by Alana Hart
She patted my arm, understanding on her face.
What was her story, I wondered to myself, following her into the kitchen. “Talking about eligible bachelors, Ryan told me he has four brothers? And one of them owns the restaurant across the street?”
Connie stiffened a fraction, trying to hide her reaction by messing with some pans. “Yeah, that’d be Ralph.”
Her tone was a mixture of disgust and disparagement when she said his name. But underneath, I thought I could detect a whisper of longing. But, if she was going let me keep my secrets, the least I could do was not badger her for hers.
Ignoring Connie’s reaction, I continued, “And a brother who’s a surgeon in the city, called Jack. Ryan’s going to ask him to come have a look at Luke. He was in…an accident, and his hand got all messed up.”
Connie latched onto the change in conversation gratefully, pulling a lump of dough out of the fridge and sprinkling some flour onto the worktop. Gesturing that I do the same, she started to knead the dough, pummeling it with her hands. “Jack? I’ve heard of him, but I don’t think I’ve seen him in town before. If he’s as good looking as his brothers, then we’ll be in trouble. Craig, now he lives in the forest with his wife, Merrie. They met here, actually, in this shop. She owns the little magic shop at the end of Main.” Connie continued to babble on, while I tried to knead a lump of dough next to her.
“No, like this,” she instructed, showing me how to use my knuckles to knock the air out of the mixture. “What did you do for a job, back in the city?” she asked lightly, not looking at me.
“Stayed at home, ran the house, looked after Luke,” I answered without thinking, enjoying the repetitive task of folding and squashing.
“What about before that?”
“College. Then I met—” I stopped short, and she glanced at me before looking back at my dough.
“That’s right. Add a little more flour, then we’ll put these down to rise for a bit.”
“I studied business at college. I hadn’t really figured out what I was going to do with it, then Luke came along.”
“Well, you can figure it all out now. You’ve got all the time that you need.”
“Connie, I enjoy working here—”
“I know, and I like having you here. But if, when you figure it all out, you want to move on, then that’s fine, too.”
I smiled at her gratefully. “What about you? Did you always want to own a bakery?” I asked, following her back out into the shop, wiping flour off my jeans.
She paused, her eyes lost in thought. “Nope, not always. But I’m happy with how things have turned out.” Looking out of the window, she froze, and I swear panic flitted across her face. “You okay to watch out here? I think I hear the oven chiming,” she blurted out, walking swiftly back to the kitchen.
“Sure,” I called after her, puzzled. I hadn’t heard anything. Then the door jingled, and a large man, dark and brooding, strolled into the shop, his face ravaged by what looked to be the remnants of a hangover, and it all became clear.
CHAPTER NINE
Amy
The man muttered to himself, glancing quickly around the shop, one hand pushing his dark hair out of his eyes, the other scratching at what I was guessing was a week’s worth of stubble on his jaw. He was easily as tall as Ryan, and as broad, but there the similarities stopped. If I was right, and this was Ralph, then he was the dark foil to his brother’s golden looks.
Darkly tanned, with thick, almost black hair falling in his eyes, his face was made up of harsh features and angled lines, with a square jaw almost hidden completely under the scratchy stubble. He had thin lips and heavily hooded brown eyes, with thick, black brows framing them, giving him a brooding demeanor. Although, that could just be from the hangover he obviously had. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed, his t-shirt stretched across an impressively muscled chest, proclaiming Kylie to be the best singer in the world.
I smothered a giggle at his choice in music. Not what I would have guessed in a million years. Tattered jeans completed the look, hanging on for dear life to his hips, and secured by what looked to be a piece of twine.
This was the man who owned Ralph’s? And was Ryan’s brother?
The man noticed me staring, seeming to come out of a daze, and a smile stretched his lips, exposing straight, white teeth.
