Apparently, he could get his own coffee. Shane was disgusted at how easy the three of them made things look. Theo took a sip of coffee before continuing, “I shouldn’t make light of the situation. I know you’ve grown to care for Addison, and it must be tough to see her struggling with everything thrown her way.”
Reese and Addison settled on the stools and started talking. They might be half sisters, but they were nothing alike. As Shane had told Addison earlier, their powers balanced each other. As for their appearances, Reese was tall with dark hair and quite stunning, while Addison was petite with porcelain skin that emphasized her heart-shaped face and kissable lips—no less beautiful, just two distinct lovely women.
“She’ll come around, Shane.” Jagger walked over to the couch and settled himself on the end, signaling they were staying for a while. Shane smothered a groan of frustration and accepted defeat.
“If you say give her time, I swear I will compel you to leave,” Shane warned, sitting off to the side in the brown chair closest to the fire. He might as well be comfortable and sitting down. Not staring at Addison might give him a reprieve in the groin area. “She’s stronger than she gives herself credit for, and I don’t think accepting her gift is the problem. It’s the fact she was taken from her old life without a chance to really say good-bye. I mean, come on, man, her mother thinks she is lying dead in some field somewhere.”
Jagger placed his coffee on the side table and leaned forward, setting his elbows on his knees. Turning to make sure the women were still engrossed in their conversation, Jagger said in a low voice, “So go ahead and ask.”
Theo sat on the opposite end of the couch and muttered something about getting to the point and not leaving Shane hanging. What were they up to? Both men knew what was on Shane’s mind, and Theo didn’t even need to read his thoughts. All three knew the risks of bringing Addison’s mother to the compound, which is why Shane had yet to ask his request. The Fray would be watching and waiting for any contact, making it almost impossible to get Cynthia Gray out of her house without alerting their enemy. Why put Nobles’ lives at risk when it wasn’t necessary? But for Addison, Shane would do anything. The other potential problem was maybe Ms. Gray didn’t want to leave her life behind, even if it meant reuniting with her daughter. Because once they told her that Addison was alive and well, she would have no choice but to live at the compound. Hell, either way, the Fray probably would end up killing her. It would be too dangerous to leave her out in society.
“I’m not asking you for anything other than can we bring her here. I’ll handle getting Ms. Gray to the compound, but I’ll do it my way. I won’t risk anyone’s life but my own.”
Jagger was already shaking his head before Shane finished his sentence. “We have no idea who is watching Addison’s mother. For all we know, they could be Rogues with abilities that match our group. And what then?” The group Jagger referred to were the ten Nobles who had been together for years. Each had unique abilities that came in handy during missions, and they were good friends. Shane wouldn’t put their lives on the line for something like this. Addison was his responsibility, even though she would disagree.
“And what would Addison do if you did get captured, or worse, killed…all because you were trying to reunite her with her mother? You think the remorse she feels for mistrusting Cane is anything close to the guilt she would feel for your death? She would hold herself responsible. Is that what you want?” Theo asked, keeping his voice just as low so the women wouldn’t hear what they were discussing.
“What I want is for her to start living again,” Shane said harshly. “I’m tired of seeing her hole up in this cabin with only her guilt as company.”
* * * *
“Spill it, little sister.”
Addison had to smile at the way Reese called her little sister. They both had to adjust to having a sibling, especially Reese, who was born a Noble and had never had a normal family. Reese had shared her childhood story, and Addison couldn’t fathom what it had been like to have a mother abandon you while your father tried to sell you to the Fray for immunity and cash. Granted, it was her biological father, too, but at least Addison hadn’t known him growing up and had a mother who was nurturing.
“It’s nothing. I’m just frustrated we can’t find Cane.” Addison couldn’t tell Reese about her feelings for Shane. It would make it reality, and she was having enough issues in that department.
Looking over at the three men, Addison saw Shane sit down on the couch and wondered why he seemed so upset—not with her, but with Theo and Jagger. Shane always ran his hand through his hair when he was frustrated, and she’d seen him do it twice since sitting down. He had also done it last night when he came into her bedroom.
Addison had this recurring nightmare of being locked in a white room and trying to find her way out, to no avail. The walls would give way, but the white remained, and no matter how far she walked or ran, nothing existed. She searched endlessly for somebody to help her, screaming and begging for someone to save her. The first month, she woke up screaming Cane’s name. But recently, Addison would wake yelling for Shane.
That had to be why Shane brought up their attraction to one another. Last night, when Shane came in and took her in his arms, instead of sitting like he usually did, he stretched out beside her on the bed and held her close. The dream had left her shaken, and Addison had grabbed hold of him like a lifeline. He wore nothing but unbuttoned jeans, his chest sprinkled with dark hair, and she had responded to his virility. Having his body up against hers had awakened feelings she had only ever felt with Cane. Her nipples had turned into hard nubs against the camisole she wore, and whenever she breathed, they would rub against his chest, making their sensitivity heighten. Shane held her so tight, and since his body was so big, her right leg bent up over his thigh, pressing her pussy against his denim-clad leg. No doubt he felt her heat through the thick material, but Addison was able to maintain some semblance of sanity and managed not to thrust her hips against his firm thigh. Even the memory of lying against Shane had her clitoris tingling, and Addison squirmed in her chair to try and get rid of the itch. Reese’s question pulled her attention back.
