Sunny’s size was definitely intimidating. The kids looked concerned.
“Who is this?” Lea asked.
“Is this who you were with and why you didn’t come home last night after work?” Brandon asked as Tommy practically climbed up Melissa’s leg.
“This is my friend Sunny. He’s a police officer,” Melissa stated as she began to head inside the apartment. She felt kind of embarrassed about her small apartment and how many people squeezed into it, especially after seeing what kind of place Sunny and his brothers had. It was gorgeous.
“Let them in, kids, come on,” Aunt Peggy called to them, and they all hurried through the door.
* * * *
“Do you play football?” Brandon asked Sunny as they walked further into the living room.
“I used to play in high school and a little in college.”
“That’s what I want to do. I want to play for the high school then go to Notre Dame and play ball. Aunt Mel said I could do whatever I set my heart on doing. I just have to study really hard and practice a lot.”
Sunny smiled then glanced at Melissa. “Your aunt is right. Hard work pays off, and studying to get good grades is very important.”
Sunny looked around at the small apartment and the amount of people who were there. There appeared to be only two bedrooms. There were three kids, Melissa, and her aunt. A pretty tight fit.
“This is my friend, Celine. Celine, this is Sunny.”
“Hello, Sunny. It’s nice to meet a friend of Mel’s. She never brings anyone home. You must be special,” Celine teased. He smiled at the attractive blonde. She seemed like she had a nice personality.
Melissa gave Celine a light punch in the arm.
“Actually, Sunny was just driving me off. He wanted to see me to the door to be sure I was safe,” Melissa stated as if implying she wanted him to leave.
“Oh, can Sunny stay for dinner?” Brandon asked.
“Oh, I don’t know what I’m making yet,” Melissa stated.
“I took out the chicken cutlets you brought yesterday, and Deborah dropped off some homemade apple pie for dessert. She said that she wanted to thank you for getting the extra baby formula and money for the rent. You know, Melissa, I don’t know how you keep up with helping everyone and saving money so you can take that last class and study for the bar exam.”
“Aunt Peggy, please,” Melissa interjected.
“She’s an angel, our Melissa,” Celine stated.
Melissa gave her a warning look.
“It’s okay. I should really be going. I don’t want to intrude,” Sunny replied, but he really wanted to stay and get to know Melissa and her family. The kids were adorable. As he caught more of their scent, he could have sworn that he smelled wolf. But that couldn’t be. Especially in the littlest one, Tommy. He clung to Melissa from the moment she got to the doorway.
“It’s okay, Sunny. You’re not intruding. We’re actually leaving. I need to get ready for work tomorrow, and the kids need baths,” Celine stated as she gathered up her three small children and everyone gave hugs and kisses good-bye.
Sunny absorbed it all. He felt the love they all shared.
“So, Sunny can stay for dinner?” Brandon asked.
“Sunny stay!” Tommy cheered as he began dancing around Sunny.
Melissa looked at Sunny with pleading eyes, but he couldn’t resist.
“Chicken is one of my favorite meats,” he teased as he looked deeply into Melissa’s eyes. She immediately blushed then shook her head.
“Okay. Let me go change, and we can get started.”
* * * *
When Melissa reentered the room, she felt the tears block her vision. Sunny was sitting with Lea and Brandon while Tommy sat on Sunny’s lap playing with his hair. They were asking him questions about how he met their aunt and if he was her boyfriend.
“Hey, that’s enough interrogating, you three. Let’s get the table set and start preparing dinner for our guest,” Melissa ordered with a smile.
* * * *
Everyone ran to the bathroom to wash their hands, then they all pitched in setting the table, taking out lettuce and tomatoes for salad and other ingredients Melissa needed.
“I think Jake would go crazy for help like this in the kitchen,” Sunny stated as he stood in the small doorway. The kitchen was really tight, yet everyone worked together doing specific jobs. Even Tommy got plastic cups and plastic plates for the kids. Lea got the ceramic dishes for her, Melissa, him, and their aunt. Melissa smiled at his remark, and then a sad look covered her face.
He wished he knew what she was thinking.
* * * *
Melissa whipped up a delicious meal Sunny was certain that his brothers would love. He imagined her sharing recipes with Jake and maybe arguing over how to do it and whose way was better. He also imagined her displayed on their table again, but this time as dessert. He stuck around afterwards as she read the kids a story, got everyone washed up and ready for bed, then tended to her aunt.
He waited in the living room looking at family pictures, trying to get a hold on who Melissa really was.
* * * *
“He seems very nice for such a large man.”
Melissa smiled at her aunt as she pulled down the covers on her aunt’s bed.
“Not many men are as big as him or have such stunning eyes,” she stated when Melissa didn’t respond.
“He’s just a friend.” Melissa helped her aunt get into bed.
“I’m feeling stronger every day, Mel. Pretty soon you can go out on real dates instead of sneaking off.”
Melissa swallowed hard. She hadn’t snuck off. She had been taken into custody. It would have been worse if she had been caught stealing that money.
