Barely Winging It

by Tigertalez

  “You’re right, you can trust us on this.” Before Enzo could continue a man Nix suspected was Richard Webber walked into the room.

  “Gentlemen, I’m Richard Webber. I apologize for keeping you waiting. Now, I understand you are looking for a private jet for your business. Is that correct?”

  While his wife stood behind him, Richard sat down, and Nix and Enzo followed suit.

  Enzo answered, “Yes. We have been working on setting up a new business that includes private investigator, security, and protection. We have already taken on two major cases and found that the ability to securely fly anywhere we need, anytime, is turning to be a major necessity.”

  Nix knew what Enzo and Alphy were planning. Even though he kept himself up in the trees all day, when he came in, they would always keep him apprised of what was going on. For a long time, they had wanted to create a pack and start a business that provided those three services. They had begun planning it since the early eighties. With the situation with Alphy’s mate and family, Slate’s mother and sister, and now his own mate, Nix couldn’t have been happier they had decided on it. It was also a great front for secrecy that they, being paranormals, vitally needed.

  Nix could see the interest in Richard’s eyes. After what Richard’s wife had just revealed to them, Nix understood why. He hated men who preyed on women. He would have taken this case even if the woman wasn’t his mate. However, being that she was his mate, and he was certain she was, because she was the perfect likeness of these two people, he started to plan a slow painful death for the offender.

  “Did my wife tell you about our … situation?” Richard cautiously asked.

  Even though this was going to be his family, Nix let his beta answer. “Yes, and if you’d like, we would gladly help in any way we can.”

  Nix and Enzo waited quietly as Richard studied them. He looked like he was taking this decision seriously, and sizing them up. “I am curious why you gentlemen came to my company for your needs. We are a small company. In fact, I’m not opposed to telling you that you would be our largest buyer ever. What brought you to us?”

  Enzo sent Nix a look that told him it was up to him how to answer. Nix quickly thought how to answer. Since these were his potential soon-to-be in-laws, he didn’t want to lie to them, but of course, he couldn’t tell them everything. “I was in the area when I believe it was your daughter who made an emergency landing on our property. We believe in fate, and we took it as a sign that your company was the one for us.” Nix almost held his breath waiting for the answer. He was walking a delicate balance between truth and secrets.

  The answer looked like it was the right one, and Richard gave them an understanding smile. “We, too, believe in fate. I can’t tell you how relieved I am that you sought us out. I’m not a man who scares lightly, but this man who’s endangering my daughter gives me a very bad feeling. He has from the start. Let’s talk planes, and then we can discuss what you can do to help my daughter.”

  Nix couldn’t help but ask. “Where is your daughter?”

  “She is a recovery agent. She repossesses aircrafts for the bank for a percentage of the value of the plane. She’s out right now on a small catch just a few hours west of here. She should be back by the time we finish up with the details. Does that sound all right to you?”

  Nix looked to Enzo to answer. “That sounds perfect. So what can you tell us about the kinds of planes we should choose from?”

  ****

  Bronya stepped from the repossessed aircraft, a small Cessna Skyhawk. She stretched out her muscles before grabbing her paperwork. She needed to call the bank to let them know she was successful. She spotted their mechanic enter the hangar.

  “Hi Rodger, did Dad send you to look at the plane?”

  “Partly. He wanted me to make sure the plane could bring the biggest possible value, so I’m to do a complete run-through. But he also wanted me to tell you that he wanted you to see him as soon as you got in. I think it’s something pretty important. I saw a couple of officers today, in the office.”

  “Oh, that might be about the fire. Thanks, Rodger.” Bronya yelled over her shoulder as she trotted out of the hangar and into the rain. She didn’t mind getting wet, especially in the summertime, and after that flight, the jogging felt good. It stretched her legs and lungs in a pleasant way. She was well oxygenated as she opened the glass door and made her way inside. “Hi, Zeke.” She happily greeted the young man at the front desk.

  Zeke looked up but he was clearly on a call, so he smiled and waved a greeting as she passed. Bronya felt in great spirits as she trotted up the stairs and made her way to her dad’s office. A rich voice coming from the conference room stopped her in her tracks. Holy clams. That voice curled her toes better than chocolate. She hadn’t been really out of breath the whole way from the hangar, until now. As she listened to the man talking about security equipment, shivers of pleasure rippled over her body.

  “There you are.” Her mother’s voice interrupted her pleasure spike and forced her eyes open. When did I close my eyes? “There are some people here your father wants you to meet.” Her mother shot her a smirk, probably guessing pretty accurately what she was thinking. “They’re in the conference room.”

  “Uh, thanks, Mom.” Mentally shaking herself, Bronya turned and stepped towards the room the sexiest voice reverberated from. Looking into the room, she saw her father talking to two men. One was a heavily muscled Caucasian man with black hair. She could see ink on his neck and arms, but she lost all interest in him when her eyes drew to the light skinned African-American man next to him who owned the voice that seemed to play her like a puppet.

