by K. A Knight
“Lane.” Spinning to face me, she blows out her red cheeks from yelling. She sweats and breaths hard, like she went for a run. I step up and hug her, whispering in her ear as I do, “I’m sorry.”
This deflates her, and she shakes in my arms. Shit, I really scared her.
I pull back and stare in her eyes. “I really am. I forgot my phone. I didn’t mean to worry you.” My voice is as soft as I can make it, my guilt obvious.
“Fine, but I’m still mad at you,” she mutters.
“Noted.” She’s the first person to ever truly care about me, and the first time she showed it, I freaked out and tried to run the other way. Luckily, she wouldn’t let me, and I’m now comfortable enough with her to ease her mind when I fuck up. She taught me what friendship is all about.
She steps back, folds her arms, and stares at Alexander. He stares right back at her. She’s got balls, I’ll give her that, with the look and vibe he’s throwing off right now even I wouldn’t try it.
“You ever let my girl disappear on me again, I don’t care how pretty you are, I will kill you. I’ve watched CSI, I can hide a body.” The venom in her voice makes me laugh—for someone so small and sweet, she sure can be crazy.
“Understood.” He nods his respect and smirks at her, and she looks happy that he agreed. Ugh, Lane, you can’t be in his fan club too.
Finished with her tantrum, she flops on the sofa, and Nev jumps up next to her. Alexander’s eyes stare a hole in the side of my head, and I know I will have to face him eventually. With a sigh, I turn to him.
“Want to help me get some drinks made?” He simply nods and heads to the kitchen. Before I can leave the room, Lane wiggles her finger at me in a come here gesture. I walk over to her cautiously.
“So, is sexy the reason you weren’t here?”
With a laugh, I follow after him.
20
- AURORA -
Leaning against one of the kitchen counters, Alexander waits for me with an unreadable expression on his face. My mind races with ideas and ways to get away from his questions.
“I really should start getting ready for work,” I say quietly, still standing in front of the door.
He focuses on me for a while, not saying anything. I don’t know what he sees on my face, hopefully not my panic, but he sighs and walks slowly towards me.
The awareness of being prey and being hunted hits me, and I sidestep him. I grab a bag of cookies and hop up on the worktop, swinging my legs back and forth. He stalks after me and stands at my knees. I close my legs unwilling to let him get closer.
“Aurora, I know something happened. Why won’t you tell me?” He gets quiet as I look anywhere but at him. “Why won’t you trust us even a little?”
His normal blank mask doesn’t tell me much, but his eyes hurt my heart—sad and lost, he gazes at me like I’m his shelter in the middle of a storm. His declaration in the car hits me, and before I overthink it, my knees open. He moves before I can hesitate and stands between my parted thighs.
“I need time.” Not willing to be honest with him but unwilling to lie to the man who keeps cracking more and more of my shields, I try for a partial truth. “I don’t really know you guys. You came barging into my life, and I’m used to being alone, fighting everything by myself. Not even Lane knows that much about me, and she’s my best friend.” My voice cracks towards the end, and his face softens, his blank mask disappearing.
He moves his hands, one to each side of my legs, caging me in. “You’re not alone anymore. I understand it’s hard to understand and to trust us. We have to earn that. But you’ll have to start by letting us in a little. We’ll wait, but until then, Kitten, we’re there for you, no matter what, no matter when.” His voice softens as he talks, and his head descends until his forehead touches mine, creating a bubble around us.
I breathe in the smell of him and let it settle me. For the first time since my mom died, the walls around my heart crack, and my confidence in my decisions wavers. “Why?”
My question could mean many things, but he understands what I mean. “Everyone needs someone, Aurora. I want to be that someone you rely on, that someone you trust.”
“Why?” I sound like a broken record, but I need to know. What he says next could make or break whatever this thing is that’s growing between us all.
