Page 5

L ily

Creeg was giving me tips on what to look for if my concussion worsened and I tried to pay attention, but I kept getting distracted by Kai. His back was stiff and he glanced at the door repeatedly. Since I’d walked into the kitchen, there’d been tension. Kai had tried to cover, but I could see something was going on. He nudged my shoulder and I peered over at him.

“You haven’t touched your food,” he replied, pointing at my plate. “Are you feeling unwell?”

I picked up my fork and speared a piece of beef with it. “I’m fine, but you don’t seem to be,” I said under my breath.

He watched me bring the meat to my mouth before asking, “What do you mean?”

I chewed. It was savory and tender. “There seemed to be something going on between you and your brother when I came in.”

Kai shrugged. “It’s nothing,” he reassured me, his gaze straying to the doorway again.

I decided not to push. It was none of my business. As I scooped up a chunk of potato, commotion from the other side of the room caught everyone’s attention. I looked up to see Wyatt and Miggs coming back into the room. Neither of them appeared too happy, but at least no one was bleeding. I supposed that was a good sign. Wyatt took the seat at the head of the table and Miggs sat in the chair across the table from me. He glared at me a moment, then dug into the roast. Everyone started talking at once and soon the earlier tension dissipated.

Kai cleared his throat and pointed his fork at the quieter brother at the far end of the table. “Trakker towed your van to a local garage.”

I peered down the length of the table and saw Trakker smiling at me. “Uh, thank you for doing that. To be honest, I’m a little worried about the cost.”

Trakker winked and dug into his potatoes. “Bridger is reasonable. He’ll give you a fair price. Won’t he, Kai?”

My shoulders slumped. “Jeez, my insurance is bound to go up after this.”

Kai nudged my shoulder with his. “You don’t need to worry about all that right now.” He glared at Trakker. “Drop it.”

“I can’t drop it,” I complained. “I need that van if I have any hope of starting a new life.”

“New life?” Cage asked, his curiosity obviously piqued.

I didn’t see what it would hurt to tell the guys my plans. Considering we were about to be roommates for the time being. “I’ve decided to leave Walnut Ridge. I’ve lived there my entire life and I wanted a change. Lately, it became ... difficult because of my family.”

Cage snorted. “Yeah, family can be a pain in the—”

“Cage,” Kai warned. “Clean up your language or I’ll muzzle you.”

I laughed. “It’s fine. Your brother is right. I’ve been under my mom’s thumb for too long. Partly my fault, I suppose, for being such a pushover. She and my sister know how to manipulate me. Leaving that toxic relationship behind seemed to be my only way to find myself.” I looked around the table and realized everyone had stopped eating and watched me. My cheeks heated. “Does that make sense or am I just rambling?”

Kai reached for my hand and squeezed. “We understand, Lily. It’s not always easy to cut ties. It takes a lot of courage, I think.”

His praise swept through me and it felt good. “I don’t know if it’s courage or desperation that drove me.”

As I broke off a bit of beef with my fork and started to bring it to my mouth Wyatt, the oldest brother, asked, “Where were you headed?”

I cringed. “It’s embarrassing to admit, but I didn’t have a destination. I just wanted out.”

Miggs cleared his throat, catching my attention. When our gazes met, he asked, “They made it that hard for you?”

What harm could it cause to tell them? I’d gotten this far with my pathetic life story. In for a penny. “My mom is an alcoholic and prescription drug abuser. My sister has shown signs of following in her footsteps. I’ve tried to get them help, to be supportive. I’ve even brought my mom to an alcoholics anonymous meeting.” Remembering the hate-filled lecture from my mother on the drive home that day would be etched into my memory forever. “Needless to say, it didn’t take.”

Miggs’s gaze warmed. “I’m sorry. A mother is supposed to nurture and love their children. Yours doesn’t sound like she did a very good job.”

That was putting it mildly. “Yeah, so, I guess I got tired of cleaning up her and Victoria’s messes.”

Kai patted my arm. “That life is behind you now. You have a bright future to look forward to.”

“If I can get my van fixed,” I muttered.

No one said anything more and the conversation turned to chores. Cage was complaining about doing the dishes, but Wyatt shut him down with a look. It intrigued me that all the brothers seemed to look to Wyatt as more of a father figure rather than a brother.

Kai stood, then he reached for my empty plate. “Finished?”

“I am, but please let me clean up,” I implored, snatching my plate out of Kai’s grasp. “It’s the least I can do considering all you’ve done for me.”

Kai glared down at me. “It’s Cage’s turn to clean. Besides, you’re injured, Lily. You should rest.”

Cage cleared his throat and offered me a lopsided grin. “Hey, if the lady wants to clean, who am I to stand in her way.”

