by A. J. Macey
“It’s, uh, nice to meet you,” I stuttered, nerves rattling through me. Come on, you can be a normal human… supernatural… whatever. She smiled invitingly at me, her coffee colored eyes focused on my face.
“Where are my manners?” she exclaimed, clapping as she stepped back into the house. “Come inside and make yourself at home.” Her gaze shifted to Dante. “Your father and brothers are in the den.” Her encouraging tone and the way her eyes crinkled conveyed that she knew he was nervous about seeing them. Are they really that bad? I looked at Dante and noticed his shoulders were tense and pulled back. His spine was ramrod straight as he kept his chin lifted, looking fully the part of an Alpha shifter.
As Dante led me through the house to the den, I looked around. The dark hardwood floors were well worn but not damaged. The walls held a soft cream color and were filled with photos of Dante and others I assumed were his brothers. The house smelled like delicious food, and the sound of masculine talking grew stronger as we turned the corner at the end of the hall.
There were two men standing around the room while an older gentleman sat in a leather chair. His skin tone was a shade darker than Dante’s, and his black hair was in a military style buzz cut unlike his son’s. Dante’s hair was short but had grown long enough in the last few months that if he didn’t comb it every morning, it looked unruly. The man wore slacks and a white button-up shirt, both of which had been starched and ironed, the creases perfectly straight. He held an alcoholic beverage in a glass that he swirled before sipping. His black eyes immediately locked on me when we stepped into the room.
The other two men were younger, both close to Dante in age at around mid-twenties. They had the same skin and hair, both sporting buzz cuts. They were more casual in jeans, one in a plain black long sleeve shirt, the other in a green flannel that was open to show a white undershirt. It was obvious they were related despite the little differences, like Dante’s shoulders were broader than either sibling, but the one in the plain shirt was taller by an inch or two. They also looked at me when we entered, their eyes full of curiosity. Which didn’t help my nerves at all.
“Father.” Dante nodded his head respectfully. “Miguel, Sebastian, I would like you to meet my girlfriend, Lucie.” His left hand gestured toward me, my hand slightly tightening against his at being the center of attention. “Lucie, this is my father General Alejandro Rodriguez, and my two brothers Miguel and Sebastian.” Miguel was the tallest as well as oldest at twenty-five if I remembered correctly. He was the one in the plain black shirt. Sebastian was the one in the green flannel, twenty-three years old, and the same height as Dante.
“It’s nice to meet you.” I dipped my head, the steadiness of my voice surprising me since I was trying to not shake with nerves. His father stood, setting his glass onto a cork coaster before stepping up to me. He was tall, my head having to lean back to look him in the eye, and he held his hand out for me to shake. I made sure to get a good grip. He seemed like a man who judged people based on how they shook his hand.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lucie. You can call me Alejandro.” His voice was deep and slightly rough as though he had smoked one too many cigars in his life. His handshake was firm, but his skin wasn’t as calloused or rough as Dante’s. “Dante has not told me anything about you.” His gaze slid to his youngest son. Dante’s face was stoic as he stared at his dad, hand gripping mine tighter.
“I wasn’t sure she would be comfortable with me sharing.” His tone attempted to stop any further arguing, but Alejandro didn’t back down.
“Well, why don’t we let her decide?” he suggested before stepping back. Miguel and Sebastian replaced their father in front of me.
“Nice to meet you.” Miguel’s voice was smooth like honey, not cold, but not friendly either as he eyed me speculatively.
“Wow, Dante.” Sebastian laughed as he stepped closer, his eyes roving over me like I was a delicious entree available on a buffet. “Who would have thought you could have snagged up such a beautiful girl.” He took my hand and kissed my knuckles.
Why do people keep doing that? I thought in irritation.
“Hands off, Bas,” my boyfriend growled, yanking me back against him. Dante’s muscles were twitching under his skin as he glared at his brother. Sebastian threw his hands up, palms toward us.
