Owen’s heart swelled for his best friend. He called her Mom. At some point in the last day, Ann had convinced him to call her mom. He had a family again. He was whole and had a family, people to ground him. Mira rested her head on Owen’s shoulder. His Rabbit may have missed the part when Tyson was moments from going full feral but she knew his struggle from her sister. Because of Sadie, Tyson was thriving.
“Why don’t we head back and I’ll see what I can do.”
Two bites later he was finished and helping Ann to her feet. “Thank you for your hospitality, Owen.” She kissed him on his cheek and then hugged her daughter. “I’ll see you both tomorrow.”
*****
How the hell did she wind up belted into Vince’s truck heading for her house? This was…surreal. The man had zero reason to take her home. Being a bitch to him was supposed to prevent moments like this. Lee had been reserved and dismissing of him from day one. If she was bitchy then she could hide behind how she really felt about him.
Thank god she had resting bitch face so it wasn’t that hard to pull off.
But now? She was too damn tired to put on a front.
She lived a few minutes out of town. Neither of them spoke. The only acknowledgment of her was a smirk when he found her waiting at his truck with her hip jutted out and hands crossed over her chest. Vince didn’t say anything, so neither did she. Maybe, just maybe, they could get to her house without a damn word and then she could sequester herself away. Not that she wanted to be alone. Going home was still low on her priority list but she hated the stares and the “are you feeling ok?” from everyone in the bar.
No, she wasn’t feeling ok and reminding her just how shitty she looked was not helping to improve her wellbeing.
Lee glanced over to Vince. He was staring at the road. She fiddled with the strap on her backpack. A change of clothes she never used. And it wasn’t until that moment that she remembered she was still in her scrubs.
“Oh hell,” she muttered.
“Just realized what you were wearing, huh?” He was watching her now and from the look he gave her, he had been for the majority of the trip.
“It’s been a day,” she said with a sigh.
“A bad one?”
“Sadly, a normal one as of late,” she leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes.
“Anything you want to talk about?”
Why did he have to go and ruin the conversation with that? “No.”
“Babe, you look like you are about to fall apart. I don’t say that to upset you, it’s just a fact. I’m only offering to be your landing pad, somewhere safe to settle when you begin to pick up the pieces again.”
Lee rolled her head toward the window and wiped at the water threatening to leak from her eyes. God, she was close to losing it. Vince however, was the last person she needed to lean on. Why was he offering anyway? She’d been mean to him constantly. Mean people don’t get shoulders to cry on.
“I can take care of myself,” she said defensively.
The truck slowed as it pulled onto her street. “I have complete faith that you can. The strength you have astounds me sometimes. The question is, do you want to?”
No. She wanted someone to gather her up and help her patch all the cracks that were deepening by the day. But that wasn’t in the cards for Lee.
“This is me,” she said as he slowed in front of her house.
He didn’t say that he knew that already because it was more a way to end the conversational track they were on than giving directions. He pulled his truck to the curb and stopped. Lee took one long look at her house and sighed. She really didn’t want to go in there, alone with only herself.
“Thanks for the ride.”
“A thank you. Geez, what’s next, a real smile or,” he fake gasped, “maybe a laugh? You going soft on me, Lee?” he added with an easy smile.
Her lips twitched with a smirk. What a smartass. “No. Just giving you the illusion of a friendly person. But don’t be fooled, I bite.”
His eyes went to her lips. “I don’t doubt it.”
The moment hung there between them. She had no comeback for that. All she could do was stare at him staring at her lips. She swallowed and his eyes flicked to the movement. God, now he was staring at her throat. The warmth inside of the truck increased to sweltering.
She had to leave now or risk doing something stupid, like diving over the center console and nibbling on his ear. Lee hiked her backpack onto her shoulder and reached for the door handle.
And just like that, the moment was over and he was fiddling with something on the console. Good. She didn’t need to fuck up all her hard work at pushing him away. “Got everything?” he asked directing his eyes back up to hers. He held no shame for what he had just been doing.
