by Anya Nowlan
Quickly disentangling herself from that train of thought, Chloe focused on if she’d noticed anything to indicate something was wrong with Dante that day or the following days. He had participated in the main training events, and had, by all accounts, been on his best game.
“He didn’t need it,” she quickly replied, not letting the silence stretch on. “Tyler Solomon bumped into him pretty hard, but his shoulder didn’t turn out to be a problem,” she explained, keeping her voice even.
Why did Dante and Dominic keep this from me? Did they not trust me to handle it?
“Alright, good,” Janice nodded. “Actually, the Solomon brothers is what I wanted to talk to you about next. It looks like they’re genuinely interested in coming over to Top Performance. Since you already have a rapport with them, I’m sending you to hand over the initial paperwork and give them every assurance we will take good care of them here.”
Swallowing hard, Chloe took that in. Not only had Dante and Dom been lying to her, now she was supposed to go schmooze up the men they had gotten into a fight with.
Over her.
Fun times ahead.
Twenty-Seven
Dante
“Alright already!” Dante called out, as his doorbell rang incessantly.
His slippers shuffled on the floors as he attempted to stomp over to open the front door in them, scowling when he saw his brother standing on the other side.
“Good morning,” Dominic beamed at him, not waiting to be invited inside before brushing past him.
“What do you want?” Dante sighed.
Being back home had hit him like a bad hangover. He had gotten drunk on Chloe, and now he was in withdrawal. Days dragged on as he juggled meetings with other teams, training sessions and doctor’s appointments. His shoulder was doing a lot better now that he’d had some rest, but he didn’t really care about that.
It would be some time until the Shifter Grove Shovelers announced their decision on who made the cut, so there was no professional reason to go see Chloe, even though it was all he wanted to do. They had agreed to keep a low profile, all three of them, and Dante didn’t like it.
“Grumpy,” Dominic noted, making a beeline for the fridge and pouring himself a glass of orange juice. “I thought we should talk about Chloe.”
Dante immediately perked up. Had she said something to Dominic, did she want to see them?
Spirits above, let that be it!
“What about her?” he asked.
“Don’t you want to see her?”
“Of course I do. But I don’t know if she wants to see us. Every time I bring up us meeting, she gets all noncommittal and cagey,” Dante sighed, watching his brother open up his kitchen cabinets, looking for who knew what.
“She’s probably just busy with work. Which is why we should go and surprise her, take her to lunch or something.”
“That sounds like a terrible idea. She’d probably freak out. I can already imagine her blushing and calling us ‘Mr. Kenner’ and failing at acting like she hasn’t seen us naked.”
“And that’s something you wouldn’t like to see?”
“Good point,” Dante conceded after a moment’s consideration.
“She’s our agent, we’re taking her for a business lunch. Nothing weird or suspicious about that. She’ll be happy to see us,” Dominic stated confidently. “A-ha!” he added, pulling out a chocolate bar Dante had stuffed into the back of one of the cabinets. “Got you, mister my-body-is-a-temple,” he gloated, unwrapping it and stuffing it into his mouth.
“I never said that,” Dante grumbled.
“Whatever. Now are we going or not?”
Dante would be lying if he said he wasn’t anxious to see her. It had only been a couple of days, but he already missed Chloe. He had some trouble admitting that to himself, but that didn’t make it any less true.
He wondered if his dad had felt the same way about his and Dominic’s mother. If he had, the fact that he made raising two boys on his own look so easy was even more impressive. In Dante’s eyes, Douglas had been totally fine on his own, and didn’t let on there was anything missing from his life.
Was that a front for our benefit? I’ve only just met Chloe and its torture being away from her. How must dad have felt, losing his mate…
The way Chloe didn’t seem that interested in setting up a meeting between herself and the brothers still made Dante somewhat uneasy. He knew things had to be different now that they weren’t in Shifter Grove anymore, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.
He didn’t want to sneak around, to hide his affection in public. But if that’s what Chloe needed from him, he would go along with it. She had more to lose, after all.
Her face and body were still etched into his mind, clear as day every time he closed his eyes. His bear was restless and his thoughts scattered, his head filled with images of Chloe. Admitting to himself he didn’t only want but also needed to see her, the answer to Dominic’s question became clear.
“Okay, let’s go take her to lunch.”
Strolling into TP with Dominic at his side, Dante couldn’t help the excitement swelling in his chest. Maybe he had been imagining Chloe being distant. He was sure everything would fall into place the moment they saw each other again. It had to, the pull between them was just too strong.
The receptionist gave them a polite smile, pushing her keyboard aside to talk to them. There was a nametag sitting on the edge of her desk. It read ‘Lola’, making him think of the cartoon rabbit.
“How can I help you?” she asked cheerfully.
“We’re here to see our agent, Chloe Marks,” Dante explained, with Dominic fidgeting impatiently at his side.
It was entirely ridiculous, the way Chloe had them acting like lovesick puppies, but there was nothing to be done about it now. They had made her theirs, and now she owned them, as well. Body and soul.
