by Becca Van
“Hi,” Kenzie said softly.
“Hi, Kenzie.” Declan smiled.
“Hey, honey,” Jett said giving Jay a sly smile but when he didn’t get a rise out of him, he continued. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better, thanks.”
“Hi, Kenzie. Welcome to Ambrose,” said Brooks.
“Why don’t you take a seat, honey?” Jay urged. “I know you want another cup of coffee and we have a few things to prep before we start cooking.”
“Are you sure, Jay? I want to be able to help you all. I love to cook.”
Jay crouched down next to her where she was perched on the edge of the seat and cupped her cheeks between his hands. “I’m sure, mate. We didn’t get time for much this morning since we all slept in. Have another cup and come on out to the kitchen when you’re done. Yeah?”
“Do you all want more coffee?” Kenzie asked. “I can bring you a cup if you want.”
“We had a cup before you were awake, mate. We wanted to let you sleep as long as we could.” Jay leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. If the others hadn’t been around he would have kissed her the way he wanted to, long, hot, and wildly, but he knew she was shy around the other men and didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable. He sighed with resignation as he drew back and then stood. “Take your time, honey. There’s no rush. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Jay hurried toward the kitchen with a smile on his face.
* * * *
As soon as Jay moved away from her, Jordan knelt near her feet. He stroked a finger down her cheek as he pressed his nose against her neck and breathed her in. She shivered as heat began to simmer in her belly, but tried to quash her desire when she remembered there were other men present who were shifters. She didn’t want them smelling her arousal. “See you in a bit, baby.” Jordan pressed his lips to her forehead, rose and walked away.
Jenson bent over, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her side against his body. She blushed as her arm pressed into his erection and another shudder of awareness licked up her spine and deep into her womb. She tried to quash the convulsive clench of her pussy, but she failed, and cream dripped out onto her panties. She hoped the jeans she was wearing were enough to keep the scent of her desire contained, but knew it hadn’t when she gazed into Jenson’s eyes. There was heated lust in his blue depths and even though she wanted him, this wasn’t the time or the place.
“See you soon, sweetie.” Jenson kissed her cheek before removing his arm from around her shoulders, and sauntered away.
Kenzie couldn’t drag her gaze away from his sexy ass. She sighed as he disappeared down the hall and cleared her throat nervously when she became aware of the silence. She turned her gaze toward Emmy to find the other woman grinning at her.
Emmy giggled and fanned her face with her hand. “The men in this town are potent, huh?”
“You’d better be talking about us, baby.” Declan slung an arm around Emmy’s shoulders and dragged her against him.
Emmy grinned up at him after giving Kenzie a wink. “Of course, I am. You know I only have eyes for you three.”
Brooks crossed his arms over his broad muscular chest and stared at Emmy. Jett’s lips were twitching as if he was trying not to laugh. Declan stared into her eyes before bending down and taking her lips in a passionate kiss.
Kenzie shifted on her seat uncomfortably as she lowered her gaze to the table. She was going to have to get used to public demonstrations of affection. She didn’t remember seeing her mom and step-dad showing how much they cared for each other, but after what she’d learned that wasn’t a real surprise.
“How do you have your coffee, Kenzie?” Brooks asked.
“Black, please.”
“That’s the way me, Pixie, and Dusty drink our coffee. Is there a reason you drink it black?” Emmy asked.
“I learned to like it,” she replied, hoping the other woman wouldn’t ask any more questions. There were times when she couldn’t afford to buy milk and sugar. It hadn’t taken her long to acquire the taste for drinking her coffee black. Now she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I need to go to the store later,” Emmy said, and Kenzie sighed with relief. “Do you want to come with me? You haven’t met Zayn, Karter, and Jace Strike yet. They run the store.”
“As long as my mates are okay with it?” Kenzie answered uncertainly. She had no idea why she was hesitating, because normally she did whatever she wanted without asking anyone and had for a long time. However, just the thought of being away from Jay, Jenson, and Jordan made her uneasy. She wondered if that was because she was connected to them, or because the mating bond wasn’t complete yet. She gave a mental shrug. It didn’t really matter.