  The man wasn’t built as strongly as the other. His body was more an athletic build, and when the men looked at her as she entered, they stood. While the first male was tall, the man she was obsessing over was just over average. His eyes were so dark, they were almost completely black, and his full lips parted in a smile to reveal brilliant white, straight teeth. A twitter fluttered in her lower stomach and zinged down through her channel at the sight. Her eyes moved over his features bringing her both a calming peace and a full bodied passionate desire.

  “Bronya, welcome back, my dear. This is Enzo Boyce.” Her father indicated the first man. Taking her eyes off the man she was suddenly obsessed with felt like she was nearly ripping them out of their sockets as she moved them back to the first man. He didn’t offer his hand, only nodded his greeting as her father introduced the second man. “And Phoenix Savage.”

  Phoenix reached a hand out, and Bronya couldn’t resist letting him take her hand and wrap his around hers in a warm caress. “You can call me Nix.” His smooth, sexy voice washed over her, creating a rippling of goosebumps prickling across her skin and down her spine. Now that she had her eyes back on the man, she couldn’t remove them again. He seemed to have noticed because his smile turned into a knowing smirk, but instead of derision, she received a look of heat that was intense enough to make her core convulse.

  “Sit down, sweetheart. There is much to discuss.” Her father’s voice cut through her lust induced brain meltdown, and she slowly re-solidified her brain enough to acknowledge her father and do as he asked. “I was visited today by the two officers who were assigned the case of the suspicious fire. They told me it was most definitely arson, and it started at your apartment. They couldn’t give me any more information, but Gates is their number one suspect, only they can’t seem to find him.”

  “Great, idiot on the loose.” She rubbed the palms of her hands over her eyes as she groused then looked back up as her father continued.

  “Yes, well being an idiot makes him dangerous. Now you know how I am about my instincts, and they tell me you need more protection than I can give you. These men are from a budding business in security, protection, and investigation, among other things. They have generously offered their services, and given the auspicious timing of their inquiries for their business, I believe they are the men for the job.”<
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  As much as she would normally disagree and argue with her father about trusting complete strangers with her welfare, not to mention without her permission or even so much as discussing it with her first, Bronya couldn’t formulate a response that could turn away the man she was so intensely attracted to.

  Her father didn’t wait for a response, he continued. “While you were out, your mother went to the house and packed what clothes you have. Your bag is already waiting in the trunk of their vehicle. Would there be anything she wouldn’t have packed that you would want?” With the quiet shake of her head her father turned to face the two men. “All right then. I expect you to take exceptional care of my daughter.” Her father got up and crossed the room to her. She stood up and let him give her a hug, and as she turned her mother did the same.

  “Miss Webber.” Bronya was drawn by the magnetism Nix had when he addressed her, “You’ll need to leave your cell here. If you want to make any calls, we could make the necessary arrangements.”

  Digging into her pocket, she pulled out her cell and placed it on the table, then feeling the heat from Nix’s hand on the small of her back, she let them usher her out of the building and into their car. She really didn’t know what to say and she really didn’t like to be a drama queen, so she stayed quiet and tried to relax.

  Nix sat in the seat next to her while Enzo sat behind the wheel. While everyone fastened their seatbelts, she tried to pay attention to Nix’s instructions. Bronya felt tired. Nix must have picked up on it because he soon stopped talking as they headed out of the city.

  Chapter Six

  Friday after sundown

  Dultyn came out of his roost and stretched his muscles, filling his lungs with air and scenting for his mate. Severe disappointment stabbed through him when he didn’t scent her. She didn’t visit today. Worry and concern flooded him, and mingled with the heavy ache in his heart.

  Dultyn quickly made his way toward the house with Bogdan and Stelios quietly beside him. His emotions were all over the place as he remembered she hadn’t returned home by the time he was forced to roost. Did she return at all? Is she still out there? Could she be hurt? He didn’t want her to be hurt or missing, but the knowledge that she may have chosen not to see him, hurt him more. Worry for her health was a simple matter of tracking down whoever took her and killing them, slowly, but if she was safe and refused to see him of her own will, well that cut deeply. Even if it was what he basically what he wanted. But after thinking of it last night, he was considering revising his logic.

  Dultyn threw open the door and let it bang against the little metal doorstop. Its twang echoed through the entryway behind him as he searched the house for Havana. Not seeing or hearing her anywhere, he hurried to the office where Alphy was talking with Enzo, Slate, Matteo and Ryker.

  Alphy turned and looked at him as he entered, “Dultyn, what’s the matter?” His voice was calm like the alpha was trying to soothe him. No doubt he probably looked like he needed to be, but there wouldn’t be any soothing until he knew she was safe.

  “Where’s Havana?”

  “I don’t know. She came home briefly this morning and took a shower, then headed out. We figured she was out in the barn with you like she had been before.” Alphy was already taking his phone out as he spoke. After he dialed a number and put the phone to his ear, there was a pregnant pause as they waited for it to be answered. With their sensitive hearing, a cell phone ringing could be heard. Dultyn knew it was coming from the direction of Havana’s room. Darting out of the room, pushing his two friends aside as he did, he swiftly made his way to her room and entered it without knocking. He spotted her phone on the side table of her bed. A loud and pained roar escaped from him before he could control his emotions. Actually, he was in such a state that he didn’t think there was any controlling them.