“Is it remembering Cane that’s getting you all hot and bothered? Or Shane? Because the way you’re looking at him right now makes me think something happened between the two of you. Am I right?”
Addison flushed and grabbed her refilled cup of coffee, more careful this time in keeping the liquid inside and not on her hand. Reese was not someone she could talk to about this. Her sister loved two men and didn’t seem to have any qualms relating to the emotional or physical aspects of it. Addison had enough guilt over not trusting Cane, but to throw in the shame of being sexually attracted to another man was just too much. Addison took a sip of coffee to keep from answering.
“Addison, let me be honest with you. You haven’t seen Cane in over a year, and yes,” Reese said, holding up her hand when Addison tried to speak, “I know you developed feelings for him, but let’s face the facts. He left, while Shane rescued you. He hasn’t come back, while Shane has stayed. Shane is the one who helped you adjust, has been the one to hold you when you cry, the one who sleeps on your couch in case you have bad dreams. Shane is the man who’s in the present with you, not the past like Cane. Do you really want to put your life on hold for someone you might never see again?”
Tears stung Addison’s eyes, and she looked up at the ceiling to keep them from falling. Hearing the truth sucked. Addison turned her back to where the men sat, not wanting Shane to see her crying. After about a minute, when she managed to blink her tears away, Addison turned her head to see her sister give a small smile in understanding.
Reese reached over and grabbed Addison’s hand. “Don’t throw away a chance at happiness because you can’t let go of the past.”
* * * *
“We’ll extract Ms. Gray within the week,” Jagger informed him matter-of-factly, as if they were discussing the weather
. “She can stay in the main house with us, since we have the space until the other cabins are built.”
“Then why did we go through this farce if you guys were going in anyway? I’ve been banging my head against the wall for days on how to approach you with this,” Shane spit out, aggravated that his friends would play games with him on something so important.
“I wanted to see how far you would go for her. Theo and you have a history. But as much as I value our friendship, Reese comes first, and I want to make sure her sister has a man willing to do what it takes to make her happy. She’s lucky to have you,” Jagger conceded.
“She’s in love with Cane,” Shane reminded them, understanding why Jagger handled the situation like he had. “She’s still dealing with residual feelings, and I’m not sure I can stand up against a ghost.”
“Let’s get her mother here first, let her handle the emotional aspect of becoming someone else, and then you can deal with her feelings for Cane. Look at me. Do I look like a man who shares?” Jagger asked.
“I still haven’t figured it out, not that I’m not happy for the three of you. But it’s not in me to share, especially with someone like Cane Latcher. Doesn’t matter anyway, because we all know he won’t come back. I know Addison’s feelings for him run deep, but I don’t know what she sees in him. He’s a loner, out only for himself. Look how fast he ran after he gave us her information. The door didn’t even have time to hit him in the ass.” Shane stood up, not able to sit still anymore and not having to worry about a hard-on. The conversation about Cane was like having a bucket of cold water hit him right in the face. Shane stood in front of the fireplace and then turned to face his friends, needing to change the subject. “So what’s the plan?”
“First, we keep this from Addison. There’s no need to have her worrying over it. I’ve rounded up the group, and they’re already scouting the neighborhood,” Theo answered. “It’s across the state line of Montana, before you hit Buffalo, Wyoming. We’ll join them in a couple days to get a layout and then figure out the best way to get her out without causing alarm.”
“And if she doesn’t want to give up her life to live here with her daughter?” Shane was prepared to do what he did best. If he needed to compel this woman to be with Addison, then that’s what he would do. He didn’t think it would come down to that, the way Addison described her mother. “You know once we contact her, the Fray won’t stand by and do nothing. They’ll eliminate her just to make a point.”
“Then let’s hope she makes the right decision,” Theo said, stopping himself from saying any more when Shane motioned that the women were joining them.
“Theo, do you know when Tavia and Kalen are coming to visit?” Reese asked as she walked around the couch to stand in front of them. Addison stood off to the side with her hands in the back pocket of her jeans, not making eye contact with him.
“I sent them on that job we spoke about earlier this morning. I thought they would be better than the others in this instance. Why?” Shane saw that Reese understood what Theo was saying in regards to their friends. Reese knew what they had planned regarding Cynthia Gray, but must not have been aware of who Theo and Jagger would send.
“Addison and I picked out some furniture for the future guesthouses, and since they are getting first dibs on the cabins, we wanted to see if they liked it.” Reese sat in between Theo and Jagger on the couch, resting a hand on each of them.
“I thought I was getting the first completed cabin?” Shane asked, watching Addison’s face as he threw out the question. His stuff was technically in the spare bedroom of the main house, but he spent every night on Addison’s couch. How would she feel if he wasn’t here at night? Addison averted her gaze and sat down on the chair he had just vacated.
“I kind of promised it to Tavia,” Reese said sheepishly.
