Page 19

Hellen cast a quick glance toward Lucien several times on the ride home from Vince’s Place. He’d gotten in her jeep, reclined the seat just enough to make himself a little more comfortable, and closed his eyes.

“You awake over there?” she finally asked.

“Mmhmm.”

“Is it that bad?”

“It’s just letting me know that I did too much.”

“Sorry you’re hurting.”

“It’s alright. Reminds me I’m alive.”

“I could ask Daisy to heal you.”

“Daisy has enough to do to keep herself on an even keel. She don’t need to add my baggage, too.”

Hellen shot another look his way.

“Don’t look at me like that. You know she’s not right lately.”

“How do you know I’m looking at you? Your freaking eyes are closed.”

“Got ninja senses,” he whispered.

Hellen laughed. “I don’t think healing your physical pain is going to add to her own issues.”

“Baggage is baggage, physical or emotional. Only thing with the physical is it will eventually heal — to some degree. I’m alright until then.”

“Alrighty then, suffer away.” Hellen drove along for a little while, then glanced Lucien’s way again.

“What?” he asked.

“How do you know I looked at you?!”

“Ninja,” he whispered with a smirk, keeping his eyes closed.

“How do you know Daisy is hurting?”

“Don’t you?”

“I mean… everybody gets upset or a little withdrawn every once in a while. But I never thought it was more than that.”

“You’re really not in touch with your family are you?”

“Says you who has no family.”

“My people don’t do the whole family thing.”

“Then how do you know to do it so well?”

“I was a kid once, too,” he said quietly.

Hellen looked at him speculatively once more just before she took a right off the highway and onto clan land.

She drove to the second turnoff and took a left, slowly making her way down the gravel road to her own home at the end.

As the road slightly curved to the right, a large beautiful raised home came into view up ahead on the left.

“That’s my brother’s house,” she said.

Lucien opened his eyes and looked in the same direction she was pointing. “Nice.”

Hellen nodded. “He and Analise and Harley live there.”

“And Gerald,” Lucien said.

Hellen chuckled. “And Gerald.”

A female was waving and rushing toward Hellen’s jeep from the right side of the road, just before they reached Havoc’s house.

“Who’s that?” Lucien asked.

“That is Emmalyn. And the male walking toward her is Barron. He’s Kaid and Delilah’s son, and Brandt’s second.”

“Emmalyn is Bam’s daughter, right?” he asked.

“Yep. And Everly’s. You think I’m a handful and out of touch… not in the least when compared to Emmalyn.”

“She’s the one that was attacked, isn’t she? The reason you came back here?” Lucien asked.

“She is, yes,” Hellen answered as she brought the jeep to a stop and rolled down the window. “Hey! What are you doing traipsing around out here with a can of orange spray paint?”

Emmalyn smiled at Hellen. “I’m drawing my house!”

“Drawing your house? Shouldn’t you be building one instead?” Hellen asked.

“I will!”

“WE will,” Barron said.

“Oh, yeah, we will. But first I’m drawing out about where I think I’d like it,” Emmalyn said. Then she focused on Lucien. “Who are you?” she demanded with a raised eyebrow.

Lucien laughed, and Hellen did not miss the way his hand held his side protectively as he did. “I’m Lucien. And you’d be Miss Emmalyn.”

“I am. What’s your social security number?”

“Seriously, Em?” Hellen asked.

“What? I’ll run a check on him. You can’t be too careful. We’ve learned that lesson,” Emmalyn said.

“Leave him alone,” Barron said. “Brandt gave him permission to be here.” He stepped closer to Hellen’s jeep and extended his hand through the window for Lucien to shake. “I’m Barron. Welcome.”

“Barron, good to meet you,” Lucien said.

“You, too. Heard about you.”

“I’m sure everybody around here has heard one thing or another,” Lucien said.

“My momma likes you. Says you have the instinct to take care of things like she does.”

“What would that be?” Lucien asked.

“Kill ‘em. Worry about the whys of it later,” Barron said.

Lucien smiled. “Some things deserve killing. Especially if they threaten what’s important to you.”

“Amen to that,” Barron said, slipping his arm around Emmalyn’s waist.

“You found a design you like, then?” Hellen asked, taking the focus off Lucien.

“I did! I really like the old Victorian style, but I like the Tudor style, too. So, I think I’m going to go for the Tudor style with some round corners and edges and call it Victorian Tudor! I want natural stone in dark grays and whites and dark wood.”

“Nothing’s ever simple,” Barron said, shaking his head slightly.

“Is that going to make you happy?” Hellen asked. “Once it’s built, you can’t just change your mind. It is what it is. Especially if Barron is giving up the house he already has.”

“It’ll be big and sturdy, but pretty and…”

“Like a fortress,” Lucien said.

