Chapter Eight
Pleasant Surprises
Roisin
I was so done with all of it. Henny had no idea the enemy he’d just made in me. His kid was a heathen! I sat in the passenger seat, clutching my bloody nose while I tried to wrap my head around what in the hell had just happened.
Wyatt popped my glove box open, only to snap it shut a minute later. He jerked the middle console up and let it drop down with a sigh before he wiggled out of his vest, took his shirt off and handed it to me all wadded up.
“Do I look like your fuckin’ laundress?” I managed, hoping very much to shame him, though my voice was distorted and whiny, so all things considered it probably wasn’t all that much of a scolding.
He looked from the shirt to me with a dumbfounded expression plastered on his dark brows, “It’s for your nose, crazy.”
“Oh,” I managed, and hurriedly jerked it away from his hand before he changed his mind.
I wasn’t used to that type of kindness, especially when it was my own mouth that had gotten me into things. I held it over my nose and applied a bit of pressure while keeping my eye on him.
He turned the car on and put it in reverse, not saying a whole lot until we were back on the interstate.
“If it’s any consolation to you, he’s probably wearing her out right now, considering what he advised me to do to you.” Wyatt grinned, when he caught me peeking his way.
“Yeah. He’s a real charmer.” I rolled my eyes.
“Sorry.” He sounded like he meant it, and I chose to believe him.
“You didn’t do it.” I shrugged.
“No, but I should have gotten out when he put you out.”
I chose to accept that with a short, stunned nod, rather than rub it in or ruin it with any attempt at a comeback. After a few moments, he turned the radio on and adjusted it to a station that was tolerable, and I tuned out for most of the ride.
East Alton wasn’t so far away, an interstate stretch and a few turns. We arrived in front of a big brown-and-tan house with long windows on the upstairs floor.
“Is this like– The Brady house?” I only half-teased, as my nerves suddenly scattered at the thought of sharing space with stepchildren my own age.
“I’m sure when my ex-wife signed for us it was fashionable.”
“Putting all the blame on her, for this gem?”
He laughed and threw his door open, holding out my keys in surrender, finally.
“I told you. I did the military thing back then.”
“Right.” I’d actually forgotten, but I snagged the keys and nodded anyhow.
He got out and groaned as he stretched. I stayed put, causing him to lean down and stare across the vehicle at me after a moment.
“How– How many of your children still live at home?”
I narrowed my eyes as his smile widened.
“Ro, are you scared of meeting my family? Is this like the first day of school? Come on.” He wiggled his fingers and made grabby hands like he was rushing a kindergartner at the drop off line.
“Oh, my God.” I gave an indignant huff and tossed the seatbelt before anyone could see him carrying on.
His snort bubbled into a laugh as I shook my head and hurriedly trotted around the Viper. We walked up the concrete path that ran from the driveway to the front door. When we arrived, he shoved a key into the lock and opened it, waving me onward.
“Thanks,” I murmured, stepping inside.
I didn’t know what to expect, since he never really answered me about who lived with him. The deep, reverberating growl that echoed off the wooden floors and freshly painted walls, was definitely not what I was anticipating. It was the most ferocious bark I’d ever heard in my life, but even that didn’t terrify me near as much as the heavy sound of those tips on the floor did. Whatever it was, the damn thing was huge and moving fast! About the time I computed as much, the big-bodied beast came bounding toward us, hooking around the corner. The massive dog slid ass cocked and paws scrambling, but it didn’t hinder it any. My eyes widened and I tried to hurl myself back, but Wyatt caught me. His arm locked around my waist, causing more panic than reassurance. I didn’t have any shame; I threw myself back like I was the queen of booty-ball.
“Whoa- whoa,” Wyatt laughed, his stubble teasing along my jaw while I suddenly got louder than he had back in the passenger seat. His arm shot out for the double wide, drooling dog, and mine did, too! Not leaving anything to chance, I hurled his bloodied shirt at the creature.
The damn thing had to be a Mastiff, or some kind of bulldog. It was eighty pounds at least, but that didn’t stop it from leaping up to catch the shirt. I clung to Wyatt and sucked in air so quick and hard it hurt when the dog started tossing its head in victory. Rabid sounds filled the room as the dog pinned his shirt on the ground and went absolutely nuts.
“Are you gonna put that fucking thing away, or terrorize me with it some more?” I screamed, throwing a wild elbow his way. Wyatt groaned and curled into me. The dog froze, losing all interest in the shirt.
“Wyatt.” I panicked.
When I shot him an imploring look, I realized he wasn’t in pain, that bastard was laughing at me!
“This is not funny, that thing is vicious.”
“Vi–” He couldn’t even say it without drawing back to see if I was serious while he laughed.
“Look at him,” I gestured toward the dog, who still hadn’t lost interest in his master’s shirt.
Wyatt shook his head, “Nah. Zeus isn’t going to hurt you. He just likes to play catch, particularly with my stuff.”
He grunted and gestured toward the dog with his chin while he worked a boot off, stripped his sock, and tossed it in the air. I screamed as the dog snapped it up midair, threw it on the ground, and began to repeat the process.
“He’s out of control.”
Wyatt laughed and reached down.
“No,” I blurted out, certain we were destined for the nearest emergency room.
His fingers tipped the dog's head. The animal went still the minute he connected. Wyatt slid his hand around the dog's jaw and stroked the underside of his slobber riddled chin.
