by Milly Taiden
The chief laughed. “I would’ve never seen that coming. But there were a lot of things none of us kids figured on growing up.”
That sounded cryptic, but she also understood where he was going with that. Things had changed a lot for her since graduating and being on her own.
“Did anyone ever tell you how your uncle got that scar on his face?”
The question startled her. This man really did know her uncle, not just an acquaintance. “No. I always wondered, but never asked. You know?”
“I know firsthand. I was there.”
He had her full attention. “What happened?”
The chief settled into his stance and he seemed to lose himself in memory. “Back in the summer of our senior year of high school, a group of us had gone out to Townford’s lake for the day. Just being kids. Girls were on floats and the guys were finding it exceptionally fun to dunk them.
“Anyways, me and Evie, that’s my mate, we snuck ourselves through the cattails for a little alone time. Seemed it was more than just me and her, though. A gator had wandered into the lake and decided it was hungry and wanted a piece of me.” Francesca gasped. She had no experience with those animals, but they scared the shit out of her when they showed them on TV.
“The critter,” the chief continued, “got a hold of my leg and dragged me from the bank into the water. Evie set to hollering, unable to do anything as I wrestled the animal best I could. Being rolled and unable to see in the muddy water, my wolf couldn’t even save me.
“Long story short, if it weren’t for your uncle showing up out of nowhere and gutting that monster with his claws, I wouldn’t be here.” He lifted a pant leg to show her the grizzly damage to his leg.
“My muscle was so badly shredded that even a shift couldn’t heal it all the way,” he finished.
“How did my uncle get the scar on his head?” Francesca asked.
“When he first dove in after me, he tried to free my leg from the gator’s mouth. In all the thrashing and water splashing, the animal clawed him in the face with a foot. Almost took his eye and gouged out a row of flesh. But we both made it through.” He stood quietly, probably recalling the terror and happiness at being alive.
He lightly slapped a hand on her shoulder. “Yes, good family, the Virgatas.” He turned toward the inside area. “Been a long time. Need to see him again. For old time’s sake.” The man walked away and she noticed a slight limp she hadn’t before. Wow, her uncle was a hero. Why hadn’t anyone ever told her that story? She’d get onto her uncle at the next practice for the oversight.
The crowd gathered for the next round of the Shape Up. The weight had been raised to thirteen hundred pounds. Red and Theo rolled through, but the last guy couldn’t get the second lift the full height. Down to Red and her man. Her man? Was he?
“Fifteen hundred pounds!” was yelled from the crowd. That was half the weight of a car. Impossible! The throng chanted fifteen, fifteen, fifteen. Red looked at Theo, and he shrugged. “Why not? There’s always a first.” The group went wild. Men dashed away to reset the bar, others spreading the word of the record weight being attempted.
She made her way to Theo, concern surging through her. “Theo,” she said, getting close to him, “don’t hurt yourself. Don’t do this to impress me. You don’t need to. I don’t want you injured because of me.”
He took her face in his hands and kissed her. Whistles erupted from the onlookers. “Don’t worry about me, babe. I know when to stop,” he smiled, “even if I don’t appear mature. This is completely a guy thing. That’s why you don’t get it.” He kissed the top of her head.
He could say that again. She sighed and stepped back to let him and Red prepare. Kelsy somehow found her again. “You two been together long?” the woman asked.
“No, we just met about five days ago,” she replied.
“Well, just so you know, you picked a good one with Theo.”
“Yeah?” Francesca wondered how much this woman knew about him. Did they know each other intimately? A spark of jealousy lit her insides and she squelched it as quickly as she could. Kelsy laughed. Damn, the smell of the emotion still escaped.
“No worries from me,” Kelsy said. “The guys here really love Theo, though they wouldn’t put it quite that way. But each of these men would give everything for the other. Once, Smitty tried to hook Theo up with his sister. She won the local queen pageant. Drop dead gorgeous. Make you sick just looking at her, she was so pretty.
“He took her on a date so he wouldn’t hurt Smitty’s feelings, but he had her home before midnight with a kiss on the cheek. When I talked to her about the date, she said he was a pure gentleman, which bummed her out. She would’ve loved to get her hands on him.” Both ladies laughed.
“I know what she means,” Francesca said.
“He’s a great guy. He’ll do anything for you. Even though he comes across like a total guy-idiot occasionally. But I bet once his heart is set, it will forever be.”
Francesca turned to the EMT. “Thank you for telling me. That’s great to hear.”
“Sure.” Kelsy shrugged. “Now let’s see if he can kick Red’s ass or not.”
Suddenly, a loud alarm echoed through the garage. Groans erupted along with it. Kelsy sprinted away with the rest of the crowd. Francesca looked around, dazed by the controlled chaos. “What’s happening?” Theo appeared at her side.
“That’s a call, baby doll. We gotta go. Can you wait or need to go?”
“I should be getting home. I’ve been gone since this morning. I’ll Uber it to my car. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Go.” He kissed her then headed for the locker room. “Wait,” she said. He stopped and looked back at her. “You would’ve kicked Red’s butt, you know.”
He smiled. “Yeah, but that’s not the point, love. It’s the comradery.” He zipped away.