“Truthfully, Kitten, I don’t know. I don’t know why I’m drawn to you, why we’re all drawn to you. All I know is I’ve never seen Ezra laugh so much, Jason so comfortable, and Ben have someone to challenge him.”
“And you?”
“My family is broken, it’s my job to try to keep the pieces together. But everyday gets harder as those pieces turn to glass and cut me the harder I hold on. We’ve been broken for a while, but then you come breezing in with your sarcasm, strength, and beauty, and it starts to feel right again... like that hole is closing. I feel like I can breathe again, like I have a new purpose.”
His truth hits me in the gut, and the need to share something, anything, with this man who will bare his soul for me just to make me understand.
“I don’t trust easily. I haven’t had a family for as long as I can remember. And the one I had before screwed me up so bad. It’s always been just me. I never could rely on anyone, and the idea of leaning on and letting someone in was abhorrent. So, I need time. Thank you for telling me the truth, though.”
He smiles at me, a sweet caring one that changes his face from handsome to downright stunning. It’s like gazing at the sun, stare too much and it hurts, but it’s beautiful.
“I will always tell you the truth, Kitten, whether you like it or not. So, it might not be today you tell me why you flinch when we move too fast, why you have these walls around your heart, or the distrust in your eyes any time we do something nice for you, but it will be one day. And I can wait for that day, Aurora.” With that heart-wrenching and soul-destroying statement, he leans closer and kisses my cheek.
Before I can utter a word, he’s out of the kitchen and saying goodbye to Lane. I sit there in a stupor. They’ve seen more than I realised, more than they should.
I thought I hid it all so well, but with one statement and a quick smile I realise Alexander knows more about me than anyone in this world, that he has the power to destroy me, and I just might let him.
- ALEXANDER -
As soon as I get in the car, I pull my phone from my pocket. Dialling Ezra, I stare at the house.
“What.” His usual greeting growl makes me roll my eyes and wonder if he answers the phone to Aurora that way.
“We have a problem, get the guys together now.” Not bothering to answer me, he hangs up. I start the car, head down the drive, then wait at the end where the trees hide my car. Impatient, I strum my lean fingers on the leather steering wheel, thinking about the little witch who has us all tied up in knots. I only have to hang out a couple of minutes for them to ring back. As soon as I answer, the questions from all of them fire through. With a snort, I realise they are all about Aurora.
“She’s fine. Ben, I need you to check around her house for me. I sensed something earlier, and so did she, so much so that she used her powers in front of me.” A muttered curse interrupts me, but I carry on.
“Ezra, I want you tailing her. We do not leave her alone. I will swap with you tonight. Jason, do some research. I want to know what that was—”
“She used her powers?” Ezra interrupts before I had the chance to explain. I draw in a deep breath trying to figure out how to explain what I felt.
“Yes, and it was more than I could imagine.” More curses come through the phone, and I think back to the touch I sensed on my magic. I’ve been in the presence of many witches when doing magic, even some of the strongest of our kind, but none felt like she did. The Earth itself rushed to do her bidding, the animals stopped their calling to listen to her.
“In what way?” Jason asks, ever the practical thinker.
“Her power is immense, even more than the co
uncil. But it didn’t feel like theirs or ours, it felt different. Darker...” I trail off, unsure how to explain it to them.
“Darker?” Ben asks.
I rub my forehead in frustration at not being able to describe it to my brothers. “It felt like the world held its breath waiting to see what she would do. It felt old and much bigger than a witch.”
“The council would love to get their hands on her,” Ezra’s growl comes across, and one bubbles up in my chest at the idea of them getting their hands on our girl.
“Maybe that’s who she’s running from.” Jason’s distracted voice echoes through the speaker. I bet he’s already flicking through books.
“No, if they knew she existed, they wouldn’t stop to get her. They would send their best after her. They would send us.”
The silence that greets me says they grasped the situation we’ve found ourselves in. We have a duty to report her to the council; however, we are on leave as we search for our brother. But by not reporting her, we break the rules of our society, the rules of the council—rules that will get us killed.
