by I. T. Lucas
And what about Ronja?
She and Lisa needed him too.
Perhaps he could ask Peter to stop by their house every other day or so and spend time with Ronja? She was an outgoing woman, and she was making plenty of new friends in the village, but he still felt guilty about abandoning her to take on another damsel in distress.
Except, it wasn’t the same with Margaret.
There was something about her that called to him as a male, and not just as a friend and protector. She was so damn fragile, and he was irresistibly drawn to that.
When a knock sounded on the door and the doctor walked in, Margaret opened her eyes. “Is it morning?”
“It is.” The doctor smiled. “Let’s check that knee.” She looked at Bowen. “Would you mind waiting outside?”
“Not at all.”
He cast Margaret a reassuring smile as he pushed to his feet. “I’m going to the cafeteria to get breakfast. Do you want anything?”
The doctor shook her head. “Breakfast will be delivered shortly.”
He nodded, but he was going to get Margaret something from the cafeteria nonetheless. The woman needed to put some meat on her bones, and now that he’d assigned himself to her care, he was going to feed her and make sure that she gained some weight.
Out in the hallway, Bowen leaned against the wall and pulled his phone out to call Onegus.
The call went to voicemail, which made it easier. He could just leave a message.
“Good morning, Chief. I need to take a week off to take care of Anastasia’s friend. Anastasia insisted that I bring Margaret to the cabin so she could look after her, but we both know that’s not a good idea. She and Leon have more important things to do than play nursemaid. Let me know if that’s a problem.”
It shouldn’t be. Bowen had accumulated plenty of vacation days, and it was about time that he used some of them. Unless Onegus was planning a major mission, the Guardian force could do without him for a week.
His phone rang when he was standing in line in the cafeteria.
Pulling it out of his pocket, Bowen looked at the screen and stepped out of line to find a quiet spot to speak with Onegus.
“Thanks for returning my call, Chief.”
“Right now, I have no problem approving your vacation, but Kian is considering beefing up security, so things might change.”
“Because of Emmett?”
“Yeah. I just walked out of a meeting with him.”
“Is Kian taking him seriously?”
“At the moment, we are still not sure. William is taking a crack at deciphering the email to see if it’s a real language. Personally, I don’t think we need to be overly concerned. But I just want you to know that there is a small chance you’ll need to cut your vacation short.”
“It’s not exactly a vacation.”
Onegus chuckled. “If you are not working, you are on vacation. I don’t care what you do with your free time.”
“Right. Thanks for approving it. I’ll talk to you later.”
“No problem.” The chief ended the call.
The first step was done, but there were more things Bowen needed to arrange. He could rent a car and drive Margaret all the way to the cabin, but that would take twelve hours, and she was in no shape to sit in a car for so long. He could book them a flight, but it would be best if Kian sent Charlie with the jet to pick them up.
Could he ask for that, though?
Margaret wasn’t the clan’s responsibility, and Kian had no reason to use clan resources for her, but he might do that as a personal favor to Bowen.
After getting in line again and paying for his order, he put his tray on one of the tables, pulled out his phone, and called the big boss.
“Bowen.” Kian’s gruff voice sounded concerned. “What’s going on?”
He wasn’t sure how much Kian knew. “I’m in a hospital in Eugene with Anastasia’s friend.”
“I know. The one who broke her leg and needed an operation. Is she okay?”
“The surgery went well, and she’s getting discharged later today. I don’t know if anyone told you, but Anastasia demanded to go back to Safe Haven to take care of her friend. Leon managed to convince her that it would be better if I bring Margaret to the cabin so she could take care of her there.”
“How is that going to work? They need to concentrate on bonding, not taking care of this woman.”
“My thoughts exactly. Leon couldn’t let Anastasia leave, and that was the only compromise he could think of. I thought of a solution, though. I can stay with Margaret at the cabin and take care of her, so they won’t have to.”
“That’s good. It's still not as good as them having the place to themselves, but it’s better than forcing Anastasia to stay or letting her go when she could start transitioning at any moment.”
“I’m glad that you see it that way because I need a favor.”
“What is it?”
“Can Charlie pick up Margaret and me from the Eugene airport? I can book us a commercial flight to L.A., but given that she’s fresh out of surgery, I thought that she would be more comfortable in the jet. Also, the clan’s airstrip is closer to the cabin than LAX, and that means a shorter drive. I don’t know how much she can handle.”
“What time do you need Charlie to be there?”
“Around four o’clock.”
“No problem. You’ll also need a car.”
“Yeah, but I can ask my friends to deliver it to the airstrip. I don’t need to bother you with that.”
“Anything else that you need help with?”
“I do, but I can handle it myself. I feel bad enough about asking you for the jet.”
“Don’t. You are being a good friend to Leon, and transitioning Dormants take priority over almost everything. I’m more than happy to make the jet available to you.”
“Thank you.”
Helping Leon or even Anastasia’s impending transition were not Bowen’s main motives, but he kept that to himself.
“Take care.” Kian ended the call
Bowen let out a breath. That had been easier than he’d expected.
