Chapter 11
Janice groaned loudly as her brother stopped outside the restaurant for her to get out.
“Am I ever going to be meeting these friends of yours?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Eventually.” She grumbled. She really didn’t want to go inside.
Yes, Warren was there, but she was pretty sure he was there as collateral.
If she didn’t show up, it would make it look like she had something against both Sascha— who had recently been upgraded from best friend to sister— and Warren— the man who had been driving her crazy and satisfying her all week.
Wow, she took a moment to think. Had it really been just a week since she’d found out her Best Sister-Friend was pregnant, developed a hate for the woman’s baby daddy, and entered into a casual sex relationship with a hot bartender who’s mouth inspired dirty moistening thoughts as easily as a match could catch fire.
“And when is this ‘eventually’?” He asked seriously.
She knew he was worried. It had only been the two of them since they’d left home and she was unilaterally enlarging their friend group by two and an irritating extension.
“You still haven’t introduced me to Sascha and I’m not comfortable with you coming home smelling so strongly of another man like you have been this week. ”
Janice rolled her eyes at that. He spoke more like she’d imagine a boyfriend might instead of her brother. “Don’t worry so much. I’ll introduce you to Warren soon. I’m just trying to find out if I trust him, is all.”
“Trust him.” Kadir scoffed. “Trust him, my ass. His smell is on your skin, not your clothes. I’m not stupid Janice.”
“Kadir, you worry too much.” She sighed. “I will introduce you to him soon.” Opening the door, she threw a leg out. “Now go to work, brother. I’ll be fine.”
“Bet. . .” The old name came out heavily accented and sent ice racing through her veins.
She froze in the doorway, suddenly unable to move.
As though unspoken memories of the past held her captive.
“I just don’t want to see you get too attached to them.
If we have to move all of a sudden, I’d hate to see you have to suffer through their loss. ”
He didn’t verbalize the again. But then, he didn’t have to.
She was there. She’d lived it. She knew what it was like to try and set down roots and suddenly have to run because they were discovered.
. . Closing her eyes tightly, she took a shaky inhale, trying to settle the surge of emotions and tingle of power under her skin.
“I’ll be careful brother. . . I promise. ”
As she got out, she heard him mutter softly “Please do” just before her door closed. Then he was driving away.
Guilt weighed on her as she went in and the waiter led her to the table.
She hadn’t told him about the promise she’d made with Sascha.
Or about how Warren had found out about her magick the first time she’d slept with him.
She knew he’d be upset. That he wouldn’t take the news well.
And with the full moon coming up, she didn’t want to add stress to his life.
Warren smiled in greeting when he saw her and stood, even as Double-A did, when she arrived. “We were waiting for you to order.” He said in greeting, stepping out of his side of the booth to meet her.
He took her elbows in hand as she reached halfheartedly out to hug him, pressed a kiss to her cheek and she felt herself relax a bit.
Janice knew why she hadn’t told her brother about him.
She’d have to work on getting Kadir comfortable with Warren before she told him.
After all, Warren still seemed to adore her even though she was a monster.
Perhaps he could be friends with her brother as well.
He motioned for her to take the inside of the booth.
“You shouldn’t have.” She muttered softly, before sliding in.
“We just thought it would be nice for everyone to eat at the same time.” Warren smiled.
Why was he so damn thoughtful? “I suppose you’re right.” She smiled back, taking the menu he offered as he sat. “Sorry I’m late. My brother had to work tonight since he’ll be taking a couple days off soon.”
“Is he alright?” Warren asked with concern.
She waved him off. “He’s fine. It’s just because he’s working a night job now and he needs to go out of town to see our mother.
” She lied effortlessly. It was the same lie they used any time they needed to take off a couple of days.
Their mother was ailing and lived a couple of states away.
It was a good excuse for her brother to take regular time off every month while working the night shift.
On the rare occasion he went into one of his violent sex frenzies, he’d say that they he needed to stay out there to take care of some paperwork, but they’d fortunately gotten his frenzies pretty well charted out.
They could be a bit irregular, but it usually happened between halloween and thanksgiving in the later months and easter to memorial day in the earlier months.