“Yeah.”
“Call me if you need anything.”
Hah. Like that would happen. “You’re a funny man, Vince.” Opening the door she slid out of the truck. Slid because it was too damn high and she didn’t want to break an ankle getting out. She left him idling out front. Two quick honks of his horn when she got inside told him he was gone.
She slipped off her shoes and dropped her backpack on the already cluttered kitchen table. The place was a mess and she had absolutely no desire to do anything about that. What was the point? It’s not like she had anyone wanting to visit.
Seeing Vince in the flesh, talking to him, it messed up her head. It made her think that maybe he would be ok to open up to. Giving up her name wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. The way he had looked at her in the car told her that maybe, just maybe he would still like her even after he found out the truth.
If she did do this incredibly stupid thing, would she give him her first or middle name? People knew her by her middle name. There was no way in hell she was going by Penelope. She gagged just thinking about it. No, Lee much preferred her middle name, her grandfather’s name. Lee described her better. She had taken it and made it her own.
So, in theory, she could give Vince her name and still keep her identity secret for a little while longer.
The thought of ending the charade made her chest tight.
She shut down that line of thought. Lee could go without the panic attack right now.
Shuffling back to her office, she slipped into the chair and powered on her computer. At the moment, fantasy held more appeal than reality.
*****
Valek Firemourn: Glilee.
Valek Firemourn: Glilee, I’m sorry.
Valek Firemourn: *grovels*
Valek Firemourn: *On my knees*
Valek Firemourn: *Bowing at your feet*
Glilee Lunamaul: That’s a good look for you.
Valek Firemourn: I’m sorry. I was having a bad day and I took it out on you. No excuse for my behavior but that’s what happened. I’m a pushy bastard and will try to back off.
Glilee Lunamaul: It’s fine. I’m being a bitch for holding my name hostage but I do it for good reason.
Valek Firemourn: So you’ve said.
Glilee Lunamaul: Was today a better day?
Valek Firemourn: Actually, it was. I had a nice little surprise at the end of the day.
Valek Firemourn: How was your day?
Glilee Lunamaul: Normal.
Valek Firemourn: So descriptive.
Glilee Lunamaul: Yours wasn’t much better.
Valek Firemourn: Alright, you’ve got me there.
Valek Firemourn: Want to go on a quest?
Valek Firemourn: *poke*
Valek Firemourn: Where’d you go?
Glilee Lunamaul has gone idle.
Valek Firemourn: I’ll head out alone then.
Glilee Lunamaul: I’m here.
Glilee Lunamaul: Sorry.
Glilee Lunamaul: I had a call.
Valek Firemourn: It’s all good, Glilee Weed.
Valek Firemourn: Who was the call from?
Glilee Lunamaul: A friend.
Vale
k Firemourn: Oh?
Valek Firemourn: Does that mean you’ve made up?
Glilee Lunamaul: Um, no.
Valek Firemourn: You didn’t answer it, did you?
Glilee Lunamaul: How do you know me better than anyone else without ever having met me?
Glilee Lunamaul: Don’t answer that.
Valek Firemourn: You sure? I could tell you some profoundly moving bit about our true selves when we don’t have the distraction of our physical forms we are forced to interact and rely on only our personality alone.
Glilee Lunamaul: *Head desk* Forget I asked.
Valek Firemourn: In all honesty it’s because I listen. Simple as that.
Glilee Lunamaul: Well, you’re right. I didn’t answer the call.
Valek Firemourn: Why not? Don’t you want to set things right?
Glilee Lunamaul: I do. I just…it’s hard to explain.
Valek Firemourn: Want to try anyway?
Glilee Lunamaul: IDK. Sometimes I just wonder if I’m worth their forgiveness. I’m just going to screw up again so why bother?
Glilee Lunamaul: At times giving up looks like the way to go.