  Picking up the cell, he answered it. “She left it in her room, but she’s not here.”

  “Yeah, I heard your response, hell, I’m sure people twenty miles away could hear your response. You need to keep a level head about this. Get back down here, and I’ll make some more calls.”

  Dultyn took a few minutes to regain some control. His head went over what he’d learned. Good news was, she did return home safely. Bad news was, she chose not to visit him. With the pain of knowing this slashing through his chest and gut, Dultyn started to feel despair. Damn it, I should have stated the good news last.

  As he slowly descended the stairs, he heard the building crew returning and the sound of Havana’s voice with it.

  “…at fault. I won’t let that failure, or anything else, stop me from achieving my goals.” He overheard Havana’s determined voice as they approached. Dultyn’s blood ran cold through his veins, and bile threatened to rise from his stomach at her words. “I’m not going to die some slow, pining death.” He heard her as they stepped through the door. Havana stopped with her hand frozen on the door knob, a look of surprise on her face.

  Dultyn first scanned her body to make certain there were no injuries. Satisfied there were none, he didn’t know how to handle the hurt and betrayal he felt. She believes I’m at fault for holding her back? Her words more than did enough to strike him down. It was the whole reason why he didn’t want to claim her right away. He didn’t want her to resent him.

  “It was not my intention to hold you back.” The words felt bitter in his mouth, and his stomach twisted in response to what he was going to say next. “I will leave and let you accomplish your goals.”

  “Dultyn, no! Wait!” Havana cried after him as he charged past.

  Burning with grief, he stretched his wings and leaped off the porch taking himself up into the dark and heavy clouds. He couldn’t think with the onslaught of emotions. Dultyn didn’t feel the chill, or the drops splatter against his skin, as he flew as hard as he could to purge himself from the heavy grief that churned his chest and stomach.

  ****

  Havana had run around the wet and soggy woods most of the previous night thinking about what Dultyn had said and wondering if maybe there was a way to change his mind. She enjoyed helping the building crew so much that she thought it was the best place to work out more of her aggressions while waiting for Dultyn to wake. Kace and the crew kept her spirits up the whole day and seriously talked to her on the walk back.

  “You’re an adult now, Havana,” Kace told her. “You can’t just rant and storm off. You need to communicate, or you will make things worse.”

  Rushod added his own bit of advice. “And never let the day finish without resolving your issue. Not only will it fester and become bigger, hurting both of you, you can’t guarantee when you will have the opportunity again, especially in our world where surprise attacks or whatnot happen all the time.”

  “Ok, I get it, I need to grow up. Got it. It still doesn’t take the hurt away that my mate doesn’t want me.”

  Kace shook his head. “He didn’t say that. He said ‘yet’ and that you were still too young, as was proven by your rampage after. It’s not possible to not want the other half of your soul. He’s just afraid of holding you back from attaining your goals.”

  “So I should have stayed and worked things out?” Havana asked.

  “I don’t know if either of you were ready to work things out at that moment. Sometimes you need to cool off or risk making things worse. But what you should have done, however, was set yourself a time limit and returned to him to at least start talking things out with him before he had to roost. Remember this isn’t just about you. It’s about him, too. It isn’t just about your emotions, your hurt, and your worries. It’s about his, too, so don’t be at fault for his. You can’t control what he does to you, but you can control what you do to him.” Kace’s voice was serious. Even his southern accent had smoothed out a bit, proof he was trying to choose his words carefully.

  “Whoa, Kace, that’s deep. Especially for you.” She snickered.

  Kace shrugged. “I may be a flirt and have the reputation of a
playboy, but I grew up in a huge family. My parents are true mates, and I have eight siblings.”

  Havana let out a whistle. “Wow, and I thought it was bad enough with the two brothers I’m stuck with.” Everyone around her laughed.

  Kace smiled at her. “Well, I’m family oriented, as my mother likes to say.”

  “You mean she wishes you were. What you are is a …” Marley started to say but was cut off when Kace pushed him over a log.

  “Hush, none of that now.” Kace’s southern drawl was back.

  As the guys bantered, Havana thought about what the guys were convey to her. She couldn’t argue that she was childish for storming off into the woods like she did. It had hurt her deeply that he would reject her. And at my own birthday party. When she stripped to shift, instead of just stripping and shifting, she paused to give a dramatic look at her mate. She had done it as a way of lashing out to deliberately hurt him. She had wanted him to charge out there and stop her or shield her from the others, but he didn’t. That had only angered her further.

  Kace is right. I shouldn’t have deliberately tried to hurt him. Her father’s words echoed in her head. “There is never a right reason to do something wrong, because it will always be the wrong thing to do.”

  Ranting and storming off only made things worse. She was an adult now, so she had to drop the dramatics and communicate. Ok, so I was in the wrong. Now I just need to figure out how to achieve my goals the right way. Because having her mate was now on the top of her list of goals, and she didn’t want to fail in achieving any of her goals, especially that one.