Makeshift Mate

by C. E. Black

  My shoulders pulled back in surprised when Isa finally faced me. She wasn’t crying with joy. She was smiling. Grinning, actually. A mischievous grin that told me she’d just pulled one on me.

  My eyes narrowed with suspicion.

  “I know,” she said easily, catching me off guard. “And I’m glad you finally admitted it.”

  Coming to stand in front of me, she leaned in to kiss my cheek. “You’re catching flies, Locke.”

  I snapped my mouth closed and stared as she walked back to the door. I had to admit most of the staring was done on her ass. She had a great ass. And I loved it in those jeans…

  Why was she still leaving?

  “Sara will be excited to hear about your day together,” Isa said over her shoulder. “I know you’ll have a great time.”

  “Wait…” I met her sparkling eyes. “What are you talking about?”

  “You’re taking the day off,” she said slowly, enunciating each word. Which did great things for her lips, I won’t lie.

  “I am?” I asked.

  “Yes. It’s Saturday. A lot of people take Saturday’s off.”

  “And what will you be doing?”

  “I’m taking the day off, too.”

  She opened the door but I stopped her before she could step out, the panic I’d thought had receded began to kindle once again.

  “What are we supposed to do? I don’t even know what she likes anymore.”

  Isa’s eyes softened. “Ask her.”

  “You’re going to pay for this,” I teased, my voice deepening with promise.

  Her laugh was light as she blew me a kiss before leaving me alone. With my daughter. Who I didn’t know all that well. And who probably hated me.

  The door suddenly opened back up and I almost sighed in relief thinking Isa had changed her mind.

  Instead, she leaned into the doorway without stepping inside. “Stop tormenting yourself, Locke. Just go up there, tell her you want to spend the day with her, and ask what she wants to do. You’ll be fine.”

  The door shut once more. I waited, but the unmistakable sound of her car engine meant all hope was lost. She wasn’t coming back. At least not right away.

  Already, plans were forming. I would make the sneaky woman pay.

  I’d played right into her hands. Admitting I was in love with her at the same time revealing my desire to have a better relationship with my daughter. Oh, yes, she would get her just desserts.

  Later, in bed, I would make sure Isa had so many orgasms, she would know exactly how much I appreciated her.

  Sucking in a deep breath, I let it out slowly. It was time to bite the bullet.

  I climbed the staircase, my heart pounding in my chest. When I reached my daughter’s bedroom door, I braced myself and knocked.

  Waiting for her say-so, I opened the door with what I hoped was a happy smile. “Hey, June Bug.”

  Her eyes flickered to me before falling back to her tablet. “Hey.”

  “Um… I have the day off. Want to do something?”

  Her whole body froze as her gaze jumped to mine and narrowed. “Really? Where’s Isa? I heard her leave. Is she gone for good?”

  “No. She just went out. She’ll be back later.” I hoped. “So, what do you want to do?”

  “Who died?” she asked suddenly and I rocked back on my heels.

  “What? No one. Why would you think someone died?”

  “Because last time we spent the day together was the day you told me mom died.”

  She was right. And I was a total bastard, wasn’t I?

  “I’m sorry, June Bug. I really am.” She shrugged but I knew it was an act.

  “Can we move forward?” I asked, taking a step closer to the bed.

  “How?”

  “Just… Start with a clean slate. I love you, Sara. And I want to spend time with you. Will you let me?”

  Sara’s eyes widened and turned glassy. But at the first hint of tears she looked away. “Yeah, fine with me.” She shrugged one shoulder.

  I held back my smile and my own tears. “So, what would you like to do?” I asked.

  “I don’t know…” Then she lifted her head, a tentative smile on her lips. “Can we watch the game?”

  “Game?”

  “Yeah, the Atlanta Titans are playing today. It’s a bowl game.”

  My brows rose. “You want to watch a football game?” Who was this child?

