She closed her eyes once again and let the music fill her ears and soul. The anxiety and fear that had consumed her began to wash away with the musical salve, and she began to sing along, “In the wee small hours of the morning…”
Deane took hold of her hand and raised it up. Verity’s lids slipped open to find him guiding her to her feet. Without saying a word, he lifted her arms around his neck and started dancing with her in the dim light. She was surprised he knew how to move so well, for he seemed so stiff most of the time. Deane spun her once, and when she came back to him, she rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes again. She didn’t care if he was just doing it to be nice or to remember what it felt like to dance with Kristie again. It felt good being held.
Verity was lost to the world. The only thing anchoring her to the floor was Deane’s arms. She sang and sang until the song ended, and they stopped swaying.
Warm fingers touched her skin, and she opened her lids. Deane’s dark eyes were fixed on her. They were filled with a curious amount of feeling. Tears had traced their way down her cheeks without her having realized. She wiped them away and apologized.
Deane stepped away from her with a sad countenance. “Are ye often so moved by music?”
“On days like today, I suppose I am.” She lowered her eyes and looked at the door. “Let’s get some fresh air.”
Deane’s arm hovered behind her waist, never touching it, as he moved by her side all the way outside. The Gulf air was cooling on her warm cheeks. She inhaled deeply, letting the air stir in her lungs. They strolled silently on the sidewalk all the way to the hotel.
“Ye want to wait in my room until Emery’s… done?” Deane was holding his keycard in his hand as he gestured to the entrance.
They stopped by the car to get their bags out of the back and went inside the hotel. The attendant at the front desk nodded at them as they walked by to the elevator. Deane silently punched the button, and they rode up to the second floor.
“Room two thirteen.” He gestured to the right when they stepped out.
When they passed room two eleven, Verity noticed a red bandana draped on the doorknob. Deane glanced at it as he slipped the keycard into his room’s lock. He held open the door for her and they walked inside together. It was basic. A queen bed, a long dresser with a television mounted to the wall and a bathroom.
“Emery.” Deane sighed and shook his head. “Well, I can go sleep in the car if she takes too long.”
Verity took another step inside so Deane could shut the door. She didn’t really care in that moment. She was mentally exhausted from the blow to her temple that her dear niece had given her. Verity’s mind was swimming, her ankle was sore from her bite wound, and she was sticky.
“Would you mind if I took a shower?” she asked, setting her bag on the bed.
“Of course not.” Deane’s eyes widened. “Take one while ye can. We have a long drive ahead of us yet.”
She unzipped her travel bag and pulled out her toothbrush, a pair of underwear and her nightie. “Thanks.”
Verity slipped into the bathroom and turned on the shower. The water didn’t get as hot as she liked it, but it would do. She hadn’t remembered to take any toiletries when she’d prepared to leave earlier in the day. Instead, she’d grabbed a few items of clothing and her charger and had written her brother a note, explaining where she’d gone.
Verity inhaled the steam. She didn’t care she didn’t have her favorite shampoo or conditioner. In no time, she was clean, and her muscles were relaxed. She turned off the water and dried off. Next, she brushed her teeth and got into her babydoll nightie.
A soft knock came from the door. She opened it almost immediately, taking Deane by surprise. “Oh, I just wondered if ye wanted anything to drink? I could go down to get ye a soda if ye wished.”
She shook her head, sending droplets flying from her still-wet hair. His eyes traced from the bustline of her nightie up to her forehead. He frowned and reached his fingers to hover a breath away from her injury. “Does it hurt? Do ye need any ice? I can run to get ye some.”
“It’s sore, but it’ll be okay,” she assured him, noticing his concern. “So long as I don’t have to concentrate hard, I think we’ll be okay.”
She smirked.
“We won’t have ye drive then,” he said with finality. “Emery and I will switch off while ye rest in the back.”
Verity touched his abdomen and felt his muscles flex in response. “That’s thoughtful of you.”
She switched off the bathroom light and started to move past him when he caught her wrist. Her eyes flashed in surprise. Deane quickly let go and muttered, “I just wanted to apologize.”
“For what?” She couldn’t imagine what he was referring to.
“I cannot remember the last time I’ve ever gotten so sloppy drunk. There’s a reason ye shouldn’t let yerself get so sloshed, so ye don’t do things that…”
He was rambling. She’d never seen him so flustered. It was amusing, and it made her smile. “That what?”
“That offends others,” he concluded. He tilted his head back in frustration and swore. Without looking at her, he said to the floor, “Did I kiss ye on the beach Christmas night, or did I only dream it?”
Verity’s heart skipped a beat. He’d never said anything about it, so she’d assumed he’d been too drunk to remember. She lifted her shoulders and let them drop, not wanting to let herself get caught up in his eyes. “You must’ve been missing your wife was all.”
“So it wasn’t a dream,” he muttered and paused, beginning to absorb her comment. His brows furrowed in confusion. “Why do ye think our kiss had anything to do with Kristie?”
She didn’t want to make either of them feel worse. Clearly, he hadn’t remembered everything. Verity took a shaky breath, feeling the warmth radiating from his body. “It’s just something you said was all. It’s nothing.”