Okay. Now I could see the resemblance, though I much preferred Ryan’s rugged looks to this one’s bad boy glower. I also now understood why Connie had rushed into the kitchen, like her pants were on fire. If she and this man had a history…
“You must be Amy,” the man said, his voice a low rumble. “I’m Ralph, Ryan’s brother.” He stuck out a hand, and shook mine firmly. Seeming to lose focus again, he glanced around the shop, his nostrils flaring. “I haven’t been in here for…well, it’s been a long time. It smells good.”
“Connie’s a good cook,” I blurted out, wondering what the hell was wrong with him. He seemed a little unstable. “What can I get you?”
He slouched down, leaning on the counter. “Nothing. I just came over to say hi and welcome you to town.” He peered over my shoulder, toward the kitchen. “Is Connie back there?” he whispered, giving me a conspiratorial wink.
I nodded, wondering where he was going with this.
His grin grew even wider, then he continued in a normal voice, “I’ll take one of everything you have, for taste testing, you see. I want to see if I should stock these in my restaurant.” He swept a hand over the glass counter, indicating the pastries and sweets laid out before him.
“No, you won’t, Ralph Everson!” Connie’s voice shrieked from the kitchen.
“I’m a customer, Connie. You sell cakes, I’m buying—”
“I won’t stock your restaurant!” She remained firmly hidden in the back room.
“But you can’t stop me from buying.” He nodded at me, gesturing me to pack the cakes up.
“I can, and I—” Connie appeared in the doorway, her face flushed and furious. The two locked eyes, Ralph lurching to upright, a frown forming deep furrows in his brow.
“Connie, you—”
She cut him off with a wave of her hand, her eyes wide. “Give him what he wants, Amy, then he can get the hell out of my shop.” Her voice was flat, emotionless, then she turned and walked back into the kitchen.
“Connie, stop! Wait!” Ralph called after her, but she ignored him. Muttering under his breath, he looked down at his hands.
“Do you still want all these?” I asked carefully, wary of startling him. He looked tightly wound, and I wasn’t too proud to admit, men with tempers terrified me. I gestured to the packages piled up on the counter.
His eyes snapped up to me, glowing with frustration. He took a deep breath, seeming to get himself under control. “Yeah, thanks. Tell her—tell her I won’t come in here again. It was nice to meet you, sorry about all that.” He flicked his head at the doorway behind me, gathering the packages into his arms and throwing some notes down on the counter. “I’m really not that bad, once you get to know me.” He made to leave, but stopped, pinning me with his gaze. “And I would never hurt a woman, I want you to know that. Or a kid either.” Then he left, letting the door slam shut behind him.
So, Ryan had told him everything. I shouldn’t have been surprised, but my heart hurt, just a little, at the thought of what it meant.
Luke and I would have to pack up and move on, soon, before word got back to Will. Because it would. It always did. The more people who knew… He would already be looking, and I’d just made it easier for him to find us.
***
Ryan
Loping up the steps onto the front porch, I pushed open the front door without knocking, and entered the kitchen. Mom was nowhere to be seen, though the sweet smell of breakfast baking still saturated the room, and dishes were stacked haphazardly in the sink.
I opened my mouth to call out, but a quiet giggle reached my ears. Followed by a low chuckle and a femi
nine gasp. Jeez! I edged back quietly, heading for the door. I so didn’t need to be here while—
Crash!
Not watching where I was going, my mind furiously trying to disconnect my ears from my head and block out the soft sighs and low moans, I’d backed up into the trashcan.
The creaking of furniture, the scuffle of feet, and Mom appeared in the doorway, her face flushed, hair escaping from her usually sleek ponytail, and shirt done up all wrong.
“It’s all right! It’s just Ryan!” she called over her shoulder, smoothing her hair with her hand.
I didn’t know where to look. I mean, I knew they loved each other, and Pa regularly sneaked a kiss or two, but I didn’t need to know. Even if I was nearly one hundred years old, they were still Mom and Pa.
