Chapter 8 #2
“Your dad did what?!” she hissed, drawing the attention of nearby tables.
“Shhh,” I whisper-shouted. “What part of ‘you can’t tell anyone’ included screaming in a packed restaurant?”
“This can’t be real,” she murmured, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug. “Are you all right?”
The tears I had been choking back for days fell, staining her sweater. Gentle hands rubbed over my arms as she whispered quiet, soothing sounds until I wiped away the tear tracks from my swollen, puffy eyes.
“Can you check on my mom for me?”
“The fucker won’t even let you visit your mother?” she said, tossing daggers at Torin, who looked abashed.
“I’m not sure,” I said.
We hadn’t talked about it. At the heart of it, I knew he was right.
I wouldn’t be safe back home, and even going to visit my mom was a risk.
Who knew how my dad would react? I could try to sneak in when I knew he wasn’t there, but leaving my mom alone would break my heart into a million pieces.
It was easier this way, and Sam would take care of her.
“I’ll do anything for you, Willow. All you have to do is ask.”
“Thank you.”
The rest of lunch was a lighter affair. Sam told me about the alpha she spent her last heat with, and how dreadful he was. She was about to take a page out of my book and use toys, tiring of alphas. Yet that didn’t stop her from stealing glances at Torin and batting her eyelashes.
“Maybe I could be convinced to bring a handsome beta into my nest if he can see some toys like a teammate instead of an enemy.”
She winked in Torin’s direction. Pink tinted the tops of his cheeks as he looked away, focusing on the growing crowd in the restaurant.
“You’re ridiculous,” I giggled, feeling normal for the first time in days.
When the bill came, I reached into the clutch Kaelen bought me to pay for my half.
My eyes bugged out of my head. Inside the wallet sat a half-dozen credit cards, including one black AMEX, and an absurd amount of cash.
I quickly fished out two fifty dollar bills, tossing them on the table to pay for both our meals and leave a tip.
“Oh, are you spoiling me?” Sam teased.
“Only the best for my girl,” I winked and we both giggled.
Torin followed two steps behind us as Sam and I walked arm in arm outside. The bright fall sun landed on my face. I closed my eyes, soaking in the rays before Sam pulled me into a hug, kissing my head.
“Text me. For anything,” she said. “Love you.”
Slender arms encircled my waist before she pulled away. Torin dipped his chin, opening the door for me. I slid into the car, fiddling with the bag on my lap.
“Torin. Do you know whose cards and money are in my wallet?”
“Yours, Miss Willow.” I scoffed, tossing my head back into the supple leather headrest. “The Boss wanted to make sure you had everything you needed.”
“I don’t need a limitless AMEX. Thanks, though.”
Ignoring my outburst, Torin changed the subject. “Home or somewhere else?”
The last thing I wanted was to head back to a place that still didn’t feel like mine.
I doubted it ever would. The only thing about it that made it less sterile was Kaelen’s welcoming scent.
But even that had faded over the last few days.
I missed him. Or rather, my omega missed his alpha.
I refused to believe it was anything other than biology urging me toward him.
“Actually, can you take me to Snowfield?”
Crisp farm air greeted me as my feet sank into the damp earth. I tugged at the hem of my dress, which was hardly work appropriate, but I needed some time with my horses. April waved at me from the pasture, her head tilted at my shadow following me.
When we arrived at the stables, I turned, glaring at Torin.
“The horses here are skittish,” I said, my voice dropping low.
“They have been rescued. Most have suffered terrible abuse. The one I am working with now is a beautiful black stallion. He doesn’t like alphas, but I think he’ll be okay with you since you’re a beta.
No loud sounds or sudden movements. Understood? ”
“Yes, ma’am. I won’t bother the horses.”
Nodding, I walked into the stalls. The stallion’s head lifted, his glittering features finding mine almost instantly. He knickered, kicking at the dirt. The polished wood of the brush was smooth under my fingertips as I ran it over his coat.
“Hi, boy. I’ve missed you. Did you miss me?”
The top of his head nudged me, making me stumble slightly.
I realized how far we’d come in only a few months.
Someday, I hoped he’d let me ride him. Closing my eyes, I imagined it.
The wind blowing in my face, his hooves galloping through the well-trodden trail in the woods around the back pastures.
“What’s his name?” Torin asked, reminding me I wasn’t alone.
“He hasn’t told me yet.”
I spent most of the night sitting in the stall with him, feeding him carrots and apples. The sun had set long ago, and the lantern light illuminated the barn in a yellow glow. Torin sat in an old, rickety chair by the entrance, his elbows resting on his thighs.
A sound rumbled in my stomach. It was late. I cradled my stallion’s face, nuzzling the top of his head and stroking my fingers through his mane.
“I’ll come see you soon, boy.”
My knees cracked as I stood. Without saying anything to Torin, I strode back to the car. He followed once he realized I was leaving, trotting to catch up. I half expected him to admonish me, but he didn’t.
We rode in silence back into the city, weaving up the long gravel path to the towering estate I would soon have to reconcile as my new home if I wanted to feel any semblance of normalcy back in my life.
Two guards greeted us as we slipped inside.
Hungry, I headed into the kitchen. The potent scent of espresso and whisky hung heavily in the air. My body reacted to him before my mind caught up. A tingle shivered along my back, making the hair on my nape stand on end.
A large figure loomed in the dim light. Kaelen stood hunched over the sink, a tie loose around his neck, and a discarded suit jacket tossed on the counter. Blood dripped from his hand as he poured vodka over his knuckles, hissing.
The dim night illuminated half his face, the other still blanketed in shadow, reminding me of a demon.
Something coiled in my belly as my feet moved forward, closing the distance. His head snapped to the sound of my footsteps, his uninjured hand moving to his gun. When he realized it was me, he stilled, his jade eyes glittering like polished river stones.
“Come here, sweetheart,” he said, his voice harsh and gravelly.