Seconds later, one of the trucks pulled out, sirens wailing. The ambulance was close behind. It was a majestic and powerful feeling watching these men and women going out to risk their lives to save others.
She saw Theo jump in the back of one of the bigger trucks. He blew her a kiss and was gone.
22
The next morning, the office doorknob rattled. Francesca looked up from her desk to see Uncle Steve peek through the window. She opened the door and gave him a hug.
“What’s up with the locked door?” he asked.
“New office policy,” Francesca said. She didn’t explain further even though she could tell her uncle would’ve liked it. “What can I do for you, Sensei?” she teased.
“I came by to see if I could get a reimbursement for a personal check to pay for the lawnmower repair.”
“Why didn’t you use the company credit card?” she asked.
“I tried but it was denied,” he replied. She hadn’t expected that. She paid the bill in full last month. “Come in. I’ll write you a check now. That’s strange."
“That’s what I thought. But not much I could do about it at the time.” He headed for the coffeepot while she went to her brother’s office for the checkbook. She tried to open the door but found it locked. Since when was he locking his door? Not a problem. A long time ago, Dad gave her a key to all the offices after she took over her mom’s spot at the office. But still.
After a quick jaunt to her desk and back, she opened his office and went inside. This was the first time in a while since she’d been in there. The room was almost a disaster. Stuff was everywhere, stuff that even didn’t belong in there, like Mom’s fine china.
She pulled on the top drawer of his desk and took out the checkbook. Stepping around the desk, paper in the trashcan caught her eye. Final Notice was printed in red across the top of something. She snagged the crumpled sheet and stuffed it in her pocket.
Back at her desk, she wrote out the payment and tore it along the perforation. “Uncle Steve, do you know the city’s fire chief?” she asked.
“Dan Peters? Sure do. Why?”
“I heard you save
d his life when you guys were in school. Why hadn’t Mom or you ever told us that?”
She swore he blushed. Never had Uncle Sensei Steve been embarrassed about anything. “Well, child, I did what any other person in that situation would’ve done. I just happened to be the one there.”
“You fought an alligator, for crying out loud. That’s huge, Uncle Steve.” She couldn’t believe he was being so modest.
He ran a finger down his scar. “I guess it kinda is. But that was a long time ago, child. Shoot, I barely remember it.” He sipped his coffee and took the check from her. “Thanks for the quick reimbursement, Francesca.” His eyes looked around. “No Shane yet?” He glanced at his watch. It was almost noon. “Does that boy even work?”
Francesca snorted. “Define work, Uncle. It’s debatable. Seems he’s always gone to meetings.”
He shook his head. “I’ll see you later, youngin.” As their uncle pulled out in his old truck, she saw Shane in his muscle car roll in. He then stormed through the entrance.
“Shane,” Francesca stood behind her desk, “we need to meet. There’s a lot of things we need to discuss.” He walked past her without even looking at her. What the hell? She followed him. “Shane, did you hear me?”
Her brother stomped into his office, not noticing the door was unlocked. He swung the door closed, making her have to whip her arm up to keep from being hit. Now she was pissed. “What is your fucking problem, Shane?”
He spun on her. “My fucking problem?”
She would not be cowered. “Yes. Your problem. Everything is happy and smooth until you walk in and the place goes to shit.”
“I have responsibilities to take care of. Stressful responsibilities. I don’t just sit behind a desk and do stupid busy work. I make decisions.”
Stupid busy work? Wrong thing to say. “I make this office work. Without me, you wouldn’t have a company to run. I do everything here. In fact, I’d like to know what you do. What decisions do you make, dear brother? Please, enlighten me.”
“I make all the financial moves. I figure out how to keep us out of bankruptcy.”
Bankruptcy? They had so much money in the bank, there shouldn’t even be a thought of that. Then something Marcus mentioned came to mind. “Shane, I want to take back some of the banking tasks Jim took when you hired him.”
“No,” he said. She waited for an explanation that she was already overloaded with stuff and didn’t need the added work. But it didn’t come.
“No?” she responded. “That’s it? No.”
“Yes.” He brushed an arm through the air. “Get me some coffee and close the door behind you.” He made for his desk. Boy, he was king of wrong things to say today.
She took the crumpled Final Notice paper from her pocket and smoothed it out. “What is this?” she asked as she slammed in on his desk.
His eyes narrowed. “Where did you get that?”
“Doesn’t matter. Why isn’t this bill paid?”
He whipped it from under her hands and stuck it in a drawer. “It’s an account I decided to close.”
“Account for what? Why wasn’t I told about this?” she demanded.
His face bloomed red. Had she caught him doing something he shouldn’t have or was it something personal he screwed up?
“Don’t question me,” he yelled. “I’m the prime here. You shouldn’t even be working. You should be home, taking care of children and cooking supper. Ready to spread your legs when the man who owns you gets home.”
Everything in her mind stopped. He did not just say those words. Her hands balled into fists. She didn’t know how to address those items that would send her into a rage without killing her brother. She’d focus on the easy points that wouldn’t make her a murderer. “First off, brother, you are not the prime. Father is still in charge of the pride. Not you. Even sick, he can kick your ass out of here and send you on your own if he so decided.”
