Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Kip
John looked up from the papers in front of him and rubbed his eyes. “So you’re saying you want to move?”
That wasn’t entirely what I was saying, but it was the most important part. “Yes. Well, Mason is at the place now, cleaning up after the attack. He swears he’s fine and that he won’t be run out of his house, but I can see the strain he’s under.”
“Makes sense,” John muttered. “We do understand, and we don’t blame you at all.
I don’t know if anyone would feel safe in that house after what’s happened to Mason.
We have another one available, but it’s about a hundred square feet smaller and it’ll take us a couple of weeks to get it set up for you. Will that be okay?”
I was so glad he hadn’t flipped out. After we’d gotten back from the motel, Mason had flinched at every little noise, and was back to not sleeping at night. Even going to see Dr. Briggs wasn’t helping. She’d suggested moving out, finding a place of our own.
“That’d be great. Thank you, John.”
He waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t thank me. It pisses me off that we’re no closer to figuring out who’s attacking him, so it’s the least we can do.”
“Well, I appreciate it. I’m sure Mason will too.”
John smiled. “I love how the two of you found a path most Dominants and their submissives won’t take.
It reminds me that no two people are the same, which I somehow forgot along the way.
” He puffed up his chest. “And I’ve got some really good news.
We sold three more houses in the past two weeks.
People who moved here to be near the Omega. ”
That was an opening I couldn’t resist taking advantage of. “Can I ask a favor?”
“Of course.”
“Would it be possible for me to design a new house for me and Mason? I’d like to give him something that’s ‘ours’, if you know what I mean.”
John cocked his head. “That’s right. You went to school to be an architect, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, though I had a few years to go. Once I was fully committed to Mase, he became my priority and I dropped out. I did draw up plans for a home for us, though. Mason settled for our current one, but he never really felt as if it was truly something for us. So if I designed this house, I’d get to use my degree, and Mason would get to have a place that’s all ours. ”
John tapped a pen on his desk, and somehow the clicking noise was soothing. “I wanna say yes. You know I do.”
My heart sank. “But?” I knew there was one coming.
He let out a heavy sigh. “We don’t have the money to build a house, especially if it’s one you’ll be designing yourself.”
I should have thought of that. They’d paid me more of what I was owed, but the debt kept getting bigger as each week went by. The thing was, I really wanted this house for Mason. I’d told him of my commitment, but this would give me the opportunity to show it.
To prove it.
I thought fast. “What if the pack provides the land, and I build the house on my own?”
He blinked. “With what? Where would you get the money?”
I chuckled. “Let me worry about that. I promise it won’t be anything illegal. All I’m asking right now is…is it possible?”
He shrugged. “Yeah, I don’t see why not.”
“Awesome.” I smiled. “You know, I’m really glad we moved here.”
“I am too,” John said. “Really glad.”
I stood. “We’re done for the day, so I’m gonna go surprise Mase by getting home early for a change. Maybe we’ll go out to dinner or something.”
“Sounds fun.” He bit back a smile. “I’m not jealous at all.”
John had been busting his hump trying to bring money to town so he could pay those of us who were falling behind in bills and the like. And I couldn’t miss the wistful edge to his voice.
“Would you like to go with us?” I pointed to his phone. “Call your wife, grab the kid, and we’ll hit the Applejack.”
He gave a grateful smile. “Raincheck, maybe? I’m neck deep in things that have to get sorted.”
“Anything I can do to help?”
“Yes, in fact there is.” He grinned. “Get out of here and keep our Omega happy.” Then he returned his attention to the sheaf of papers on his desk.
I felt bad. John had had our backs since we moved to town. He’d had Mason’s family’s backs even longer. And now, with the town suffering, he had no one to help him.
“John, I can—”
“Get out of here,” he chided without looking up. “Don’t make Mason wait.”
My chest hurt as I left his office and closed the door behind me. I made my way to my truck, then called my dad.
“What’s up, kid?” he asked when he answered.
“I need help.” Except I wasn’t sure what I wanted to ask.
“Anything for you. What can we do for you?”
I realized that if I needed him to help me, I’d have to tell him the whole story.
I trusted my dad, so I told him about Mase and his people.
What they were. He was shocked, because he hadn’t known such a thing existed.
Once we cleared that, he told me the fact there were werewolves could work for us.
Then he asked what I believed we needed.