When a frisson of alarm zipped up her spine, she knew she was lying to herself. She was scared. Scared that the pimp and the Triad leader would find her and take her away. She didn’t want to leave her mates because they made her feel safe. She knew she was being ridiculous. Ambrose was probably the safest place on earth for her to be. It was full of huge capable soldiers who could shift into animals. So why couldn’t she shake the trepidation slowly knotting in her gut?
“Pixie and Dusty are going to meet me across the road in an hour. You could get a few things to supplement your wardrobe. We didn’t buy you very many things.”
“Are you kidding?” Kenzie gaped at the other woman. “You all bought me enough clothes for a week without having to wash.”
“We didn’t buy them, Kenzie,” Emmy said. “We only picked them out. Your mates paid for all your things.”
“Thank you. I’ll thank my guys, too. You have no idea how grateful I was to get out of that hospital gown.”
“I can imagine.” Emmy smiled. “No one likes having their ass hanging out in the breeze for all to see.”
Kenzie blushed again, but nodded in agreement. She drained her coffee and rose. She met each of the men’s gazes before turning toward Emmy. “Thanks for the coffee. I’d better get a move on before my guys come looking for me.”
“I’ll poke my head in before I have to meet Pixie and Dusty.” Emmy waved just before Kenzie hurried toward the doorway leading to the hall and the kitchen. She really hoped her guys would be okay with her going to the store.
Kenzie was relaxed as she chopped, diced, mixed, and blended ingredients. She even put a large pot roast on to slow cook. Her mates bustled about making other dishes. Talking and joking together. She loved seeing how happy they were and hoped to see it every single day.
“Kenzie, I’m about to go to the store. Did you want to come?” Emmy asked.
She glanced at Jenson, Jordan, and Jay as she tried to decide if she wanted to go or not. She really needed to buy another pair of shoes. Her sneakers weren’t going to cut it for the rest of cold weather. She was already wearing two pairs of socks on her feet, which made the fit of her shoes a little too tight. Maybe going to the store was a good idea. Especially if she could find some boots appropriate for the cold.
“You can go, baby,” Jordan came up behind her and took the knife from her hand before placing it on the chopping board. “Just make sure you don’t go wandering off by yourself, okay?”
She gazed back at him over her shoulder. “Where would I go?”
Jordan shrugged as he wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her. He nuzzled at her temple and then kissed the top of her head before stepping back. He dug his hand into his pocket, clasped her wrist and slapped something onto her palm. “Buy whatever you want, baby.”
Kenzie glanced down at her hand and frowned when she saw the wad of cash. She gaped as she met Jordan’s eyes again. “I don’t want your money, Jordan. I like working and saving up to buy my own things.”
Jordan gripped her chin between his finger and thumb. “I understand that, baby, but we’re mated now, married, although the human marriage ceremony is weak compared to what we share. Everything we have is yours. We have more than enough money to take care of you.
”
“But—”
Jordan placed his finger over her lips and shook his head. “Don’t argue with me, Kenzie. Go to the store with Emmy and have some fun. Okay?”
She nodded even though she had no intention of spending his money. She went up on tiptoe and kissed his chin. “I won’t be too long.”
He stroked a finger down her nose. “Take as long as you want, Kenzie. We’re fine.”
“Call if you need us,” Jay ordered. She met his gaze as she walked toward Emmy, who was still standing in the doorway. “Promise me, honey. If you get scared or are worried about anything just shout one of our names and we’ll hear you.”
She swallowed around the constriction in her throat and nodded. “I will.”
“Have a good time, sweetie,” Jenson called just as she stepped through the doorway after Emmy moved aside.
“I will. Thanks.”
“Do you need anything?” Emmy asked. “I thought you might like this.” She held up a purse. “I never use it and since I haven’t seen you carry one, I figured you didn’t have one.”
