Chapter 13
Nicole
“I’m happy for you two,” Nonna says as she puts ingredients into the mixer for cookies. “Nini, do you have any questions I can help you with? Anything you don’t understand?”
“I don’t think so, I mean, we haven't, you know, had sex yet, but he said he gave me my claiming mark after the wreck.”
“Can you talk to him in your head?” Tressa questions. At my confused look, she says, “All you have to do is think what you want to say, and he should hear it. It’ll get better once you’ve had sex, of course, but you should be able to do it now.”
“I don’t know, I haven’t even tried,” I admit. “But I will because that sounds kind of cool, actually.”
“It is when you live with a bunch of shifters who have supersonic hearing,” Tressa teases.
Nonna must see my face because she starts laughing then says, “Honey, don’t worry. Fox made sure all the bedrooms are soundproof.” Tressa joins in with Nonna, and soon, I’m giggling as well.
Because that thought did cross my mind. I mean, I don’t know that I’m vocal while having sex, since Jeremy didn’t bring it out in me, but I suspect that Stealth has that ability, and just thinking about everyone in the clubhouse hearing me was a bit disturbing.
“I know Stealth forced your first shift, but once you’ve done it yourself, we’ll have to go for a run. You’ll enjoy the wolf side once you get used to her, Nini,” Nonna states while deftly scooping out the cookie dough and placing it onto baking sheets.
“I wish he had taken a picture so I could see how I looked,” I admit. I grab a spoon and help get the cookies ready to go into the oven, grinning when Nonna smacks Tressa’s hand when she tries to eat a raw one.
“We’ll be sure to get one the next time,” Tressa says.
* * *
The cookies are done and cooling, and we’re now sitting in the common room since the men still haven’t come back upstairs, with sandwiches and drinks that Nonna prepared while the cookies were baking.
“I wonder how much longer they’re going to be,” I muse. I’m equal parts excited and nervous about my upcoming time alone with Stealth. Of course, he’s already seen me naked, but I was unconscious, so in my mind, that doesn’t count.
“Who knows? I just hope they hurry because I want to know what they found out,” Tressa adds. Then she starts giggling and looks at me and through her laughter, she says, “I’ll probably never know because they’ll say, ‘club business’ and shut me down.”
What has me snickering is the fact she lowered her voice so that it’s husky and she sounded like a man when she said ‘club business’, because she’s correct. I heard it several times when I was here before, and I suspect I’ll want to shove those two words down Stealth’s throat at some point. Even Nonna smiles while nodding.
“I guess you could always show me where my suite of rooms is located,” I state once we’ve all calmed down.
Both Nonna and Tressa begin to speak simultaneously, until Tressa waves to the older woman to continue. “Child, you slept in your room last night. With Stealth’s mark on you now, you’ll be by his side, not in your own space.”
I wrinkle my nose a little bit, then shrug because it’s like that in the shifter books I read as well. Once the couple claims each other, they’re by one another’s side. Wait a minute… do I get to bite him too? Grinning, I look at Nonna and ask, “Do I give him a mark as well?”
“Of course. You’ve probably already noticed you can occasionally hear him if his emotions are elevated, but when you give him your claiming mark, the bond will completely seal, and you’ll be able to hear him and his thoughts without trying.”
“He can hear my thoughts?” I shriek. Some of the things that filter through my brain are not for public consumption, for heaven’s sake!
“Right now, he would hear you loud and clear, because your emotions are high. You’ll learn how to throw up a shield, so your innermost thoughts are still private, child,” Nonna calmly states.
I’m about to ask another question when the front doors to the clubhouse open and Tressa’s father walks in, a prospect running behind him, shouting, “Sir, sir, you can’t just walk in!”
“Of course, I can. My daughter’s here and I want to speak to her,” Mr. Powers retorts. Spotting us, he moves closer while I watch my best friend carefully. She never told him why she moved out, nor why she wouldn’t come over for family dinners. So, if she doesn’t speak up now, I plan to because he deserves to know his wife is a big old steaming pile of dog shit as far as I’m concerned for how she treated Tressa as a child.
“Daddy? What are you doing here?” Tressa asks.
“I got tired of your excuses as to why we couldn’t get together, pumpkin. You weren’t easy to find, that’s for sure,” he replies. “Did you really think I’d be upset that you found someone who loves you because he’s a biker?”
Tressa shrugs, and I instinctively know it wasn’t her dad she was concerned about, it was the evil witch. I wish she were here so I could yank out her perfect hair, then wonder where my bloodthirsty attitude has suddenly come from.
“I don’t know, Daddy,” Tressa says. “I just… I just couldn’t take it if your wife criticized him, so I stayed away. Especially now that I’m pregnant.”
Mr. Powers stills, and he looks closely at his daughter. “What do you mean, sweetheart? Nancy would be happy for you, I’m sure.”
I can’t help the snorting noise I make at his statement because it’s so ludicrous it’s not even funny. “Nancy wouldn’t be happy for her, Mr. Powers. She’s never been happy for her.”
Confusion now mars his face as Tressa wrings her hands together, a sure sign she’s becoming anxious. However, this has been a long time coming, and since I know how much Tressa misses her father, I decide to be her mouthpiece.
“Explain,” he demands, staring at me.
“Every and any time you were out of town, your wife treated Tressa like shit. Didn’t you ever wonder why she moved out at eighteen? Or why, when you had guests for dinner, Tressa wasn’t present? It was because of your wife,” I hiss out between clenched teeth. “She used to belittle her, hit her, and generally make her feel like she was less than.”
His mouth is now gaped open, and a look of horror has his eyes wide as he stares at his daughter while I continue with a litany of some of the things Nancy did to Tressa while growing up. “Oh, Tressa, I had no idea,” he whispers, dropping down to his haunches next to her and taking her hands in his. “Please, forgive an old man who ignored the signs. Your mother would be appalled at how her best friend treated her baby girl.”
