Until You: A Malsum Pass Novel

by Forrest, Kimberly

  “We can definitely get you a cell phone. You’ll probably want to get some more clothes too; you can’t have brought overly much in that small bag.” She said, unable to suppress her grin.

  Sebastian nodded distractedly still looking at her phone. “I had to call Riley. That unknown feline in Malsum Pass wasn’t there for you according to Murphy so that’s good news. Unfortunately, that means he was probably there sniffing around for Lily and Daisy.” He set the phone down on the counter and looked at Susan before he ran a hand through his hair making the ends stick up. “I kept an eye on those females a bit since they were close to my territory. The older one, Lily is tough as nails but Daisy…” He shook his head. “She’s a dreamer; always wandering off following some bird or rabbit or whatever else has caught her eye and the little thing has absolutely no fighting skills. She wouldn’t stand a chance against a male that large.”

  Susan felt a slither of jealousy down her spine and the words were out of her mouth before she had thought it through. “Just how closely were you watching those females?” She hadn’t been able to conceal the raw edge that had crept into her voice and was mortified at how transparent she was.

  Suddenly she felt a tug against her arm and she was pulled into Sebastian’s hard chest. He grinned down at her. “Are you jealous?” He asked looking positively gleeful.

  There wasn’t any use hiding it. “Absolutely,” she said with a sharp nod.

  His hands rubbed her upper arms and back and he kissed the top of her head. “There’s no reason to be. I didn’t like visitors, wanted to be left alone, but the pack gave the females sanctuary and the cabin they put them in was close to mine. I kept an eye on them because I didn’t know them and didn’t trust them.” He cupped her cheeks and kissed the tip of her nose. “I may have grown to tolerate them, but I was never attracted to them.”

  He leaned his head back slightly and Susan went up on tiptoes to follow his retreat. She wanted to kiss him. He grinned. “Did you brush your teeth?” He asked with a sly grin.

  Susan chuckled. She had, but asked instead “Do you care?”

  He settled his mouth over hers hungrily and Susan welcomed it. This man truly knew how to kiss. He didn’t just use his lips or jab his tongue into her mouth. He used his entire being; his lips, and tongue, and teeth caressed her mouth while his body pressed and rubbed against her, awakening every nerve ending. He lifted her and set her on the kitchen island where she eagerly spread her knees apart so that he fit snugly between her legs and she could wrap around him more fully.

  She was making little sounds in the back of her throat that she couldn’t seem to help as one of his hands squeezed her thigh while the other crept under her shirt to caress her belly before sliding up her ribcage to cup her breast. She was frantic with need, pulling at his neck and shoulder to try to get him even closer.

  Sebastian broke the kiss. He was panting hard and tried to pull away by stepping back but she latched onto him and slid right off the island so that he took her full weight. He chuckled as he gripped her around her waist with one arm and stroked her hair with the other. “Shh, sweetheart, someone’s here.”

  Susan groaned, dropped her legs from around his hips until her toes touched the floor and leaned her head against his chest. She was about to say that it better be her father this time or she was going to shoot whoever it was when the doorbell rang insistently while Jack Wade’s overly cheerful voice yelled out, “Special Delivery!”

  As soon as Marcus and Jack were in the house her father grinned widely at Sebastian, held up a manila envelope and jingled a set of keys. “Guess what I have, my boy! Practically had to wrestle it away from Nancy,” and then in an aside to Susan, “Nearly lost an arm.” He chuckled at his own jest and then continued. “Let’s go on into the dining room so we can sit and go over all of this.”

  Susan groaned. “Dad, you just barely walked through the door. Why don’t we have some breakfast? Work can wait.”

  Marcus Fuller walked toward the dining room. From his posture and gait one would never guess he was recovering from a serious injury. He shook his head, “No time like the present, Pumpkin. Besides, I am perfectly capable of eating while I work. You can also tell me why I smelled cat on my property.”