“Are you sure you don’t want it? I can pay you for it.” Kenzie blinked quickly trying to dispel the tears of gratitude that were burning her eyes. Everyone in Ambrose was being so nice to her. She felt as if she belonged for the first time in a very, very long time.
“You will not,” Emmy said as she handed Kenzie the bag. “It was sitting in the top of my closet collecting dust.”
“Thank you, Emmy.” Kenzie took the purse and slung the strap over her shoulder.
Emmy hooked her arm through hers. “Let’s go shopping.”
Dusty and Pixie were already inside the store. Kenzie glanced about and couldn’t believe how big it was. From the outside, the size was deceiving. The shopfront was narrow, but the inside was longer and wider than the front showed.
“Hey ladies, do you need any help?”
Kenzie would have stepped back if Emmy hadn’t been holding onto her arm. The big guy walking toward her was intimidating because of his size. Her mates were taller and slightly more muscular than him, but his eyes were such a light blue color they didn’t look real.
“Hi, Zayn, how are you?” Dusty asked as she smiled up at him.
Zayn grunted as he nodded his head. “I’m okay.”
“Where are Jace and Karter?” Pixie asked.
“It was our turn to patrol the border. I didn’t want to mix with the humans and decided to man the store instead.”
“Man the border?” Kenzie asked and instantly regretted it when those eerie blue eyes locked onto her.
“This is Kenzie, Jayson, Jordan, and Jenson’s mate,” Emmy introduced.
“Hello, Kenzie. We’ve met before. Or should I say I’ve seen you before.”
“You have?” she asked in a croaky voice and hoped the big man didn’t realize she was scared of him.
“Yeah, I was here when your mates carried you into the clinic. They were real worried about you. I’m glad you’ve healed.”
“Thanks.” Kenzie thought she saw sadness in Zayn’s eyes and her fear immediately dissipated. She actually felt sympathy for the big man, but had no idea why.
“All the guys in town take turns to patrol the border between Canada and America,” Emmy explained. “Apparently that was a stipulation on getting the town of Ambrose so cheaply.”
“That it was,” Zayn said. “Is there anything I can help you all with?”
Dusty shook her head. “No thanks, Zayn, we’re just going to browse for a while.”
“Yell out if you need any help.” Zayn turned back to the counter.
Kenzie wanted to ask what type of shifter Zayn was but was mindful of their enhanced hearing. She didn’t want to piss him off. She wasn’t sure she could handle him looking at her angrily.
“This way.” Emmy tugged Kenzie toward the back of the store.
She gasped when she saw the shelves along the back wall was lined with boots. She glanced from one end to the other hoping to spot a pair that she liked. She patted the pocket of her jeans where she put her credit card before leaving the house this morning. Kenzie wanted to buy something for her mates, even if she had no idea what. She was hoping she’d see something and just know if it was right for one of her guys. She didn’t have much money, but she wanted to be able to show her mates how much they meant to her.
“Ooh,” Pixie gasped. “These are gorgeous.”
“You don’t need any more boots, Pixie.” Dusty grinned. “Don’t you have a pair for every day of the week?”
“Biatch.” Pixie chuckled. “These aren’t for me. I thought they’d suit Kenzie perfectly.”
Kenzie looked at the boots. They looked as if they were made from leather and while they had a small heel, they were also lined with wool. “What size are they?”
Pixie turned them over. “Five.”
“Let me try them on.” She took them when Pixie handed them to her and then hurried to sit on the stool. She removed her sneakers and then pushed her feet into the warm boots. She rose and walked back and forth trying to get a feel for the boots. Even though she wasn’t used to wearing heels, they were as comfortable as all get-out and looked good with her jeans. She was going to buy them, but first she wanted to find gifts for her mates.
“Well?” Emmy asked as Kenzie sat to remove the boots again.
“They’re great.”
Emmy placed a hand on her arm. “Leave them on. Zayn won’t mind.”
