11. I’m a Fire Hydrant
I’m a Fire Hydrant
Rez
‘Rezzi-bear,’ Lynx starts, and I already know what he’s going to say. He’s gonna give me a hard time because I just fucked Knox and Ryker without him.
‘Nope, don’t want to hear it,’ I tell him, before closing our link and joining the guys in the closet.
After my bout of hysteria, we took the quickest shower in the world with no round two, to my dismay, but Knox insisted everyone was waking up and breakfast was ready.
It turns out I wouldn’t have been able to handle round two even if the guys had been up for it and the house had been asleep.
My knees decided to drop me on my ass out of nowhere.
I figured it was the best sex of my life, but when I tried to stand up, my body just felt weak, so with the help of Knox and Ryker, we all hopped in the shower and cleaned off at record speeds.
By the time we dried off, my body regained its strength, and I was internally cursing up a storm.
I’d rather already be powerless and back to being a human and over these ‘side effects’ of going through the process or whatever Dr. Steinbeck was calling this.
Thank the Fates, the only thing that’s on today’s agenda is to meet with Dad at some point, and going to that meet-and-greet later.
Opting for jeans, boots, and a loose top, I follow the guys out of my room as I run my fingers through my unruly curls before slamming into the backs of Ryker and Knox.
“Hey, what’s the deal?” I call out, rubbing my sore nose and looking only to see their backs, and noticing the odd silence of the room.
Normally, the place is chaotic, even without the guys.
“Ugh, will you at least move out of the way?” I squeeze between my men and wish I hadn’t, going pale and freezing in my tracks as I take in the room before me.
JP and Zeke are where I last saw them, still in the kitchen, but plates of food are littered on the island for breakfast. My little Reaper is at Zeke’s feet, eating away at his food bowl while Knots is sitting at the island with a glass of OJ, looking in our direction with a stoic expression.
Levi, Lynx, Chester, and Moni are sitting spread out around the living room, trying their best not to look in our direction, but failing miserably.
I take that back, all but Lynx are not looking in our direction, the fucking furball is giving me the smuggest look before my eyes swing to the new addition standing in the room that was definitely not here when we snuck off into my bedroom.
“Dad? Uhh.. how long have you been here?” I ask, already dreading the answer since Moni is pink and Lynx is now giving me his signature ‘I told you so’ look. This is probably what he was trying to talk to me about when I blocked him. Oh yeah, speaking of which, I open our link and get blasted.
‘I tried to tell ya but noooo, instead you had to—’ Nope. I’ll unblock him later.
“I believe I got here around the ‘Then shut up and fuck me’ stage,” he says with a straight face, and my own face flashes with an ungodly inferno as Ryker and Knox high-five, Moni faints and Chester dives for her, and the rest of my men are in different states of being proud or jealous it wasn’t them.
I wish the ground would eat me up right now.
“I take it, this isn’t a good time?” he asks, clearing his throat and trying to hide a smile.
Oh fucking A. This is not my life right now. How in the hell is this my life right now? My father might as well have just walked in on me having sex with my mates. Why in the hell was I so loud? If I had known, I would have been quieter. Why didn’t I have that as a superpower like a shifter?
I turn and narrow my eyes on my said shifter.
“YOU!” I growl.
The bastard only smiles widely as he reaches down and palms my face into his gentle hands.
“You’re too cute to be angry, Kitten,” he says and kisses me on the forehead, and whispers along my hairline as he peppers kisses down my face.
“Actions speak louder than words, and he needed to know we can take care of our mate in all ways possible,” he tells me before leaving a scorching kiss that makes me dizzy.
Ryker swaggers up next to me and bends down to whisper in my other ear.
“Besides, you had fun.” He winks, yet I’m still annoyed and reach out for his hand, stopping him.
“You could have found another way to prove it,” I whisper-yell at him.