Strolling over to the sink, Mom flicked the tap on, squeezing a generous amount of soapy liquid into the stream of water. “We were just have a lie down, dear. No need to get all squeamish. Grab a chair, I’ll get you a coffee. Have you had breakfast yet?” She turned around, and thank the Mother, her shirt had been fixed.
I sank into a chair gratefully.
“For what do we owe this pleasure?” Pa bellowed, strolling into the kitchen. He grabbed Mom, laying a lingering kiss on her lips before letting her go and grabbing a seat next to mine.
Doling out cups of coffee, Mom placed a plate of fresh bread on the table, adding jars of honey and jam and a plate of butter.
Digging in, I waited for her to sit before launching into my story.
“I’ve found her,” I said, spreading a thick layer of honey on my bread, then taking a big bite. “My mate,” I added around a sticky-sweet mouthful.
Mom let out a low rumble, much like a purr, her bear obviously pleased. Grabbing Pa’s hand she squeezed tight, a wide smile on her face. “It’s starting, Pa. They’re all finding their mates, just like I said they would.” Turning to me, she added, “What’s she like? Do we know her?”
Swallowing the bread, I took a slurp of coffee to loosen my throat. “She’s wonderful. Gorgeous, quick witted. Kind and generous. Caring. And, no, you don’t know her. Unless you’ve been into town in the last day or so?”
Pa winked at me. “No, son, we’ve been…enjoying the snowfall at home.”
Urgh! Again, too much information. I grimaced, taking another bite of honey and bread. But I could see Amy and me being the same when we were older, unable to keep our hands off each other, still madly in love and lust after many years. Our kids looking at us with the same uncomfortable— Luke! Just thinking about kids…
“There’s a problem. She has a son, his name is Luke, and he’s nine years old.”
“You love kids!” Mom’s face was scrunched up in confusion, but Pa got it, his expression one of understanding and sympathy.
“She’s human?” he asked, sighing when I nodded. “So, her son is human, too.”
“Oh!” Mom exclaimed softly, and my heart sank.
“Is there nothing I can do? Have you not heard of any other shifters taking on human children?” I shredded the crust of bread in front of me in frustration.
“I might have, but it wasn’t someone I knew. It was a friend of a friend, and not from around here. I’m not sure how things worked out…” Her voice trailed off, and she squeezed my hand in sympathy. “All the other shifters I know that have mated with humans, there wasn’t a child involved. But it doesn’t mean it won’t work, that you can’t find a way to make it work. The Mother of All will have a plan; she wouldn’t choose your true mate for you, only for it to bring you sorrow.”
“I’m trying to believe that, but given the choice, knowing what it could mean…how could I ask her to watch her son grow old and die?”
“What’s her name, son?” Pa asked, his voice gruff.
“Amy.”
“Well, I think maybe you need to let Amy make the choice. Give her all the facts.”
“But what if she says no?”
Mom patted my hand. “I know you, Ryan Everson. You’ve already decided that you’re going to tell her everything. Now, tell me a little more about this wonderful woman, and this Luke of hers.”
A weight settled heavy in my chest. She was right, I had already decided, I just hadn’t wanted to admit it yet.
Mom continued to prod and tease information out of me until I had spilled all of what had happened over the last day or so. After another refill of coffee, they knew everything, and they sat looking at me in silence.
“She’s a strong woman,” Mom mused, wrapping her hands around the coffee mug and shuddering. “That ex-husband of hers needs to be put down. To treat a woman like that, and to hurt a cub! Despicable creature!”
Pa vibrated with silent rage, his hands clenching the old, wooden table, threatening to break off a chunk, or two. Grinding his teeth together, he finally spoke. “Jack’s coming down to look at the boy’s hand, you say? And Ralph is looking for the low-down-scumbag of a father?”
“Yep. I told Ralph to call here—”
As if on cue, the phone rang, and I jumped up to answer it.
“What did you find out?”
“Hey! Hello to you, too, bro. It might not have been me!”
“Who else would it have been? Now, what—”
“Telemarketer? Used car salesman? Wrong number?”