“But—”
“Keep them on, Kenzie,” Zayn called out.
Pixie giggled.
Dusty sighed. “Damn shifter hearing.”
Emmy helped Kenzie to her feet and after she grabbed her sneakers, she followed the other woman around the shop. As soon as she saw the watch she knew it was perfect for Jayson. He was always pulling his cell phone from his pocket to see the time. She turned the box over and tried not to gasp when she saw the price. It wasn’t overly expensive, but when she didn’t have much money, it was a lot, and there was no way she was spending Jordan’s money.
She felt guilty for even contemplating it. Kenzie was so used to taking care of everyone and everything, it had become habitually ingrained into her psyche. She didn’t like other people buying her things, spending their hard-earned money on her, when she could get herself what she wanted. And yet she never had. There had never been enough money left over after paying everything for her to splurge with. However, now that she didn’t have to worry about keeping a roof over head, she could relax a little.
She grabbed the black leather wallet from the shelf and added it the pile. She’d seen Jordan pick up his wallet from the kitchen counter. It looked as if it was about to fall apart. When she turned she spotted the leather belt with the silver belt buckle. There was a large cat on it. Her heart raced with excitement. It was just the thing for Jenson.
Kenzie moved toward the front of the store, ignoring the other items on display. When she paid for the boots and the gifts for her guys, she was going to be tapped out, left with nothing more to spend, but she didn’t care. Her heart and soul were overflowing with emotions for her mates. She didn’t think anyone ever thought about giving them something just because. That was another thing. She had no idea when their birthdays were, but it was definitely time to find out.
She placed the items on the counter and smiled at Zayn. He eyed her over briefly and then started ringing up her purchases gazing longer than necessary at the things she was buying for her guys.
“Let me guess.” Zayn held up the watch. “Jayson.”
Kenzie nodded and watched as he picked up the wallet. “Jordan.” He put each item into the shopping bag and then reached for the belt. “Jenson.”
“How’d you know?” she asked as she handed her card over after ringing up her boots last.
“Jay is always looking at his phone when he wants to know what time it is when he’s not cooking in the hotel kitchen. Jordan’s wallet is about to fall apart, but he’s never bot
hered to replace it. Jenson always wears a belt in his jeans even though he doesn’t need to.” He met Kenzie’s gaze and tilted his head. She sucked in a breath when the picture of a wolf came to mind and wondered if she was right. However, she wasn’t about to ask him what animal he shifted into because she didn’t want to anger him off. Although, she had a feeling Zayn wouldn’t be angry with her, but her mom had taught her to be polite and asking such a personal question was rude. At least in her mind. “You’re very observant.”
Kenzie blushed and shrugged. She was about to glance away but stopped when she thought she saw longing in Zayn’s light blue eyes. He shifted his eyes from her and glanced over at the other women. The edges of his mouth turned down confirming her suspicions. He was lonely and wanted a mate. Sadness crept into her heart and soul for all the single shifters in town. She wished she had other girlfriends she could call on to come visit, but she’d been isolated and had no one. Happiness replaced the sadness when she realized that had changed. She was no longer alone. She had three amazing men who could shift shape into panthers and three women who were fast becoming friends. Her life was fuller than it had ever been.
Escaping from that pimp and his plans had turned out to be the best thing that had ever happened to her and she wouldn’t change anything. If she could go back and change what had happened she might never had met her mates.
Kenzie handed Zayn her card and gathered up the two bags he placed her purchases in. One held her dirty sneakers. She smiled at the man when he handed her card back. Her feet were warm for what felt like the first time in a long time and the boots were so comfortable she was sure she wouldn’t have any trouble walking for long distances. “Thanks, Zayn.”
“You’re welcome, Kenzie.”
She moved aside and waited while the other women paid for the things they wanted and then they all headed back to the pub. Thankfully, she’d been able to hide the items she’d bought for her mates in the purse Emmy had given her.