“I’m sorry, I don’t think she’s in the office right now,” Lola replied, tilting her head.
Someone popped up from one of the nearby cubicles, yawning and holding an empty-looking coffee cup.
“Yeah, I saw her leave earlier. I think she had a meeting with the Solomon twins,” the short, auburn-haired man said before disappearing towards what Dante assumed was the break area.
“The Solomon twins?” Dominic asked, addressing no one in particular, the disgust clear in his tone.
“I don’t have that on the books, but I can go check if you want,” the receptionist interjected.
“That’s not necessary,” Dante growled, turning on his heel to leave.
“Thanks anyway,” he heard Dominic say to Lola before rushing to catch up with him.
“Hey, chill. It’s probably some work thing,” his brother said as they stepped into an elevator together.
Dante didn’t miss the hint of worry in Dominic’s voice, thought.
“I know. I still don’t like it,” Dante grumbled.
“Neither do I,” Dominic agreed, pushing the button for the ground floor.
Adding her meeting with Trent and Tyler to his suspicions she was avoiding them, it was safe to say Dante was in a mood. He knew all too well how he felt about Chloe, and he knew they could make it work.
The question was, were her feelings still the same?
Twenty-Eight
Chloe
Chloe was getting ready to step out of her car and meet Tyler and Trent in the restaurant they had agreed on when her phone buzzed in her purse. It was a text from Lola, the receptionist at TP.
FYI, the Kenners dropped by looking for you. They didn’t leave a message, but I thought you should know.
Typing back a quick ‘thank you’ to Lola, Chloe couldn’t help but smile as she read the message before letting her head fall back against the seat. She wasn’t thrilled the brothers showed up to TP unannounced. That could raise some eyebrows.
Then again, she was their agent. It wouldn’t be that odd to have her clients come by in person.
&nb
sp; I am so overthinking this, she thought, letting out a long sigh.
It was actually pretty adorable that they came by. If she was totally honest, she had been pretty vague when texting them back. Since the boys were anything but patient, it stood to reason they’d track her down one way or the other, looking for some time together.
Despite the complications, that was what she wanted, too. But she still hadn’t really discussed handing the Kenners over to a different agent with Janice. She wanted to have all her ducks in a row before she could even think about having a real relationship with Dominic and Dante, outside of the little bubble they’d created for themselves in Shifter Grove.
She found some comfort in the fact Janice had sent her to deal with Tyler and Trent. The men weren’t exactly her favorite people, but handling their transfer to TP could mean Janice was considering having her represent the Solomons instead of the Kenners. That could go towards uncomplicating things, if only a little.
She hoped Tyler and Trent had given up on trying to hit on her, and that Dom and Dante wouldn’t be too offended at her representing their biggest rivals.
Exactly when did my life turn into a soap opera?
One things was for sure, she needed some time to figure this all out. And she couldn’t do that with Dominic and Dante distracting her. So, with more than a little reluctance, she texted both of the brothers and asked for some space for the time being, promising them they’d get together soon, once work died down a little.
Dominic was the first to respond, only a minute after she’d sent the message.
There’s plenty of space in my bed, he texted back, adding a winky face to the end of his text.
The reply was so Dominic, all she could do was laugh. She waited around for another five minutes, steeling herself against seeing the Solomons again. After their confrontation with Dominic and Dante, she feared the atmosphere might be a little tense.
Her phone buzzed again just as she got out of her car.
We’ll respect your wishes. But don’t take too long to get in touch. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to stay away from you, Dante’s text read, filling her stomach with butterflies. The way Dante always did.
“Any questions?” Chloe asked.
Sitting at a table opposite Tyler and Trent, she had watched as the brothers went over the paperwork in front of them. She knew they’d already had copies sent to both them personally and their lawyers, so she was unsure what this meeting was really about, but Janice had sent her here, so here she was.
“The contract is solid. We just need some time to think it over,” Trent smiled.
“We would definitely like you as our agent. If you could handle a PR disaster like the Kenners, you must be great at your job,” Tyler added, sounding more professional and in control of himself than Chloe had expected.
“I think who your agent is going to be is up to Janice,” Chloe replied, keeping her answer as vague as possible.
Even though having Tyler and Trent as clients might mean she would no longer represent Dominic and Dante, being around them still made her somewhat uncomfortable.
“Sure, but you have to have some say in it. I’d think you’d be happy to finally work with someone who took you seriously,” Tyler said.
“I’m not sure I know what you mean,” Chloe replied, trying to keep the edge out of her voice.
Tyler was definitely getting at something, and she had a feeling she wouldn’t like where this was headed. Folding his hands on the table, Tyler leaned forward, evidently about to make his message clear.
“The Kenners see you as nothing more than set decoration. They burn through women, do you think you’re different just because you’re their agent? They’ll probably request a new representative once they grow bored of you.”
“I think you’ve misunderstood my relationship with the Kenners,” Chloe started, a knot of anxiety in the pit of her stomach.