Valek Firemourn: I don’t like how this is sounding. Giving up? That’s not you. You never give up for shit.
Valek Firemourn: Like the broad sword.
Valek Firemourn: Still haven’t given that up yet.
Glilee Lunamaul: And I never will!
Valek Firemourn: What’s really going on Glilee Weed? You’ve been so down lately. I want to help.
Glilee Lunamaul: You do.
Glilee Lunamaul: You’re the only one who does right now.
Valek Firemourn: Well then I will try not to let you down.
Glilee Lunamaul: Still up for that quest?
Valek Firemourn: Sure. I just need to log off for an hour but I’ll be back.
Glilee Lunamaul: Oh, Ok.
Valek Firemourn: Don’t pout.
Glilee Lunamaul: I’m not pouting.
Valek Firemourn: Yes, you are. I can tell.
Glilee Lunamaul: Bullshit!
Valek Firemourn: Think what you may but I know that you were pouting just now.
Glilee Lunamaul: Gah! Go do your shit. I’ll meet up with you in a bit.
Valek Firemourn: Later Glilee.
Glilee Lunamaul: Wait!
Valek Firemourn: Yeah?
Valek Firemourn: Glilee?
Glilee Lunamaul: My name is Penelope.
Glilee Lunamaul has logged off.
Chapter Six
“Mind if I join you?”
Vince looked up from where he was watching the moisture collect on the neck of his beer. Brooding, he admitted. He was brooding. It had started off as a hot, stunned, excitement and then quickly went downhill to surly and now he settled into brooding.
Penelope.
Her fucking name was Penelope. It had taken him a full twenty minutes to stop staring at the screen before he realized he didn’t know a Penelope. Glilee wasn’t online when he got back last night. Her name was, though. Eighteen hours later, he had mentally gone through every person he knew and none of them had that name. You’d think he would remember right away someone named Penelope, it wasn’t a common name.
He had gotten what he wanted but then again, he got nothing at all.
“Yeah Owen, have a seat,” he said tipping his head to the empty spot across from him.
Owen slid into the booth with a beer of his own. “What twisted your claw? I can feel your frustration radiating off you from the bar.”
Vince flicked an annoyed glance up to his Alpha. “None of your business,” was not the correct answer in this instance. “Nothing that concerns that look on your face. I got what I wanted but it is more confusing than I had thought it would be.”
Owen took a swig from his beer. “Well, that was vague and polite.”
“Then my mission is complete.”
The door behind him opened with a chime and all the hair on his neck raised. He knew who it was before she even came near. Lee bustled past, not even glancing in their direction. Owen followed her across the bar with his eyes, as did Vince. She looked better, less sickly and more like herself. Although there was a tiredness about her. It was the way she held her shoulders, or didn’t hold them as it were. They drooped as if holding up the world had just gotten to be too much.
“Hmm,” Owen hummed looking back to Vince.
That was not a good sound. Much too smug for Vince’s liking. “What?”
“Nothing. Just putting some things together.”
Ah hell. “And what would that be?”
“I’ve seen the way you look at Lee a few times now. It’s more than just appreciating a fine female.”
Goddamn Alpha and his observations. “Your point?”
He raised a brow. “I know I’m cornering you right now and that makes you snappy but knock that shit off before I have to do something about it. I’m lenient, not a push over.”
Fuck. He was right. His wolf felt cornered and lashing out was a reflex. “Sorry.”
Owen waved away his apology. “It’s all good. It means I’m onto something.”
He grunted. There would be no avoiding this conversation. “I drove her home yesterday then helped Chuck deliver her car later on. She looks better than she had.”
“I tried calling her but she didn’t pick up last night. What do you mean by she looks better?” Concern was there, plain as day but Vince found the guilt interesting.
“I was here yesterday and she was pale as a ghost, unsteady on her feet. She told Chuck she was going home after being here twenty minutes. I offered to drive her since I was leaving. There was no way she needed to be behind the wheel of a car. Before you ask, she didn’t tell me what was wrong. I’m guessing something at the clinic because she was still in her scrubs.”
