“Unfortunately, yes. Do you know how many times I’ve been asked to show my tail? People can be cruel.” As well as the press. The Naughty Little Mermaid had been a popular headline when the scandal broke out.
“Did your mother not suspect this name may cause you strife?”
“At sixteen my mother wasn’t much older than a child herself when she had me. She thought it would be cute. She was wrong. Please, just call me Ari.”
“As you wish.” Amaryllis handed her a champagne flute. “Mimosa?”
Ari ignored the glass. “How do you know my name?”
“When we retrieved your car, we had the vinny number researched to make certain it was yours.”
“You what?”
“Vin number, alskata,” Lucian corrected. “Ari, please have a seat and all will be explained.”
“Yes, Ari, fill your plate and we will chat.” Amaryllis thrust a plate into her hands.
Only because the Kilsgaards were smiling at her and not emitting malicious intent, she followed the directive and kept quiet.
“I’m sitting,” she said the moment her butt hit the lushly upholstered chair.
“Take a bite.”
“Amaryllis,” she growled but took an obligatory bite of fluffy eggs. “Oh, that is good.”
“Thank you.” Amaryllis dropped onto a chair next to her husband. “Now, this morning Lucian and Bale located your vehicle and had it sent to a local repair shop to be taken care of. Once it is in working order, it will be sent here. In the meantime, you and I will go out and do some shopping and celebrate new beginnings.”
“While shopping sounds great, I’ll need every dollar to go to the car.”
“Nonsense. Everything is my treat.”
She froze with a full fork near her lips. “What? That can’t mean what it sounds like.”
Lucian chuckled behind his napkin as Amaryllis nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. I’ve covered the costs.”
The fork clattered to her plate as she was again struck dumb. She really needed more rest to keep up with all of these surprises. “You—why? I-I— How?”
“Say thank you, Ari.” Amaryllis saluted her with her flute.
“Yes, yes, thank you, of course. Both of you. It’s more than I could ask for. But I can’t accept such a generous gift.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m a stranger.”
“And?”
“Isn’t that enough?” She looked at Bale, who had inhaled an entire plate of food and was going back for seconds. “Bale, tell her it’s too extravagant.”
He paused like a child caught doing something naughty. “No.”
“What do you mean, no?”
“I have learned not to argue when Amaryllis is being generous. It is a losing battle.” He turned his back to her and scooped up a platter of fruit.
“I still can’t accept.”
“It is already done.”
Well, crud. “I’ll repay you. I promise.”
Amaryllis smiled. “You will, in a way. I’ve been checking up on you, Ari. You weren’t just a bartender at your last place of employment, you were an assistant manager, weren’t you?”
“There wasn’t a whole lot of competition for the position.” If she hadn’t watched the inventory and the daily take, the bar would have gone out of business due to theft years ago. Of course, that diligence hadn’t mattered when public opinion of her turned ugly and they booted her on her ass.
“My restaurant, Tutala, is in need of a bar manager. Someone who has grace and poise, as well as the ability to handle the occasional unruly customer. What do you say, Ari? Would you like to give it a go?”
“Are you offering me a job?” she squawked at the same time she heard Bale bark with just as much incredulity, “What did you say?”
“Yes, and before you ask if I am insane, or believe you are unworthy of such an offer, this is not a done deal. What I am offering is an opportunity to prove yourself. We will start slow and I’ll introduce you to the right people to get your feet wet, and then I’ll throw you into the deep end.” She grinned.
“Your highness—” Bale began and was stopped with a shush from Amaryllis and her palm held an inch from his face.
“No.” She shook her head and closed her fingers together in a “close your mouth” motion. “No.”
And he obeyed!
Well, he fumed, with those expressive nostrils flaring and his lips pinched tight, but he didn’t say another word.
Whoa. Ari felt her eyebrows hit her hairline as she tried to decide what surprised her more, the fact Bale addressed Amaryllis like royalty or how she silenced Bale as if he were a child, and he didn’t put up one iota of an argument.
Just what exactly was going on here? Bale had mentioned Amaryllis had been some sort of a celebrity where they were from. Perhaps she was a secret princess and he was part of her secret service detail? If that were so, then why would he be allowed to leave her side?
“Ari.” Amaryllis interrupted her train of thought. “Do you agree?”
Of course! Yes! Absolutely!
But the words refused to leave her tongue. Free car repair, a place to stay, a job. Twelve hours prior she had nothing, and now she was being offered the world. She should be ecstatic, jubilant, on the ground and kissing the feet of her hosts. It was a Christmas miracle, only it was February.
Why her?
That was the question she couldn’t comprehend. Why was she suddenly so deserving of such good fortune? Everything she ever had, from her crappy car to the two-bedroom apartment she had left behind, she worked hard for, scraped together every penny she earned with her sweat and tears. The only time something had been handed to her was when she had met Anthony and he had lavished her with presents and attention.
And look how great that turned out.
“I still don’t understand. Why me?”