“Please,” Tyler waved a hand, while his brother just grinned and leaned back in his chair. “I could smell you on them the moment they stepped on the ice. You can hide it from humans, but not from other shifters.”
Conjuring up a neutral expression, Chloe was determined not to show Tyler his words had had an effect. It was obvious he was trying to drive a wedge between her and Dominic and Dante, for whatever reason. And while them knowing about her relationship with the brothers terrified her, she wasn’t going to roll over.
Trent kept his mouth shut, but it didn’t matter much. Tyler was saying enough for the both of them.
“Even if that were true, it’s none of your business,” she said coldly.
Tyler grinned.
“I know you think I’m telling you this because I hate the Kenners. And that’s part of it. But I’ve seen how they operate. You’re just a toy to them. Look at their track record. They wanted to mix business with pleasure while they were stuck in Shifter Grove. There have been others before you and there will be others after you. I’m sure TP has to have a file on them somewhere…”
Chloe shot up from her seat, having had enough. Tyler and Trent might be possible new clients, but that didn’t mean she had to sit there and listen to them dissect her personal life.
“We’re done here,” she announced, gathering up her purse.
Tyler called something out to her as she left, but she didn’t stop. Not until she reached her car and got in, slamming the door shut after her. She didn’t have any illusions about what Tyler had been trying to do, but she couldn’t help but think there might have been some truth to his words.
Going behind her back like they did with Dante’s injury, could it be they didn’t respect her as an agent at all? Was she just a good time to them, a plaything? And what did Tyler mean with ‘there have been others before you’?
With all these questions swirling in her head, one rose above the others, filling her with dread.
Was I right about them when I first met them?
Twenty-Nine
Dominic
“What do you think this whole ‘space’ thing is about?” Dominic asked.
Bumping along on a dirt road, Dante was swerving to avoid the potholes, hands firmly on the wheel and his eyes focused on the road.
“She’s freaking out, just like I said,” Dante replied.
“But she’s going to get over it, right?”
“How should I know?” Dante shot back, obviously annoyed. “I’m not a dragon. I can’t read minds.”
“I thought you had finally lightened up, but it looks like you’re still the same old sourpuss,” Dominic scoffed.
“Sourpuss? Really?”
“What? That’s a word.”
“Have you been binge-watching Saturday morning cartoons again?”
“No,” Dominic huffed defensively, turning to stare out the window. “I’m just saying, you were a lot less grouchy when Chloe was around.”
“And you were a lot less nosy.”
“This affects us both, so stop acting like you’re the only one entitled to worry,” Dominic countered.
“Sorry,” Dante sighed, as the truck shook beneath them. “I don’t like not knowing what’s going on. I wish she’d talk to us.”
“Maybe this is a good thing, you know? I mean, there’s only one conclusion she can come to. We’re great and her life is boring without us,” Dominic grinned, nudging Dante with his elbow.
“I’ll agree to that,” his brother replied, a hint of a smile on his mouth.
Chloe’s text message had put Dominic on edge, as well, but from how sullen Dante got, his brother’s mind probably jumped to the worst possible conclusions. Dominic had a little more faith than that.
What they’d all shared in Shifter Grove had been special, and there was no way Chloe was going to just forget about it. She needed time to adjust, that was all. And being freshly promoted, she was probably swamped with work, like she said. That she was meeting with the Solomons put a bad taste in his mouth, but it was part of her job.
&
nbsp; And if Chloe was trying to distance herself from them, which he didn’t believe, he’d just have to remind her how good they were together.
The trees on either side of the road began to thin out, giving way to a familiar clearing. A small house came into view not long after that, and Dante pulled up to its side. After he and Dante had moved out on their own, their father had sold their family home and settled into a more rural way of life here.
Dominic had never understood why Douglas would want to isolate himself like that. Not before he’d spent some time in Shifter Grove, that is. Living in the middle of nature did have its perks – even if Minnesota wasn’t exactly far from greenery -, and Dominic’s bear definitely agreed, giving out a small growl when he got out of the car and breathed in the fresh air.
The front door of the house swung open, with Douglas standing there, his arms crossed over his chest
“About time you two came to see your old man,” he said before disappearing back inside.
Holding on to his stomach, Dominic groaned, leaning back into his chair.
“That was great, dad,” he said with a satisfied sigh.
“The only way I can get you here is with food,” Douglas grunted in response.
Dominic and Dante definitely looked like their father, with the same angular features and square jaw. Only difference was, there was some gray in Douglas’ blond hair and his skin was more weathered and lined. He was still as fit as ever, though, and could probably kick his sons’ asses on the ice if he really wanted to.
In Douglas Kenner’s time, there had been no National Shifter Hockey League. And he couldn’t play a day in the human league without cracking more bones than strictly necessary without even trying.
“You know that’s not true, dad,” Dante said, pushing his plate away.
“Yeah, yeah,” Douglas replied gruffly. “So, how did the training camp go? Will I have to fly into Idaho the next time I want to see you?”