Chapter Fourteen
Vinnie paced the yard. Noah had tried to get her to eat, but she no longer had an appetite.
Food was the last thing on her mind. She wasn’t wearing a watch and her phone was inside.
She had no idea how long they’d been gone, but the sun was much higher in the sky.
The brothers had finished breakfast and cleaned up before wandering off to do whatever it was they did.
The screen door opened and Josiah stepped out. “Here.” He held out a bottle of water. “You need to stay hydrated.”
Sweat had the shirt she wore clinging to her. Late July in the mountains was hot, and this was going to be a scorcher. She took the bottle and went to sit on the porch steps in the shade.
“You wearing sunscreen?”
She took a deep swallow, letting the water cool her parched throat. “You taking care of me?”
“Cyrus has enough to worry about.”
Well, that certainly put her in her place, didn’t it? “No one asked him to worry about me.”
Josiah gave a derisive snort. “It’s imprinted on his DNA.
He’s a born nurturer, though he’d bust my ass for saying it.
I’ve never met a tougher man or wolf. He never backs away from the hard tasks.
Whatever his family needs, no matter what it takes or costs him, he’s there.
He’s got broad shoulders, but even the strongest get tired sometimes.
” His lifted his head and sniffed. “They’re coming.
” Josiah slipped inside, leaving them to have their reunion in private.
Heart pounding, Vinnie jumped to her feet. A wolf sprinted into the yard with a much larger one loping behind him. She’d witnessed Adam shifting yesterday, but to see him here in the light of day without gut-wrenching panic assailing her was an entirely different experience.
He stopped when he noticed her and lowered his head.
Fighting her own trepidation over his future, she strode forward, projecting more confidence than she felt.
“Are you okay?” She wanted to hug him but wasn’t sure she should.
How much of her son remained when he was a wolf was a question she had no answer to.
She was just glad he’d come back, and she had Cyrus to thank for that.
Adam nudged his nose against her arm. Hoping she was doing the right thing, she rubbed his fur and scratched behind his ears. Cyrus padded over beside them and dropped the bundle of clothes at her feet.
“Guess you two should get changed.” Adam nuzzled closer. “I know this is tough on you, buddy, but we’re in this together.” She finally looked at Cyrus. “All three of us.”
Like it or not, he was part of their lives. Anticipation sizzled in her veins, but she did her best to douse the flicker of excitement. They shared a son. That meant maintaining a good relationship for his sake. Sexual attraction muddied the waters.
All her focus had to be on Adam’s safety and happiness. He’d had so much change dumped on him, from his very identity to finding his father. Everything else was secondary.
Cyrus brushed against her on his way to the house.
She scooped up the bundle. “I’ll bring this inside.
” Adam hesitated but trotted alongside her.
Josiah, Noah, and Zach were in the combination kitchen/dining area.
They all watched Adam as he hurried down the hall to his temporary bedroom, toenails clicking on the hardwood floor.
“You’ll both be hungry. I’ll make something.” Noah opened the refrigerator and began pulling out containers. She was fast learning food was his way of showing he cared.
“Thank you. I’m sure Adam will appreciate it. I’ll be back.” She headed down the hall and knocked on the door. It opened a crack and Adam stuck his hand out. She handed off the bundle, and the door closed in her face.
Cyrus’s door opened seconds later, and he stepped out fully dressed right down to his boots. The knot in her stomach was back. He’d been barefoot since he’d arrived home. He was anticipating leaving, and soon. “How’re you holding up?” He brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek.
Butterflies danced in her stomach. She sidestepped his question and asked one of her own. “How’s he doing?” She looked toward the closed door.
“He’s learning. It won’t happen overnight, but he’s accepting his wolf.”
All kids grew up and eventually left their home and parents to stretch their wings and live their own lives.
She thought she’d have a few more years before that happened.
Oh, Adam was technically still living with her, but his life was headed in a direction neither of them had ever anticipated.
While she could be supportive, she didn’t understand what he needed.
But Cyrus did. She tamped down her resentment.
She’d been a single parent for so long she wasn’t sure she knew how to share, but she’d damn well learn.
Her son’s life and future were at stake.
“You didn’t answer me, Vinnie. How’re you doing?”
“I’m handling it.”