“No, we couldn’t. Remember? We’re Supernatural. This is how we do it,” is his simple answer, and he kisses me also before going to the island and grabbing food.
Ugh. My mates are going to be the death of me or the reason I get locked up because I commit murder. Turning around, I force a smile and confront Dad.
“You’re always welcome, Dad. Have you already had breakfast?” I ask, leading my father into the kitchen as my stomach growls.
“I had coffee. I didn’t want to impose on Matthew this morning.” He gives me a shy smile.
“Yet, he has no problem doing so with his daughter.” Zeke’s snide comment doesn’t go unnoticed as we approach, and I give him a stern look.
What the hell is up with my guys? Did I miss something yesterday?
“Dad, help yourself to some food. I need to talk to my guys for a minute, if that’s alright,” I tell him, not really giving him a choice, and look at everyone before pointing to the den.
“Come on,” I demand through clenched teeth, but not before grabbing a couple of tull? strips and shoving them in my mouth.
I don’t need this right now.
I march into the den and lean against the pool table, watching as my family follows me in. I don’t even give them a chance to relax. As soon as JP comes in last, I send him a message to shut the door and begin.
“What the hell is up with everyone? And there’s no point in telling me nothing, it’s obvious there’s something that has to do with my dad, and I don’t have the time to drag this out,” I spit out, crossing my arms over my chest and looking over everyone.
It’s obvious no one wants to be the bearer of my focus, but all it’s doing is pissing me off faster.
“If you would unblock me, I would have already explained, but nooooo. Miss high and mighty had to slam out her bestie, so why should I tell you anything now?” Lynx points out.
Aww shit. He has a point.
“I’m sorry, Lynx. I thought you were going to give me a hard time about going off with Knox and Ryker, so I blocked you preemptively, and I shouldn’t have done that,” I say sincerely.
“Obviously, you were going to warn me about Dad. Do you forgive me?’ I ask my best friend, not afraid to swallow my pride.
“Oh no, you’re right. I was absolutely going to give you hell about the guys, and I definitely wasn’t going to warn you about your dad. He needed to hear that,” he confesses.
“What?”
“Hate to agree, bestie. But that’s the easiest way to accept the challenge.” Moni nods before taking a sip of her drink, easily slipping back into her normal greenish-brown color.
“See, this is where I’m lost,” I confess. “What challenge?”
“Oh, you missed it,” JP starts as he goes around and begins racking the balls on the table. “Your dad doesn’t believe we are suitable to take care of you.”
Huh? When did this happen?
“It was when you were passed out. We tried to take care of you, and he found us lacking and didn’t want us touching you, even if it was to wipe the sweat off of your forehead,” Knox growls out as he paces in front of the sofa.
His aggravation easily flows through our link, and I try to ease it by sending some calming vibes and love his way, but all he does is send me a small smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.
“And we don’t like the idea that he abandoned you all those years ago,” Ryker adds. “Simple enough.” I drop my head in defeat for a moment as I think of what to say.
Well then. When you put it like that, I’m up shit creek.
I take in a deep breath and nod before looking back at my family.
“Okay. I think I understand, and your feelings are valid,” I tell them, and they stand a little taller knowing I’m taking their feelings to heart.
“But with that said, he is still my father, and I haven’t seen him in years.
He’s the only person I can get answers out of right now, and that’s something all of us need. ”
Zeke and Levi shift uncomfortably in their seats, and I zero in on them first.
“I know you have reasons, probably more than you’re letting on right now,” I narrow my eyes, “but please remember I didn’t have the best start with my in-laws either. As a matter of fact, I’ve almost died in the presence of one of them twice now.” Moni gives me a blank look. “Lilith,” I clarify.
“Oh! Yeah, she’s a mess.” She nods.
“Can we have a truce for now?” I ask, almost pleadingly. I need my family to get along with my dad. I have enough shit on my plate right now.
“Anything for you, bestie,” Moni cheers, popping up to her full height and hugging me before heading to the door.