Lucian reached for Amaryllis’ hand. “We have all been where you are now, Ari. Alone, in a new land, with only what you carried with you. However, I was fortunate enough to have had my brother with me, unlike Amaryllis and Bale. But we all found someone who was willing to take a chance on us. Whether we felt we deserved it or not.” He shot a pointed glare at Bale, who stared down at his plate. “They provided us with an opportunity and that is what we offer you. What you do now is your choice.”
Was it really so simple? Had she really stumbled upon the kind of people who did things out of the goodness of their hearts? Had fortune finally decided to smile down on her?
Okay, Ari. What are your options?
Say no thanks, give them a hearty handshake and walk out into the big city and stick with the original plan of hoping to snag a job quickly and make do in the low-rent motel she had booked for a month, living day-to-day on a hope and a prayer.
Or…
Stay with the Kilsgaards, who probably saved her a boatload of money on car repairs, in a penthouse apartment and try her hand at managing the bar in an upscale restaurant that even she had heard about all the way in Missouri.
Yeah, this was going to be a tough choice.
“Okay. I accept. But I want to pay rent and for my own groceries. And I’ll move into my own place as soon as I find one.”
“Agreed.” Amaryllis clapped her hands together with a little squeal. “I know just the apartment for you too. But first we’ll have a girls’ day out and I’ll show you all around town. Tomorrow morning we’ll go together to the restaurant. Sound good?”
“Yeah.” She felt twenty pounds lighter with the decision made. “Sounds great.”
Lucian beamed a huge smile and she felt her lips stretch to match until she looked at Bale. He remained frozen in his seat with eyes cast down and a hard line where his mouth should have been.
For half a second she felt her breakfast swirl in her tummy but then quelled the sensation with a fit of temper. What was his deal? Did he not want her around? Did he think she was encroaching on his territory by becoming friends with his b
osses?
Well, screw him. She didn’t ask for them to be nice to her, and did the idiot forget it was he who had insisted she come with him? And if he was worried about her being near his female hunting grounds, he could go suck an egg. If the option was to face his displeasure or be out on the street, she’d deal with his sourpuss mug anytime.
Amaryllis rose. “Ari, I’ll leave you to finish your breakfast while I take a moment to freshen up. Bale, please join me in the study. I have an errand for you to make for me.”
Bale nodded once and stood, bowing at both her and Lucian before exiting the kitchen without a single word.
Exclamation point on the snubbing.
“Try not to let Bale bother you,” Lucian said once they were alone. “He had a difficult time before he joined us here and he’s still adjusting. As you can tell, he’s not exactly a—what is the phrase?—people person. I too have to remember that myself on occasion.”
“He’s mentioned something about that.” She pushed her breakfast around on her plate and fought the compulsion to indulge her curiosity. She didn’t want to know any more about him. She didn’t. Really. But… “I thought you all had traveled to America together.”
“No. Circumstances sent us from our homes at different times. Fortunately we were able to find each other once again.”
“You said you had a brother. Does he live in this building too?”
“No, he and his wife live in the mountains in a little town called Cedar. They just had their first child, so we don’t have the opportunity to see each other as often as we’d like.”
“It sounds as if you’re close.”
“We are. Until we annoy each other. Do you have any siblings?”
“Nope. Well, I don’t know, actually. My dad ran out when I was born, so there is the possibility of half-siblings somewhere in the world.”
“It sounds as if your childhood was rough.”
She shrugged. “Others have had it worse. Since I didn’t know any different at the time, I didn’t have the idea that I was doing with less. It was what it was.”
Lucian nodded and offered her half of his croissant, which she accepted with a small smile. “I believe it is the innocence of youth that allows us to survive the trauma of growing up. My sister-in-law is the town sheriff, so you do not need to fret about falling into the hands of nefarious people. She’s very good at keeping everyone on the right side of the law.” He winked.
“I didn’t think y’all were nefarious.”
“You should have. We are strangers to you.”
As if she hadn’t had this conversation in her mind a million times in the last twenty-four hours. “Are you trying to get me to change my mind?”
He chuckled. “Ari, there are two things I want you to understand. One, I love my wife to the point that it’s probably an unhealthy obsession and I will do everything in my power to see to her happiness and safety. No one harms her in any capacity. No one,” he repeated in a low, vibrating warning that set the hair on her arms up in surrender.
“I—” She swallowed down the lump of fear in her throat. “I would never try to hurt Amaryllis, or you.”
“I know.” He blinked the intensity out of his eyes and Ari noticed that he shared the same unusual lavender shade with his wife. “I sense it is not in your nature to hurt another, and if I suspected you had ulterior motives, you would have never made it beyond the front door. But my mate attracts a lot of admirers. Some of them may think to use you to get to her. Do you understand?”
She nodded and wondered again if Amaryllis wasn’t a political refugee or fleeing celebrity.
“My wife has developed a fondness for you and will do all that she can to see to your needs. It’s what she does. I am not saying you have to bow to all of her wishes, but please remember that what she does is out of love.” He held up the first two fingers on his left hand for emphasis. “The second item for you to understand is that people she cares about become people I care about. If at any time you have a need, please come see me. Your well-being is of utmost importance. Transversely, if you do anything to place yourself in danger, you will find out firsthand exactly what it is like to have an overprotective big brother.”