“That’s okay,” Shane said, letting Reese off the hook. “I was thinking, do you know where Lauren Suval is? You know, the girl that had really black hair with weird eyes.”
“She did not have weird eyes. They were silver,” Reese reprimanded, “and it had something to do with the pigment in her irises.”
“They were weird,” Theo agreed with Shane, feigning a shiver. “Very eerie, especially when she looked directly at you, because it was like they were translucent.”
“Who is she, and why are you asking about her?” Addison asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
“You asked earlier if there was a Noble that was able to find people. Well, Lauren’s a Locater. She can find people from an item they owned as long as it contains traces of their energy. We know her from years ago,” Shane explained, watching Addison’s reaction as he gave her the answer to her earlier question.
Shane was done waiting. He had told Addison the truth. It was time she dealt with her feelings for him. If finding Cane meant Addison could move on, then that’s what would happen. He didn’t like it, but was aware this is what Addison needed. Cane would only cause Addison heartache, and Shane wanted nothing more than to protect her from that hurt, but some things were unavoidable. A leopard didn’t change his spots, just like Cane couldn’t change what he was—an outsider who would break her heart.
“Last I heard she was somewhere in Florida helping on a missing child case,” Theo answered.
“Really? She helps police find missing people?” Reese asked. Shane could tell this surprised Reese, as usually Nobles tended to keep their talents hidden.
“Yes, under the guise of an investigator who specializes in missing person cases. Lauren has herself quite a reputation,” Theo said, impressed.
“Shane—”
“What, Addison?” Shane asked, not caring if the others saw his irritation. “This is what you’ve wanted since you’ve been here. You want to find Cane? Well, this is the only way because he doesn’t want to be found.”
When the silence dragged on a little too long, Theo broke it by saying to Reese, “While we’re away for a few days, why don’t you and Addison try and contact Lauren? I remember her from way back, and she was a class act. I’m sure she would do us a favor.”
Shane could tell Addison didn’t know what to do or say. He was changing his tactics, and if that kept Addison off balance, well, so be it. What he told her before their company arrived still rang true. She was meant to be his, and he would do everything in his power to make that happen.
“Where are you going?” Addison asked, as if just now realizing what Theo had said, frowning at the news.
“Just some Noble business,” Shane answered. “Jagger, how are the plans for the new cabins coming along?”
The conversation turned towards other subjects, effectively shutting down any more questions Addison might have had. He bet Reese felt guilty for keeping something so important from her sister, but it was for the best. Shane wanted to fly out now to start the extraction, but would wait until tomorrow. Jagger and Theo could join him in a few days like planned. Shane wanted in on the surveillance and would feel more comfortable assessing the situation with the group. It was time to start rebuilding Addison’s life, piece by piece.
Chapter Three
Cane saw the white van in his rearview mirror. It had turned onto the interstate fifty miles back and stayed relatively far in distance. It could be a coincidence, but Cane was never one to take chances, so he flicked the right blinker on the Jeep and veered the vehicle towards the off-ramp. Slowing his speed, he gradually came to a stop at the intersection, keeping his gaze on the side mirror. The van kept traveling on the interstate, and Cane waited for a minute, glad no one was behind him so he could stay where he was.
Something wasn’t right. Cane couldn’t put his finger on it, but his senses were on high alert. They were never wrong. Whether the van ignited a warning or his subconscious was picking up a threat of some kind, Cane had yet to ascertain, but he always trusted his instincts.
Cane had been on the road for months, traveling from place to place. His camping equipment was loaded in
the back, and he would stay days at a time at various campsites and then move on when he became restless. There were times the urge to drive to Colorado was overwhelming, but then the night Addison left him would resurface and extinguish any impulses that’d surface. If only he could get rid of his permanent hard-on, he’d be making progress.
It was very early in the morning, so traffic was light. On the surface, everything appeared normal, but the atmosphere held some type of forewarning, making him uneasy. Pressing the gas pedal, Cane crossed the intersection and resumed his path on the highway, not even certain which state he was in. Rolling down the window, Cane sniffed the air and found what he was looking for. He was being hunted. The feeling didn’t sit well with him, and he did the only thing he could. He became the hunter.
* * * *
“Why won’t you tell me where you’re going? Does it have something to do with Cane?”
Shane looked up to see Addison standing in his bedroom in the main house. She was wearing a white jogging suit with her blond curls pulled back into some type of bun, looking years younger than she was with her face free of makeup. She must have just come back from a run with Reese, the two woman deciding exercise would keep boredom from setting in high up on the mountaintop.
“Not everything I do involves Cane, Addison.” Shane turned his attention back to his brown duffel bag and shoved in some extra T-shirts. He walked back towards the bathroom for his toiletries when Addison stepped in front of him, making him either stop or knock her down. Shane gave a sigh, indicating his impatience, and then reminded her, “Aren’t you and Reese contacting Lauren?”
“Don’t snap at me,” Addison ordered, her light-brown eyebrows closing in above her button nose in frustration. “You’re never secretive. You’re an open book, but ever since yesterday, you’ve been avoiding me.”
Noble Healing [Nature's Nobles 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 3