Page 41 of Cursed by Death (Ruby Jane #1)

M y breathing was funny and I had no idea how I was supposed to respond to any of that.

We absolutely were not about to discuss what exactly I was or was not. If I said human than everyone else should leave it be and not argue with me about it when it really was none of their business.

The rest of his statement was just… insane? The Detective was definitely giving off serious mixed signals here where I was concerned.

One thing was for sure and it was that this meeting was absolutely nothing that I thought it was going to be. I guess I wasn’t going to lose him after all.

But I was definitely very confused as to what it was that he wanted out of this. He was giving off mixed messages and I didn’t know what to do with that. He wanted me one day and hadn’t the week before.

He confused the shit out of me.

I was saved from having to respond by our waitress showing up with plates of food. She placed them down on the table in front of us, asked if we needed anything else, and then disappeared back inside the cafe where she’d come from.

I didn’t exactly want to eat now because my stomach was in knots. I picked up a French fry and shoved it in my mouth anyway.

“I’m sure you’re probably confused by my prior behavior so I’ll just clear that up for you real quick. I think it’s obvious that I like you and that I’m interested in you. I had some things I had to work through and they’ll probably pop up again. But, if you’re interested still, I would like to try and date you, to see where this could go. I’ve never been this drawn to anyone before and I’d be an idiot not to give it a try. I feel like you get my job and wouldn’t put unrealistic expectations on me because of it, so there’s a chance that a relationship between us might actually work out. If you’re willing to try too, that is.”

I almost choked on my fry.

“What… uh…” holy shit. I had never been at a loss for words like this before. Unfortunately, the words came to me seconds later but they almost got lodged in my throat for an entirely different reason.

And his name was Rally.

Shit.

Being that man’s mate and caring about him was going to ruin my life.

I cleared my throat and tried again. “You do know that Rally and I are together, right? I know its brand new and everything but for Rally I’m his mate and that means it’s a life sentence, whether I want it or not. And Rally definitely wants it. But he’s never going anywhere now. Like I said, it’s a life sentence.”

“Yeah, I noticed that,” he said before shoveling a forkful of food into his mouth. He chewed, swallowed, and kept right on talking. “I also noticed that he already thinks we’ve got something going on. He was jealous at first and had me kidnapped but he’s come to terms with it since then. I don’t think he likes it, and I certainly can’t fault him for that, but he’s not going to try and put a stop to it by ending me.

“Did you know that I was the first person he called when you disappeared from your house last night? He thought you were with me and he wasn’t pissed about it, he just wanted to make sure that you were okay and that you were safe. Rally’s not going to stand in the way because all that matters to him is that you’re happy. And I can respect him for that. I don’t have to like the man, I think he’s dangerous and crazy as fuck, but I can certainly respect him. So, it’s just up to you and what you want.”

I just stared at him, once again at a loss for words, as he forked more food into his mouth.

“Eat,” he commanded through a mouthful of food.

He didn’t have very good manners, but that didn’t bother me in the slightest.

I picked up my burger and took a bite out of it but I couldn’t tell you what it tasted like or if it was even good or tasted like shit. My mind was far too occupied, busy running his words back and forth through my mind.

Did I want what he was offering me? Yes, absolutely. Because I wanted him and I hadn’t exactly been shy about that.

Did that mean that I was going to say yes and jump on this opportunity while it was in front of me, to say yes and jump on him. As much as I wanted to, as much as I desperately wanted him, I couldn’t just automatically say yes to him. And I really, really wanted to say yes. But I couldn’t, because I had more than just myself to think about now.

And it wasn’t just about Rally either, though he was a really big part of it. Rally didn’t just come as himself. He could never just be Rally the man, though I did get that side of him and I was grateful for it. But he was so much more than just that. He was a shifter too, a wolf shifter. But he was also a Prince and a leader. Both of those things would always come before the wants and needs of Rally the man and shifter.

Being Rally’s mate didn’t just mean I was mated to a shifter. It was so much more than that because of who he was and I was just now beginning to realize that.

There was a whole group of people he was responsible for and though it wasn’t my job to help carry that burden for him that’s exactly what I intended to do. Even if all of the shifters weren’t going to accept me, I’d still do everything I could to look out for them.

And then there were the twins, Bane and Roan. I hadn’t forgotten what they’d said in the parking lot at the underground. I hadn’t responded to it in any way but that didn’t mean I hadn’t heard every word they’d said. Not only had they agreed to share me with each other but they knew if I agreed to that they’d also have to share me with other people too.

Obviously, I hadn't agreed to that and maybe I never would. Hell, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to allow them back into my life again. Not that I really thought they were going to give me much of a choice on the matter. I was pretty sure they weren’t going anywhere, whether I liked it or not.

