“I’ll do it.”
“You will?” Her voice held a tone of disbelief, but at his confirming nod the relief that surged through her caused her to do something completely out of character; she hugged him.
Momentarily shocked at her outward display of affection, it took Tobias a moment to respond but he soon eased his arms around her smaller frame and savoured the inner peace her proximity gave him. “I said I’ll do it, but I won’t do it for nothing.”
The moment broken Alex began to struggle against his grip, before he reluctantly released her. What the hell is wrong with me? I hugged him; he’s a stranger! she mentally scolded; ignoring the momentary sense of security she had gained within his embrace.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t pay you to do this, I've only got enough for the drinks. I can’t give you anything on top to do this for me. I'm sorry but I just can't afford it.”
He smiled at her and Alex felt her skin flush with heat. “I don’t need your money.”
“Then what do you want?”
Closing the distance between them, he cupped her chin and raised her face upwards to meet his gaze. Her throat dried at the intense look in his stormy eyes and she felt compelled to lick her lips, in anticipation or fear she couldn’t be certain.
Watching the unconscious movement of her tongue, Tobias felt compelled to lean closer before he suddenly stopped. She’s not one of us, if I do this now, I’ll scare her away. Shaking his head to clear the fog of desire he swallowed and rediscovered his voice. “Time. I want some of your time.”
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”
“It means, I’ll buy what you want me to and in exchange we’ll spend some time together.”
“You mean like a date?”
She hadn’t thought it possible, but his smile became even brighter and the butterflies multiplied correspondingly. “Yes, like a date.”
“A date with you and me?” She swallowed.
“Yes.”
“I don’t know you.”
“That’s exactly why we’re going on a date.”
He’s got me there, but Fred will never allow it and I don’t know anything about him except his name and even that could be a lie... I need to buy the drinks otherwise Fred will beat me again and I can’t take another one. She bit her bottom lip in a nervous habit as she tried to come up with a solution, while Tobias watched on calmly.
She’s got to stop doing that otherwise I’ll have to kiss her, he thought, watching her continue to gnash away.
I’ll do it, she concluded. Fred doesn’t know I have tomorrow off and this guy has no means of contacting me so if I don’t want to go then I won’t. “Fine, it’s a deal. A date for the alcohol.”
“Good,” he beamed. “There’s a small cafe on the corner of this street, will you meet me there for breakfast?” She nodded and he removed his fingers from her face. She almost whimpered at the loss before she reined herself in. “Ten o’clock?”
That’s the time I’m meant to be in at work, Fred will never even guess that I’m not where I’m supposed to be. “Yeah, ten will be fine.”
Nodding his head in agreement, he stepped away from her and turned his head in the direction of the store. “So what do you need?”
“I need a few bottles of vodka, the good stuff. Some beer, and another few bottles of whiskey if they have it, oh and some Irish cream.”
“That’s a fairly strong list of drinks. If you drunk any of that you’d get drunk very, very quickly and then it would be easy for someone to take advantage of you.”
“Like I said, it’s not for me. Will you do it or not?” she snapped, becoming increasingly aware of the time. If I run, I can make it.
“Of course I’ll do it. I’m looking forward to spending time with you tomorrow. Wait here in the light. I’ll be back in a second.” He turned from her and began striding towards the off licence.
“Hey!” she called, causing him to turn around. “Don’t you want some money to pay for it?”
“Like I said, I don’t need your money, keep it and do something nice for yourself.” He turned again and entered the store.
As she watched him walk away her eyes unconsciously ran over his frame appraisingly. His shoulders were broad and his upper body heavily muscled, which explained why she had thought she’d ran into a wall when they first met. His legs were long and easily covered the distance between her and the store. Watching him walk she came to the conclusion that he didn’t actually walk, his movements were something all together different. He moved as though he were hunting something. His every action seemingly directed towards a distinct end. And as he strode back to her, his smile filling her with nervous energy, she got the distinct feeling that she was prey, though she couldn’t tell if that was a good thing or not. What have I gotten myself into? she gulped.
Chapter Four
The bottles clinked gently against each other as Alex ran home, her grip on the bags tightened as she approached the house and saw that the lights were on, slowing her a pace to crawl.
Crap crap crap! I’m late. Fighting her rising panic she quickly inhaled a calming breath. He’s got his drinking friends round he doesn’t usually do anything in front of them. I’ll just have to take a chance.
Entering her house she quickly moved to the living room, where judging from the loud noises, her father and his friends were. She hovered in the doorway as she looked at her living room. The cramped room appeared even more so with three of her father’s equally large buddies sitting on the battered furniture. The volume on the small TV was turned up to its highest level as they watched a sporting event for entertainment before the drinks arrived. Although judging by the smell, they had already consumed a large amount. Her father was unfortunately not the first person to notice her arrival and she shuddered as Sean’s eyes roamed over her. Sean had a very similar build to that of her father, with a large protruding stomach. His dirty blond hair was plastered to his scalp and his cheeks had taken on a distinct redness.