A few of the guys laughed, but not Kai. “She isn’t your maid,” he grumbled before turning his attention to Creeg. “Shouldn’t Lily be resting?”

His brother tilted his head at me. “Still no headache?”

“No,” I replied before shooting a frustrated glare at Kai. “And I really would like to help out.”

“Fine.” Kai waved a hand in the air. “You wash, I’ll dry.”

“Works for me,” Cage shouted as he started out of the kitchen.

“Not so fast,” Kai called out. “You can take my day since I’ll be helping Lily tonight.”

His smile vanished. “Oh, come on!”

“Fair’s fair,” Kai stated as he pushed away from the table.

Everyone stood and brought their dishes to the sink, then filed out of the room. Cage complained, which earned him a slap on the back of his head from Wyatt. Now I was left with Kai. Alone. I cleared my suddenly very dry throat. “I really can get this. You don’t have to hang around. I mean, I’m sure you have better things to do.”

His lips lifted and he reached a hand toward me, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. “Trying to get rid of me?”

He was teasing me, but I still felt compelled to answer. “It’s just that I’ve dominated your time since you brought me here.”

“I enjoy being around you,” he said, his voice low and rough. “Unless you’d prefer to be alone.”

“No, I wouldn’t prefer that,” I admitted. God, he was so close. He played with a lock of my hair. For some reason that innocent touch seemed intensely intimate. I inhaled his scent. Woodsy and masculine and addicting. I’d never met anyone like Kai. There was a wildness just below the surface. As if he had to work very hard to appear civilized. And why was that alluring?

He snatched the plate from my hand, then winked. “Let’s get this done. I want to show you something.”

“Yeah?”

We gathered dishes from the table, then brought them to the sink. Kai looked over at me and grinned. “There’s a place close by. It’s pretty at night when the moon is high.”

He wanted to go on a hike through the woods at night? “Is that a good idea? I mean, there could be coyotes prowling. Actually, the furry beast I nearly hit is probably out there right now.”

Kai stared at me, his eyes brightening to that liquid gold color I’d noticed before. “You’re safe with me, Lily. The beast can’t hurt you.”

Why did I trust him? The effect Kai had on me was unnerving. “You seem very sure of that.”

He started to run water in the sink before saying, “I’ve lived here most of my life. Trust me, there’s nothing out there on four legs that would dare come near you.”

I nudged him with my shoulder and teased, “If anything decides to turn me into a nighttime snack, I’m blaming you.”

“A snack? No.” His gaze raked down my body and he licked his lips. “But dessert? Definitely.”

And there went my pulse, hammering out a rhythm that would make a drummer in a rock band proud. Flirting with a guy like Kai could very well get a woman burned.

****

K ai

Images of Lily naked beneath me as I mounted her bombarded my mind. I was too close to dragging her off to my bedroom. I could have us both undressed in seconds. The hunger to watch her submit to me grew. She’s human, I warned the raging beast inside me. She’d need time to accept me. Accept our ways. My Yucilon form would no doubt terrify her if I didn’t get her there slowly. She’d run and I’d be forced to track her down and bring her back. I didn’t want that. She was my mate and her happiness was all that mattered, but beneath that was the driving need to claim her. To seal our bond. Talking about creatures of the night had nearly made me laugh. If she only knew that the most dangerous creatures on our one-hundred-acre property had been sitting around the dinner table with her listening as she chatted about her life goals.

After we finished up the dishes, I took her hand and led her from the kitchen. When we reached the front door, I looked her over. “You might need a jacket. It’s supposed to be a chilly evening.”

She pointed toward the ceiling. “I have a hoodie in my suitcase. Let me grab it.”

When she turned to go, I stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “Wait.” She frowned at me. I snagged my leather coat off a hook on the wall and held it out. “Wear this,” I offered, eager to see her in it, knowing her scent would linger on the silk lining for days.

She shrugged and plucked it from my grasp. “If you’re sure.”

“I am,” I murmured, watching her slip into it. It fell to just above her knees and she had to roll the sleeves several times to free her hands. God, she was cute. “Perfect,” I praised, grinning down at her.

She laughed. “Liar. I look silly, but you’re right. It’s warm.”

“Good.” I needed to get her out of the house or I’d kiss her and never stop until she was naked and beneath me.

Once outside, the cold night breeze blew across my face. I lifted my nose and inhaled, searching for anything that could pose a threat to Lily. Only the usual nocturnal creatures could be detected. I reached for her, entwining our fingers, and explained, “The place I want to show you is just a few minutes’ walk to the south.”

She kept stride beside me, scanning our surroundings. “And what is this amazing place that couldn’t wait until daytime?”

I tsked. “It won’t be any fun if I tell you.”