His frown deepened, then dawning realization transformed his expression into regret. He moved forward, closer to her to put his hands on her arms. “I was drunk, I didn’t know what I was sayin’. I can only be trusted to make a right mess of things, time and again.”
“It’s okay,” she said, and she meant it. “I understand. The holidays are a time when a lot of people feel their loved ones’ absence the most. You must have really loved her.”
The feel of his hands on her only brought back the memory on the beach all the more. She tried containing her desire for him because she knew he didn’t feel the same way about her.
He nodded and caught her eye. Her heart ached, and she forced a smile, having expected his response.
Unexpectedly, he spoke up and continued holding her gently, “I cared for her in my own way. How could I not for the woman who carried my child? Though we weren’t right for each other. Hadn’t a thing in common except the kettle of trouble we got ourselves into. She was a pretty lass, and she accepted my advances. I was lonely and foolish. And for so long now, I’ve blamed myself for her fate.”
She blinked up at him, unsure what he was really saying. Deane let go of her shoulders and edged back with his eyes to the floor. He mumbled almost unintelligibly, “I wouldn’t want ye to think I kissed ye because I was missing Kristie. She has nothin’ to do with what a stunner ye are or how much I like being ’round ye. And that’s why I don’t drink to excess—so I don’t lose control of myself, doing whatever I want, becoming an eejit.”
“No, you don’t have to apologize.” She dared to catch his gaze. “Because I liked it.”
No sooner had she said it than she felt Deane’s eyes on her. She hoped she wasn’t being careless with her heart, but it felt so good being close to him. Verity stepped into him and held her breath, waiting to see how he’d react.
Deane’s hand lifted. The tip of his fingers touched the thin fabric covering her stomach. It was enough for her.
Verity tilted into him and pressed her lips to his. He might have seemed uncertain of himself m
oments before, but her invitation triggered an almost immediate response. Deane kissed her deeply, grabbing hold of her waist, holding her to him. They broke away to look at each other, both questioning in silence if the other was sure. His hot breath billowed over her skin, and there was nothing Verity wanted more than to open herself to him.
It would certainly complicate things if they took things to the next level. She couldn’t even wrap her mind around the repercussions. The truth was, she’d never felt so close or safe with anyone as she felt with Deane. He was like a warm blanket she wanted to swathe herself in. For eternity.
Verity nodded, never taking her eyes away from his face. Deane lifted her off her feet and carried her to the bed.
Sixteen
Deane stared at Verity while she slept beside him. Her lips parted ever so slightly as her soft breathing met his ears. He lifted a lock of hair away from her cheek and imagined what she might have looked like in the roaring twenties. She was truly an ageless beauty. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t completely ruined his chances with her by acting the fool.
If her pristine features, kind heart and rebellious streak hadn’t taken him by surprise, maybe he wouldn’t have crumbled at her touch. Or maybe it was Riley’s fault. That boy had torn down his protective barrier, making him soft. For so long, Deane had liked observing those around him from a protective distance. It left him feeling in control.
He lifted the sheets off his torso and slipped out of bed. One by one, he picked up his items of clothing from the floor and got dressed. Silently, he left the room, needing some space to think. The clock in the hotel lobby showed it was past one in the morning.
Deane walked outside. A cold breeze touched his face and pressed eagerly against his clothing. He turned down the street to move closer to the bay. The moon was just edging out from behind some clouds. He could hear the water lapping and smell the sea despite the fact it was so dark out.
He exhaled and raked his fingers through his hair, grabbing his head. Had he just made another monumental mistake? He blamed his pubescent hormones and poor decision-making for lying with Kristie when they were so young. It had proven to be a choice that would haunt him forever. Had he not seduced the poor girl, she wouldn’t have gotten pregnant, they wouldn’t have married, pushing him into the dangerous field of pugilism and she wouldn’t have died in a fire he was responsible for. His actions had ruined that poor girl’s life. Had he been able to control his desire, she would have been better off.
In what kind of world was there room for a vampire and shifter to live happily ever after? In his life, everyone of importance had been ripped away from him. He was filled with emotion when he thought about Riley and Verity. It had crept up on him. He’d be a shell of a man if he lost them.
From within his pocket, his phone rang. It drew him from his reverie. Deane cleared his throat and answered, “Aye?”
Alaric’s voice met his ear. “Consul Beaumont just notified me that the Grand Consul has paused their debate about the blood-suckers, and they’ll resume in the morning. Though there may not be an agreement for some time, I thought you’d want to know.”
“Right.” Deane went to stand behind a nearby tree to shield himself from the wind so he could hear better. “Thank ye for letting me know.”
“It sounds like those blood-suckers of yours gave the Grand Consul a lot to think about.” Alaric said, “Beaumont has another thing coming if he thinks he can protect them and win his reelection campaign. He’s only our Consul with the support from other generational families. We should have known better than to elect a man with only three generations’ heritage.”
“What’s the debate?” Deane had heard Alaric’s purebred rhetoric before, but he wanted to learn more about what the Consul was arguing about.
“Many think it would be prudent to round up the blood-suckers and exterminate them.”
