by Layla Nash
"I don't know what to do about the crying," Logan said, scowling as he stood. "Seriously. She was watching a dog food commercial yesterday about rescue dogs helping veterans, and she cried for almost an hour. What the hell, Edgar?"
"No idea." Edgar shook his head. "Buy her chocolates and flowers every day for the next five months. And then for the next year after the baby's born. That's all I can say."
Logan grumbled under his breath as he left in search of his wife, but Edgar knew the conversation about Ivy wasn't over. He sank into the chair behind his desk, trying to focus as he brought up the files Smith sent him a week ago. There might be clues in Smith's investigation of Sophia's past. If he could find enough information, they could deal with the perpetrators and then he and Ivy would have the time and space to figure out what they were to each other.
Or she would be ready for her fresh start, away from anything that reminded her of the past, and would run as far and as fast as she could.
Chapter 11
I folded my arms around myself as we walked through the hall, not quite able to look at the pregnant woman beside me. She kept up a steady dialogue, going into detail about the layout of the mansion and where I could find the gym and the kitchen and the pool and the theater and anything else I could possibly want while I stayed there. My mind boggled, to think that people actually had a movie theater in their house, but I nodded along and tried not to notice her bump.
She seemed nice enough, and was kind to the servants in the halls, and I had no real reason to be nervous around her. None except the baby. Logan's, clearly, and the two of them blissfully happy about it. I cleared my throat as she looked at me expectantly, and I tried to smile. "Sorry, I missed that. Did you ask me something?"
"Are you hungry?"
"A little." And right on cue, my stomach growled.
She smiled and winked, turning down another hall. "Good. I feed people. That's what I do. Got a craving for anything in particular?"
"Anything will do, thanks." I didn't want to like her. I really didn't want to like her. If I liked her, I'd want to stay more than I already did, and if I wanted to stay too much, it would distract me from my list. I might have to keep moving to finish the list, and if I let them tie me too closely to the house and their life and all the laughter and love, I would never be free of the past. I followed her into an enormous gourmet kitchen, like on a cooking show, and eased onto the stool she pointed at. "Do you need any help?"
"Not a bit." She tied on an apron and started gathering supplies before brandishing a spatula at me. "Pasta with a white sauce okay? I think we have venison sausage as well."
"S-sure." I folded my hands on the smooth counter of the island, watching her expertise as she chopped onions and garlic and tossed them into a pan with crumbled sausage.
Natalia filled a pot with hot water from the weird spigot next to the stove, frowning at me as she waited for the water to rise. "So you know Sophia. From before. From the bad stuff, I'm guessing?"
I blinked. And she didn't have much of a filter. Before I could say anything, or maybe tell her to mind her own business, Natalia shut off the water and slung the pot onto the stove. She dumped a good amount of salt into the water before facing me across the island, leaning on her elbows as she stared me down. "I recognize other survivors, babe. I went through some rough times as a kid, and as a teenager, and as a young woman. Bad stuff, from people I knew and people I didn't. But I got through it. I survived. So did you. If you want to talk, about anything, I'm here. And your secrets will stay with me. Those men tell each other everything, as far as I can tell, so if you want something to stay a secret, don't tell them much. Even Edgar, bless his heart."
My heart jumped to my throat until I nearly couldn't breathe. And she was right — when I looked at her, really looked at her, I could see it in her eyes. A toughness, a diamond hardness, that challenged the world. That knew what it was to hurt, to struggle, and to survive. I cleared my throat, ducking my head. "Thanks. And yeah — it was from the bad stuff."
She made a noncommittal sound and eyed the sizzling onions, tossing in a handful of flour until it thickened and browned with a delicious, rich smell. My stomach growled more. Natalia concentrated on the food, though she pointed the spatula behind her at a couple of cabinets. "Bowls are up there, my dear. Forks in the drawer. And I don't know whether to say I'm sorry you remember it, or sorry that Sophia's doesn't."
"I'm sorry I remember it," I said under my breath, getting up to retrieve a pair of bowls and forks. "It's better that she doesn't. Much better for her."