It tended to last for about a week each time, but thankfully his company was really big on family.
They felt bad about lying to the company, but needs-must. It wasn’t like they could tell the company what was actually happening to him.
Nor did they have a doctor they could take him to to get a sick note.
And he certainly couldn’t go to work in that state.
. . So, it left them with only one option. Lie. And get good at it.
“He’ll be out of town, you say?” She could see Warren’s stupid grin out of the corner of her eye. He leaned closer. “Then maybe you could come spend the night—”
“Ap.” She pressed a finger to his lips, setting down the menu. “That’s ‘me time’ you’re talking about. I won’t be getting that for another month, Mister. I’m going to lounge around my house naked and eat junk food.”
She hadn’t thought it possible, but the man’s grin grew. Her eyes widened as his scent filled her nose, drowning her in the need and desire to have him take her right there in the restaurant booth. His voice was a tempting growl when he said, “Then perhaps I could join you, naked on your couch.”
She pressed a hand in the center of his chest and pushed back against him, not entirely surprised when she found herself sliding farther into the booth, while he didn’t move at all.
“Warren.” She groaned, her insides spasming with anticipation.
She was pretty sure it was insane, but something in her thrilled when he got dominant like this.
A throat clearing across the table drew his attention that way and off of Janice and she could suddenly breath again. She leaned back in the booth corner and breathed heavily, as she heard Sascha interject herself into the conversation.
“No can do, buddy.” She could hear the woman’s humored grin. “Janice takes her ‘me time’ seriously. She won’t even let her best friend come over and bum around her house. There’s no way she’s letting you intrude.”
“But I’m certain I can make ‘me time’ even more enjoyable.” Warren said charmingly.
Janice could feel the man staring at her heaving chest and she picked up the menu to hide behind.
“Even still. I doubt it could ever be that good.” Sascha scoffed haughtily from across the table.
“Maybe you should ask her and find out.” Warren said smugly and Janice felt her face flush with heat.
Where was the damn waiter when you wanted him? She thought urgently on a flaring flick of power.
“Are you ready to order?” A man dressed in black slacks, white shirt, vest and an apron asked, and Janice could have audibly rejoiced.
They all placed their orders, Janice ordering her usual. Then the waiter took their menus and left.
With that train of conversation broken, Janice tried to think of something different and non-invasive to talk about.
Something that wouldn’t have everyone all up in her business and between her legs.
A tempting tingle had her shifting uncomfortably and rubbing at her still congested stomach.
It seemed her body was getting a bit better at handling the package the man sitting next to her came equipped with, but that didn’t mean her insides had returned to their regularly stationed positions.
Instead, she actually felt more congested, if that were even possible.
Warren placed a hand on her knee and a little thrill raced through her.
Ridiculously, she wanted him to run that hand up under her skirt.
She wanted him to slip his fingers around her underwear and tease her moist excitement from her.
She knew she’d have to be quiet and still so she wouldn’t draw the attention of the other patrons or her companions, but she really wanted his fingers playing at her core.
Teasing her to a trembling mass before slipping his fingers inside of her and ringing her door bell until she couldn’t hold it anymore and found her spasming release—
“Janice?” Warren shook her knee lightly, drawing her attention blearily back from her imagination.
“Are you alright?” He placed the back of his fingers on her cheek and studied her.
They were warm and she couldn’t help but sigh a little as she leaned farther into the caress.
“Your breathing is a bit chaotic and you’re a touch warm.
” He cast a glance across the table. “Shouldn’t it be over after a week? It’s Sunday.”
Janice looked dreamily across the table to see Ansell and Sascha frowning across at them. Sascha shook her head lightly and gave a little shrug before looking to Ansell, as though deferring to him.
Ansell frowned distastefully. “Honestly, it could be a number of things. She’s been taking birth control since the two of you became intimate?”
Janice frowned in confusion, but the world had this kind of photorealistic quality to it and her throat felt a bit swollen as though she’d swallowed something she shouldn’t have.
“Yes. I admit, I kind of forgot on the first day—”
Sascha scoffed, “Scum.”