Chester comes up and awkwardly stands before me.
“Are we supposed to hug too?” he asks, pushing his glasses up with his middle finger.
“Only if you want to,” I tell him. “Or we can have our own thing, like a fist bump kind of handshake.” When he smiles big, I know I’ve said the right thing.
We do a weird side fist and knuckle bump before he follows Moni.
Each of my men agrees to ease off of Dad before kissing me and walking back out of the den, until Levi is the last one standing before me.
As he walks up, we make eye contact, and he visibly flinches, making my heart break as my eyes start to sting.
“Are you in pain?” My voice cracks as I look at my mage.
Levi slides his hand along my jaw, and I lean into his touch. It’s the first time we’ve touched since Hell, and a few tears escape without my permission. But Levi, being the gentleman he is, wipes them away without calling me out and leans into me.
“The only pain I feel is when I make you cry, and when I’m not the one making you cry out in ecstasy while being buried deep within you,” he says, smiling down at me and wiping the last tears from my eyes.
“I love you,” I tell him, looking at his hazel eyes and the pain around them. “Ugh, I wish I could stab Emer right now,” I whisper.
“I love you too, Rez, so how about you kiss me instead?” Levi says as he guides me to his lips. He gives me a soft yet powerful kiss that I melt into. “We’ll worry about the Emer stuff later,” he whispers against my lips and links our hands together to walk into the living room.
As I regard the kitchen, I see everyone grabbing their food and drinks, and my stomach attacks me again, reminding me I need nourishment. JP meets me halfway with a plate filled with some of my favorites and a glass of water.
“Figured you would be starving,” he teases, playfully wiggling his eyebrows. Levi squeezes my hand before letting me go, and it breaks my heart knowing that comforting me probably caused him pain.
After thanking JP, I turn to find Dad standing against the wall by the hallway to my room, and I make my way to the sofa closest to him and sit.
“So what did you want to talk about?” I ask, shoving a grape into my mouth.
“Would you feel more comfortable talking in another room?” he asks, mimicking my movements and grabbing a fruit from his own fruit bowl.
“Nope, not really.” I shake my head. “This is my family.” I indicate everyone in the room. “Whatever you tell me, you can say in front of them. Besides, it will save me from having to repeat it and possibly missing vital details later,” I explain, and Dad surprisingly doesn’t question or complain.
He nods and conjures up a chair, much like Levi does, but his is more elaborate than my mage’s. Removing his jacket, he lays it over the arm of the chair, revealing a button-up green linen shirt and brown slacks, and sits down before directing his attention to me.
“I’m sure you have a lot of questions. Since I haven’t been around for most of your life, I’m here to answer what I can and see what I can clear up,” he says, his remorseful tone causing emotion to knot in my stomach.
Guilt for being sad, frustration with this whole situation, and, more than anything, anger.
I’m fucking pissed I’m sitting here about to ask my father, who hasn’t been around in my life, what my life even meant to him, to my mother, to anyone that even fucking cares, and I’m supposed to believe him? The man who left Mom and me?
I chomp down on a grape so hard that it rolls, and I yelp in pain as I bite down on my tongue instead.
‘Fuck!’ I yell in pain, trying not to show any emotion, but it’s hard as I set down my bowl and look at my father.
‘You need help?’ Lynx asks, and I seek him out as he stands up on the other side of the room. As soon as we make eye contact, he shifts without question.
Lumbering over to me, he jumps onto the sofa, making the guys shift over a little, and Reaper growls. I open my arms, and Lynx curls into my lap, allowing me to melt into his fur and take in his heat.
‘Thank you,’ I sigh.
‘Anything for you, Rezzi-bear. Now ask him what you need to,’ he coaxes.
Giving Lynx an extra squeeze, I peer over his shoulders at Dad and take in a deep breath.
“Why did you abandon us?”
Let’s see you disappear out of this one.