If Fred had a best friend then Sean would have been it, they were eerily similar in their behaviour, but that wasn’t what had her on edge. It was the way he looked at her that made her skin crawl and knowing that he would be drinking the large amount of alcohol she had just bought made her visibly shudder. When drunk he seemed to have very little understanding of personal space and acceptable boundaries, the one time she had been stupid enough to leave the safety of her room and venture out while her father entertained his drunk friends had been when her mother was still alive. She could still remember the look of desire that had made his blue eyes seemed crazed, though she was young, she had known something bad was about to happen. Luckily Natasha had come across her before anything had happened, but there was no Natasha to protect her from him anymore and so she had learnt to stay out of the way. She had learned from her mother that Sean was initially a friend of hers and had introduced her to Fred and for that she could never forgive him even if he weren’t looking at her like the best item on the menu.
“Alex,” Sean smiled, “it’s so good to see you. It’s been a while hasn’t it?”
Choosing silence she simply nodded and hoped he would grow bored soon.
“But look at how you’ve grown.” He stood up and walked over to her, draping an arm over her shoulder.
Don’t do anything stupid, she warned herself. Fred might not usually do anything in front of these guys but I’m willing to bet the money that Tobias just saved me that if I hurt Sean he’ll won’t stay peaceful for long.
“The brat hasn’t grown any,” Fred inserted, his comment giving Alex the excuse she needed to move away from Sean.
“Maybe you’re just not seeing what I see.” His eyes dropped from her face and came to land on her chest.
She stopped herself from raising her hands to cover herself, instead turning to her father.
“Where the hell have you been? We’ve been waiting for you.”
She looked at the clock on the wall and saw that she was only a few minutes late, but chose not to correct him. “I had to go to a different off licence, the one nearby wouldn’t sell me anything. But I got what you asked for eventually,” she lied smoothly, placing the bags on the small table.
“Vodka?” Was Fred’s only response to her statement.
“Yes, the good stuff and some whiskey as well.”
“Change?”
“No, it was more expensive that it usually is.”
He snorted, reaching for a bottle and she took that as a cue to leave them. Turning from him, she was disconcerted to find Sean blocking her path.
“Why don’t you join us Alex? You’re old enough to enjoy the stuff now.”
Her eyes widened as Tobias’ words came rushing back to her. It would be easy for someone to take advantage of you. As soon as his words floated through her mind, defiance filled her. Never! “I don’t feel very well.” She clutched her stomach for effect. “I’m having a few female problems at the moment. So I’m just going to go to sleep for the night. Besides, I’ve got work tomorrow.”
Side stepping him she rushed to her bedroom and closed the door wishing that Fred wasn’t so adverse to locks inside his house. Exhaling a heavy sigh she took a quick look around her room, noting that it hadn’t really changed since her childhood. The only difference was the missing table she had insisted removed four years ago otherwise there was almost no evidence that she even lived there. A few precious items of her mother’s was all she kept and those were well hidden in the unlikely even that Fred should make his way into her room and find them. Sighing again she began her routine for Fred’s drinking sessions. Removing her duvet and pillow from the mattress she threw them under the bed and followed after them, reciting her life lessons as she tried to get comfortable in the cramped space.
Lesson number one: Survive. Lesson number two: Keep your head down and always move forward. Lesson number three: Never invite a beating. Lesson number four: Take no chances with Sean. And lesson number five: Escape.
A smile formed on her face as she remembered her plans with her own gorgeous practical stranger. “Tobias,” she whispered, closing her eyes and escaping the brutality of her reality in dreams.
*****
Where is she? Sitting in a booth in the café the next morning, Tobias consulted his watch for what seemed like the hundredth time. It’s ten thirty. She’s late. Maybe something happened to her. She was clumsy enough to walk into me yesterday; maybe she’s clumsy enough to walk out into traffic and not look where she’s headed. She could have been run over and I’m just sitting here. Standing up again, he forced himself back into the red booth once more as reason tried to prevail within his mind. She’s managed not to get herself killed all these years, there’s no reason to think she’d do it now. You don’t want to have to track her she’ll get suspicious. Just wait.
Tapping his hands against the wooden table he was slightly taken aback to find that his claws had unsheathed themselves and were digging grooves into the wood. Sipping his coffee again, he breathed the smell of the warm roast in before his sensitive nostrils caught a waft of vanilla causing his head to shoot up and turn towards the door. Standing in the doorway, Alex was rocking back and forth on the balls of her heels as though deciding whether or not to enter. Her eyes locked with his and she began to walk towards him. He stood up and watched her move, his eyes locked on the unconscious sway of her hips, he felt his lips curl back in the start of a growl as he watched another’s eyes turn to her, before he regained control of his instincts.
She came to stand in front of him and he noticed that she had left her hair down and it curled around her head, her face was hidden behind some of the strands and he realised that she was nervous. His theory was confirmed when she spoke, her voice small instead of the confidence she had exuded yesterday in her righteous indignation.