Emmalyn’s gaze shot to his. “Exactly. Home, warm, inviting inside, but looming and impenetrable from the outside.”

“Give the lady what she wants,” Lucien said.

“Oh, mine is an afterthought now. I want Em to feel safe and secure and to be near her sister. So, this is what we want to do and where we want to build.”

“When are y’all going to start?”

“Soon as we can get the permits and all. We have to have the plans drawn up since it’s not a specific style and incorporates a few things from two different styles.”

“I’m so excited,” Emmalyn said, doing a little happy dance.

Barron smiled and seemed to brighten a little just watching Emmalyn’s happiness.

“I’m sure it will go quick once everybody chips in to help.”

“Oh, yeah. Where are y’all coming from?”

“Vince’s. We were at your parents’ house with everybody else, but I had to get out of there. Then the reason I had to get out of there followed me to Vince’s and now we’re headed home.”

“Everybody’s at my parents?” Barron asked.

“Yes. Well, except for Christian and Addie and Cristie. Cristie was with me, but she doesn’t want to go back there yet in case Remi shows up. She’s hanging out with Christian now.”

“Yeah, that was some shit, wasn’t it? I wonder if he could have possibly made it any more awkward?” Barron said.

“I know. And then Cristie went in to get some coffee and donuts this morning to bring back for everybody.”

“Aw, no!” Emmalyn said.

“Yeah. She didn’t know, though. And my dad and your mom encouraged her to go.”

“They some meddling people, I tell you,” Barron said.

“Aren’t they?” Hellen asked, shooting a glance at Lucien. “How do you think this one found me after I left?”

Barron barked out a laugh. “Your dad drove him to Vince’s?”

“Exactly,” Hellen said.

“I can’t help it if your people like me,” Lucien said, trying to be amiable while shifting ever so slightly to relieve the pain in his side.

Hellen noticed him hurting and quickly cut the conversation short. “We’re going to go ahead and get home. I feel a cup of coffee and a Hallmark movie calling me.”

“Ohhh, that does sound good,” Emmalyn said. “That wedding cake flavor coffee?”

“You know I keep it all the time,” Hellen said.

“I’m feeling the need for a nap. Feel free to drop by if you want to,” Lucien said.

Emmalyn’s face went from warm and open to tight and a shade lighter.

“Or not,” Lucien said.

“Are you inviting people to my house?” Hellen asked.

“I just thought I’d let them know they wouldn’t be interrupting anything since I’d be sleeping. Hopefully.”

Hellen shook her head dismissively. “Wouldn’t be interrupting anything anyway. Nothing to interrupt,” she grumbled.

Barron cleared his throat. “We’re going to get back to spray painting our house’s floor plan.”

“You do that. Emmalyn, I’ll bring some coffee over later or tomorrow and we can pick a good sappy movie to watch,” Hellen said.

“Sounds like a plan,” Emmalyn said, forcing a smile.

Barron gently pulled her back away from the jeep, stroking her back soothingly as Hellen pulled away.

“What happened? What’d I say?” Lucien asked.

“Emmalyn hasn’t been back in my house since she was attacked there. I don’t think she ever will be.”

“And I just invited her over. Makes her think about stepping inside and facing everything that happened there again. I’m sorry. I didn’t even consider that.”

“It’s okay. It was hard for me to stay there for a while, too. At one time I loved my house, not so much anymore. I don’t hate it. I just don’t have the same attachment I used to.”

“Where’s Barron’s house?” Lucien asked.

“It’s over on the river, just a little ways down from Brandt’s. If it wasn’t for all the foliage, they could probably see each other from their porches.”

“That’s interesting,” Lucien said thoughtfully.

Hellen pulled into her driveway and brought the jeep to a stop. She pulled the keys out of the ignition and looked at Lucien who was in the process of returning her seat to its regular position. “You alright? You need some help?”

“Naw, I’m good.”

Hellen got out of the jeep and walked toward her house, intentionally taking extra time while unlocking her door to allow Lucien to get out of the jeep and catch up with her. She turned back to look at him once she opened the door and waited for him to pass her and move into the house.

“You do not have to take care of me. I can do me.”

“Yeah, and I can do me,” Hellen snapped.

“No, you don’t get it. I can take care of myself and you.”

“So, can I.”

“Hellen…”

“It’s not up for discussion, Lucien. Whatever you can do for me, I can do for you, or we’re not doing anything at all. It works both ways.”

“You’re agreeing we’re doing this then?” he asked without pausing to look at her.

“I’m not agreeing to anything. You’re the one who said you weren’t leaving. I’m just saying, if you ever hope to have anything normal come from this, you better realize I’m as capable as you are and stop treating me like I’m not.”

“Mind if I take a shower?” he asked.

“’Course not. Go right ahead.”