Lily was quiet as we strode down the path I’d taken a thousand times, passing giant pine trees, thick walnuts, as well as the occasional tall sycamore. When we were near our destination, I stopped, waiting for her to look at me. When our gazes connected, I stated, “This place is sacred to my family, Lily.” I pointed to the clearing ahead. “For generations, Ravenbriars have come here to seek solace.”

“Oh,” she replied, her curiosity evident in the way her gaze lit with excitement. “Like a place of worship?”

“No, more like a place to ... think. We believe that nature grounds us. In times of strife or chaos, we come here and we’re once again centered.”

“Why are you showing me this? We barely know each other.”

“I feel connected to you.” I cupped her cheek. “Don’t you feel something for me? Perhaps a spark that you’ve never felt with another?”

“It’s strange, but I do feel as if I’ve known you forever. Like we’ve met before. Or...” She ran a hand through her hair. “I don’t know. It’s difficult to explain.”

My heart swelled at her confession. “I understand.” I gave her a gentle tug. “Come, before it gets too late.”

We continued the short journey, dead leaves crunching beneath our feet, until we reached Sarafin Falls. Clovers covered the ground and a stone bench sat next to a bubbling brook. But it was the waterfall that deserved praise. Even after hundreds of years, its beauty hadn’t faded. Amidst the tranquil embrace of the moonlight, the breathtaking scene unfurled before us. The waterfall, hidden amid towering trees, glistened under the soft glow of starlight, its crystalline waters shimmering as it descended gracefully into a pristine pool below. The chill in the air carried the hint of impending winter. The serenade of the falling water blended harmoniously with the rustling of trees and the occasional hoot of an owl.

Lily stopped, then gasped. “Oh, my God, Kai, it’s amazing,” she softly exclaimed, all her attention on the magical sight less than a hundred feet in front of us.

“When our ancestors first purchased the land and discovered the falls, they declared it a sacred place. Since then we’ve taken great strides to maintain it, hoping future generations would get to experience it as well.”

Lily moved to the bench and sat, pulling the coat tighter around her body. “When you talk about your family it makes me a little envious. I have no experience with that type of bond.” She sighed. “I used to wish for a bunch of siblings and the kind of parents who tucked their kids in at night and read them stories.” Her gaze lifted to mine. “Dumb, huh?”

I heard the sadness in her voice and it angered me. Her life in Walnut Ridge sucked and she deserved better. I closed the distance between us, then sat next to her. “You left your home because of your mother and sister, but in doing so you found me. You found my brothers. Perhaps your wish has been granted, Lily.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m asking you to stay,” I gently explained. “Get to know me. Get to know my family.”

She shot off the bench and glared at me. “Again, you are a stranger. I can’t just shack up with you, Kai. It’s absurd.”

I wrapped an arm around her middle and tugged until she was standing between my widespread thighs. “You set out for adventure, right?”

She bit her bottom lip, a sure sign of her frustration. “Well, partly, yes,” she admitted. “And partly because I was desperate to escape.”

“Let me be a part of your adventure then,” I persuaded, watching for any hint that she was wavering. “Let me give you a place to escape to.” When she started to protest, I lifted my other hand and cupped her chin. “Just say you’ll consider it. You won’t be disappointed.”

Her silence stretched on for so long that I was certain I was about to be shut down. Instead, she narrowed her gaze and muttered, “You like to get your way, don’t you?”

If she only knew how pushy I could be, she’d run for the hills. “Only when I see something I want. Then I will move heaven and earth.”

“And you want me,” she whispered. “A woman you’ve only known a few hours.”

“Time means nothing,” I ground out. “Trust me on that.”

“I don’t even know if you have a girlfriend.” She looked me over, then crossed her arms over her chest and asked, “Do you?”

I could give her the absolute truth, for once. “There are no women in my life. Only you.”

She covered her face in her hands and groaned. “I should have my head examined for even considering this.”

I pried them away, then waited until she graced me with her pretty gaze, and asked, “Is that a yes?”

“I’m willing to see where things go between us. Only because I’m curious about you. About our connection. I’ve never felt like this before.”

“Like what?” Her cheeks turned pink and my blood heated in my veins at the becoming sight. “Lily?”

“The last time I dated it was a disaster,” she blurted. “Not because he was a bad guy, but there weren’t sparks. I’m not sure there have ever been sparks with any of my past relationships. With you, the sparks are enough to set this entire area ablaze!” She flung her arms in the air. “I honestly don’t know what to make of it.”

Damn, her confession had my dick as hard as a lead pipe. I pressed a palm to the back of her head to hold her still. “I have a few ideas,” I murmured as I brought her closer for a kiss. Ah, yes, so many ideas.