Next, he was going to call Theo and arrange for his car to be delivered along with several changes of clothing and other personal items. Come to think of it, Margaret would need new clothes to leave the hospital in. Her old ones were dirty, and even if they weren’t, she couldn’t wear pants over the cast. In fact, if he didn’t want to drive to Safe Haven for her things, he needed to buy everything she would need for a couple of weeks.
He’d never shopped for a female before, but for some inexplicable reason, Bowen felt good about shopping for Margaret. Taking care of her meant providing for all her needs, and it filled him with an unexpected sense of satisfaction to be able to do that. The problem was that he didn’t know what to get her. Perhaps he would just buy a few items and then take her shopping, and if she wasn’t up to it, he would ask her to make him a list.
3
Anastasia
“Why are you changing the bedding?” Leon bent down to pick up the pillowcases Ana had thrown on the floor. “It's clean. Okidu changed it before we got here.”
She tossed the duvet cover to him. “This bed needs to be free of germs for Margaret. I’m going to sanitize the bedding.”
“Are you sure it won’t shrink?” He turned one of the pillowcases inside out and checked the label. “It says here to launder them in warm water, not hot.”
“It’s fine.” She pulled the sheet off the bed. “Did you forget what my last job was? I was a maid, and I’m an expert on bedding.”
“It wasn’t a job because you weren’t paid.” He caught the sheet that she tossed to him. “It was an exercise in humility.”
For a rich girl who’d planned to become a lawyer, cleaning guest rooms in the Safe Haven retreat might have seemed like a step down, but Ana hadn’t minded. The physical work had been therapeutic. After a lifetime of studying her ass off to impress a father who viewed her a
s a failure no matter how good her grades were, it had been satisfying to do a job that did not leave room for interpretation. When she was done cleaning, the place was spotless, and no one could accuse her of doing a less than perfect job.
Folding the duvet, she put it on top of the dresser. “I’ve never thought of it like that, but you are right. I have much more appreciation now for people who do that for a living. It’s hard work, but it is oddly satisfying.” She reached for the bundle of bedding he was holding.
He shook his head. “I’ll carry it.”
Call her old-fashioned, but she liked Leon’s macho side. Well, she liked everything about him, but that was particularly sweet. She’d never expected to fall for a bossy guy who adhered to an outdated code of chivalry, but evidently life was full of surprises, and Leon was just perfect for her.
She followed him out of the room, enjoying the sight of his backside and powerful thighs. “We need to take stock of what food is left in the pantry and the fridge.” Ana groaned. “You might have to go grocery shopping, and I hate the idea of you riding that motorcycle. And even if I had no problem with that, there isn’t much you can store in its two small container thingies. We need a car.”
“I can ask Okidu to make a delivery.” He started up the stairs.
“We need a car, Leon. What if Margaret has to go to a doctor? How is she going to get there?”
The washer and dryer were inside the upstairs bathroom, which was a really bad location for them. Whoever designed the cabin must have added that as an afterthought.
She opened the washer, and Leon stuffed the bedding inside.
“Good point. I’ll call one of my buddies and arrange for my car to be delivered here.”
Ana cast him a smile over her shoulder as she pulled out the detergent from the cabinet. “I’m glad that we see eye to eye. Now, go check how many containers are left in the freezer.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He trotted back down.
For someone as bossy as Leon was in the bedroom, he was very easygoing outside of it, which was just perfect.
What was the catch? Because there had to be one.
Leon was beyond hot, smart, considerate, and last night he’d told her that he had fallen in love with her. She couldn’t have dreamt up anyone better, not even in her wildest dreams.
Perhaps the catch was his job?
Ana wasn’t happy about what Leon did for a living because it was dangerous, but saving victims of trafficking was a noble cause. Her man was a modern-day knight, fighting evil and protecting the weak, and she should be proud of him, which she was, but she was also scared.
In fact, she was terrified.
In her experience, good things didn’t last, and being happy was the privilege of the lucky few who hadn’t been slapped around by fate yet.
They could live with the illusion that life was good, and that nothing terrible could happen to them, until it did. Almost no one got to reach old age without suffering the loss of a loved one or experiencing one sort of calamity or another.
Life was about suffering, with a few happy moments thrown in for contrast, just so people would know how miserable they were the rest of the time.
Leon was responsible for the happiest moments Ana had experienced to date, but the question was how long her sojourn in fairytale land would last.
With a sigh, she set the program to sanitize and headed back down.
“You were right. We are running low.” Leon put another meal container on top of the short pile he’d already stacked on the counter. “That’s all there is. We have enough for today and tomorrow. Can your friend cook?”
Ana chuckled. “I have no idea. But even if she can, Margaret will be in no condition to do that. I guess we will have to take a YouTube crash course in cooking.”
“I can grill steaks.”
She was about to tease him about that when his phone rang.
He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. “It’s Bowen.”
Ana tensed. Was something wrong with Margaret? Did she need to stay another day in the hospital?
“What’s up, Bowen?”
When Leon frowned, her gut clenched.
“Are you sure about that?” Leon asked.
“What’s going on?” Ana whispered.