"She's a fighter." Natalia tested the water, then dumped a container of fresh pasta into the boiling pot. "I'm sure she would prefer to know what she faced, and fought, and defeated."
"She didn't defeat it. Not yet." I sat back down, though in reality the whiskey made it hard to stay upright for too long, and exhaustion crept over me. Even sleeping next to Edgar, I hadn't gotten enough rest. "I got her out of there before they could kill her. But it's almost over. We're almost done."
"Good. Then what?"
"Pardon?" I propped myself up on my elbows, trying to focus on just her face and not the way her hand rested lightly on her belly. I remembered, in a brief flash, the first flutter of a baby. The first sense that something grew inside, that a miracle had occurred. My eyes smarted and I shoved away the thought.
"What are you going to do after it's over and you're done with whatever it is you're doing? I'm guessing you're going after the bad guys, right? Good. I'm sure Logan will help you, and if he so much as hesitates, you let me know and I'll set him straight."
I had zero doubt that she would. But her question nearly knocked me flat. What would I do after the list? "I'm not sure. About what to do after it's all done. I've never gotten that far."
"I recommend you start thinking about it, Ivy. These men are determined, and if Edgar said he'd help you finish off whatever it is you're doing, I'd bet all of Logan's money that it'll be wrapped up in a couple of weeks. Maybe less, knowing Edgar." She poked at the pasta, then nodded at the fridge. "Can you grab the heavy cream out of the door for me?"
I retrieved the carton and handed it to her, pausing to study the way she flung ingredients together and somehow came up with a sauce that smelled divine. It was a hell of a talent. I usually survived on takeout and granola bars. Natalia concentrated on the pan as she stirred the sauce, her voice almost lost in the hiss and bubble of the pots. "There is something about me that bothers you, and I would hope that you would tell me what it is."
I sucked in a breath and retreated, wanting to keep walking until the kitchen and that delicious pasta was only a distant memory. Until I didn't feel like crying just at the sight of her. Thank the stars Natalia remained facing the stove, not pushing, so I could compose myself in the silence and debate how much to tell her. Somewhere between her standing between me and the angry wolf in the office, and her offering to feed me, I started to trust the woman. I exhaled and covered my face as I leaned on the island. My voice came out muffled, low and painful even after so many years. "Swear you won't tell them. Won't tell him."
"I won't tell a soul." She faced me but didn't get any closer, though her expression grew pensive. "Whatever it is, I won't be offended."
I still felt like scum as I pointed at her belly, and Natalia's eyebrows rose. She immediately touched her belly, spoon nearly forgotten in her hand, and then straightened. "Did you have your own?"
I ground my teeth as tears threatened, and waited until I thought I might be able to say it without crying before I went on. "One of the experiments. Artificial insemination. It took for a while, a couple months — long enough to feel it, but I lost it."
Her lips trembled, then her chin wobbled, then she cursed with some of the vilest words I'd ever heard, and faced the sauce, back rigid. I waited as she stirred the sauce and the pasta and flung the spatula about, all the while crying but trying to sound like she wasn't. She still hadn't turned when she said, voi
ce high-pitched and wavering, "I'm very sorry to hear that, Ivy, that's terrible. Terrible. How old were you?"
“Fifteen.” I rubbed the back of my neck, uneasy with her grief when it paralleled my own, and traced a circle through some spilled salt.
"You were just a baby, and they wanted you to have a baby?" She whirled, eyes red, and dug a colander out of one of the cupboards in the island. "Bastards. Every one of them. Sons of bitches. I hope you killed them all."
"Most of them." I eased off the stool to help her lift the pot of boiling water and pasta over the sink, draining it into the colander. "That's why I'm here. There's one left."
"Well. Give me a crack at him. I have all kinds of things I want to do to the piece of shit before Edgar kills him." She scowled and hauled the pasta back to the stove, dumping the noodles into the sauce. I blinked but she gave me a jaundiced look. "The only way to make pasta, dear. Don't pour the sauce over the noodles, put the noodles in the sauce. And the sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon before you eat it. Remember that."
"O-okay." I eased back as she fussed with the nearly-overflowing pan, tossing salt and pepper and other spices into the mix. "I wouldn't mind some cooking lessons."