“Damn, all right.” He nodded slightly and stepped away from me. “Didn’t mean anything by it.” His tone contradicted his words as he eyed me once more. Do I have ’piece of meat’ tattooed on my forehead? What’s with all the guys lately? The tension rapidly escalated as all three of the Rodriguez boys glared at each other.
“Come on, boys.” Dante’s mom, Miranda, stuck her head into the room. “You’ll scare Lucie away.” She waved her hand toward her. “Food’s ready, come in and sit.” The tension lowered as we followed his mom across the hall into an open dining room, kitchen, family room combo.
The kitchen was filled with dark cherry wood cabinets and speckled countertops, and the hardwood floor continued throughout the space from the hall. The dining table was a large rectangle holding six chairs and place settings. The living room looked cozy with large overstuffed sectionals and a large TV. Dante led me to the table, pulling one of the chairs out for me to sit. I felt my cheeks reddening as I smiled shyly at him. He’s so sweet.
His brother Miguel sat across from me with Sebastian next to him. Dante’s father sat at the far end of the table while his mom sat at the end near me. It didn’t escape my notice that his brothers had shared a look and quietly laughed at Dante, teasing him for pulling the chair out for me. I ground my teeth to keep from saying something I’d regret. I turned my attention to the table where there was an array of traditional Mexican food including tamales, enchiladas, and empanadas that had my mouth watering. I couldn’t even identify half of the dishes, but the scents and variety had me itching to dig in.
“Would you like something to drink, Firecracker?” Dante asked me quietly as everyone finished dishing some food onto their plates before passing the dish to the next person. More smothered laughter came from his brothers, but Dante’s eyes focused on me. I shook my head.
“Water’s fine, babe,” I reassured him, my lips curling.
“Well, it is your twenty-first birthday, darling, you should share a drink with your father and brothers,” Miranda suggested lightly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her youngest. Dante nodded politely and poured some of the brown liquor into his glass. From what I could see of the label it was a bottle of scotch. His father raised his hand in toast, the Rodriguez brothers following suit. Miranda held her lemonade up, smiling encouragingly at me as I raised my water.
“To Dante,” he gruffly stated, the light clinking of glasses filling the air. After taking a small sip, we dug into our plates.
“So, Lucie,” Miranda started after a few minutes of silent eating. “What do you want to do when you finish college?”
I swallowed my bite, the delicious food turning to lead in my stomach. Ugh, 20 Questions time.
“I’m not sure yet,” I said politely. I wasn’t lying either; I had been too busy with all the changes in my life to focus on what I wanted to study and do when I graduated. “Right now I’m focused on doing well in my classes.” She smiled brightly, pleased with the answer.
“What grade are you?” Sebastian asked, his empty fork pointed toward me. “You look pretty young.” I swallowed the snarky response I so desperately wanted to give him and answered honestly.
“Freshman.” His eyebrows raised before glancing at Miguel. The fact that they seemed to team up against Dante was rubbing me the wrong way. There was nothing wrong with how Dante was acting, so I didn’t understand their poking and prodding. Then again, I was an only child, so maybe that was just how siblings were with each other.
“What type of supe are you?”
I felt my throat seize, but thankfully Dante answered for me.
“Bas, you know that question is rude.” His stare
was hard. Bas’ lip quirked, eyes finding mine again.
“Well, if she’s going to be sticking around, we’ll find out eventually.” He leaned forward on his elbows. “You are going to stick around, aren’t you?” I knew he was goading me, and Miranda shot a look to her husband, but he was staring at me as intently as Sebastian and Miguel. I leaned forward to mimic Bas’ position, my face as flat as stone. I don’t really understand what came over me, but whatever did steeled my spine.
“Yes, I am.” I smirked. “But that doesn’t mean you get to know things about me that I don’t wish to share.” I kept eye contact, unwilling to look away. A wave of static electricity brushed against my skin, a steady current of little shocks. The sensation wasn’t painful, but it pushed against my stubborn thoughts, urging me to answer. Sebastian’s eyes flashed as he pushed his Dominance onto me, but I didn’t—wouldn’t—give and finally his mother had had enough.