She twirled around to get the hell out of there before blowing up. Prior to slamming his office door behind her, she said, “And since I’m so unimportant to this office, I’m on vacation until I decide to return. If I return.”
She ran to her desk, shut and locked down everything and grabbed her purse. Relief hit her, glad Shane didn’t confront her again. She would’ve gone bat-shit crazy karate chop on his ass. Peeling out of the parking lot, she left with nowhere in mind to go.
23
Francesca sat in her car in the parking lot of her father’s medical facility. It wasn’t really a nursing home or assisted living. She didn’t know what to call it. But Dad could stay as long as he wanted and they would take care of any medical need he had.
She hated this place. It was the same one her mother went to when she developed cancer and never came home from. She didn’t want that happening with her father, too. She was too young to lose her parents. They didn’t even have grandkids yet. He couldn’t die until he spoiled them rotten.
The thought of having kids scared her. She didn’t know how to raise them. What if they turned out bad and were mean people? What if one of her children became a serial killer, or an ax murderer? How did she handle the “terrible twos” or mouthy teens?
What happened if the baby got sick? When did she go to the doctor? She didn’t want to go for every little thing and become known as one of “those” moms. But she didn’t want her kids to have lasting effects from something.
Was a baby supposed to sleep on its back or front? When did you feed it? What did you feed it? When was it okay to take a baby outside or on a plane? Which stroller was the safest, which car seat? Oh god, this could go on and on. Was she really equipped to be a mom?
Her dad would know all these things. He raised her and Shane to be great people. Well, she wasn’t too sure about Shane right now. He seemed deadly lately.
Their conversation played in her mind. She remembered how mad he got. Would Shane try to hurt Dad so he could have complete control over the pride? No, he’d never do that. But she’d call Uncle Steve anyway to have him come visit Dad until visitor time was over to make sure he stayed safe. She needed to be at Marcus and Theo’s in a few hours for dinner at their parents’ house.
Francesca pulled a chair next to the table her dad sat next to in a great room.
“Hey, Dad. You look great. Must be all the attention you’re getting around here,” she said.
“Well, don’t know about that, but I am feeling better. Sleeping in and being pampered has its effects,” he responded.
“It’s probably been rough without Mom to cook full meals and clean and…other stuff, huh?” she asked.
He looked at her. She tipped her face down. Why did she ask such a stupid question?
“What’s wrong, Francesca? And don’t say nothing. I’m your dad. I know better.”
She let out a sigh. “I don’t know, Dad. I’m not sleeping well. Things aren’t right. I met two great guys and have to give up one of them. Something’s wrong with Shane. You’re sick, and I miss you and Mom.” Along with the outpour of words and emotions came the tears. She hadn’t cried since Joe Reynolds broke up with her in eighth grade. God, what was wrong with her?
Dad patted her hand. “It’ll be all right, Francesca. We go through things as they come, and they pass. Let’s talk about the most important matter.”
Francesca cringed. She wasn’t ready to answer questions about what was going on in the pride—what was strange, what was wrong. Wasn’t she doing her job right? Was she letting everyone down?
Dad cleared his throat, his brows drew together. “What two boys?”
Two boys? She stressed over the lives of the pride, and her dad wanted to talk about who she was dating? A huge laugh burst from her with a release of built-up emotions. She laughed with different tears falling. Some of the others in the great room looked at them. She didn’t care. This is what she missed: family.
“Oh, Dad. You’re too funny. You always know how to make me smile,” she said.
He grinned. �
��That’s because there is very little in this world to be sad about. Remember that.” His face returned to a scowl. “Now, about the boys?”
“Dad,” she rolled her eyes, “they are both great. One is an Ursave bear and the other is a Liannus lion.”
“Where did you meet them?”
Oh god. Here came the third degree. “Gerri Wilder introduced them to me.”
“Gerri Wilder?” He sat back in his chair. “That’s fine then. You can mate whichever.”
She froze. “Wait. That’s it? No questions on anything?” she queried.
“If they are from Gerri, then I trust them. I trust her.”
“Okay,” Francesca said, “I guess you don’t have a problem with women working outside the house?” Her question served a dual purpose. She kept her eyes down to not give away her deception. She’d make a horrible poker player. Staying away from Vegas was wise for her.
“Of course, I have no problem with that. Your mother worked in the office with me up till she had to stop.” His head tilted. “Where did you get the thought otherwise?”
She shrugged. “Shane seems to think women should be baby makers and stay home.”
“Where did he get those ideas?” Her dad looked concerned. “Your mother and I taught you kids that you could be anything you wanted. Gender has little role in this day and age. Women can do anything men can except pee their name in the snow.”
Did he just say what she thought he said? Another burst of laughter erupted from her. He’d never said anything like that to her before. He was becoming less censored in his opinions as his years went by. She noticed his cheeks pink. Yeah, he hadn’t meant to say that in front of her. Uncle Steve, maybe.
That reminded her, she called her uncle earlier to come over to make sure her father was safe. Should she say anything to her Dad?
“Has your brother had any other wild hairs up his ass?” he asked.