Page 8

I ’ve been in Padston for almost a week now. I have a signed lease with Gypsy to rent an apartment above the Whiskey Genie, but have yet to move in.

Why?

It’s because, for the fifth day in a row, a package has been delivered to me. The gifts have ranged from gourmet chocolates to jewelry and personal care items. Oh, and let’s not forget the flowers.

Each package has had a card attached to it, addressed similarly to the first one.

“Looking forward to eternity.”

“Can’t wait to spend eternity with you.”

“Thinking of you.”

Each delivery results in a call to the sheriff’s office.

At this point, I have had the opportunity to meet each deputy and am becoming very close to the sheriff.

The consensus is that I should stay with Kyle and Dayton as a layer of protection, rather than living alone.

That is, until they can figure out who my stalker is.

Today’s gift arrived about fifteen minutes ago, and we are waiting for someone from the sheriff’s office to arrive before I open it. Heywood Morris is here, as he always is when Kyle needs to leave the house.

A knock on the door has me jumping—my nerves are shot. My life was supposed to be quiet, moving to Padston. Not whatever nightmare this is.

“Hello, everyone,” a deep voice chirps from the door.

Glancing over my shoulder, I see both Chayce and Adyr Galloway. Chayce is the sheriff, Adyr is a deputy, and also Chayce’s brother.

“Hi, guys,” I say, defeatedly.

“Did you open it yet?” Chayce asks.

“No, I have been waiting for you.”

Chayce and Adyr look over the packaging. There are no indicators on where it is being shipped from, just a plain brown box.

“Go ahead and open it,” Chayce says as he and Adyr flank me on either side.

Taking a deep breath, I rip into the packaging, eager to get this done.

Under the plain brown paper is a plain brown box.

Suppressing a groan, I press on. Getting through the protective packaging, my breath catches.

It’s a jewelry box. A sizeable one as well.

Made of solid wood, the piece features five drawers on the front.

“Don’t touch anything else,” Chayce says, reminding me that he is here. Both he and Adyr have gloves on, I presume, to preserve any evidence they can glean from the gift. Stepping back, out of their way, I wrap my arms around my middle, pacing the living room of Dayton and Kyle’s house.

“Holy shit!” one of the men yell. “Darby, you need to come here, please.”

Taking my time, I cross the small space, and dread fills my chest.

“Wh-what is it?” I ask, my voice cracking. Unable to see around the two large men, I step to the side.

“You have someone’s attention,” Chayce comments.

My jaw hangs slack as I peer inside the jewelry box.

While inspecting it, Chayce and Adyr opened all of the compartments.

There is a variety of pieces: rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.

The selections are just different pieces, either.

Some are simply gold or silver, while others feature gems. The gems range from pearls, rubies, and emeralds.

“Did you find a note?” I ask, tears silently streaming down my cheeks.

“No,” they answer simultaneously.

Nodding my head, I head back to my room, closing myself inside. This situation is driving me crazy. I just want to move on with my new life, instead of being frozen in fear, afraid to leave my sister’s house.

Arek

Pacing my office, my bear threatens to break loose and find our mate. Of course, I know where she is, but he wants to claim her.

Nothing has been said about the gifts I have been sending her. I hope she likes them.

“Hey,” Raelee says, interrupting my thoughts as she barges into my office without knocking.

“What do you need?” I ask, slightly more harsh than necessary.

Her eyes narrow in annoyance at me. “Never mind,” she says before leaving, slamming the door behind her.

Throwing myself into the chair behind my desk, I try to focus on the mound of paperwork that has accumulated. Darby has occupied every thought. Bills need to be paid and payroll needs to be processed before my family comes after me.

Needing a break, I stand, twisting my body this way and that. Several joints pop and snap as my muscles protest sitting in one spot for so long. Checking the clock, I am surprised to see that we are already in the midst of the dinner rush. Straightening my tie, I head for the dining room.

It’s three days before Christmas, and we are packed. On route to the hostess stand, I weave between tables, picking up empty plates and greeting patrons along the way.

Aunt Domella, Aunt Marlee, and my mom, Natalia, are all at the hostess stand. My cousins and brothers are all where they are supposed to be, either waiting tables, bussing tables, or in the kitchen cooking. I’m sure my father and uncles are undoubtedly in the kitchen as well.

“Good evening, Ladies,” I say in greeting to my family, kissing Domella, Marlee, and Mom on the cheek.

“Hey, Arek,” they say in unison.

“Do you need anything?”

“No, honey,” Mom answers. “We have things covered here.”

“Okay, I am going to make the rounds. Come get me if you need me,” I tell them before heading to the kitchen to make sure they are set for dinner.

Stepping into the kitchen, it’s controlled chaos. The sizzling and popping of meat on the grill create a symphony, accompanied by the clanging of dishes, which adds a corresponding beat of its own. Rolling up my sleeves, I step in to help the dishwashers get caught up.

Getting lost in the mundane, I float between stations, assisting where and how I can. Once the kitchen is caught up, and I am confident they aren’t in the weeds, I head back into the dining room.

Stepping through the swinging doors, my feet freeze in place as the delectable scent of my mate fills my nose. My bear becomes frantic, needing to see her. He threatens to take over, and it requires a great deal of strength to keep him under control.

Scanning the dining room, I follow her scent. Coming upon the table, the conversation halts when my presence is detected.

“Hey, Arek. How are you?” Kyle Morris, tiger alpha, asks.

Focusing my gaze on him, I step closer to my mate.

“Good,” I answer on a growl, causing his face to pucker in confusion. Clearing my throat, I try speaking again, hoping to sound less intimidating. “How are you this evening?”

“We are okay,” Kyle answers wearily. “Let me introduce you to everyone.” His words cause my chest to flutter.

Flutter? Damn, I sound like one of the triplets.

“You, of course, know Dayton,” Kyle says, indicating his very pregnant mate. “This is Kali, Dayton’s best friend.” He points at the woman across from him. “This is Darby, Dayton’s sister.” He points to the woman across the table from Dayton.

“It is a pleasure to meet you both,” I say sincerely. Both women give cordial nods, muttering “nice to meet you” in return.

My brow furrows when I take a good look at Darby.

Her features are similar to Dayton’s—honey-blonde hair, bright green eyes, and slender build.

It’s difficult to tell how tall Darby is, given that she is sitting down.

There are several undeniable differences between the sisters.

Dayton is normal looking. No, that’s not the correct description. Ordinary? Plain?

Darby has bright streaks of pink through her hair, piercings in her nose, lip, and eyebrow, as well as numerous tattoos decorating her flesh. Taking a closer look at Darby, my spine stiffens. She looks run down, possibly stressed. The unknown cause has my bear on edge.

“Are you all right?” I ask Darby.

“Fine,” Darby blurts.

“She has a stalker,” Kyle says softly.

“What?!” My too-loud statement has the entire dining room going silent as heads turn our way. It’s like a movie scene where a needle scratches across a vinyl record, halting everything. Darby sinks into her chair, trying to make herself invisible as her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

“Yeah,” Kyle continues. “Someone has been sending her all kinds of gifts. Flowers, chocolate, jewelry, you name it.”

My mouth opens and closes as sound refuses to come out. That is everything I have sent her. Did someone take my idea?

“The worst part,” Kyle continues as my mind races to catch up. “Each item has come with a creepy message.”

“I look forward to spending eternity with you,” I babble, unable to help myself.

“It’s you!” the table exclaims at the same time, drawing even more attention to our small group.

“Of course it’s been me,” I say, slightly offended. “She’s my mate!”