Deane’s heart kicked up a beat in fear. “Are ye serious?”
“That seems a bit medieval, I agree,” Alaric answered. “Which is why I like Consul Fenestro’s idea about tagging all of them and confining them to a safe facility so no one else gets hurt.”
While he’d been focused on Riley’s recovery, Deane hadn’t considered the possibility that his foster son could be in danger from the Genus Society as well. He needed more information. “Are there any other sides to the argument?”
“Oh, sure. Of course there are those who say we should negotiate with them. Require they feed on animals and hold them to the same laws as our members. But if their numbers are so low, we hold the power. It would be safer to simply contain them.”
“Have ye spoken to Aerilyn about all of this?” Deane knew there wasn’t any way Alaric’s daughter would be okay with that. Despite the fact she’d been abducted by Ramsay, she cared about Riley. She was compassionate.
Alaric sighed on the other side of the line. “She’ll find out when they come to a decision. I don’t need her getting upset. Those bastards tried to hurt my baby. They cannot be allowed to do any such thing again.”
It came down to the biggest question at the forefront of Deane’s mind. “What about Riley?”
“What about him?”
Deane swallowed the anger that seared up his throat and traced down his arms. It was hard to speak through gritted teeth. “He’s just a lad, and I promised his mum I’d protect him.”
“Some promises can’t be kept.”
The near century of friendship between the two changed with Alaric’s comment. A man’s word was his bond. That was the code Deane had lived by. To toss that aside so haphazardly was impossible. They had never quite seen eye-to-eye, but Alaric had changed. Maybe Deane had too.
He had an uneasy thought. “What about the promises made to Verity and Julian by the Consul? They exchanged testimony for protection and freedom.”
Alaric responded coolly, “Like I said, sometimes promises can’t be kept.”
“Right.”
Deane might not have known Verity and Julian for long, but they weren’t like Ramsay. Similar to any upstanding shifter, they were living the best they could given the circumstances of their birth. To condemn them based on their genetics wasn’t right.
Alaric continued to speak, unaware of the turmoil on the other end of the line. “You can come back home now that you’re done in Miami. I spoke to Cruz. He had nothing but good things to say about you and Emery. I warned him about trying to steal my best enforcer out from under me.”
“We wouldn’t want that.” Deane was unable to keep his anger from his voice.
The Denver leader seemed to hesitate in his response, “You okay, Deane? I hope you’re still with me after everything we’ve been through. I’ve been under a lot of pressure what with deciding to run for representative of our territory so I can give Beaumont a run for his money. I may be more on edge than usual. You understand.”
Deane stared out at the dark water in Pensacola Bay. “Oh, aye. I’ve been needing a break from the rigors, myself. Haven’t taken time off in decades. So I’ll be taking some personal days after everything I’ve been through. Ye understand.”
A long pause went by before Alaric’s voice became strained. “You had better not be going after that boy—I’m warning you. I cannot have you ruining my chances. The implications of my enforcer circumventing the Grand Consul will not look good.”
“At the moment, I’m more worried about my boy dying at the hands of anyone looking to do him harm,” Deane snarled back. “So no promises.”
He hung up the phone and stared at the bay, trying to get his temper in check before returning to the hotel. Deane had been a Society enforcer for so long, he’d lost his identity to it. Genus Society was a community he cared for and had undying loyalty to. It had been there when he needed it most. After losing everything, he’d met Alaric, and Deane had found the kinship that was missing from his life.
But now his dusty old heart was leading him along a different path. He knew there would be repercussions
for his actions, although he decided to follow Cruz’s advice and listen to his own instincts and his own sense of morality. Maybe his hands would end up charred and smoky when this was through, but at least this time, he had faith he was doing what was right.
With the phone still in his hand, he called a number he hadn’t used in a long time and left a message, hoping his old friend would be there for him in his time of need.
They got back on the road before first light. Deane felt Emery’s eyes on him as he got behind the wheel. It hadn’t gone beyond her notice that Verity had spent the night in his room and had snuck him a kiss on the cheek when they were checking out. He gave her a warning glare, not wanting to listen to any comments that were bubbling below the surface of her red lips. She didn’t say a word but ate her sticky Danish bit by bit with a suggestive grin.
Emery turned on the radio as Deane pulled onto the highway. He didn’t want to reveal the conversation he’d had with Alaric last night. Especially not regarding the Grand Consul potentially going back on their word with Verity and Julian. But there was too much going on to keep the rest from them. Not only were there political decisions being made that would affect them all, Riley had been abducted by Dolan and strange men were following them. Normally he would have reported the run-in at the gas station from the day before to Alaric, although Riley had been the only thing on his mind at the time of their call.
Deane turned down the volume of the radio and informed them about his phone call. He glanced at Emery. “Ye can change yer mind and go back to Denver. Alaric was clear he didn’t want me going to find Riley.”
His rookie partner made a face and shook her head. “This is why I hate politics. Good people get caught up in the mess.”
“Do you think we’re safe?” Verity muttered in the back seat. She looked at him through the rearview mirror. “If we get Riley from Lycos, what then?”
Half-Blood Secrets: A Paranormal Series (Half-Bloods Book 2) Page 21