13. Maia
13
MAIA
“ W hat do you need, little butterfly?” Alex asks, putting his pen down to give me his full attention. I’m hesitantly hovering in the doorway of his home office, and I can see how busy he is. I hate to interrupt, and I hate even more feeling like I need to ask permission for something.
Alas, this is the position I’m in.
“Um, it’s… I was meant to have an appointment on Monday, but they’ve moved it up to tomorrow,” I say, crossing my arms in front of my chest. His eyes drop down, and his eyebrows raise, likely at realising Phoebe’s not with me. “It’s our last appointment with the community midwife, and it’ll take place at my house.”
“Oh. Fuck.” He runs his hands through his hair, leaning back in his seat. It’s a very large office chair, fitting his frame perfectly, but doesn’t seem to have wheels. His desk is a large mahogany with three computer screens on it and lots of paperwork scattered in front. The scene reads stressed, the man very overwhelmed, and I hate that I’m interrupting for something I can easily do myself .
I have no idea what the paperwork is, or even what these guys do for work, but it’s clear that Alex is very busy.
He seems to pull himself together and nods. “We’ll make sure that one of us is going to be there with you, even just to sit upstairs. Time?”
“Eleven.” I sigh, looking at the state his office is in. “Do you need to be there?”
“Our presence will be needed if anything goes wrong with Phoebe. She shouldn’t be upset during the appointment, but if she were to shift, we’re going to need to handle that.”
“Fair enough.”
He nods. “Perfect. Do you need anything else?”
“No,” I say, shaking my head, and I move to leave. But then he stands, and I can see coffee stains covering the dark blue fitted pants. He’s very busy. “Do you need any help with anything?”
“Where’s Phoebe?” he asks, his voice more of a growl than human.
“Asleep in her crib.” I lift the baby monitor at him, giving it a little shake, but rather than satisfying him, he frowns.
“What is that?”
“A baby monitor. There’s one in her room, so if she gets unsettled, I’ll hear her and go back,” I say, and his eyes widen. “What do you guys do?”
He rubs the back of his neck, giving me a sheepish smile. “We leave a door open. If even the window in her room was cracked open, I’d likely hear her from town.”
My eyes widen. I don’t know where the town is from here, but even in the garden, I’d likely struggle to hear her. Phoebe’s hearing is going to be that powerful? Holy fuck.
“That’s amazing. I’d kill—” I’m cut off when Alex’s phone buzzes, and I stay silent as he fishes his phone from the desk. He groans when he reads the message, his shoulders tensing even further. I creep into the room. “What’s wrong? ”
“Just a problem with a client,” Alex says wearily. He rubs his eyes and sits back down at his desk. “Can you do me a favour?”
“Potentially.”
That elicits a grin from him. “I was going to swap out with Seb soon, so that you and Phoebe wouldn’t be home alone, but I’ve now got to go into a meeting to help fix this, so I can’t swap with him.”
“What is this? What do you do?” I ask, moving forward to sit on the sofa. It’s not right near his desk, but I make myself comfortable there anyway. His nostrils flare, and his hazel eyes light up. But then a shocked expression crosses his face, and he groans.
“Oh, fuck.” He lets out a shallow laugh. “We’ve really not made time to get to know each other, have we?”
“No. With everything we’re adjusting to, it clearly hasn’t been much of a priority,” I murmur. I shrug, grinning at him. “Maia Blake, twenty-four. I’m an angel investor. Technically.”
“Technically?” Alex’s brows are close to his forehead as he watches me.
“I mean, it’s my parents’ money, and I’ve got a team and such who handles most of the in-person meetings. I just… share things around when I can,” I say with a shrug.
“So that’s how you use your degree,” he says, and I nod. “Have you invested in many businesses?”
“Why? Are you curious if I could loan you some money?” I tease, waggling my brows.
Alex rolls his eyes, but his quirked lips betray his amusement. “No. Although, if I don’t fix things with this client, we might come begging.” I narrow my eyes, and he winks. “Alexander Wolfe, twenty-seven. CEO of Wolfe Security.”
“Oh, what is that? Cyber-security?”
He shakes his head. “Personal security. Our company works in private protection for some big names. Aaron and Brad, two of Iris’s mates, are professional footballers, as I mentioned, and because of that, they’re in the human limelight a lot. When they went public with their relationship, Iris received some death threats. It increased until she was attacked one night—by other wolves.”
“Holy fuck,” I whisper.
“It wasn’t pretty. We took the case on and identified who did it, and since then, Aaron and Brad work with us for their security. Most of it is menial, just organising a bodyguard for personal appearances and liaising with their manager when it comes to any travelling. But once we worked with them, word spread, and we’re now doing really well for ourselves.”
“That’s amazing.”
He grins. “Thank you. I do most of the day-to-day running of it, but we’re all involved in some capacity.”
“We as in Seb, Christopher, and Ben, or your entire family?”
“The four of us. Seb’s one of the best trackers in the world, and Ben is a genius with computers. Christopher has handled a lot of the politics and the financial side with me, but he’s the most hands off, since, soon enough, the pack will be his priority.”