“I didn’t sneak off. I was caught up at the job late and I was too tired to drive home. Celine’s apartment is closer.”
“You don’t have to lie to me. I can see the pain in your eyes and the secrets you hold. Once the kids are in school tomorrow, we’ll talk more about this and about Sunny.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. He’s just a friend.”
“I may have faced death in the eyes and be a considered a senior because I’m sixty-six years old, but I’m not blind. He cares for you, and you care for him.”
“Goodnight,” Melissa stated, trying to end the conversation.
“Goodnight, and be sure to give that handsome man a kiss goodnight from me, too.”
Melissa giggled as she grabbed the pillow and blanket then headed out into the living room. She placed the pillow and blanket on the floor by the couch.
Sunny sat there smiling at her.
“What’s the grin for?”
“My aunt wanted me to give you a goodnight kiss from her.”
He smirked, then licked his lips.
“Come here,” he whispered, and she went to him without hesitation.
He pulled her onto his lap and kissed her cheek. “That one is for Aunt Peggy.”
Then he caressed her thighs and cupped her chin, tilting her head toward him.
“This one is all yours.”
Before she could respond, Sunny kissed her. He squeezed her tighter as he explored her mouth with his tongue and cupped her breast. Immediately he sensed her arousal and knew he couldn’t do anything about it.
Melissa pressed her hands against his chest, trying to end the kiss. When he released her lips, they were both breathless.
“You should go. I have to get the kids up for school tomorrow and I have a busy day with Celine.”
“Then work tomorrow night?” he asked as he rose from the couch, still holding her in his arms.
She nodded her head.
“Please don’t show up there, Sunny. I don’t want any trouble. I need to make money. It’s how I’m paying for everything.”
He placed her on her feet and held her around her waist.
“No more stripping, right?” he asked and raised his eyebrows in warning.
S
he smirked. “No more stripping.”
“Only for me and the guys, right?”
“Don’t push your luck. Now get before the rest of the crew show up looking for you,” she teased.
“They know I’m here. Wolves have great senses, baby.” He kissed her then opened the door, saying goodnight one last time.
* * * *
Sunny exited the building, and the second he did, the wind blew, causing him to come to a halt. He sniffed the air and tried to act nonchalant. There was a wolf nearby. It was on the hunt or at least seemed like it was there waiting or hunting. He prepared for the attack as he approached his vehicle. He checked it over then contacted Logan.
Getting into the Jeep, he looked around the area.
“What do you think I should do?”
“Do you think this has something to do with our mate?” Logan asked.
“I’m not certain. My wolf is not happy about leaving Mel at all, never mind now that there’s some stray wolf out there,” Sunny responded.
“Frankie is on his way. Park the car a few blocks away and backtrack on foot to see who it is. Maybe you or Frankie will recognize him.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Sunny responded as he drove the Jeep down the road, making sure that no one followed him.
* * * *
“She’s back home, sir. Arrived a couple of hours ago,” Chu told Bret over the phone.
“Why didn’t Felix grab her?” Bret asked, sounding irritated.
“She wasn’t alone.”
“Who was she with?”
“Sunny Valdamar.”
“What?”
“It appears he stayed for the evening. Just left now alone.”
“Shit. Do you think she’s seeing him?”
“I smelt Valdamar on her in the club on Friday night, so if not Sunny, then with one of the others.”
“Or all of them,” Bret responded, sounding disgusted.
“What would you like me to have Felix do?”
“Get him out of there. It appears we have bigger problems. I’ll handle Melissa tomorrow night. I need to figure out what angle she’s working. I’m not so sure she’s as innocent as she pretends. Or perhaps she’s being pushed to be an informant. I wouldn’t put it past the Valdamar or the rest of those pigs. Get Felix out of there pronto. If he smelled Valdamar and was that close, then Valdamar smelled him.”
Chu hung up and immediately contacted Felix.
* * * *
“What do you think?” Sunny asked Frankie as he caught up with him behind the apartment complex.”
“I think you scared the fucker off,” Frankie replied.
“Good. Because my wolf is very uneasy about not being close to Melissa.”
“So are the rest of ours as well. So what did you find out about her? You met the family? The kids?” Frankie asked, and Sunny explained about the small apartment, the two bedrooms and how Melissa sleeps on the couch. He told him about the pictures and the neighbor who Melissa had helped. He also talked about Brandon, Tommy, and Lea.
“The kids were that much fun, huh?” Frankie asked, sounding unsure.
“They were great. Very respectful and courteous. They helped with everything. Melissa’s done a great job with them, I could tell.”
“How was the food?” Frankie asked, and Sunny laughed.
“Jake has some serious competition.”
“No shit?”
“No shit,” Sunny replied as they laughed.
“Well, it looks like it’s all clear.”
“Then let’s head home. Logan wants a rundown of my meeting the family and what I found out,” Sunny stated. Then they headed back to his Jeep.
Chapter 13
“So what’s the plan for tonight?” Chu asked Bret as Bret poured himself a snifter of brandy.
He turned toward Chu and smiled.
“Nothing.”
