“How long would you need to get the plans drawn?”
“I could have them done in a week. It depends on what you want. Do you just want a kitchen or would you like something like a lazy river with a pool and slide, a hot tub and maybe a bridge and several areas to sit?”
“Could you add a waterfall to that?”
She grinned at Mekhi; she liked his style.
“I could do that.” They all nodded and smiled at her.
“Do you mind if I take some time to gather measurements?”
“I’ll go with you.” She nodded and stood. It made sense that Mekhi should be the one to go with her, she justified.
She took a measuring tape, pen, and paper out of her purse. She didn’t always carry the things that other women kept in their purses. They walked around the yard getting further away from his brothers as she walked a path that she had already pictured in her mind.
She stopped quickly to look at Mekhi. He had been silent the whole time she had been wandering the yard. It just dawned on her how rare that was. Most people felt the need to talk and take her mind off what she was doing.
“Are you done?”
“No, I was just surprised that you had been so quiet.”
“I would want anyone around me to be quiet when I was concentrating.” A memory from the past reared its ugly head of being taunted as he made the biggest mistake of his life. He pushed it back not wanting his beast to come out and scare her.
“Thank you.” It was murmured softly, but he heard it.
She walked around and finished getting her measurements. They came to the edge of their land where the hillside began. There was a beautiful view of what looked like untouched land for as far as the eye could see.
“This is beautiful.”
“It’s one of my favorite spots.”
“I can see why.”
“Everything I need is here.”
“I have what I need.” She placed her tools back in her purse and gave the land one last look.
“Allow me to walk you to the car.”
They walked in silence she stopped briefly to say goodbye to the others.
“We’ll see you in a week?”
“I’ll call to schedule a time.”
“Don’t forget this.” He handed her an envelope and watched her drive away.
Chapter Three
She sang and smiled all the way home. She had a potential job and a chance to design a beautiful backyard. The smile disappeared when she pulled into the empty space in front of her apartment. She did it again, left without negotiating fees. Her people were counting on her, and she was being selfish. It wasn’t about her and her desire to design and build something glorious it was about her workers being able to feed their families.
“Quinn, we all want to help people, do nice things for them.” She could hear her father’s voice like he was still alive sitting in the truck next to her. “We can’t do that if we can’t take care of our own. Remember Tee is counting on you.”
“I’m sorry dad,” she whispered.
There was a week’s worth of work in front of her, and she might not get paid for it. She reached for her purse when the letter Mekhi slipped her fell out. She grabbed it and opened it. There was a check in there and a note that said this was the down payment on the plans, we’ll discuss the rest of your payment next week.
She had been in this business too long because she was becoming jaded. People used her, and she didn’t blink anymore. Something was wrong with Mekhi and his brothers, but she wasn’t going to go looking for the flaw. With this check and what she had in the bank, she’d have no trouble keeping her business afloat for a couple more weeks. She turned on the engine and backed out with the memory of Tee’s tiny wet face haunting her.
*~*~*~*
Mekhi was standing in the kitchen looking at a cup on the table. It should be so easy he told himself. All I have to do is lift it and keep it floating in midair. He stared at the cup feeling pain trying to push through the back of his head. He pushed it down refusing to revisit those memories. It was just a cup.
He lifted it without any trouble, now he just had to hold it mid-air for a few minutes. His breathing became labored as the cup grew heavy. His mind grasped trying to keep the cup up as flashes of blood and cries of pain tore through his brain. The cup hit the floor, he dropped to his knees as his body tried to reject whatever he recently ate. Without thought, he picked the cup up and threw it against the wall. It shattered as he curled into a ball.
He looked up death was reflected in his eyes. He pushed himself up to find Slade in his face.
“Move.”
“Make me.”
He was on his way to find Phoenix but kicking Slade’s ass would be much more satisfying.
“You think you can take me? Let’s go outside.”
He followed him out and attacked him the minute he turned around. Mekhi's beast shot to the surface swapping forms and taking a swipe at Slade. Slade changed and joined the fight. The two of them locked arms trying to throw the other to the ground looking for top position.
The other brothers walked out to watch the fight. This is what their lives had become, bleeding each other to let the pain out and to keep the human’s safe.
Slade picked Mekhi up and slammed him to the ground. Their brotherhood only worked if there was one top Alpha among a family of Alphas. Mekhi gritted his teeth and jumped to his feet running at Slade. He knocked him down and climbed on top of him beating his chest and roaring.
Slade took advantage of his gloating and hit him in the head with his deadly paw pushing him off and knocking some sense into him at the same time.
Mekhi’s form swapped again. He went up on his elbows. “Draw,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Accepted,” Slade replied when his body was humanoid.
Phoenix turned and walked toward the driveway.
“Where are you going?” Slade called out.
“To the bar. What have I told you about trying to be my mother?”