“That’s fair,” I say with a nod. “And he’s happy with that?”
“I’m not sure if Christopher knows how to be happy,” Alex says, pursing his lips. “He’s got a lot of responsibility on his shoulders, and he takes on more, but he’s content.”
I nod. “That’s sort of how I feel. I’m content with what I do. I’ve taken a bit of a backseat right now, obviously, but I never thought this is what I’d spend my life doing.”
“So, why do you do it?”
I laugh. “I’ve got a lot of money, and I invest specifically in companies that want to do good things. Advancements in the world, products that help people, but they lack the funds. My mum ran a charity, Howling Hope , and?—”
“Howling Hope?” he asks with a frown. I nod slowly. “They work with endangered animals, right?”
“Yes. My mum started it out of spite when she was a teenager, and I don’t have to do too much with it other than show up to a few galas.”
Alex laughs, a full on belly laugh that transforms his face. Some of the stress has ebbed away, and I feel pride for being the reason for that. “How can you start a foundation out of spite?”
“My grandfather, her dad, was an avid hunter, and it didn’t meld well with her beliefs. She was vegan, and they got into an argument. It evolved from there.” I grin. “My grandfather died when I was nine, but he and my mum were such opposite ends of the spectrum. He was very old school, very traditional. My mum was so free, so unrestrained. Their love for each other was clear, even despite that.”
“We’ve donated quite a lot to that foundation specifically for the efforts they do.” He raises an eyebrow. “So what made you choose to do something different?”
“I never wanted to work there. That was my mum’s passion, and it was already thriving,” I say, bringing my legs up onto the sofa. I turn to face him a little more as I get comfy. “I didn’t want to spend my life in her shadow, and she supported that.”
“I’m glad,” he says softly. “So, when do you plan on going back to work?”
I grimace. “Um... no idea. I’ve got the funds to not, and it might only be day seven, but I love being home with Phoebe.”
“We’ll support whatever you want to do,” he says softly.
“How are we going to go about this financially?” I ask.
He frowns. “What do you mean?”
“Well, whilst I’m staying here,” I start, but he growls low. I ignore it. “Whilst I’m staying here, I need to contribute towards the bills.”
“You will bloody well not,” he snaps, and between blinks, I realise his eyes have turned bright silver. “No mate of mine will be paying for anything whilst she’s caring for ou-her child.” He shakes his head when I open my mouth. “No, mate. No.”
“Max—” I start, and he growls. It’s kind of cute. I stand up and head towards him, grinning when he scoots his chair back. “I’d at least like to contribute to the shopping bills.”
“No.” He’s grinning, but his tone is serious.
“Phoebe and I?—”
“Will have your needs covered by us,” he says. He holds his hand out, and I sigh but take it. He pulls me into his lap, and I move around so that I’m more comfortable. “You seem tense.”
“ You seem tense,” I correct, reaching up to place my hand gently on his cheek. He starts to growl low in his throat, and it’s a pleased sound. “Is there anything I can help with?”
He shakes his head, not moving from where I’m touching him. I don’t know if he can feel the tingles like I can, but they’re so pleasant and nice.
“You popped in at just the right moment.”
I smile, but based on the heated expression on his face, I think he doesn’t just mean me arriving at his office when I did.
I think he means when I arrived in his life.
Something vibrates on my leg, but I don’t even have time to ponder it because Alex’s head snaps away from mine in a panic. “Shit!”
“Breathe,” I murmur, slowly rising to my feet. He seems very reluctant to let go of me, but I don’t give him the choice. “What’s wrong?”
“I have a meeting in five minutes, and I’m not prepared,” he says with a shake of his head. “Can you go and pick Seb up for me? I’ll text you the—can you write your number in my phone? I’ll send you his location, and—” He cuts himself off with a groan. “It’s fine. I’ll see if Talia is?—”
“Easy,” I murmur, bending forward to press a hesitant kiss to his cheek. “Phoebe will be due for a feed soon, so I’ll get her up, and we’ll both go and pick Seb up from work. Pass your phone.” He doesn’t seem to move, his jaw a little agape, his eyes tracking my movements.
I reach down and take it from his grasp and attempt to unlock the phone. “Password? ”
“2902,” he replies with a small smile.
I don’t make a comment about the date being Phoebe’s birthday. I can’t. I key in the numbers and add myself as a contact. Presumptuous, maybe, but I send the number to Ben, Christopher, and Seb, just so they have it, too.
“Sorted,” I say, keeping my tone soft. I hand his phone back to him and squeeze his shoulder. On the way past the sofa, I grab the baby monitor and head through to the bedroom.
Phoebe’s still asleep in her crib, but almost as if she sensed me enter the room, her eyes slowly open. She’s gorgeous, and that tiny smile she gives as she spots me in the corner is so sweet.
Even if it was directly followed by a fart so loud she scared herself.