She laughed. “Thanks for the offer, but I can take care of myself.”
“It is not an offer. It is a vow. To us, friends and family are one and the same. You may have been on your own before, Ari, but you have been accepted into this flock. Solitude will take on another meaning and believe me, it will be an adjustment. For a long while it was just me and my brother. To have others to rely on, who rely on you, was not an easy concept for me to accept. Bale is in the midst of that struggle right now, however, once you fall into the cloud of that belief,” his smile softened and the lavender of his eyes turned liquid, “it is good.”
Lucian’s kind words brought tears to her eyes. A family. Not of flesh but of one forged by circumstance was never a dream she dared to have. Since she was old enough to feed herself, it had been her against the world, and life taught her that the only thing blood ties counted for were genetic diseases and a whacked-out sense of familial obligation.
These people were opening up not only their home, but their hearts as well. It might not have been their intention, but she was going to do everything in her puny power to do right by them. If they followed through on half of what they promised, she would not let them down.
“Thank you, Lucian, for everything. Did Amaryllis tell you about why I came to the city?”
“Nothing specific, only that you had a broken heart and needed a new start. While we do not keep secrets between the two of us, we will honor discretion if we are told something in confidence. When you feel it is right to tell me your story, I will be willing to listen.”
“God.” She dabbed her napkin against the corner of her eye. “You guys are like, frickin’ make-believe. You can’t be real.”
He chuckled and brought his glass to his lips. “Do not think we are perfect. Far from it, in fact. Wait until you know us a week. Your opinion may change.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. To me, you’re like…like…superheroes.”
Lucian sputtered, spraying mimosa over the tabletop. As she jumped from her seat to help dab up the mess, Lucian began laughing with a booming bass that was infectious and soon had her joining in, though she had no idea what had inspired the laughter.
“Ah, Ari,” he said when he caught his breath. His mouth worked as he stopped and started several sentences before he shook his head. “Ari, welcome to our world.”
* * * * *
For the second time in less than twenty-four hours Bale was ordered to the study like a wayward child, only this time it was Mom who was about to come in with the smackdown.
Amaryllis rounded on him when she reached the center of the study. Her black hair settled around her shoulders in a straight, silken sheet. It still unnerved him to see her once-silver tresses in the same shade as those of her bonded mate. With her dark hair, she looked so much like his Natalia that at times it hurt to look at her. She was a reminder of what he once had and had been too afraid to accept.
His muscles tensed, waiting for her to lay into him. Of course she would have sensed his displeasure at the recent turn of events, and since she had an opinion on everything, he knew she would be determined to change his.
She rested one hand on her hip and watched him with those eerie, all-seeing eyes. Not once did she blink as she stared him down. But he wasn’t going to break so easily. He held himself motionless. No need to add fuel to the fire by launching the first volley.
But Amaryllis would have none of that. She arched her brow and gestured with her free hand for him to speak first. “Spill it.”
“What do you mean?” He could play obtuse with the best of them.
“I offer Ari a job and you flare up in annoyance. More precisely, joy followed by fear, panic and then annoyance. Why?”
He drew in a breath to stall for time. What would be the most
diplomatic way to speak his mind? “I do not think it is wise to… allow a human stranger to be in such close proximity to our kind.”
“You brought her here.”
Damn, she had him there. “She had a need.”
“She still does.” Amaryllis walked forward until she was a hairsbreadth away. Despite the fact she barely reached his shoulder, her presence made up for the difference in height. “Be truthful, Bale. You do not want Ari here because she makes you feel something other than guilt and self-loathing.”
He sucked in a breath and pressed his lips together. No way in hell was he going to admit that, even though she was correct.
The hungers Ari stirred within him had been manageable when he had thought their time together was limited. With her living in the same building, within viewing distance, within touching distance, she’d be a constant temptation.
The night before had hammered home a terrible truth. Ari made him want. He wanted to wrap her hair in his hands and hold her still for his kisses. He wanted to pin her under his body and plow into her slick heat. He wanted to take her in every way a man can penetrate a woman until they passed out from exhaustion then resume as soon as they awoke.
Amaryllis had taught him that pleasures of the flesh were not evil. As long as all parties were consenting, they made their own rules as to what was off-limits.
And therein lay the issue. Ari might have acted blasé about the activities that went on at The Cavern, but how would she react when asked to recreate some of what she had witnessed? Ari was so bright, so shiny, he doubted that underneath her wholesome appearance lurked a woman who could match his appetites, despite the flashes of lust his powers sensed. He had been afraid to share his darkness with his wife and had kept it secret. When she died, the loss of what he might have had with her had he been braver drove him to madness and a life of killing to make up for his failures to his family and as a husband.
If he had been worried about hurting Natalia, one of his own species, he was terrified of the damage he could do to Ari if he let go and fed his needs. Hell, he had caused her discomfort with a simple hug when he had held her too tight.
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