It was safe to say that my dance card was pretty full and I had no idea how it had even gotten that way in the first place.

All the Detective knew about was Rally. He knew who the twins were. He’d met them a few times and he’d been in contact with them but he didn’t know that they weren’t going anywhere.

Rally was one thing. Bane and Roan were entirely different. Not only were they a package deal but they were also hunters who hunted down and took out supernatural beings who had committed grievous, unforgivable crimes.

And then there was Johnathon Maredo to think about. Not only was he a demon but he was the biggest, baddest criminal in these parts. I think it would be severely frowned upon if people found out the Detective had something going on with Maredo’s daughter.

Yet, he knew who I was related to and he hadn’t once held it against me. He still wanted to have a relationship with me.

I owed him the truth. He was a good man and he deserved that much.

I had been honest with Rally right from the start. I needed to be honest with the Detective as well. That meant I needed to tell Rally about what the twins had said they wanted from me as well. That didn’t sound like a fun conversation, but definitely a necessary one.

“You might not want to date me,” I told him hesitantly. “There’s Rally. There’s my father. There’re the hunters. My life is suddenly messy and very complicated.”

He waved his hand around dismissively, as if swatting each problem away. “We already talked about Maredo and he’s not an issue for me. The wolf and I will work our shit out, but that’s between him and I to do. Not you. And the hunters and I had a conversation after you left the crime scene where the dead demon was. I know where they stand and they know exactly where I am. If that’s all the complicated you’ve got going on then it’s not going to be an issue for me.”

He went back to eating like this was just all some kind of normal conversation we were having and like he wasn’t rocking my world.

“What the hell did Bane and Roan have to say to you?” I asked him incredulously. Out of everything he’d said that one stood out the most and I found it to be the most alarming.

He shrugged but kept eating, talking in between bites. “They said they weren’t going anywhere and planned on being permanent fixtures in your life for the rest of it. Whether it was just friendly or more was up to you but they’re aiming for more. They also informed me that they know you have ongoing relationships with other men and they’re okay with it. Just so long as they get to be included in your ever growing harem of men. They don’t have an issue with me and I’ve got no issue with them, just so long as they don’t hurt you. I’m not sure how the wolf is going to feel about that though. It’s my understanding that his people don’t much care for the hunters. Can’t say that I blame them. We can ask your shadow how he feels about it, since he’s a wolf and all.”

That was a lot of information to digest but did he say shadow? “What shadow?” I might be purposefully ignoring everything else that I’d heard him say.

Priorities, and all of that nonsense. They were good to have and they came in handy when I wanted to avoid certain topics.

He pointed across the street with his fork and turned around in my chair.

And there stood Fox standing up against my car with his arms crossed over his chest. He had dark sunglasses on and looked like he was up to no good in a black hoodie and a pair of jeans.

It wasn’t so much the look that would give you pause but more so the don’t fuck with me vibe he was radiating.

“Son of a bitch,” I hissed angrily. No wonder Rally stopped arguing with me and told me to go by myself. He’d sent Fox to follow me and spy on me.

And he wasn’t even trying to be discreet about it.

“How long has he been there?” I asked. Fox either heard me or decided to give up the ghost because he raised his hand and gave me a little finger wave.

I flipped him the bird and turned back around towards the table.

“He’s been there since you sat your ass in that chair,” Detective Rowans informed me.

I grimaced. “And you didn’t think to say anything sooner?”

He shook his head and smirked at me. “Nah. I don’t get to spend that much time with you and we had to clear up our relationship. And we didn’t need an audience for that.”

As we finished eating I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it didn’t matter if Fox was sitting at our table or standing across the street. His enhanced senses made it so he likely heard every single word of our entire conversation.

I’d let Detective Rowans live in the land of oblivion for just a little while longer. The more time he spent with me the more the tint on those rose colored glasses would fade until all that was left was seeing everything for what it really was.

After digging out money to leave on the table he kissed me on the lips and left to get back to work.

I was still sitting there running my finger over my bottom lip when Fox sat down in the Detective’s now empty chair.

He plucked a fry off of my plate and popped it into his mouth. After chewing and swallowing he grinned at me. “So, you and Rowan’s are official now. You’ve got yourself a cop boyfriend, a wolf Prince for a mate, and two hunters on your hook, ready for you to reel them in at any second. I bet it’s one of the demons you ensnare next.” he shook his head as he laughed. “That Rym guy totally wants to do you. I could tell. A man knows these things.”

He forgot to add a wolf bodyguard, because I certainly had that now, too.

I threw a French fry at him, hoping it would shut him up.

It didn’t, and he just kept laughing at me.