“Best friend? Nancy was Mom’s best friend ?” Tressa asks, her voice rising higher with each word spoken. “Let me say this much, Daddy, I don’t think Nancy knows how to be a friend. Do you want to know why I know this? Because Nicole has been my best friend ever since Nancy told me I had to leave since I had turned eighteen. Even though all I had at the time was a little part-time job that made slightly over minimum wage. I moved in with her and rented a room in what was her grandmother’s house until it got sold, then we moved into an apartment together. She’s been by my side when I was sick as a dog with the flu, has cheered me on in my business accomplishments, and helped me understand that Nancy’s issues were and are her issues, not mine.”
“Why didn’t you ever say anything to me?” he questions. “You were my priority, Tressa.”
“Daddy, we had already lost Mom, and I figured if I said anything, you’d be sad all the time again,” she admits.
“I was happy because my little girl had someone who cared about her, who could take care of her while I was out of town for business. If I had known, we might not have had as much, but I wouldn’t have allowed it, Tressa.”
“What do you mean by ‘not had as much’?” I inquire, curious because from how Tressa explained things, she had to ‘make do’ with what she was given.
“Well, all the things Tressa was involved in might have had to be cut off, but as long as my little girl was happy, it wouldn’t have mattered,” he stresses. “Things are just that, things, and knowing your heart was hurt like that is killing me.”
“I wasn’t involved in anything, Daddy. Nancy said we didn’t have the money, so I got books from the library,” Tressa replies.
“No horseback riding lessons or dance classes?” he slowly asks, rising to his feet. “No art camp, Girl Scouts, or soccer?” Didn’t he ever wonder why she never had any games or practices while he was home? Men can be so ignorant and clueless sometimes.
“No, sir,” Tressa replies. “Daddy? Are you okay?”
“I’ll be right back,” he states as he turns on his heel and heads out the front door.
I have a sinking suspicion as to where he’s going and who he’s getting, and my stomach sinks. We ran into her one time when we were out shopping; she didn’t say a word to Tressa or me. In fact, when Tressa did the proper thing and said hello, Nancy turned away as if she didn’t know her! This is going to be bad, I just know it.
“I wish Stealth and Chaos were up here, Tressa needs help, and I don’t know what to say.”
* * *
“Explain yourself, Nancy. My daughter says she was never involved in any of the things you claimed she was in,” Mr. Powers demands.
I can feel Tressa’s leg nervously shaking under the table, and reach over to take one of her hands in mine, while Nonna, who has remained remarkably silent so far, takes the other one.
“She’s obviously forgotten is all,” Nancy airily retorts, waving her hand. “Must be the drugs or something she’s now doing thanks to the animal she’s seeing. Nothing more than a common criminal.”
“You watch too much television,” Nonna advises. “Because if I had my choice of who to have in my life, I’d pick one of these men over someone like you.”
“Nancy, I entrusted you with the best possible thing I had, my precious little girl, and from what I’ve heard, and I’m sure it’s only the tip of the iceberg, you abused that trust. She might have been ‘cared’ for, but it sounds like it was just the minimum. What I don’t understand is why,” Mr. Powers says.
“Because the only reason you married me was to take care of her, ” Nancy shouts. “You never loved me, only her and her mother!”
“So, you treated my daughter like shit and alienated her from me because you were jealous? You’re a grown ass woman, Nancy! She was a little girl who’d lost her mother, for Christ’s sake. Where’s your compassion and understanding? Well, I’ve lost enough time with my child due to your machinations, but I won’t lose any more, especially not with a grandchild on the way,” Mr. Powers says. “I’ll have my attorney send the divorce papers, but here’s your verbal notice as well. You have two weeks to pack your shit and get out of my house.”
“You can’t do that!” Nancy shrieks, completely losing her composure. “Marital property!” She goes for the one thing she believes is her power play.
I snicker, because one way or another, she’ll be vacating that home. I hope she tries to be a ballbuster, because the guys will react in kind, and she won’t stand a chance against them.
“Sounds to me like she just did,” Chaos says. “You’ve overworn your welcome, ma’am, so I suggest you leave.”
I feel heat behind me and glance back to see Stealth there, looking intimidating as hell as he glares at Nancy.
“Don’t forget, you signed a prenup,” Mr. Powers adds, which makes Nancy nearly apoplectic as she turns on her heel and practically runs from the room. Looks like she’ll be huffing her way home in those heels.
I watch as Chaos kneels next to Tressa and takes her in his arms, whispering, “Are you okay? And what’s this I hear about a baby?”
She turns tear-filled eyes to him and nods. “I just found out this morning,” she says. “I was going to tell you but y’all had to, you know.”
I see both men nod at her reference to taking care of Jeremy. While I want to know how they knew we needed him, I realize now is not the time to discuss it with Mr. Powers still standing there. Is it true? Did he hear my voice and act? So many questions, yet I’ll have to wait to ask them.
“Tressa? I’m going to leave, but I hope you’re willing to consider rebuilding a relationship with me,” Mr. Powers quietly states. “Things will be a lot different moving forward.” Guess he wants to go home and make sure the she-devil doesn’t destroy his stuff in a fit of anger.
She does what I expect her to do, she launches herself into her father’s arms, crying and telling him she loves him. I knew she never stopped, she just had to protect herself from Nancy, so while I hated her having to revisit her past, at least she’s resolved it and it’s not hanging over her head any longer. Because every child needs as many people as possible to love them; this world is hard enough as it is.
“C’mon, my little spitfire, let’s leave them to their reunion,” Stealth says before scooping me up and walking toward the rooms.