If we report her, they will lock her away until they can figure out what she is, how powerful she is, and who she is. A headache blooms at the choice we are going to have to make—a choice between the girl who is like our lost limb or the people we follow.
“They’re not evil, Alexander. They would listen to us and wouldn’t hurt her.” The innocence in Jason’s voice makes me remember all we have shielded him from.
“They are not all good, Jase, and that sort of power will bring out the vipers like nothing else.” Ben’s voice harshens the total opposite to his usual easygoing nature. If any one of us would know about the council, it would be him. After all, his brother is one of them.
“Right now, all we need to do is concentrate on protecting Aurora. There was something at her house, it clearly tested her boundaries.”
“Agreed.” Their solemn voices echo each other.
“It’s decided. Tomorrow we will discuss what to do about the council.”
I end the call and lean back, rubbing my head. This might be the one mission in which we are in over our head. If our girl is running from the council, what will she do when she realises who we are?
The thought of her running from us has me clenching my wheel with a white-knuckled grip. I breathe deeply, trying to calm the storm inside me.
21
- AURORA -
Lane declares that we haven’t had enough quality time lately, and I’m guessing she wants to grill me on the awesome foursome. Either way, she gave me puppy dog eyes until I let her tag along to work with me. So now, she sits at a corner table, typing away on her laptop.
I watch her, not willing to admit I missed her as much as she missed me. Tom throws me looks all evening that I pretend not to notice. I bend over, clearing a table with my back to the front door, when it opens with a bang.
“Holy shit.” A scuffle noise comes from behind me, and I spin to find the awesome foursome at the front door, as sexy as ever.
Alexander draws my eyes straight away, but my thoughts and insecurities halt when I take in what he wears. Tight grey trousers and a white shirt with suspenders over his shoulders, holy mother of cookies. Yum, he looks like he just stepped out of Peaky Blinders. Not that I mind at all.
Jason and Ben could be twins with black jeans and plain T-shirts. Grey and loose for Jason, and blue and tight for Ben. Ezra wears his usual black outfit. Why do they all have to be so sexy? It’s like being at an all-you-can-eat buffet. At Ben’s overly happy expression, my eyes narrow in suspicion.
“What are you doing here?” It comes out harsher than expected, but I roll with it.
“We’re hungry,” Ben whines.
“You’re always hungry.” My response is instantaneous, and Ezra smiles at me.
Ben swaggers up and stops in front of me, leaning in close and winks. “Maybe we missed you.”
“It’s been two hours.” I fold my arms, not willing to back down.
“You look hot in them jeans, was a nice view when I walked in with you all bent over.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me, and I narrow mine again. The other guys glance around and head past me. Oh fuck, tell me they’re not doing what I think. Before I can say anything, Ben’s head snaps up and grins.
“Lane, it’s Lane, right?” he shouts across the restaurant and waves madly at my best friend. Every head snaps up. I mutter a curse, but Ben kisses my cheek and heads over to where the other guys now join my best friend. The surprise on her face would be comical if I wasn’t so worried.
“Fuckity fuck.” I drag my feet heading over to their table.
Ben leans over in his chair with his head propped on his steepled hands and stares at Lane. It’s adorable, and I’m mad as hell. Bloody nosey witches.
“So, Lane, tell us everything about Sunny.”
Oh hell no. I stomp up and put my hand in front of his lips. I glare at Lane in warning.
“You will not—”
Ben licks my hand, and I snatch it back in disbelief.
“Go on, Lane, ignore mardy bum,” he says sweetly.
Lane sits back, and a calculating look comes into her eyes. Nope, not happening.
“If you tell them anything, I will go tell you-know-who about you-know-what,” I say deadly serious.
Her hand snaps to me, and she bares her teeth. “You wouldn’t dare, bitch.”
I smile smugly at her. “Try me, cookie.”
She stares at me, and I stare back.