  Sara rolled her eyes and stood from the bed. “Yeah, dad. A football game. Unless you don’t want to...”

  “Of course, I want to,” I blurted before the sad look returned to her eyes. “What time does the game start?”

  “Not until three.”

  “Then we have time. Come on.” I waved her to the door when she hesitated.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “If we’re going to watch a football game then we need snacks.”

  Her eyes lit up. “Cool! But what about Isa? She loves Football. Maybe she’ll want to watch it with us.”

  “Isa?” My Isa loved Football? I didn’t know that.

  I shook my head and cursed myself six ways to Sunday. Of course, I’d known that. It was on her Alpha Singles profile.

  “Yeah. She’s an Atlanta Titans’ fan,” Sara revealed.

  “Isa didn’t say where she was going, but I guess you could call and ask her, if you want.”

  “Cool. I’ll text her right now.”

  I knew I was supposed to spend the day with Sara, just the two of us, but I couldn’t help but cross my fingers that Isa would say yes. Another person as a buffer between Sara and I would be fantastic. But that wasn’t the only reason I wanted Isa to come.

  Sara slid her phone back into her pocket and smiled wide enough to show off her white teeth.

  “She said she has a better idea.”

  Chapter 21

  Isa

  “I can’t believe you had box seats for the Atlanta Titans.”

  Locke was cute when he pouted. Truth be told, I’d forgotten about the game. Which wasn’t like me. Especially since it was a bowl game being playing in my own city. But between work, and my personal life, Football had been the last thing on my mind.

  When Sara had invited me to watch the game, I’d thought a live showing would be more exciting. And it had been. Both of my companions had watched the breath-stealing game with awe-filled gazes that made it feel bigger than life.

  I put down my soda and flashed Locke a grin from across the table at Silver’s. We’d ended up at the diner for dessert after the game.

  “I have season tickets, too,” I revealed.

  “Man, that was so cool!” Sara exclaimed. “I could see everything. Thank you so much, Isa. It was the best.”

  “You’re welcome.” My heart warmed when she looked at me like that.

  Fork halfway to my mouth, I stilled when I noticed Locke staring. “You’re catching flies, Locke,” I said, holding back a laugh as I took a bite of pie.

  He snapped his mouth shut and said, “How is that possible?”

  For the first time in his presence, I felt uncomfortable. I gave him a wary glance and replied, “You know I have money.”

  “Yes, but I guess I hadn’t thought a lot about how much.”

  I lifted my chin defensively. “And how much would that be, Locke?”

  “Enough to get great seats at a football game,” he answered, giving me a megawatt grin that soothed.

  My shoulders shook as I laughed and the tension slipped easily away.

  Sara was watching, her eyes bouncing back and forth as Locke and I spoke. Her little brows pulled together as if she were trying to work something out.

  “What is it, sweetie?” I asked.

  “Sweetie?”

  I frowned. “Oh, I’m sorry, Sara.”

  “I like it.” She ducked her head and took a bite of her ice cream and swallowed. “So, are you and my dad getting married?”

  Locke and I exchanged panicked looks. He cleared
his throat, but didn’t offer an answer.

  Sighing, I brought my attention back to Sara. “Well, Sara, sweetie, um… The thing is, your dad and I don’t know each other well...”

  “I beg to differ,” Locke mumbled under his breath, earning him a sharp glance that was softened by my grin.

  “What I’m trying to say,” I continued, “is that it’s too early for marriage. I like your dad. Very much. And I like you too.”

  Sara’s brows bunched up as she thought it through, then she nodded, smiled, and went back to her ice cream.

  I exhaled a relieved sigh and shot Locke a glare. The frustrating man had his head turned away, but I saw the way his shoulders shook with laughter.

  “Just you wait,” I warned him softly.

  His eyes shone as he looked at me. “Oh, I still owe you for earlier. Just you wait, Isabella.”

  I shivered at the way my name dripped from his lips like honey. I couldn’t wait to find out what kind of punishment my mate had in store for me.