I ignored him.
Chuckling into the silence, Ralph finally continued. “Yeah, I found him. Called up a couple of old colleagues of mine, they asked me how my health was, started talking about replacement hips and shit.”
“Yeah, yeah, cut to it!”
Ralph muttered under his breath before continuing. “Anyway, they still have their fingers in the pie, not like me,” he added, his tone a tad bitter, “and they know your lady from the social circuit. And her husband, William Greenway.”
“He’s not her husband, not anymore,” I growled, but my mind had latched onto the name. Greenway, where had I heard that name before?
“He’s a big property developer, owns a lot of the high-rise buildings in the city. Filthy rich. Talk about him being an unscrupulous bastard, too. Travels everywhere with a couple of heavies and gets them to do his dirty work for him. Anything from pressuring the locals to sell cheap, to sabotaging competitors. But none of it can be proved, of course. He’s also reportedly fuming that his wife and child have gone missing, and is offering a substantial reward for any information.”
Shit! “These friends of yours?”
“They’re good. Rich enough themselves not to be tempted. Good guys, too. But someone will see her, or hear about her, and put two and two together. She’s been gone a while now. Seems Craggstone wasn’t her first stop. She must have left a trail.”
And she was still using their real names. Changing the surnames wasn’t enough, not when someone was actively looking, and paying people to look. I slammed a hand against the wall. I had to find Greenway, before he found Amy and Luke.
“Looks like I’m paying a visit to the city.”
“You need company?” Ralph didn’t hesitate, even though he ran the risk of running into old friends, people who believed him to be in his sixties by now. I, on the other hand, had never led a high profile life away from Craggstone. No one would recognize me.
“No, too risky. I’ll be fine. What can he do?”
“You can’t shift in the city,” Ralph warned.
“I don’t need to. I just need to deliver a message, make sure he understands how things are going to be.”
Ralph grunted into the phone. “Jack should be there any minute. I sent him straight over. Filled him in as well.”
At least that saved me having to go through Amy’s story yet another time. Every time I thought about what had been done to her, done to Luke, my heart hurt. “Thanks, bro. I’ll call in soon.”
“Stay safe,” Ralph muttered, then hung up.
I replaced the receiver and turned to face Mom and Pa. “You heard?”
“Everything,” Pa replied. “You go sor
t this bastard out. We’ll feed Jack, then send him on over to the bakery to see Amy.”
Draining the last of my coffee, I raced out of the door. I just had to call home quickly, grab a few things, then I was off to the city.
Whether she accepted me as her mate or not, William Greenway wasn’t going to bother Amy, or Luke, again.
CHAPTER TEN
Ryan
Heading back into town, a few essentials thrown in a backpack, I ducked into the station to grab my keys. I didn’t have the need to own a car, preferring to get around on two legs, or four paws, so I borrowed the duty vehicle from time to time.
Striding straight through to my office, I fingered the badge still pinned to my chest. What I was about to do had nothing to do with the law. I pulled it off, and was about to stuff it in my desk drawer for safekeeping, when John burst through the door, his chest heaving, breath coming out in great wheezing huffs.
Kid needed to go to the gym, I noted, waiting for him to be able to talk.
Hands planted on his knees, head hanging low, he gasped one more time, then straightened to look at me. His face was pale, even though he was sweating from running, and panic shone in his eyes.
“What is it?” I demanded, fear coursing through my veins. If something had happened to Amy—
“The school!”
My blood froze. “What about the school?” I snapped, pinning the badge back on.
“One of the kids…a guy tried to take him…but he ran into the forest. The guy had a gun, one of the other kids saw it.”
“Who?”
“Little Rosie.”
“But you said it was a boy that ran away.”
“Yeah, right. Little Rosie saw the gun. It was the new kid that ran. Luke Taylor, his mom works over at the bakery…” John’s words trailed off as he put two and two together. “That’s the woman you mentioned the other day, isn’t it? Amy?”