14. Sedrick #2
“She was,” I whispered, remembering the grief I’d given Will when he’d told me he intended to mate her.
It had been a sore spot between us, one of the primary reasons we’d lost touch and I’d barely seen my niece and nephew until six weeks ago.
It was one of my biggest regrets. Phil was right.
Will had been right too. Kelsie was one of the good ones, and she hadn’t deserved my frigid condemnation because she happened to have the last name of Belview.
Staring at my empty glass, I desperately wanted to refill it repeatedly until my body and mind were numb. Before Dillon and Ruthie came to live with me, that’s exactly what I would have done. Now I had other responsibilities and couldn’t be so selfish.
“Moon Goddess,” I sighed and gripped the counter’s edge.
“I knew Arie was an asshole, but this . . .” I waved a hand toward the hall where Dillon and Ruthie slept.
“This is beyond comprehension. He knew how upset they were, and he kept at it. Weres don’t treat kids that way.
” I stared at Phil, willing him to understand. “They just don’t.”
Phil’s grass-green eyes sparkled with moisture.
He reached a hesitant hand out but pulled his fingers back before they could touch me.
Without thought, I grasped those fingers and laid them on my arm.
Phil’s eyes widened in surprise but quickly softened with understanding.
Phil’s grip was firm yet gentle. It was the grounded understanding I needed.
“I’m sorry, Sedrick. I . . . I wish there was something more I could do.” Phil’s wings fluttered, their movement just as quietly gentle as the rest of him. Those delicate pink wings were as expressive as his eyes.
I cupped Phil’s hand and squeezed. “You’ve already done more than anyone could have asked—more than I ever anticipated or expected.
The kids are comfortable with you, which means more to me than a well-taken-care-of house.
” I chuckled, remembering Dillon’s fierce protective stance.
“Did you see how Dillon placed himself between you and Arie?” I shook my head in memory.
“That kid’s got good instincts. He’s alpha down to his marrow. ”
Phil pulled away, and I missed the warmth of his hand. “It was very sweet. I just wish he hadn’t felt the need.”
“It’s instinct. Pure and simple. It wasn’t a comment on your capabilities. Trust me on that one.” I didn’t want Phil to think Dillon or I saw him as weak. Maybe I used to think that way, but not anymore. Despite his size, Phil wasn’t as physically strong as me, but he made up for it in other areas.
Phil took a couple of steps back, the sound of his boots heavy against the wood floor. Something in that noise was wrong. In the quiet of the house, I realized now what I should have a long time ago. Heavy footfalls were my territory, not Phil’s.
“And Ruthie?” Phil innocently asked. “Where does she fall in werewolf hierarchy?”
I scrubbed my hands over my face. It wasn’t nearly as simple of a question to answer as it should have been.
“I spoke with Will shortly before the accident. He thought Ruthie was going to be an alpha too. She was starting to show the traits, but since the accident . . .” I finished on a shrug.
“I’m not certain. I still pick up alpha vibes from her, but it’s like they’re muted.
She’s still young. I suppose time will tell.
For now, it’s obvious Dillon feels responsible for her, and Ruthie leans on her brother a lot.
She feels safe with Dillon.” I ensured Phil looked at me when I said, “She feels safe with you too.”
He rewarded me with a beautifully innocent blush. It was easy to see that Phil wasn’t used to compliments. I intended to change that.
Clearing his throat, Phil glanced toward the window and frowned.
I followed his view and noted night was creeping in.
“I better head out. If it’s okay with you, I can do the home shopping for you. I’m sure they’d deliver.”
I was more than okay with that plan. “Sounds good. Do you still have my card?”
Phil looked surprised but dug into his back pocket and held up the little piece of plastic. “I’m sorry, Sedrick. I completely forgot I had it.” Phil started to hand it back, but I stopped him.
“Keep it for now. Use it to buy what you think we need but be sure to get a chair for yourself, one that’s comfortable and doesn’t have a back on it.”
Phil’s blush deepened, and his mouth opened in what looked like surprise. “I don’t need a—”
“Maybe you don’t need it, but I want you to be comfortable while you’re here. That’s not negotiable. I’d planned to shop for something with you today, but . . . we both know what a clusterfuck today turned out to be.”
Phil sucked on his bottom lip. My eyes were caught by the action, and I barely suppressed a low groan when he released that juicy morsel, slicked with spit and shimmering pink in the low light.
With a slow nod, Phil pocketed my card again. “If it’s okay with you, I’ll see if Peaches has time to visit the exterminators tomorrow. Maybe together, we can convince them of the urgency. I can go shopping afterward and still get here by lunchtime. Does that sound okay?”
It sounded more than okay. “I’ll call Ollie and tell him I’ll be a little late tomorrow.”
“Will that be a problem?”
“No. Ollie and Burt are more than capable of handling things for the morning.” That was understating things.
“Oh, okay.” Phil shifted from foot to foot, and I was reminded of how wrong the boots looked on him.
I started to say something, ask about Phil’s clothes and shoes, but he’d already turned and was headed for the door.
With a wave and cautious goodbye, Phil left.
I didn’t think it was my imagination that my home suddenly felt more like a house.
Phil took the good, homey vibes with him, and I wondered if I’d always felt this way about the place I called home.
Had it always been this empty? I wasn’t sure.
I was sure that Phil was the piece I’d never known was missing.