"Be careful what you ask for." She smiled, nodding for me to carry the bowls over. "Logan's been trying to get the doctor to put me on bedrest so I'll stay off my feet, but the doc is more afraid of me than Logan. I'm not sure how much longer that will last, so I'll need a kitchen assistant to help out. Ruby is a disaster in the kitchen, and I don't trust Eloise around the food. Honestly, she's a lovely girl and I know why Benedict loves her, but she could burn water. Even with a recipe, she couldn't make ice. And Sophia is still a little unsteady, so she focuses on control and exercise for the most part. I would love if you could help me in the kitchen a couple days each week."
"Sure, I'd be happy to." My stomach rumbled louder as she handed me a bowl filled to the brim with pasta and a creamy, garlicky sauce. "But I don't know how long I'll be here. If we wrap things up in a week or so, that doesn't give much time for —"
"You should stay longer," she said, too nonchalant for the comment to be completely innocent. "Once things are all sorted out. You should just stay here. It sounds like you've done a lot of investigating on your own. I'm sure some of Edgar's people could use help. You could work in security for the company, or start your own business, or just hang around the house with me as I get too fat to fit through the door."
"I don't think I can."
"Do you want to stay with one of the packs? Edgar said you're only part wolf, but I'm sure Ruby or Miles or a new pack would be a good —"
"I'm a lone wolf," I said, blowing on some of the noodles to try to cool them, then gave up on waiting and burned my mouth as I tried to inhale the scalding pasta. "And a wolverine. So I don't fit in with a pack. Or anywhere, really."
"A wolverine?" She blinked, then took a seat at the small table in the kitchen. "I don't think I've ever met a wolverine before. What do you turn into, then? A wolf or a wolverine?"
"Both. I can shift into both." Her eyes narrowed and she started to argue, but I held up a hand. "I know. It's not supposed to be possible. Somehow, I can do it. No one knows why. That's part of the reason why the bad guys took me. They wanted to find out why I was different. So I'm trying to stay away from as many people as I can until we get this thing finished. I don't want the bad guy hearing about me being here. He'll run and then I'll never find him."
Natalia got up to retrieve a carafe of fresh juice, pouring a couple of glasses before returning to the table. I eased into the chair across from her, concentrating on the pasta. I hadn't eaten anything that good in years. Ever, maybe. "Is there nutmeg in this?"
"Good job," she said, nodding. "Just a hint of nutmeg. Maybe some cinnamon if I’m feeling froggy. Now look, you. No one here will tell anyone outside the family about you. You're safe here. Edgar will make sure of it."
Normally I would have thought she offered platitudes only, but for a moment I thought of Edgar, and I did feel safe. Protected. Sheltered. I shook off the momentary dreaminess, and caught Nat grinning at me. I flushed but didn't know why. "What?"
"Edgar is a good man, Ivy."
"I'm sure he is." My cheeks heated more, almost giving me a headache as they smoked. "But I don't think —"
"He likes you." Natalia didn't even blink. "And he doesn't like anyone, honey. Not like that. When he stood between you and Ruby, I knew he liked you. I knew you would be special, if Edgar thought you worth protecting. So don't push that away too easily, okay?"
I cleared my throat, embarrassed as I stirred the pasta with my fork. "I won't."
"Good." She made a serious dent in her bowl before she went on. "Edgar is quiet but he'll talk if you give him the chance. Still waters run deep, you know? He likes hockey more than basketball and whiskey more than beer, but he'll eat just about anything you put in front of him without blinking an eye. When Eloise made scrambled eggs, Edgar was the only one who could stomach it." Natalia shook her head, laughing. "He hardly blinked, just added more salt. Benedict tried but he couldn't keep it down, then said he should have sued her for attempted murder. Poor Eloise. Anyway. Edgar is a good man and he works very hard to keep everyone in the family safe, along with Logan's company, and he's everyone else's rock. I've never seen him confide in or lean on anyone. Ever.”
I held my breath, wanting to take notes so I could use it later to hold a normal conversation with Edgar. Hockey and whiskey. I cleared my throat. "Why are you telling me all this?"