“Was that a Harry Potter reference?” Jason whispers, but I ignore him.
My name gets called from somewhere behind me, but I don’t back down until she sighs and mutters.
“What was that, Laney?” I cup my ear with a smug look.
“I said fine.”
I turn and walk away.
“Twat.”
“Fuck nugget,” I call over my shoulder, heading to a man who’s calling for me at another table.
Their laughter trails after me. That’s right buddy, laugh it up.
I keep my eyes on them for the next hour, but as it gets busy, I have no time to spy and find out what they are talking about. I’m just taking an order when Brad walks through the front door. He’s an attractive guy at six foot one with arms that I thought were huge before I met Ezra. A little older than me and a bit vain—hey, a girl’s gotta do what she’s gotta do—he squints around, then smiles when he spots me. It’s a slow smile, obviously meant to be seductive, but after seeing Ben’s, it comes up lacking. Why all of a sudden am I comparing men?
He walks up to me, trying to add swag into his step. His usual cocky self drew me to him in the first place, but now, it does nothing for me. I got bored when I discovered he’s all talk and no bite.
“Hey, sweetie.” His deep voice crawls to me.
I once loved hearing my name come from his lips, but now? I want to roll me eyes. What is wrong with me? He’s good looking; yes, a bit of an asshole but it made it fun. It’s not like we ever had a conversation anyway; I made sure his mouth was way too busy for that. I nod at him and move past as I go to the kitchen with an order.
Obviously unhappy at being ignored, he grabs my arm on the way past. Leaning down so close I can smell the grease and oil from the garage, I wrinkle my nose but don’t move away.
“I’m gonna sit down. Come over, will you?” Not even expecting a reply, he walks off.
Ass. And not the good kind.
On my way to the kitchen, Lane and the guys stare at me. Ezra’s face darkens, and his fists clench on the table. I rush into the kitchen. Great. It’s going to be a long shift.
When I head over to take Brad’s order, he wears his self-satisfied smile. He leans back with his feet kicked out and his arm over the spare chair next to him.
“Sit down, won’t you?” He kicks out the closest chair to me, and this time, I do roll my eyes.
“I’m at work, what’s up?”
He frowns for a sec
ond before smiling at me again. Not at all hesitant about my bitchy tone and clear brush off.
“Haven’t seen you in a while.”
No shit, Sherlock. “Yep, what do you want to eat?” I make my tone as cold as possible, trying really hard to get him to comprehend I’m no longer interested.
“C’mon, Aurora. I missed you.” He leans forward and gives me his bad boy pose, all dark eyes and pouting lips.
“No, you missed my body. What do you want to eat?” My sarcasm falls flat, and I try not to groan out loud.
“Is it a bad thing? We were having fun.” He purposely looks me up and down.
“We were. I told you I was bored, and that’s all it was.” I grab my notepad and pen. “Now, what do you want to eat?”
He scowls at me. “Burger with chips.” I turn to leave, relieved he left it alone.
“You get bored tonight, you know where to come.” His voice calls after me, and I hurry to the kitchen.
I glance at the guys’ table before I can help it and see all their heads bent over whispering.
As I leave the kitchen again, Lane signals me over to their table. Ezra glowers at Brad across the room, Alexander stares at me with that same blank mask in place, and with a misstep, I notice how much I like the softer side of him. Ben smiles, but strain at the corners turns it into more of a grimace. Jason rubs the back of his neck, avoiding looking my way. This should be fun. Lane quirks her eyebrow at me when I get there, obviously enjoying my discomfort.
Before I can say anything, Ezra growls at me, “Who the fuck is that?”
I stare at him. Dude actually growled. I don’t know whether to be turned on or pissed.
“I think what Ezra means, Kitten, is who is that?” Alexander leans back, eyes cold, and I don’t even want to know what he’s thinking.
My back hardens. They have no right to be mad about what or who I do. It’s not like I’m in a relationship, and I barely know these guys. My bitchy side comes out to play.