He started to say something but stopped and lowered his hand when the door across from them opened and Adam stepped out. “Everything okay?”
“We were waiting for you.” She playfully tugged on his shirt. “Noah said there’s food. I figured you’d be hungry.”
“We need to make it fast.” Cyrus checked his phone. “I want to be on the road within the hour. When we’re close to Kingman Creek, you can call the sheriff and tell him we’re on our way in.”
“Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”
She hated the echo of uncertainty in her son’s voice. While she understood it, wished she could spare him the turmoil to come, there was no avoiding it.
“Cyrus is right. The quicker we deal with this, the sooner we can put it behind us.” Then she’d find out if she still had a job. The bigger question was, did she still want to work there? It was like walking on quicksand, the stable life she’d built disintegrating beneath her feet.
The peninsula separating the dining area from the kitchen was filled with containers and platters. Adam was already loading down a plate with pastries, muffins, bacon, sausage, and freshly scrambled eggs.
“You need to eat.” Cyrus nudged her toward the counter. “We’ve got a long drive ahead.”
Not to mention an interrogation once they reached their destination. He hovered behind her, making no move to fill a plate for himself. He wouldn’t, she realized, until she had one. In his bossy way, he was trying to take care of her.
She helped herself to an apple Danish, blueberry muffin, two strips of bacon, and a scoop of eggs before taking a seat.
Cyrus filled a plate and joined them. Both father and son were eating as though they were half starved, and maybe they were.
Shifting took energy, and that was on top of their dash across the mountain.
“Where are things here?” Cyrus asked Josiah.
“Eli and Kinley ran into town to pick up some packages at the post office and handle some errands. Levi and Silas went out for a run.”
“What about jobs?” He shoveled up a scoop of eggs, methodically working through the food on his plate.
Cyrus wasn’t the only one who’d put his life on hold to help her and her son. The reminder was humbling. These men were strangers, but they’d dropped everything and come running. Not for me, for Cyrus, she reminded herself, for Adam. Whatever their motivation, she was eternally grateful.
“If you don’t need me, I’ll be heading out tomorrow morning. Eli plans on sticking around a while.” Josiah glanced at Zach and Noah. “I’m not sure about the others.”
“I’ve here until at least next week,” Zach told him. “According to the schedule, Levi is due in New York in three days for a protection gig. Silas is going with him. They want more muscle.”
“Dangerous?” Cyrus asked.
It was fascinating to get a glimpse into their lives. When he’d mentioned they weren’t usually home at the same time, he meant it. Adam lowered his fork, as intrigued as she was.
Zach smirked. “They’re playing bodyguard for some singer. Apparently, she rarely leaves home and is paranoid as hell. I expect boredom will be the biggest threat.”
“Who’s the singer?” Adam asked.
“Ah, new client referred from a long-standing one.” Zach skimmed the information on his laptop. “Etta Storm.”
Adam’s jaw dropped. “The Etta Storm?”
“Who’s she?” Cyrus asked.
“Seriously?” Adam asked. “She’s only put out two albums, both of which have been huge. She’s also written a ton of hits for other artists. Never shows up at award shows, doesn’t tour, only does online appearances.”
“Not an appreciator of music, are you?” Even she knew who Etta Storm was, though that was mostly due to Adam’s enthusiasm for the singer’s music.
“If it’s on the radio, I might have heard it driving from one job to another.
” It was another glimpse into the stark reality of his life.
“How soon can you be ready to leave?” The abrupt change of subject caught her off guard but didn’t surprise her.
Cyrus tended to be single-minded when intent on a task.
“Forty minutes.” A half hour would probably do, but it was better to build in a buffer. “I’ll take my vehicle.” She watched him swallow back his protest and give her a curt nod.
“Probably best in case the sheriff wants to keep one of us longer than the other.” He set his fork down and pushed aside his plate. “It will give us more room to load up your stuff for the return trip.”
“That’s not decided.” She shoved her half-full plate away.
“Adam needs to be here for at least the rest of the summer. It’s too crowded where you live, too many nosy neighbors. We’re isolated here.” He turned to their son. “You need the space to run, to get used to your wolf. It’s an important time in your life and will set the tone for the rest of it.”
Vinnie clamped down on her teeth to keep from screaming. Anger had a muscle beneath her eye pulsing madly. “Adam, go get packed.”