"Because I like you, Ivy, and I think you would be good for Edgar. Just like I think he'd be good for you." She smiled, then made a face. "Okay, fine. I just want another normal woman around here. Is that too much to ask?"
She surprised a laugh out of me, though I shook my head. "If I'm your idea of normal, lady, we both need help."
"We'll see about that. And since you look about ready to fall asleep into that bowl, I'm guessing you'd like to see your rooms?"
I pushed to my feet, hiding a yawn. "Yes, thank you. It's delicious, but I can hardly keep my eyes open."
I followed her through the halls once more, trying to figure out the maze of corridors and staircases, until finally she stopped in a quiet hall with only three doors. She pointed at one near the corner, to the right of where we stood. "Those are Edgar's quarters."
I shot her a sideways look. "I'm staying right next to Edgar?"
Natalia widened her eyes in a ridiculous almost-innocent expression. "Oh my, imagine that. The only rooms available in the entire house. I guess you'll just have to stay right here next to Edgar."
I just shook my head as she opened the door and gave me a brief tour, although I breathed a sigh of relief to see my suitcase already in the bedroom. I toed it as Natalia pointed out the living area, the kitchenette, bedroom, bathroom, and a spare room as well, then cleared my throat. "I don't have any clothes, really. Those disappeared."
"Not a problem." She eyed me up and down, then nodded. "I'll have someone raid Eloise's closet, you're about the same size. I'll send someone over with clothes just before dinner."
"Thanks." I managed a real smile for her, but when she was gone, I exhaled and looked around the rooms. They were clearly guest quarters, nicely decorated but still impersonal. Just the way I liked it. I picked up my suitcase of records and started to sort through the files and paperwork. I needed to get my story straight before we met with the investigator the next morning. He might be able to find Keller within the week if I had the right information for him, and that meant I could extract myself from the Chase family while I still had the nerve to walk away. Between the pull of Edgar and Natalia, I wasn't sure I could hold out longer than a week.
Chapter 12
The rest of the day disappeared before Edgar felt like he accomplished anything. He fielded emails from Logan's company as the security system malfunctioned and lost coverage on one of the underground garages, then spent an hour
on the phone with Kaiser, trying to sort out whether there was anything they needed to do with Owen. Apparently the young bear was in a lovesick fit since being tackled by the sweet southern belle at the Auction, and Kaiser was ready to throw him out of the house to live in the woods for a few weeks. As soon as Edgar hung up with the bears, he got a call from Rafe O'Shea about burgeoning trouble with a wolf pack outside the city. Ruby intended to talk to him about it but Ivy's presence had disrupted that plan.
He'd barely had a chance to call Todd Evershaw, the security chief for the other wolf pack, before one of the butlers knocked on his office door and said Natalia sent him. As much as Edgar wanted to ignore the summons to dinner, he didn't want the poor man to catch hell from Logan's mate. He called the hyena queen as he strode through the mansion, trying to outline what happened at the Auction as well as what Logan planned to bring to the alphas at the Council meeting. The hyenas had been in disarray for months as Lacey struggled to maintain her late mother's empire — without the criminal components. After Val Szdoka's death, some of the hyenas wanted to continue running their underground businesses, while Lacey wanted to return to the straight and narrow. Rumors of a pending split, and some of the hyenas joining with the coyotes, had circulated for weeks.
So it took a little convincing for Lacey to agree to attend the Council meeting, although it helped that he promised to bring Eloise, Lacey's best friend, for security. Edgar was still on the phone in the dining room, following up with one of Lacey's subordinates about possibly sponsoring one of the girls from the Auction, when Ivy slid into the room and hesitated in the doorway. He stopped in the middle of a sentence, surprised by how much she affected him. His heart jumped and his pulse quickened, and it took a moment before he could gather his thoughts enough to wrap up the conversation with the hyena and hang up the phone.
Natalia, grinning, shuffled around the table to give Ivy a hug, though she eyed Edgar to make it clear she'd caught his reaction. "You look much better, young lady. Feeling okay?"