“Hi.”
“Hello Xandria, how are you feeling today?”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re late.”
“Yeah, I am. I got lost.” Liar, she chastised. You were going to stand him up. She remembered waking up having reached the conclusion that this meeting was a bad idea, but her body had other ideas. And while she had been mentally listing all the reasons she shouldn’t go she had apparently showered and dressed. Before she realised what she had been doing she had already left her house and was on her way.
He could smell that she was lying but chose not to probe any further. “Sit down and we’ll have some breakfast, you look like you need it.”
Sliding into the booth, it took a moment for Alex to process his comment, her nervousness suddenly evaporating. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she snapped.
“It means you’re very small, I can’t help but worry that you’re not eating enough.”
Her mouth opened to issue a retort but she closed it abruptly as she realised that he was telling the truth, she rarely ate enough to satisfy her hunger but alcohol was more important than food to Fred and he budgeted both her and his salaries accordingly. The lion’s share of their meagre foods supplies went to Fred and so she had become accustomed to the constant feeling of hunger.
If he wants to buy me food, who am I to refuse? she thought, choosing not to enlighten him as to her thought process. “Never mind.”
“Are you two ready to order?” The waitress had managed to appear unnoticed during their bickering session, startling the pair. Turning to face the young brunette, Tobias forced himself to turn his snarl into a smile and place their order.
“We’d like two full breakfasts please.”
“Drinks?”
He turned to Alexandria and waited for her response. “I’d like an apple juice please.”
“I’ll just have some water.”
The waitress dutifully noted their orders before heading back to the kitchen leaving the duo alone.
“Why did you order for me? I might not have liked the things in a full breakfast.”
“Do you like the full breakfast?” She felt her stomach tighten in anticipation of the coming meal and frowned at him. “I’ll take that as a yes then.” Her deep set frown had his inner wolf growling angrily at him. “If it really upsets you then I’ll do my best not to do it again.”
“Thanks, I just like to be given a choice in things you know?”
He smiled at her and she felt her stomach churn not in hunger, but with the re-emergence of her own personal flock of butterflies. His smile seemed to transform his face making it even more appealing and she felt her body grow hot just from being in his presence. “I know exactly what you mean.”
Awarding him with a small smile of her own, she watched in interest as he began to fidget, as though searching for something. She didn’t know why but the sight of him fidgeting made her chuckle it seemed an almost inappropriate action for the man in front of her.
The sound of her small laugh washed over him and made him want to laugh in response; instead he stopped his search and turned to her fixing her with his most penetrating stare. “What exactly is so funny?”
Her laughter died immediately and he cursed himself for causing her to stop. “Nothing,” she replied, her voice small once more as her shyness returned.
“Xandria, I want you to relax, I like hearing you laugh. I get the feeling that you don’t have much reason to.” She turned her face away from his and he sighed in apparent defeat before getting a second wind. “I bought you something.” Her face turned back to him and he grinned. “I want you to be able to contact me whenever you feel the need.” He slid a small mobile across the table and waited for her to take it.
“I can’t accept this.”
“Why not?”
“It’s too much, we don’t know each other. I can’t accept a gift like that.”
“You haven’t even seen the best of it yet.” Reaching across the table, he grabbed her hand and pulled it towards him, noting with pride that she had trusted him enough not to st
ruggle. Reaching into a pocket on the inside of his jacket, he retrieved a small silver bracelet and calmly placed it around Alex’s wrist.
“What’s this?” she asked, taking her wrist back as he allowed it to slip out of his grasp.
“It’s a gift.”
Turning her wrist over, she studied the delicate piece of jewellery noting first the odd clasp; two wolf heads facing each other, their yellowed jewelled eyes sparkling in the sunlight. Twisting the bracelet again, her eyes narrowed as she tried to make out the scratching on the metal, before she lifted her arm to her face to examine it in detail. The scratches were in reality an intricate picture of what she could only assume was a forest. The detailed work on the band snapped her out of the haze she had been in.
“If I couldn’t accept the phone, there’s no way I can accept this. It’s too much. You don’t even know me. You can’t just go round giving people silver bracelets, it’s ridiculous.”
He grinned at the flustered look that had come over her face, leaning his head on his palms to be closer to her. “It’s platinum actually,” he answered calmly. “I’m allergic to silver, a genetic trait,” he shrugged.
Her mouth hung open for a moment at his admission before she mentally righted herself. “Well then I definitely can’t accept it now!”
“Of course you can. I want you to have it.”
“You can’t buy people, it’s wrong,” she mumbled, her voice low.
“I have no intention of buying anyone, like I said this is a gift. I want to give you things.” I need to give you things.
“You don’t give this kind of a gift to a stranger.”
He sighed as he realised the moment he had been regretting had appeared. “Well about that…” he closed his eyes, trying to hide his thoughts from her as he decided how much he would tell her. I’ll start small. Just the stuff that she knows about, he decided; opening his eyes and leaning his head against his chairs head rest.
A Wolf's Duty Page 3