Chu raised his eyebrows in response.
“I got a call from an inside guy about thirty minutes ago. He said Mel was asked to be an informant.” He took a sip from his glass and smirked.
“What? Who the hell asked Mel to do that, fucking cops?”
Bret nodded.
“Son of a bitch. What did Mel say?”
“She downright refused.”
“Smart woman. It would have been an instant death sentence.”
“She knows that, Chu, but she also knows not to cross me. I can use this information on her. I can get her to cooperate with my demands.”
“What about the Valdamar? They seem to like her a lot, and there are five of them.”
“Fuck the Valdamar. I’ll make her believe that they’re the bad guys. I’ll keep her away from them without physically having to do it. She won’t know who to turn to. Especially if she thinks her kids and aunt are in danger.”
Chu rubbed his chin.
“It could work. She knows you’re of the wolf. She has to know that the Valdamar are. We could put a little scare into her, just to seal the deal.”
“What are you thinking?”
“I’ve got some ideas. Give me some time to set it up. I’ll let you know first and get your approval before I do anything.”
“Sounds interesting, Chu. It’s good to have a wolf of your resources on my side.”
Chu chuckled.
“So we won’t be headed to Charlie’s tonight to visit?” Chu asked.
“No. We wait a few days and make our move.”
* * * *
Melissa replied to the text messages from each of the guys. It had been one day and they acted as if it were a week. Releasing a sigh as she fixed her lip gloss in the bathroom at Charlie’s, she admitted that she missed them, too. It was crazy to think how obsessed they each had become with one another. She longed to be held in their arms, kissed thoroughly by each of them, and of course made love to by them as well. But it wasn’t love. She had to remind herself that it was lust, infatuation, and a good time for now. Eventually they would grow tired of her. They would find some other woman to shower with affection and send into a fantasy world that could never last forever.
She took a deep, unsteady breath and exited the bathroom.
Charlie was there waiting for her.
“You look beautiful, Melissa. Like a woman in love,” he teased her. She lowered her eyes and shook her head. “No, not a woman in love.”
“Well, they’re your mates, and it’s the same thing as when humans fall in love. It’s just more intense for wolves.”
She was shocked at his words. “Mates? What are you talking about? What do you mean?”
Charlie looked like he lost all the coloring on his face.
“Ah…I take it they didn’t explain how it works.”
“Uh, no, not if you’re talking about anything having to do with wolf culture. They haven’t explained anything.”
“Well, maybe it’s best if you ask them. I just assumed since you were with them that you were beginning the mating process.”
“Oh crap, Charlie. I have no idea what the hell you are talking about.” She moved closer and whispered despite the fact that no one was even in the club yet except for Spike and the workers who were in the other part of the club.
“Do you mean the sex?”
Charlie placed his hands in his pockets and seemed to blush.
“Ah, listen, honey, I think it’s best if you talk to the guys. The only information I know is from my cousin. She is mated to two wolves, and there was this whole mating process. They united and once he and his brother bit her during sex, their bond was formed.”
Melissa placed her hand over her shoulder where the bite marks were. Not all the brothers had bitten her yet.
“Did they bite you Mel?”
“Not all of them.”
“Well, you’re not truly bonded until they all mark you their mate. It’s for security, protection, and a symbol of their love and commitment to you.”
She thought about that a moment and remembered something the guys said.
“They mentioned a mating musk. What’s that?”
“My cousin said it’s what told her she belonged to her two men. She couldn’t go long periods of time without them by her side. At least until the mating process was complete. When wolves mate, they mate for life.”
“For life?” She panicked. What about the kids, her aunt, her life?
Suddenly she felt her blood boiling.
“They had no right to begin this,” she stated as she began to pace the hallway. “I can’t believe this is happening. I won’t let this happen.”
“You don’t have much of a choice, Mel.” He laughed.
“I do, too. I have a choice. I have a say in this. My whole life will change.”
Charlie took her hand and smiled at her.
“Your life has already changed, Mel. You are glowing and in love. So stop fighting it and enjoy it.”
In love? What the heck was he talking about?
“I’m not in love.”
“Listen, I think you should talk this over with your men. They can better explain this than I can. Now let’s get ready for a busy night. I have a new girl starting since you won’t be dancing anymore.”
“Says who?” she asked.
“You did, and I’ve been thoroughly warned by an entire SWAT team as well.”
“Great. And so the controlling begins,” Melissa stated as she sighed in anger.
* * * *
Melissa worked the bar and ignored every text she received until about midnight. Glancing down at her phone as she finished serving a group of businessmen martinis, she saw that it was Vince. For some strange reason, she had a soft spot for Vince. He just seemed so sincere and up front. He didn’t hide things, and maybe that’s why she was hurt that they hadn’t explained the whole mating thing before they just did it.
Mel, call me please. I know something is wrong. I can feel it. Call or text me now. Vince
Great, now he could sense her emotions from afar. Could he sense her anger, too?
Dwyer, Dixie Lynn - SWAT Team Two and Miss Robin Hood [The Men of Five-0 #2] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 15