“Sebastian Antonio Rodriguez,” she barked. He flinched at her harsh tone and broke eye contact, eyes dropping to the table. I sat back and lifted my chin slightly in victory. The electrified tingles stopped immediately after he had been reprimanded. They might be Alphas, but I bow down to no one, not anymore. Dante’s hand found my leg, squeezing gently, and his lips twitched in an attempt to hide how pleased he was. Miguel was eyeing me with suspicion while his dad’s gaze held a similar gleam to the one I’d seen in Liam’s in the lobby. “I am sorry for my son’s rude behavior,” Miranda apologized, glaring at him again.
“It’s all right.” I smiled politely. I might not appreciate how he acted, but what I had said was true. I wasn’t going anywhere, and I wanted to have a good relationship with Dante’s family. Well, as good I possibly could.
“What do your parents do, Lucie?” Alejandro took over questioning, the wheels and cogs turning behind his dark, watchful eyes.
“My adoptive mom is a baker.” I left it at that, unsure of what to say about my birth parents.
“Does she use magic to help with her creations?”
The question was innocent enough, but I was able to catch the fishing for answers in it. I shook my head, taking a quick sip of water to gather my thoughts before responding.
“She’s human.” His lips pursed. I was a puzzle he wanted to figure out, and at each turn I shuffled the pieces around. “I don’t know who my birth parents are,” I answered after hesitating a moment too long.
“What about other family members?” His smile was smug, a cat that had gotten the cream. Damn it.
“My great grandmother is Mireille Bonheur,” I supplied evenly, fudging the truth just a bit. Their eyes widened at the name.
“The famous Djinn?” Miguel spoke for the first time since we sat down.
I nodded, growing increasingly uncomfortable at the turn of conversation. Fortunately, my phone started to ring in Dante’s pocket, breaking the conversation. He pulled it out, silencing the ring as he read the name. My heart thudded at his look; the caller was Noah.
“Do you want to answer that?” Alejandro asked, and I shook my head quickly. “Why are you carrying her phone, Dante?” he asked in a demanding tone.
“No reason,” Dante tried to play off, but his family knew him better.
“Is this the same reason there is an additional car out front holding a security guard from the university? What is going on?”
I paled.
Here we go…
22
December 4th
Tuesday Evening
Dante
I clenched my jaw at my father’s questions. I would have really liked to throw my glass at him for his insatiable need to know everything, but I held back on the urge. My mother’s eyes were concerned as she looked at us, not worried that Lucie was a threat, but that she was in trouble. My brothers’ eyes were hungry as they watched Lucie squirm, just as curious as my father.
“The situation is being handled,” I ground out, my hand resting on Lucie’s lap. This was going about as well as I’d expected, although I’d anticipated my father would berate me a bit more for doing such a ‘piss poor job’ at existing. I stood second place behind my brothers in my dad’s eyes, but it was a poorly kept secret that I was my mother’s favorite. Our family’s line in the sand was clear as we stood off.
“Are you handling it? How can I expect you to be a proper leader if you cannot handle whatever the situation is?” There it was, the sky-high expectations he demanded of me but not of my brothers. I took a deep breath to try and calm my growing anger.
“A proper leader cannot lead without knowing how to follow,” I quoted his own favorite words to him. “The dean and security as well as our friends—”
“Your friends are helping?” he cut me off, the feel of a familiar argument building between us. He’d never truly approved of the guys, thinking they distracted me from being better and following in his footsteps. Not even Hudson was immune to my father’s disdain despite our mothers’ close friendship. I nodded once, and his disapproving frown appeared. “I see. Is that acceptable to you, Lucie? That my son requires the help of those boys.” Lucie’s face struggled to stay stoic, her lips pursing slightly. Knowing how observant my family was, they noticed the minute changes in her expression.