  Jack volunteered to make breakfast as the others sat around the table with the condition that they told the cat story loudly so that he could hear. Sebastian gave her father an abridged version, mostly focusing on the detail that Sebastian’s actions would not disrupt the current peace.

  Marcus nodded, “I’ve always liked Colin Murphy, good head on his shoulders. That Liam though,” he shook his head. “Never could abide that little peacock. He was nothing like his father,” and then he sighed, “I guess every family has their one black sheep.”

  Before anyone could comment, Marcus continued. “Speaking of black sheep, I spoke to mine this morning. She’s bored with that fancy spa retreat she insisted on going to and she’s planning on coming back to town at some point this week, or so she says. You never know with her. All it would take is for some wealthy young executive to catch her eye and her plans will change.”

  Susan looked carefully at Sebastian to see how he received the news but if it bothered him, it didn’t show. Outwardly he was calm; his face revealing nothing of his thoughts. Was he already mentally preparing a quick departure to avoid seeing Mary Beth?

  The news of Mary Beth may not have brought out a response but he clearly grimaced when her father added, “I also saw Christian this morning before I left; he’s being discharged as well now that a solid peace is in place. I didn’t tell him you were here, though. I figured that was up to you.”

  Jack came in just then with a platter of pancakes and sausage links and Susan took advantage of the interruption to take Sebastian’s fingers with her own and give them a squeeze. He sent her a grateful smile and returned the pressure. Her heart was heavy for him but now was not the time to ask him about his intentions. There was just so much she wanted to ask: Would he stay? Would Mary Beth’s presence affect his staying? What did he plan to do about his brother and would his brother’s presence affect his staying? The not knowing was eating her up inside, but would having her questions answered in opposition to what she wanted be better? She was too much of a coward to ask outright and risk being crushed by his response. At least in ignorance she still had hope.

  Her father piled some pancakes on a plate and then handed a letter size envelope over to Sebastian. “That’s from your mother, my boy. To be given to you before you sign the papers.”

  Susan watched as Sebastian ripped open the envelope and unfolded the enclosed letter. He read silently, his dark eyes moving over the page before he closed them briefly and took a deep breath. He sighed as he exhaled, refolded the letter, and without a word began to fill his plate. She was dying of curiosity, her fingers itching to get at that letter. As if he could read her mind Sebastian leaned toward her slightly and said “I’ll let you read it later.” Susan blushed but smiled while Sebastian’s next words filled her heart with joy. “Let’s get these papers signed so I can move back home.”

  After what had to be pounds of pancakes were consumed and all of the paperwork and legalities had been explained and signed, Jack Wade took his leave and Marcus released a big yawn. “I don’t know about you young kids, but this old man needs a nap. My lovely nurse will be stopping in to check on me tonight and I want to be well rested.” He said with a comical wiggle of his eyebrows before rising from the table and leaving the dining room whistling a jaunty tune.

  Once they were alone, Sebastian grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. She looked longingly at the letter as he stuffed it in his back pocket, but didn’t ask to read it. He had said she could read it later so she would wait – no matter how hard that was – until he gave it to her. She cleared her throat and smiled. “Do you want to head out to the ranch and take a look now that you have the keys?”

  He shook his head and started backing out of t
he room, still holding her hands so she had no choice but to follow. “Later,” he said with a hint of a smile.

  “Um, okay, do you want to go shopping to get a phone and some clothes today?”

  He shook his head again and his grin turned devilish. “I think I agree with your father. We should take a nap.”

  Susan blushed at his obvious implication, but couldn’t suppress her grin. She broke free from his hold and ran toward the stairs as she yelled, “Race you!”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Sebastian pulled out the letter from his mother and unfolded it, careful not to wake the woman curled to his side. She was sleeping peacefully; her face pressed to his shoulder, her breasts pressed against his side, and her bare limbs stretched across his chest and thighs. He’d thoroughly exhausted her. He couldn’t help the satisfied grin that spread across his face. At this rate, he would need to buy more condoms soon.