P hoebe is finally buckled in the car, and I head off to go pick Seb up. I’ve texted him twice to let him know that we’re delayed, and each time I got a very enthusiastic response. He’s a lot chattier over text, which is pretty adorable.
He’s going to meet me at a café, which is good, since Phoebe is a little unsettled. She had a very big feed before we left, but her hands are clenched so tight, I think she wants more.
The car always soothes her, so there’s only a small risk of my furry girl shifting into a form that I can’t control, but that doesn’t fully erase my anxiety. Especially not when I’m alone.
I guide my car into the pretty busy car park, grateful for the parent and toddler bays so that I’ve got the extra space. The cold wind nips at my cheeks as I gather Phoebe’s essentials whilst she’s still snug in her carseat. I wrap the baby wear around myself, and then start getting Phoebe settled.
I wrap her soft pink coat around her tiny frame, to protect against the fading winter, before strapping her against my chest. I can feel the warmth from her, which reassures me that she’ll feel it even more from me.
It’s a nice enough day—despite the chilly wind—with pale sunlight filtering through bare branches. We’re very close to the café. It’s connected to a larger supermarket, with a door from the car park to inside, and then there’s another one that opens up into the main store.
It’s a decent size, and I’ve been here a few times before I had Phoebe. It’ll be nice to bring her in and maybe see some of the staff who knew me when I was pregnant.
As I wrench the door open, the smell of coffee and sugary desserts fills my nostrils, but my attention is grabbed by the person leaving through the other set of doors. My heart starts to race, my legs trembling, as a shiver races down my spine.
Was that… surely not.
The hair colour is common. It could’ve been anyone.
Or… maybe… maybe I brought him here. How else would my dead fiancé be leaving a café he had no idea I’d be at?
I keep my eyes trained on the figure, but he never once looks my way, and when he disappears from sight, I know it wasn’t meant to be.
As my heartbeat slows down, the busy sounds of the cafe rush into my ears. My head is pounding, and I feel like I might throw up.
“Can you move out of the way?” a blonde woman snaps, and I move forward to let her leave through the door. It breaks the spell, and I’m overwhelmed with my own sadness.
I don’t know why I have the ability to keep seeing Ryan, but it destroys me every single time he disappears. I live in hope, desperate to see him, and then my heart shatters every time it was someone else.
Even just catching sight of his face helps with the grief.
The last two times, where I actually got to talk to him, have been a gift I don’t think I deserve. Even if the last time brought far too many questions.
I head over to the counter and order a decaf tea and one of their paninis. Seb said he’d come down as soon as his meeting finished, but I have no idea how long that will be, so I may as well get myself comfortable.
Phoebe starts to whine, so I bounce on my feet and shush her whilst waiting for my food. I don’t recognise any of the workers today, which is a little sad.
“Maia?” a familiar voice calls. I turn, and my eyes widen as I slap a smile on my face.
“Dr Thomas,” I say with a nod of the head. He sneers at me, which pisses me off, but stands up and comes over to me anyway. He’s alone, but there are three empty mugs on his table. I wonder how long he’s been here.
“It’s so lovely to see you out and about.” His tone of voice says otherwise. “What are you doing over this way?”
I frown. “I’m here for some tea. What about you?”
“Maia!” Seb calls, and I hate how my body completely relaxes. I know that everything will be okay now. I turn to look for Seb, seeing a frustrated expression on his face as he cuts through the crowd.
“It seems you’re now busy,” Dr Thomas says patronisingly. “I’ll see you in a few weeks for your checkup.”
“See you,” I say, not even watching him leave as Seb bounds over to me. He bends down low and presses his forehead to mine, breathing in my scent like a starving man. “Hi.”
“Hi,” he murmurs, his eyes flashing between green and hazel. Up close, I can see the little green flecks, and they’re so pretty. “Who was that?”
“My old doctor,” I say, and he grins. I roll my eyes and pat his cheek just as my name is called for food. Seb grabs it, and I lead him over to the seating area.
The only table left open is the one that Dr Thomas was sitting at. Everything has been cleared away, apart from a napkin that’s sticking out from under the little basket of condiments. I tug it out, and my blood runs cold.
Seb snatches it from me before I can read more than just my name, and he growls low.
“Who?”
“Dr Thomas was sitting here,” I whisper, and Seb gives one firm nod. “Is… is everything okay?”
He reaches over the table and cups my cheek. “I won’t let it be anything but.”
He cuts my sandwich in half and holds it out to my mouth so I can take a bite, and we continue the meal in a similar fashion. Seb’s attentiveness doesn’t erase my panic, neither does seeing how sweet he is with my daughter.
“You’re shivering,” Seb murmurs, pulling his jacket off. He wraps it around me before we leave, and on the way home, he drives.
I can’t help that the napkin was in his pocket. I can help the fact that I took it out to read it.
But I wish I didn’t. I wish I’d left it alone.
Surely, it was a coincidence having my name written down. A bigger coincidence to have Phoebe’s there, too.
But having Ryan’s name written down should be an impossibility.
Nobody— nobody— should know the name of her father.
Fuck.