It started out with me talking about the house, how I needed it to keep Mason safe, but then it segued into how to help the town.
I was glad I’d told Dad about Mason’s people.
I didn’t like lying to him, and we’d already been doing enough of that.
I vowed that Mason would learn about my secret with no more hesitation.
After we took care of the mess I was trying to help with.
“Dad, the town is in trouble,” I blurted out. “Like, deep financial trouble.”
“Okay, and? What is it you want to do about it?”
That was the problem. I had no idea what I wanted to do, or if helping them was even possible.
“I don’t know,” I admitted.
“You do.” His voice was warm. “You went to school to learn all you could. These are your people now, so how can you help them?”
“By talking to my father?” I said, annoyed.
“Can’t fix all your problems, kid.” I could hear his smirk. “We’d really love to, but you know it doesn’t work like that.”
Yeah, I knew. It just bugged me that no one could help me fix this broken thing.
I started the truck up, and it kicked over on the first try. Thanks to what Dad had taught me, the truck was better than it had been, that was for sure. I put him on speaker to continue talking with him while I drove home.
“John has been good to us,” I said. “He got us the house, and he’s been Mason’s biggest supporter after me and our families.”
Dad let out a wry chuckle. “Glad you remembered to put us on that list.”
“It’s just… John is suffering, and I don’t know how to help him.”
“You can’t help everyone,” he reminded me, just like he had while I was growing up.
“I know that!” I snapped. Regret flushed through me. “Sorry.”
“I’m not even taking offense at that. You got my temper, which means I understand. So tell me, what do you think would help the town?”
“More people,” I answered.
“That’s a good start, but it can’t be the only thing.”
It wasn’t. With such a small tax base, the money had to stretch to include road repairs, upkeep on lots, and a ton of other things.
“Dad, I’m not sure what to do,” I admitted.
“Then let’s figure it out together. You say more people, but where will they live? How about jobs? What will keep them here?”
‘There are houses,” I said.
“Have you looked at the prices on them? Most people, especially in a depressed area, can’t afford a house. And I’ll be honest, this town is about as financially depressed as you can get.”
That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. “John said the town was dying, and quickly too.”
“And is this something you want to avoid?”
“Yes! You know it is.”
“I do. Which is why I’m trying to engage your brain to help you sort things out.”
“But you could just tell me,” I whined.
“You’re right, I could. But then what lesson will you learn?”
“That my dad can fix anything?” I already knew that wasn’t the right answer.
“Yeah, wishful thinking. I want to help you, I really do, but I need you to think this through before I step in.”
“Yeah, I know, but—” Ahead of me, thick, black smoke rose from—
“Dad, our house is on fire!”
“Fuck!” he shouted. “I’m calling 9-1-1 and then I’ll be on my way.”
I could already see the flames licking from the shattered windows, rising up toward the roof.
My heart plummeted.
“Mason is in the house!” I cried. “Dad, help me!” I knew he’d already disconnected, and I felt powerless as I watched my life going up in flames. I threw my phone on the seat, jumped out of the truck and rushed for the door.
I am not letting you go, Mason.
I had to save him. And when I was sure he was gonna make it, I’d take him home, then devote my time to finding out who the walking dead man was.
Mason
This is suffocating me.
I swept up the glass from our shattered picture frame. Shards of it had ripped through the print, our images slashed.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, I could still smell the blood on the floor, see the man’s face.
Feel my heart hammering as I waited to be attacked again.
I wanted to scream, to say I wouldn’t be run out, but I knew the truth.
I was trying to put on a brave face for Kip, but I could tell he knew how I was feeling.
This morning when I’d gone with him to the door to see him off to work, he’d hesitated, grabbed my chin in his hand, and proceeded to kiss me until I was breathless.
“I can stay home,” he whispered in my ear, sending shivers up my spine.
“I would love that,” I admitted, “but the electric bill is due.”
He sighed. “They always want money. Why can’t they just give us stuff? We’re good people.” He frowned at me. “Well, I am.” He grinned. “Fine, I’ll go to work, but I’m going to come home early and we’re going to hit the Applejack. I want their stuffed pancakes.”
“Sure, that sounds good.” I kissed him again. “I’m gonna hang out here and clean things up some.”
“Mase, you don’t need to—”
“I do,” I argued. “Really, I do.”
Looking at the devastation to my world hurt like hell.