  Turning his attention back to the letter, he reread the words his mother had written:

  My dear Sebastian,

  I’m sure you are probably wondering why your father and I chose to gift you with a portion of your inheritance early and why we are breaking with tradition in bequeathing you with the ancestral home instead of Christian. The answer is quite simple: your father and I will use any and every weapon at our disposal to bring you home and mend the breach in this family that has gone on too long. It should not be a surprise to you that I will manipulate my children (with love) to get the desired result!

  What may surprise you, is that Christian is aware of this decision and was all for it. Though it is not my responsibility to make apologies for him, I will tell you that guilt has eaten away at your brother for years. I hope you can find it in your heart to at least speak to him and give him the opportunity to make amends. I can’t ask you to forgive him, son, but please remember that he is your brother and at least hear him out.

  If you are reading this letter then that means you have at least taken that first step and have come home. That thought alone fills my heart with hope. Your father and I may be travelling the world, but our hearts will always be with you boys. We miss you terribly, Sebastian. We miss our family and who we are when we’re together. Please know that we are only a phone call away.

  We love you, Sebastian, always.

  Sebastian heard a slight sniffle and turned his head to see that Susan was awake and reading the letter with tears in her eyes. His own eyes were prickling a bit as well, while a weight that had nothing to do with Susan’s arm, had settled in his chest. He folded the letter and kissed her forehead. “Did I wake you?”

  Susan shook her head and wiped a tear from her cheek. “Will you go see him?”

  Sebastian took a deep breath and nodded. It was time to lay the past to rest.

  Sebastian had expected that Christian would have moved out of his small bachelor apartment once he married Mary Beth, but the house that Susan drove him to was a surprise. Both Christian and Mary Beth had been very meticulous with their appearance; always dressing in designer fashions and accessories and driving the best cars. In that, they were well matched. Sebastian even recalled one time when they were younger and Christian was buying his first car, he had insisted on buying a used Mercedes that was old and loaded with miles rather than buying a Chevy that was practically brand new simply because of the name. Meanwhile, Mary Beth wouldn’t even look at a simple pair of sunglasses unless they had a designer label. To them, appearance was everything yet the house they had shared had a neglected feel. The landscape had been allowed to become overgrown to the point where it nearly swallowed the flagstone walkway while twigs and dead leaves littered the porch. The trim on the bungalow style home was in desperate need of painting, and a front window that had been broken near the pane had been fixed with duct tape.

  “Just how long was Christian in that hospital? This seems like more than a few weeks’ worth of neglect.” He whispered to Susan, his finger hovering above the doorbell.

  Before Susan could answer the door suddenly flew open and Christian Black stood in the doorway staring wide-eyed at Sebastian. Christian didn’t even blink. It was as if he thought Sebastian was a hallucination that may dissolve at any moment.

  Sebastian knew he should say something but he just stood there, taking in the sight of his brother. Ten years had definitely taken its toll. His brother’s black hair was now showing some silver threads near the temples, his dark eyes so like Sebastian’s were shadowed from lack of sleep and red rimmed. His growth of beard was liberally streaked with silver and bisected with rapidly healing claw marks on his jaw that extended down his neck. It appeared to have been a nasty wound and it was no surprise that the felines would have believed him dead. His arm was in a sling and he appeared to be favoring his right side. Sebastian couldn’t help but wonder just how extensive his brother’s injuries had been.

  It was Christian who finally broke the silence. “I smelled you. I couldn’t believe my nose.” His voice was rough, whether from emotion or a result of the injury to his throat Sebastian didn’t know but he was suddenly pulled into a one-armed hug that should have broken bones. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” Christian whispered over and over again, his voice continuing to break until he was sobbing on Sebastian’s shoulder.

  Sebastian’s own throat felt tight, and his chest felt like it was being squeezed in a vice as the wall of resentment he’d built up toward his brother began to splinter. He cleared his throat and his voice cracked as well as he said, “Maybe we should go inside, we have a lot to catch up on.”