“Dante is an excellent leader, and our friends are irreplaceable,” she countered diplomatically. My mom’s smile was small but proud as she glanced at me. At least someone in this family is proud of me.
“I see.” My father’s tone held a significant amount of disagreement, but he didn’t get a chance to argue because my mom cut him off.
“How about dessert?” She briefly looked around the table but focused on Lucie, trying to show her my family wasn’t made up of complete barbarians. Lucie nodded, her dimples showing as she smiled. I love those dimples, I thought quietly as I stared at my girlfriend. She was too perfect and sweet to deal with my disapproving father and asshole brothers, but she was taking everything in stride, making me fall that much harder for her.
Dessert passed quickly, and no more questions were fielded at Lucie as my mom kept focus on my brothers. They responded to her questions but kept their answers short, still unsure of Lucie. When we were finished, we all went into the living room, Lucie crowding close to me. I wanted to leave, but my mom wanted us to stay for just a bit longer, and her silent pleading cracked my heart. I purposely took one of the two armchairs that sat next to the sectional and pulled Lucie into my lap to make sure my brothers kept their distance.
“Awe, look at little Dante,” Bas teased, “finally being a man.” His words set my teeth on edge. Mom’s lips thinned, clearly unhappy with the taunt, but my father looked unfazed. Lucie sank into me, her arm going over my shoulder so her side could press into my chest. Looking up, I gave her a soft smile, and in response, and she did something I didn’t expect. She leaned down and gave me a lingering kiss, not caring that my brothers were trying to get a rise out of us.
“Do you need a room?” Miguel asked, eyebrow raising suggestively. Lucie blushed in embarrassment.
“Hey, leave her alone,” I snapped. He didn’t get to make her feel like she was doing something wrong.
“What, Dante? Afraid she’ll see how soft you are and look for a real man?” Bas smoothed his hands over his shirt, wiggling his eyebrows toward her suggestively.
“Boys,” my father called their attention, “that’s enough. Let’s not make Lucie uncomfortable.” He didn’t actually care if she was uncomfortable or not, but he didn’t want his sons’ behavior to tarnish his decorated image in the supe community. Also, the fact that he didn’t like being reminded that I was such a disappointment couldn’t be ignored.
“How do you like RSU?” My mom attempted to play peacekeeper as she always did, redirecting tension and attention to less hot button topics.
“I love it so far. I have a really cool roommate. Straight A’s so far,” she paused, thinking of what else she could say, “the dean is nice.” My jaw clenched at my father’s expression, ano
ther piece to her puzzle to solve.
“You know Dean Renaud well enough to have an opinion?” He raised a single eyebrow, taking a sip of the scotch that he had refilled before sitting in the other chair. Lucie stiffened slightly, only noticeable to me since she was in my lap.
“He’s working with me privately on my powers.”
I kept a straight face, my elbow going to the arm of the chair and rubbing my fingers against my lips to hide my frown.
“Are you lacking in your powers?” Miguel leaned back, his hand swirling his scotch in a perfect rendition of my father.
Lucie realized how it sounded before shaking her head quickly. “No.” She coughed lightly into her hand before continuing, “He said I would need extra lessons because I was progressing faster than the class was teaching.”
“What powers are you working on with Dean Renaud?” Bas leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. As much as I wanted to intervene and end the near interrogation they were giving Lucie, she squeezed my shoulder just enough to say she was all right.
“Reality warping.” She ended her statement definitively, not giving away that she was also working on her wish granting with him. Brows raised in surprise.
“Let’s see it then,” Miguel demanded skeptically. I had had enough, grilling her was pushing the envelope, but demanding she use her powers like a performing circus animal was too far.
“Not today, Miguel,” I countered, my tone stern, “we need to be heading back. We have classes in the morning.” I glanced at the clock to prove my point. It was already nearing eight, and it was still a half hour back to campus.