He put his finger over the mic. “Bowen decided that he’s not going to just drop Margaret off and leave. He’s going to stay and take care of her.”
“Why?”
“That’s what I’m trying to find out.” Leon removed his finger from the microphone. “I see. Yeah, you are right. How are you going to get here?”
He listened for several moments. “While you are at it, can you ask Theo to do a grocery run as well? We are running low on everything.” A moment passed as he listened to Bowen’s reply. “Anastasia and I will make a list, and I’ll text it to Theo. When do you think you’ll get here?” Another moment passed, and then Leon smiled. “Don’t worry. There is still enough left over from what Okidu prepared for us. We won’t let her starve.”
When he ended the call, Ana arched a brow. “What’s Bowen’s deal?”
Leon shrugged. “The guy has a soft spot for females in need of rescuing.”
“He’s already done his part by getting her to the hospital and staying with her through the night. Doesn’t he trust us to take care of Margaret? And what about the widow you told me that he was seeing?”
Leon waved a hand in dismissal. “I thought that something was going on between them, but Bowen was offended by the mere suggestion. Who knows? Maybe he fancies Margaret? You said that she’s pretty.”
“She is, but Bowen is much younger than her, and he is a major hunk.”
Leon’s brows dipped low. “A hunk, eh? You noticed.”
Was he jealous?
That was adorable.
Sauntering up to him, Ana wrapped her arms around his neck. “Bowen is handsome, but he has nothing on you. You are the man of my dreams.”
“Am I now?” His lips lifting in a satisfied smirk, Leon put his hands on her waist and drew her against his body.
“You are better than a dream.” She stretched up on her toes and kissed him. “You are my dream man and kinky fantasy put together, and I never imagined that the combination was possible.”
4
Syssi
“Good morning.” Amanda leaned down and kissed Syssi’s cheek. “I applaud your initiative to invite the wedding committee for breakfast. It’s a beautiful day, and the café is not too busy on Saturday mornings.” She looked up at the cloudless sky. “It’s a bit chilly, though. I hope it will get warmer soon.” She pulled out a chair and sat down. “Who else is coming?”
“I’m afraid that it’s just us. Callie is studying for a test, Jacki said maybe, and Edna is in the meeting with Kian and the others.” Syssi frowned. “How come you are not in there with them? You are a council member.”
“It’s not a full council meeting, and if I can avoid them, I do.” Amanda rubbed a hand over her rounded belly. “They don’t need me for what they have on the agenda for today. I’d much rather sit out here with you.”
“Yeah, same here. Kian suggested that I join them, but I didn’t want to either.” Syssi put a hand on her belly. “I’m doing my best to stay calm and avoid anything that might trigger a vision.”
“Good for you. What about Mey and Jin? Did you call them?”
“I did. Mey is meeting with Stella to go over her latest designs, and Jin is with Arwel in the keep.”
“I should take a look at Stella’s creations.” Amanda’s lips lifted in a smirk. “Although, given that my taste in fashion is very different from theirs, maybe I shouldn’t.” She tilted her head to look at something behind Syssi. “Jacki is heading this way.”
Syssi turned around, which wasn’t an easy feat with the size of her belly. “Jacki. I’m so glad that you decided to join us.”
“Kalugal is in the meeting with Kian.” Jacki pulled out the chair and sat down. �
��I didn’t want to sit around the house alone and wait for him. I hate it that he’s turned Saturdays into workdays.”
“Today is an emergency.” Syssi winced as Allegra kicked her from the inside. “They are meeting to talk about the capture of the cult leader, who's turned out to be an immortal.” She rubbed a hand over the spot.
Watching her, Jacki put a hand on her nearly flat belly as well. “Kalugal told me that Emmett is a compeller, and that he compelled a Guardian to go with him. When he was captured and neutralized, the poor Guardian was stuck in the pose Emmett had commanded him to assume. They called Kalugal yesterday and asked him to unfreeze him.”
“That’s not all.” Amanda leaned forward with a conspiratorial smirk on her beautiful face. “Emmett bit Eleanor and sucked on her blood.”
Jacki’s eyes widened. “Kalugal didn’t tell me that.”
“He probably didn’t know.” Syssi winced as another kick pushed against her ribs. “This girl is going to be a soccer player.”
Amanda put a hand on hers. “I’ve just started to feel mine. I can’t wait for her to start kicking.”
Syssi rolled her eyes. It was so like Amanda to ask her to keep it a secret and then blurt it out at the first opportunity.
“When did you find out that you’re having a girl?” Jacki asked. “You said that you didn’t want to know.”
“I was scared to find out. But I told Bridget that she could tell Dalhu, and when she did, he spilled the beans. He knew how much I wanted a girl.” Amanda beamed. “I’ve been praying for that since the day I found out that I was pregnant.”
“I’m happy for you.” Jacki leaned back and heaved a sigh. “Kalugal wants a boy, and he can’t wait to find out what we are having. I told him that it was too early to see in ultrasound, so he wanted to do a genetic test. They can do those now at nine weeks. Thankfully, Bridget persuaded him to forget it. It’s not like we can have our genetic material floating around in some lab.”