  Christian nodded and pulled away, backing up into the house as if he didn’t want to chance turning away and risk having Sebastian suddenly vanish. Sebastian turned to motion Susan to go into the house and noticed that she was hanging back. He shot her a questioning look.

  “Maybe we should just plan to meet up later. This is a private moment between brothers and I don’t want to intrude.”

  Sebastian noticed she was wringing her hands and he took them both into his and stroked them soothingly with his thumbs. “Are you uncomfortable around Christian because of Mary Beth?”

  She shook her head and kept her voice low. “Neither one of them was a poster child for marital fidelity but I don’t want my presence to influence the conversation. You and your brother need to air the dirty laundry, so to speak, and that would be easier if the two of you were alone.”

  Sebastian hated the thought of parting from Susan but he knew she was right. The conversation he was about to have with his brother needed to be just between them. He nodded and she handed him the keys to her car as she said, “We’re not far from the shops. I’ll just walk down there; maybe find you some new shirts.” She said with a grin as she plucked at the rather ratty fabric of his sweatshirt. “When you’re done with your brother, you can meet me there or I’ll just call someone and get a ride home.” She frowned for a moment. “We definitely need to get you a cell phone soon so when things like these happen I can just text you.”

  Sebastian noticed that Christian was hovering in the doorway, wondering what was keeping him. His brother hadn’t even looked at Susan the entire time and he wondered if Christian was aware she was even there. He sighed, pulled Susan close and then dropped a kiss on top of her head, her nose, and then on her lips. “I’ll meet you at the shops soon. I don’t expect this will take too long.”

  Susan stood on tiptoes and kissed his jaw. “Don’t rush on my account. After all, I’ll be shopping; I probably won’t even notice the time.”

  Sebastian pulled a folded bundle of bills from his back pocket. “If you see something that you think will fit me go ahead and buy it. I’m not much for fashion.”

  Susan took the money with a snort as she eyed his clothes. “Really?” she asked, and then continued tongue in cheek, “I wouldn’t have guessed!” She shot him her cheeky grin that he loved and he let loose a short bark of laughter before giving Susan a playful swat on her backside. “I’ll see you soon.”

&nbs
p; Susan gave a wave and jogged down the steps. He watched her turn onto the sidewalk and she grinned and waved at him one last time before he lost sight of her. Sebastian was smiling as he turned to face his brother. Susan had a way of making his heart feel lighter just with a smile.

  Christian’s voice broke into Sebastian’s musings with, “What is it about those Fuller women that make us Blacks become total idiots?”

  Sebastian frowned and looked at Christian whose mouth was set in a grimace of distaste. So he had noticed Susan after all but had chosen not to acknowledge her. “Bug is nothing like Mary Beth.” He growled.

  Christian snorted. “I had forgotten you called her Bug. You’re probably right though since Mary Beth couldn’t stand her. You have to wonder though, since they were both raised in the same household; are they really different or would it be safer to assume that one of them is just better at hiding her true nature?”

  Sebastian did not like where this conversation was going and took an aggressive step forward. “Susan Fuller is not your concern. If you are looking for a fight though, I’m willing to oblige you.”

  Christian held up his good hand in front of him. “Fine, your Susan is all sunshine and rainbows while Mary Beth got all of the rotten genes.” He released a heavy sigh, “I don’t want to fight with you, Sebastian. Come in and talk to me. Please.”

  Sebastian grunted and followed Christian into the house. The inside was even shabbier than the outside. The kitchen sink was full of dirty dishes that Sebastian could tell from his nose were from before Christian was hospitalized, while the trash was overflowing with another full bag propped against the side of the can. He had no idea how Christian had managed to smell his approach over the overwhelming stench permeating the house. Dust seemed to cover every surface and the once cream colored carpeting in the living room had turned an ugly gray that clearly displayed the high traffic areas. There were no curtains on the windows, while empty nails and tell-tale marks on the walls showed outlines of artwork that had hung there previously.