Chapter 35
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
I’m a mess inside. I’m not cut out for this kind of stress. Hell, I wonder who is.
Wolf drives too fast, but I don’t say anything. The sooner we get wherever we are going, the sooner I can get out of the car and get away from his bristly energy.
Scotch and Simona would have been my coworkers at Agile. But I know that dream is dashed. So much for me ever having a life of my own.
This whole nightmare just goes to show how fucked up my existence really is.
Scowling, Wolf escorts me up the steps to the new house. It’s fresh construction, with fresh paint, and barely-there landscaping. Lifting his gigantic fist, he knocks on the front door, a little too hard for polite company.
A few seconds tick by before a petite blond woman answers. Hair in pigtails, a short denim skirt with combat boots, and bright blue eyes, she’s incredibly striking. She grins at Wolf. “Hey, big brother.”
For the first time in hours, his expression relaxes. He even smiles as she jumps on him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He lifts her up off the floor in a brotherly embrace. “Hey Sprite.”
The woman rolls her eyes as she pokes his chest. “Jerk. Now, introduce me to your friend.”
“Simona, this is Kate, newest hire at Agile. Kate, this is my sister, and generally, the bossiest person on the Agile Team.”
Radiating energy, Wolf’s sister hops up and down, seeming to ignore his comment about her bossiness. “I heard about you! I can’t tell you how excited I am to have you joining us. There’s way too much testosterone on the team.”
Her smile is bright and infectious, making me smile too, even when my heart is heavy. “Thank you. I was so pleased to be offered the opportunity. But… I’m not sure what’s going to happen to the job offer now.”
She swings her arm wide and a cluster of bangles around her wrist jangle. “Come on in. Scotch, my husband, is in the kitchen, making something that smells really good. But I’m banned until he’s finished. Kate, the guest room upstairs is all ready for you.”
Wolf rests his hand on my back and gently urges me into the foyer. “I’ll get your bag while you catch Simona up on what’s happening.”
“I don’t want to put anyone out.”
Simona chirps, “Of course you’re staying. We can’t have you out there on your own. You’re one of us now.”
For some reason, that makes tears spring to my eyes.
She instantly frowns and opens her arms to me. “Oh, honey. It’s okay.”
I find myself folding into her hug, and then the tears really start. Total meltdown. I’m an utter mess when Wolf walks in with my bag.
“Shit,” he grumbles. “What’s going on?”
Simona tsks at him. “A catharsis. Now, put her things in the guest room, and go annoy my husband. Us girls have a lot to talk about.”
When I glance at Wolf, his jaw is tight.
He’s still mad at me. It still stings. But I understand his unhappiness with the way things played out at his apartment.
After opening myself to him physically, it’s hard to have him look at me that way. But that should really be the last thing I need to worry about right now. I need to get that pendant back and deal with my father.
When Wolf disappears up the stairs, Simona squeezes my hand and drags me off to the back patio. “Don’t let my big, growly brother make you more upset, okay? His intentions are good.”
“I understand why he’s upset. He got a shock. First, he gets married to me in the worst way. Then my bodyguard and martial arts trainer shows up at his place in a not so nice way and tells him that he’s going to be my fiancé. Wolf rightfully flipped his lid.”
She guides me to sit on a bench that’s angled to face the beautiful Utah mountains. It’s soothing in its own right, but I’m too much of a mess to appreciate it fully.
Simona folds her legs, tucking her red combat boots beneath her, and faces me from her end of the bench. “I heard that things were kind of weird on Isla Rosa. I guess it might help me to understand who you are.”
Brother, here we go again. “That’s sort of complicated. Daughter to a King. By definition, a Princess, but that’s making me sound like something I’m not.”
Her eyes round. “Wow. A princess? How cool is that? I want a tiara.”
“Tiara’s aside. It’s actually not cool at all. I just want a normal life.”
“So, how did Wolf get involved in all of this?”
My gut plummets. “It’s a story… One that involves us getting married in the Agile jet.”
“And let me guess… this led to you two getting down and dirty together.”
Talk about awkward. Telling Wolf’s sister we got it on. My voice is all weird when I reply, “Yeah.”
She leans back and laughs. “Wow. Brand new to the job and you two are going at it.”
My face is blazing hot. “Technically, I haven’t started yet. Not for a few more days.”
She snorts. “Damn. You act fast. I like you. So, how did you two meet?”
“He gave me a business card in California. I was looking for work in security.”
She grins. “Smart guy. I bet he did give a pretty woman like you a card.”
“It’s not like that.”
She raises a brow. “Honey, a man doesn't scowl nearly as hard about a woman unless she’s under his skin.”
“More like a burr under his skin. Things were… going well. But my bodyguard showed up at his door this morning spouting something about how he’s supposed to be my fiancé.
Wolf thinks the guy is my lover. He got all alpha.
And then someone stole my purse and struck Mikail with a van.
It’s a total disaster. And I’m afraid this is just the tip of the iceberg. ”
Simona’s eyes widen. She rubs her hands together. “Boy, this just gets more interesting by the second. So, here we are. What can I do to help you? Need me to kick some sense into Wolf?”
I shake my head. “No, actually. Wolf is just one of my worries. I need to find something that was stolen from me this morning.”
Dropping an arm around my shoulder, she says, “Well, you’ve come to the right place. Agile is going to help you kick some ass.”
I wipe at my weepy eyes. “Thanks. I really could use some help right now. My I.D., my credit cards, my passport, everything in my purse was all stolen this morning… including something that’s very important to my country.”
“No problem. But let me ask you another question. How do you feel about Wolf?”
Her question takes me off guard. “I… between you and me? I feel this incredible draw to him.”
She smiles softly. “But he infuriates you?”
“Infuriates. Confuses. Stings. Excites. Reassures. Pretty much every emotion known to humankind.”
She rests a hand on my shoulder. “My dear, get ready. It only gets more intense. That’s what happens when you meet THE ONE.”
I stare at her in disbelief. Finally, I snort out a laugh. “The One? I don’t think so. I might be a Princess, but this is not a fairy tale with a Knight in shining armor.”
She grabs my hand and pulls me off the bench. “Don’t be so sure of that. I’ve seen stranger things.” I trudge along behind her as she walks back toward the house. She brightly says, “Don’t spend another second worrying about Wolf. He’ll come around. Just wait and see.”
What Simona doesn’t understand is my life is not my own. My existence will be tied to that island for the rest of my very lonely life. Especially now that my father is going to cause a fracture in the island’s peaceful existence.