“Let him go.” Mekhi stepped in front of Slade. “He knows better than to kill the humans, and the alcohol won’t affect him. If he wants to drown his sorrows by pretending he’s like them who are we to stop him?”
They watched as Phoenix got into a sleek car and sped away.
“I’m out of here.”
“Where are you going?”
“What have I told you about trying to be my mother?”
“Mother or not you might want to change your bloody clothes first or the law on this planet will think you killed someone.”
He was right. Their fights always left them bleeding.
*~*~*~*
Quinn looked over the plans for Mekhi and his brother’s backyard. She had outdone herself. She lowered the drafting board and rolled them up putting them away. They would meet tomorrow, but tonight she was on her own.
“Tee, where are you?” She got mad because Quinn wouldn’t pick her up. She had to make sure her plans were perfect. “Come on baby, you know I love my little girl.”
Green eyes peeked out from under her bed, and she grinned. Tee enjoyed hiding there when she thought her ‘mama’ had hurt her. She pulled her out and gave her cuddles while placing kisses on her head. This was a sign that she needed a boyfriend.
“It’s time for someone to eat.” She took her into the kitchen where she kept her food bowl. After filling it and adding a treat which Tee devoured along with her food. Tee didn’t need the treat, but she liked to spoil her.
“You eat I need to answer the phone.” She ran into the living room where her phone was sitting on the table.
“Hello.”
“You sound happy.” She was happy, and now that Mekhi was calling her; she was even happier.
Get yourself together she chastened herself. He is just checking on the plans.
“I am happy. How can I help you?”
“Have you eaten dinner?”
“No, I was just beginning
to think about it.”
“I’ll take you out.”
“Umm, it’s been a while since I’ve been on a date, but I prefer when a guy asks me, not tells me.” The phone went dead in her ear.
Great going Quinn, the first guy to ask you out in a year, and you scare him away. She placed the phone on the table and went to stare inside her empty fridge. The phone rang again, and she looked at it suspiciously before she answered it.
“Hello?”
“Hi Quinn, this is Mekhi. I was wondering if you have not eaten dinner would you like to go out with me to get something to eat?”
Her smile was so wide it was hurting her face. He called her back and obviously was uncomfortable asking her out, but he did it anyway.
“I would like that. Where are we going fancy or casual?” He was rich, so he probably ate food that came on little shells while she was dreaming of a steak and baked potato. Maybe she should eat a salad, but that wasn’t happening.
“Casual?”
“I like the sound of that.” She had to hide her laugh; she could almost feel him loosen up when she agreed to casual. “Where do you want me to meet you?”
“I’ll pick you up.”
That made her stiffen. She wasn’t disappointed by where she lived, but in the past, she heard men talk about her neighborhood after they didn’t call her back for a second date.
“I could meet you.”
“Why?”
Well heck, he was putting her on the spot. “Here’s my address, what time shall I expect you?”
“I’ll pick you up in an hour.”
“I’ll be ready.”
She put back the chicken she had just taken out and went to take a shower. Casual did that mean jeans or slacks and a nice shirt? In the end, she settled for high-end jeans and a cute shirt that she could pair with sandals.
There was a knock at the door. One look out her peephole told her it was Mekhi.
She opened the door, “Hi.”
“You didn’t ask who was at your door.”
“I looked out the hole.”
He frowned but walked in when she moved back. Tee came to the door to greet him. She reared up on her hind legs and opened her mouth in a hiss before she attacked him.
Chapter Four
Mekhi caught the pint size ball of fur. He opened his mouth and growled. Tee’s body shook. Quinn tried to take Tee away from him, and he snapped his teeth.
“Stay back.” He sat on the floor like he had all day and held Tee up, so they were looking into each other’s eyes. “You, little one, pay attention. I will not hurt you, and I will not hurt the female who adopted you. Both of you will always be treated with respect by my hands.”
Quinn opened her mouth then closed it like a fish out of water. Tee was not the most loving cat to strangers, but she had never attacked one before. Her little body had stopped shaking, and she was giving Mekhi a once over like she understood every word, and she was judging him for authenticity. Finally, she gave him a shy meow, and he took her in his arms and petted her. That fast it was over, he had a faithful friend for life.
“How did you do that?” Her voice came out in a whisper afraid to interrupt the bonding that was going on.
“Do what? I told her the truth. Are you ready for dinner?”
“I’m ready.”
He gave Tee one more rub then stood up. She grabbed her purse, checked to make sure she had her keys and led him outside.
She stopped when she came to the truck parked behind hers.
“I thought you might be more comfortable in a truck.” She ignored him as she walked around it. Hesitantly, she stuck her hand out to caress it.
“It’s a Benz.”
“Do you like it?”
“Yes, but I couldn’t get work done in this.”
“We can go to dinner in this and get real work done in yours.” He opened the door and helped her up.