  The claim gave me pause.

  I’d been thinking about what he’d told me about his wolf. I felt it too. He was mine. I wasn’t sure how a permanent relationship would work between us, but it needed to be discussed. Because there was no way I would be able to let him go when our deal ended, which was only in a few days’ time.

  Locke’s eyes shifted to something behind me and darkened.

  “Excuse me,” he said.

  Locke stood from the booth and stalked toward something or someone. I couldn’t see them because Locke was in the way, but from the tense set of his shoulders, I worried for whoever it was.

  Voices raised, gaining my attention, along with the stares from other diners.

  “Hey, Locke,” I said softly as I came up behind him. “Maybe you should take this outside.”

  His upper body turned in my direction, revealing the man he’d been arguing with. “Uncle Robert?” I looked back and forth between the two men. “What’s going on?”

  Before I finished my sentence, Locke asked, “This is your uncle Robert?”

  A sudden wave of guilt caused my stomach to roll. “Yes,” I answered, hesitantly.

  “Hello dear. You must be, Isa,” interrupted a soft motherly voice, and for the first time I noticed the woman standing next to my uncle, holding his hand.

  She was on the short size, the top of her head only reaching the tip of his chin. Her naturally gray hair hung loose on her shoulders in soft waves, and she had kind, blue eyes.

  “This is my Elaine,” Robert spoke up suddenly as if he’d just remembered his manners. “Elaine this is Isa.”

  Locke vibrated beside me, his fists clenched at his sides, but he kept quiet, biding his time, I was sure.

  Elaine gave my uncle a wry smile. “Yes, dear, I’ve figure that out.” Then to me she said, “I’ve heard so much about you.”

  “Hello,” I greeted and gave her a shaky smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “I just can’t thank you enough,” Elaine began and with those words I knew my fate was about to be sealed.

  “You taking the property off of Bob’s hands has really made a difference. He was so stressed about us traveling. And now he’ll know everything is okay. Because you’re taking care of it. He would trust no one else.”

  Pulse hammering in my chest, I couldn’t even laugh at Elaine calling my uncle Bob. Holding my breath, I slowly met Locke’s cold stare and flinched.

  I’d seen him angry and passionate. Both had prompted his wolf to come out in his eyes, causing them to glow silver and burn like ice. But I’d never been on the recipient of such a cold look from him. And never wanted to again.

  “Locke,” I tried.

  He jerked his head to the side and said, “No,” in a flat voice.

  “I should have told you…”

  “You bought the property. The property I told you about. And you didn’t tell me. Did you know who I was when you saw my profile on Alpha Singles? Did you move in with me to spy on me?”

  “No. I didn’t know who you were then. But…”

  “But you figured it out, right? You had your sale’s pitch ready on our first date.”

  “Yes, but… I saw you by the river the day before. I swear I didn’t know before that.”

  His eyes widened. “By the river? That was you spying on me?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I’m mean yes it was me, but I wasn’t spying.”

  “Save it.” He slashed a hand through the air. “I’m done.”

  The finality of those words felt like a slap in the face, but it also made me angry. I may have held back information, but I hadn’t done it to purposely hurt him.

  “Just you wait a minute,” Robert interrupted. “Your father would roll in his grave if he heard you talkin’ to her like that.”

  “Don’t talk about my father,” Locke snapped. “You don’t get to talk about him.”

  Robert hunched his shoulders, making him look ten years older. “Your father was a great man, Locke. He saved my life that day at the river. I’ll never be able to repay you for that. Which was why I was going to sell you the land. But Isa is my blood.”

  As Robert and Locke stared off, their expressions miserable, I pieced together the information I had. Robert was the man Locke’s father had died saving. And now there was too much animosity between them. They were both suffering.

  “Uncle Robert, it’s okay,” I said, placing a hand on his arm.

  Ignoring me, Locke nodded at Robert. “You’re right. My father was a great man and he wouldn’t want me to blame you for his death.”