“Who is a good boy?” He lowered and stretched his tone.
Zeus’s tail nub began to twitch.
“Did you cut that dog’s tail off?” I asked, horrified all over again.
“Do you dislike the dog or want to advocate for it?” he teased, before leaning down to guide the dog. Once it was turned, I could see its tail was more corkscrewed than straight. It didn’t seem cut, more just, an odd sort of tail.
“Huh.”
“His breed has trouble sometimes, with things building in the wrinkles back there. So, I gotta keep an eye on him, but it’s always been that way. He’s not aggressive unless he’s commanded to be.”
“You trained him to be aggressive, you mean?”
“No, I trained dogs in the military. He’s not trained like that, but he knows a thing or two.” Wyatt winked and reached out for my hand. “This is the living room. The twins are stationed out of the country, but when they’re home on leave, that’s them back there.”
I noted a short hallway with three doors.
“The other one a closet?”
“Bathroom.” He clarified, before leading me through a kitchen and into a formal dining room. The dining room gave way to a short hallway with two more doors on either side of a laundry set up. “Those were Sammy and Sauce’s rooms, but neither of them lives at home anymore. The door goes out back.”
“Do I get to see the big windows upstairs?” It was outdated, but it had a nostalgia about it, and I was willing to bet there was an excellent view of the neighborhood.
“Yeah,” He huffed a small laugh, “That’s the bedroom, bath is up there, too, and you certainly look like you could use one of those.”
His gaze dropped to my nose and I groaned, knowing I was probably stained red. He cocked his head and led the way up the stairs. The upper level wasn’t an open-floor plan as I’d pictured it. The stairs opened to a roughly six by six foyer with two doors to choose from. Wyatt started toward one, but the pink and white frill of the baby crib in the other room caught my attention, with the door being slightly opened. The mattress still had a sheet wrapped around it, and a few stuffed animals littered the interior. A stack of letters lay on the floor, the kind that is usually hung on the wall to spell out a child’s name. The top one was a Y, as best I could tell, before Wyatt tugged the door closed and slid his hand across my shoulder.
“Bath is this way,” He offered a weak smile and led me toward the bedroom. “There’s the windows you were asking about.”
“I– I don’t have any clothes to change into.” I realized.
“It’s all good. I’ll get you something.” He fumbled around in the drawers and found a long shirt.
I gravitated toward the windows, and stared out at the street below, still trying to decipher the weight of that other room. If his children were grown, and he had no grandchildren, why did he have a crib? I turned to confront a subtle popping noise and found him holding a towel and rummaging through a cabinet. The pop sounded again when he closed it and wiggled a bottle of spring-water-scented soap.
“I knew I had something that didn’t smell like men’s soap, I just had to dig. I don’t know if you’ll like it, but Sammy used it when she was on leaves,” he explained while he got the water going for me.
“If you want, I could straighten that storage room up for you sometime.” I tested the water on the room, and as I suspected, he visibly tensed.
“Uh– n– we can talk about that. After your bath.” He nodded and stood up, wiping his hands on his jeans and flipping his lips up toward a smile, “I’ll leave you to it and get us set up downstairs for an evening in.”
“Great.” I watched him go and quietly moved to the cabinet.
I don’t know why, but I looked in everything before I stripped and got around to my bath. He didn’t have any bodies hidden anywhere or anything I didn’t figure belonged in a bathroom. The bath felt good, and though I wished I had underwear, the shirt was long enough no one could tell I was lacking them, when I came back downstairs.
“Have a seat,” Wyatt invited, gesturing toward a sofa.
He joined me on it with drinks, but gave me a heavy looking over rather than handing mine to me.
“You sure you’re old enough to drink?” he teased again.
“I’m gonna kick your ass,” I laughed.
“Woman, you just got busted up by a middle schooler. Are you really still talkin’ shit?”
“Til the day I die,” I sang.
He laughed, and handed the drink over, “I reckon you might be alright, then.”
“How old are your kids?” I asked, before bringing the drink up to my lips.
“Stop talkin, girl.” Wyatt reached over and tipped the glass, making me hush and swallow. “Just stop talkin’ and drink.”
When I finished, he immediately refilled it and asked, “What the fuck are you studying that’s so goddamn expensive, anyhow?”
He nodded to my drink, and I sipped it slowly, but enough to appease him.
“I was studying Horticulture, but I don’t know, after the way Sean’s men busted in there I may not be allowed back.” I sighed, having tried my best not to think too much about it.
“They came to your college?” He looked appalled.
“Fuck yeah, they did. They busted that door in and hurled me from campus, straight down the aisle. You saw me arrive.”
“I didn’t realize they took you by force. Damn. I’m sorry you went through that, darlin’.”
I shrugged, getting irritated by the topic, “You ask like you’re going to let me keep going.”
He snorted and stared at me until I bugged my eyes, not sharing his joke.
“Honey, I didn’t realize I was your lord and master. You’re a free fuckin’ woman. If you want to be educated and they’re willing to let your ass grace their classroom, who in the fuck am I to tell you that you can’t attend?”
I had to catch the laugh in my throat, for fear it would provoke him. These conversations were always such a tight dance with Keefe and Sean. Yes, I could go to college, until I was married or until I broke their rules.
I wanted to believe Wyatt, I just wasn’t sure I did. I quickly downed the rest of my shot and when he came in to refill, I held it away.
“Damn, you’re a lightweight like that?” he teased.