He said we and her brain was doing magical flips as it thought what we would look like if it comprised her and Mekhi. Stop it, she yelled inside her head. He is just being polite no rushing to think a guy likes us. Remember what happened last time. Her brain fell to the bottom of her head. It remembered what happened.
“I didn’t know what you would want to eat. There is a great place that serves some of the best steaks. It melts your mouth. Phoenix said he heard a few females talking, and they would only go to places that served salads on their dates. We can go get salads if that’s all you eat.”
She had to bite her bottom lip to keep from laughing; there was no doubt about where he wanted to go.
“Maybe I can order a salad with my steak that should meet the dating rules.”
“I think that’s a wise choice.” He turned his head to look at her a smile was lingering on his lips, and she was lost. His blue eyes were pulling her in. His black hair was caught up with a short leather tie, and she was mush. Cue the heartbreak music, she always fell too fast when she fell.
“Tell me a little about yourself.”
“I’m not that interesting.”
“Come on,” she cajoled. “I bet all the things you’ve done in your life would surprise me. Where did you go to school?”
“I didn’t go to school I learned how to fight.”
“You went to a military academy? I heard depending on which one you go to they can be extremely tough on the boys.”
“The one I went to wasn’t nice.”
“Did you serve?”
“Serve?”
“Yes, join a branch of the military fight in battles overseas.”
“It was expected that I would fight.”
“I know it’s honorable to serve your country, but I’m glad you’re here now.”
“All my brothers didn’t live to be here.”
She blinked back tears. How could she not feel the pain he kept hidden behind those words?
“I’m so sorry Mekhi. I don’t understand losing your brothers in battle to a war that makes little sense. My dad, he died at the construction site. That didn’t make sense.”
“Tell me about your dad.”
“I’m named after him. His name was Quintin. I think he wanted a boy, but he got me.” She laughed and blinked her eyes fast. “He used to put me on his shoulders and tell me one day I would own the whole world, but I’d start with his construction company. As soon as I was old enough, he taught me how to build. I had my personal little hard hat and my own tools. When he thought it was safe, he would take me out to his construction sites. My love of building and planning came from him.”
He pulled up in front of the steakhouse it was her favorite.
“I used to love coming here with my dad and mom when he was alive.”
“Do you still come here?”
“No, life happened.”
“Then I get to be the first one to reintroduce you to the taste of great steak.” He came around and opened the door for her helping her down.
This was a lost art one she never experienced before. No one ever opened doors for her or made her feel as feminine as Mekhi was making her feel in a pair of jeans and a shirt. She was always sure she didn’t need this; she could take care of herself. One minute she longed for someone to take care of her, to listen when she needed to unburden herself. Then she pushed it all away. She was woman hear her roar.
He took her hand and waited to see if she would protest, when she didn’t he led them to the restaurant.
“Hi, the waitress greeted them. Only two in your party tonight?”
“Hi, Sarah. There will only be the two of us tonight.”
She led them to a booth in a quiet area.
“Is this okay with you? When I come with my brothers, we request a place as far away from most customers as possible.”
“This is perfect. You must come here a lot.”
“I like steak.”
“What else do you like?”
“Steak.”
“What about chicken or hamburgers? Then there’s p
ork, don’t forget the sides. I love french fries my guilty pleasure.”
“I’ve never had french fries. They look like sticks. I’ve had the other things you mentioned, but I prefer steaks.”
“Your mom never made you french fries?”
“I don’t have any parents.”
How could she make such a big mistake? That was why he went to military school.
“Sorry, I was going on about my dad. Excuse me, I need to use the facilities.”
He caught her hand before she could get up. “Don’t be upset. I liked hearing about your dad and how he carried you around on his shoulders. If I ever have a child, I would do the same thing.”
“You would?”
“Yes.”
She relaxed and took a deep breath. “Will you tell me if I say something stupid?
“I don’t think you're capable of saying anything like that.”
She didn’t have as much faith in herself, and he did. “You keep talking like that, and I will like you a lot.”
The waitress came and brought menus. “Can I take your drink order?”
“I’ll have an ice tea.”
“Plain as usual?”
He raised his eyes to Quinn.
“Why don’t we both try the peach?”
“We’ll take the peach and glasses of water.”
“Good choice,” she gave Quinn a wink and walked away.
“That was nice.”
“What?”
“Something silly, not worth talking about.” The last couple of guys she had gone out with flirted with any woman walking. One even had the nerve to tell her if she dressed more feminine and worked a more girly job (yes, he said girly job), then he wouldn’t have to check out everything that moved. That’s when she ordered the most expensive thing on the menu and wouldn’t you know it she forgot her wallet at home. She dumped the jerk the next day.
She raised her menu but was looking at him under her lashes. He was studying the menu like he didn’t know it by heart.
“I recommend the steak.”
Mekhi (The Broken Book 1) Page 2