  His gaze skipped over mine as he turned away. “Come on, June Bug,” he said to Sara as he grabbed their coats. “Time to go.”

  Small green eyes met mine from across the room, and I mouthed, I’m sorry. Sara looked away, but not before I saw her chin wobble.

  As he and Sara shuffled past us to the door, I straightened my spine. “You aren’t going to let me explain, are you?”

  “No,” he answered, pushing open the glass door without even looking at me. “I don’t deal with liars.”

  I flinched at the insult. “I guess your online profile was right. Your job comes first. Even before the people you claim to love.”

  His shoulders stiffened, but that was all the acknowledgment he gave that he’d heard me.

  The door swung shut behind him, and I watched, dazed, as two pieces of my heart walked around the corner and disappeared.

  Chapter 22

  The minute I got back into the city, I started making changes. Things might not have worked out with Locke and Sara, but I’d learned a few things while on my little adventure. One being Vitale Global could run perfectly fine without me.

  However, I wasn’t about to step away completely. I loved my job. But life outside of work was just as important. I’d learned that while trying to teach Locke the same lesson.

  I winced, the thought of his name still causing me pain. Two weeks, three days, four hours, and roughly twenty-three minutes had gone by since I’d last seen or heard from Locke Winfield. My last memory of him was of that day in Silver’s. I hadn’t gone back to his house. Didn’t have to. All my things had been stacked neatly on Robert’s front porch less than an hour after the incident. He’d even brought my car. I’d gone back to the city the same night.

  I’d spent a few days going back and forth on whether I should have forced him to listen to me. Robert had even taken up a new hobby of calling me every day, encouraging me to get in touch with Locke. According to my uncle, Locke was an ass. But he was a redeemable ass.

  Though I’d agreed with him, in the end, I realized, anything I had to say was just pretexts. I shouldn’t have lied to Locke, even if they were only lies of omission. I shouldn’t have even let that one day pass between my verbal agreement with Robert and telling Locke I owned the land he wanted for his pack. He’d deserved better. And so had I.

  Locke had overreacted, and I was still angry about that. Both
of us needed some space to reflect on our mistakes. Then maybe we could talk. Or maybe not. Only time would tell.

  But that didn’t mean I hadn’t looked him up on Alpha Singles a few times.

  One evening, I’d drunk a glass of wine, or six, before checking to see if his profile was still active. Then I’d sent him a message, or four. And each one had been worse than the next.

  Username: Isa98

  I’m sorry. Please forgive me.

  Username: Isa98

  I can’t believe u r still holding onto this. It was only a tiny lie. You soooo overreacted!

  Username: Isa98

  Fine. If u don’t want 2 talk 2 me then get out of my head. I’m tired of thinking about you all the time.

  Username: Isa98

  Sorry. luv u. call me.

  I’d reread them once I’d sobered up and laughed a little, cried a lot. Then reread our older messages. He’d been funny and sweet. And I missed him.

  And because I missed him, I worked. But I worked toward a slightly different goal.

  “Three more applicants were approved yesterday while you were out,” Trevor said as he read off his tablet. “They meet all the requirements and will be assigned to the Beaumont account.”

  Sighing, I stopped him before he gave me any more unnecessary details.

  “Trevor.” When he looked up, I tilted my head and gave him a wry smile. “That account belongs to Naomi, now.”

  “I know, I…” He shook his head. “Sorry, Isa. I keep forgetting. No more full reports on every account.”

  “Right,” I nodded. “I trust my employees to do what I hired them to do. They’ll come to me if there are any issues.”

  He nodded, his eyes sparkling with mirth. “Guess I’ll just be your errand boy then. What shall I fetch for you today, my lady?” He bent with an exaggerated bow, almost dropping his tablet.

  Laughing, I rocked back in my desk chair. “That accent was terrible!”

  “It was, wasn’t it?” he replied proudly.