“She was working the bar in her scrubs?” Owen asked incredulously.
He nodded. “Yep.”
Owen ran an agitated hand over his beard. “That woman is going to drive me insane. I’ll talk to Chuck about it. See what he knows. That isn’t why I bring her up, though. I feel like I need to warn you about a few things if you want to proceed with Lee. I’m not trying to sway you one way or another. Just laying out the facts so you can go in fully informed.”
Vince took a breath and a sip of beer. Was he really going to talk about Lee with the man who used to date her and was currently not speaking to her? “Fuck. Alright. Lay it on me but if this is about her inability to have pups, I already know.”
“Actually, it wasn’t about that. But since you brought it up, is that an issue?”
Vince had always imagined himself having pups. Was it a problem? It was in his genetic makeup to want to reproduce. He should be veering away from her because of it but he found himself turning toward her. It was senseless of him, but attraction rarely was logical. It was crazy to consider pups with a woman who could barely look him in the eye. Yet, there he was doing just that. Vince reminded himself he had the pack pups to train and watch over and there were other ways to have a child.
Jesus, was he actually considering this?
“That’s a conversation to be had with her, not you.”
Owen conceded. “Fair enough. Lee is one of my best friends. I care about her a lot and only want her to be happy. Problem is, she has a hard time trusting people.” Owen frowned. “No, that’s not quite it. She can trust others, it takes some time but she does. It’s herself she doesn’t trust. She needs someone who can be her rock, her comfort, her friend and lover. But what she really needs is for someone to show her what her worth is in this world.” He glanced back to the bar where she was mixing a drink, a smile on her face but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I was not that person.”
“I thought you two weren’t speaking?” Vince tried to stay out of the gossip but it was nearly impossible. He knew that Owen had been trying to talk to her but Vince didn’t like to assume any of the gossip was correct.
“H
ell no,” he said with enough frustration to surprise them both. Taking a moment, he drank some of his beer. When he continued, it was with more control, “I was mad but I forgave her. There was emotion and reasoning behind her actions and I saw that. I’m not that callous after all. Her heart was in the right place, she just went about it all wrong. Lee’s paid her penance, though. I’ve told her this. Or have tried too.”
None of this surprised Vince in the least. Lee kept herself heavily guarded but to those in her inner circle, she was fiercely protective. She would have thought she was doing the right thing by protecting Owen from the new human in town who he seemed to fall instantly for.
“Her guilt won’t let her see the truth. In all honesty, the only one keeping Lee segregated from the pack, is Lee. Sadie has tried to talk to her, Tyson too, but she won’t hear them out. She won’t listen to any of us.” He laughed, short and humorless. “She won’t give us the chance to talk to her, cuts us off right away or turns and leaves. Hell, I’m about to buy one of her stupid games she obsesses over and corner her on there to see if she will listen.”
Vince’s chest went tight. “Games?”
“Yeah, she’s a gamer. I don’t know what the flavor of the week is for her but she goes home and plays every night. I swear she is happier when she was in the fantasy of the game than she ever is in reality.”
He looked over to Lee. She was talking to Chuck, actively ignoring their table. Could she be Glilee? Holy fuck! Was the woman he was enchanted by online also the one he was attracted to in person? Vince needed a minute. No, actually he wanted to get up and ask her directly. Corner her and make her tell him to his face that she was his gaming partner of the last two years.
Vince felt like his world had just exploded.
He had to think this through. Logically. Fighting every urge he had to stand up and scare the shit out of her as he bombarded her with questions, Vince curled his fingers into the vinyl of the booth and anchored himself there. Lee had always acted like she didn’t like him. He had assumed it was because he wasn’t born part of the pack. But what was it that Owen had said to him?
On the Edge (Adirondack Pack Book 3) Page 5