
The protective side of my nature rears up, hot and hard.
Despite the surprise of Petra’s appearance, I don’t like her feeling uneasy around me.
I remember feeling that way for a while the first summer my folks dropped me off at the Tuckers’.
They quickly made me feel at home, but it was awkward until I adjusted.
“My apartment is your apartment,” I say with a smile. “Knock yourself out, kiddo.”
Petra’s smile lights up the room. She and Bluebell move to the other side of the island and start hunting around for bowls and everything they need to make pancakes. I grab a bowl and mixing spoon and push it down the island toward them with a thankful smile aimed at Bluebell.
Half an hour later, Petra scarfs her third plate of pancakes. Bluebell, Jasper, and I stare at her in a combination of awe and shock as she munches the last pancake, eyes rolling back in appreciation.
“My gods, this was so good. I’ve never had this before, but it’s really tasty. Well, we had something kinda similar, but I haven’t had it with this syrup stuff. Gahhhh, so delicious!”
I zip my lips closed. I’ve got no idea what Petra’s actually been exposed to and what she hasn’t. Do they have pancakes in Brazil?
Bluebell gives me a look then jerks a thumb toward my door. “I’ve got a to-do list a mile long, so I’m gonna head next door and grab my stuff. Be back in a minute, alright?”
Jasper just waves her off without looking up from his practice book.
I glance between him and Petra, but Petra’s staring at me with a wary look.
“Be right back,” I say as I push Bluebell carefully toward the door.
She’s silent as we head across to her apartment. I follow her inside and drag her all the way to her retro green kitchen, the farthest spot from the front door.
Last night we connected in a way that has me surer than ever she’s mine.
But humans don’t mate like that. Despite our years of friendship, I’m sure she’s having reservations this morning.
I can feel them like worms crawling beneath my skin, because my sense of her, the way I read her? It’s getting stronger by the minute.
“Talk to me, Blue,” I whisper. “I see regret in your eyes.”
She shakes her head, planting both palms on my chest. “Not regret. I could never regret last night.” Blowing out a breath, she laughs. “It was…life-changing. But what if this is a whole right person wrong time thing, Hadrian? I mean, Petra, my brother…maybe we should just take this slowly.”
“Gargoyles don’t work like that, baby; you know that,” I say gently, hoping it doesn’t sound too much like I’m downplaying her opinion. “Is that what you want? Or is that just what you think makes sense because you’re so damn pragmatic?”
She bites the edge of her thumb. “Erm, the second one.”
I smile and grab her hands, shoving them up under my shirt to rest over my heart.
“That’s what I thought, Bluebell. We can’t hide and dance around this forever.
But we can keep this quiet for a little while until other things calm down, if you want.
It might even be fun to pretend I’m your dirty little secret, but I don’t think either of us will be satisfied with that for very long. ”
She purses her lips while she considers my words. After a moment, she looks up. “You’re right. I want to hold your hand in public. I want to yell at Merit and Bryony that I don’t give a fuck if they share a picture of us. I don’t want to hide you.”
“Good,” I whisper. “Put me at the top of your to-do list every day. We’ll find time. We’ll keep it a secret. For now.”
Dark blue brows lift. “Sounds to me like you might need help with your house, on account of me being a black witch and all. Maybe help with your cutie pie little sister. I’m going to be around a lot, Mister Alkazar.”
I bend down to brush my lips against hers. “Good, Miss Tucker, because there’s nowhere else in this entire universe I’d want you to be.”