Her shoulders hunched, her face tightened up and she stalked away tossing back over her shoulder, “Not sure we have spaghetti. It’s almost closing time. I’ll check.”
Riley could hear her yelling in the kitchen, and a few moments later a tall, lanky young man came out of the kitchen. Riley identified him as a shifter at once. He appeared Hispanic; naturally tanned skin, dark eyes, dark wavy hair.
“Hello!” he said happily, as he walked toward their table wiping his hands on the towel hanging from his pocket. “How are you folks today?” he smiled broadly, two very deep twin dimples showing in his cheeks on either side of his smile.
“Doing okay, how’re you?” Riley responded, thankful that the cantankerous waitress from earlier was seemingly replaced.
“Oh, I’m good, real good! Stars shining in the sky and customers to cook for,” he said. Then, “I’m Richie. I’m the cook here. Sassy’s having a bad evening, so I’ll be taking care of you folks tonight.”
Riley said, “Seems to me that most of her evenings are probably bad, with that attitude…”
Richie laughed, his joy infectious, “You’re right, but really it’s not her fault. It’s hard to be happy with somebody micro-managing every little breath you take. But it’s all good, we find a way, right? What else can you do, but keep trying?”
“Just keep on keeping on,” Riley responded.
Richie looked down at Cristie who was busily munching on crackers, “So what do you want to eat, little lady?” he asked.
Cristie, without missing a beat, said, “Sketti’s!” and pointed to the kitchen.
“I can do that. And what will you have?” Richie asked Riley.
“I’m good, just some spaghetti for her, and we’ll be on our way.”
“Nothing at all?” Richie said, feigning heart pain, his hand to his chest, “At least give me a chance to show off my cooking chops! Please!” he pretended to beg, “I’m so bored!”
Riley chuckled in spite of himself, “Fine, surprise me. Whatever you’d like to make is fine.”
“Yes!” Richie fist pumped the air, “Be right back with the best Italian food you ever tasted.”
Fifteen minutes later and Richie was back, “Here you go, ma’am,” he said to Cristie as he placed a plate of spaghetti and meatballs in front of her. He’d also tucked two soft garlic buttered bread sticks into the sauce for her. Cristie grinned at him and started eating right away.
“And for you, Alpha, Veal Parmesan served with angel hair pasta,” Richie said as he placed the plate in front of Riley.
Riley, surprised that he’d been addressed as Alpha, raised an eyebrow, but inclined his head, smiling his appreciation. “Thank you, Richie. I appreciate it.”
Richie stood waiting for Riley to take his first bite.
Riley cut off a piece of veal and placed it in his mouth, his eyes closing in appreciation as he chewed.
Richie stood there, a grin on his face, “Good, huh?” he asked anxiously.
“It just might be the best thing I’ve ever eaten,” Riley responded, stuffing another bite into his mouth.
“Another happy customer,” Richie said. “You mind if I join you while you eat?” Richie asked.
Riley indicated the extra chair at their table with his fork, “Help yourself.”
Richie sat and asked, “Ya’ll staying in town long?” as he started to reach out to help Cristie cut her meatballs into manageable sizes. He stopped halfway to her plate, meeting Riley’s ever watchful eyes, “May I?” he asked.
Riley nodded, “Thank you.”
“Here you go, pretty-girl, let’s get your meatballs cut up for you. I’m sorry, I should have made them smaller. Next time I will.”
Cristie’s face got a little sad, and Riley asked her, “You okay, baby?”
“Poppy,” Cristie told him.
“Ahh. I see. We’ll see him soon,” Riley explained gently, hoping he’d not burn in hell for lying to his daughter.
“Who’s Poppy?” Richie asked, trying to make conversation.
“Family. We just left them, and won’t be seeing them for a while. He calls her pretty-girl, so it reminded her of her Poppy.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make her sad,” Richie said.
“It’s okay,” Riley said, reaching over to dip a bread stick into Cristie’s spaghetti sauce and offer it to her. Distracted she took it from him and started eating again.
“Ya’ll heading home?” Richie asked.
“Naw. Heading for a new start,” Riley said as he took another bite. “Man, this is amazing! You should be cooking in New York or something.”
Richie laughed, “Thank you so much. I’m really glad you like it. Not much chance of me heading out on my own to New York, though. I’m stuck here,” he said as he looked around the diner. “It’s a living at least. Just not much room to grow, you know?” Then he looked at Riley, sincere need to know written on his face, “You taking your Pride with you? They going, too?”
“Don’t have a Pride,” Riley answered, then found himself saying more than he’d planned, “Was working with a shifter clan for a while — but too many Alphas in one place. Time to move on. Heading up to Missouri, gonna start a new life, see if I can make a go of it.”
“Really? Where in Missouri? I heard that’s some pretty country up there,” Richie asked.
“Off Hwy 248, in Barry County. Got a promise of some backup if I want to start my own construction company. Probably gonna do that. There’s a store there, too, that hasn’t been operable in years, but I might give it a go. Have to see how many people are nearby to see if it’s worth my while.” Riley sat back, stretching, “Regardless, I bought the place. So, it’s home now.”
“Sounds like you got all kinds of options. And besides, you’ll have your Mate by your side — you’ll have a full functioning Pride in no time.”
Riley placed the last of his veal in his mouth and wiped his mouth with his napkin. He sat back, looking at Richie, “No,” he said, shaking his head. “No Mate by my side, yet.”
Richie wasn’t sure what to say, “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to pry.”
“Not a problem,” Riley answered. He looked at Cristie to be sure she wasn’t paying attention, before explaining quietly, “Cristie’s mother wasn’t my Mate, but I tried to make it work anyway. She didn’t stick around long after Cristie was born. She couldn’t handle what we are. Haven’t seen or heard from her since.”
“That’s a shame.”
Riley shrugged, “Worked out for the better. Better off with no mother than one that doesn’t want you.”
“Very true,” Richie responded, looking at the precious little girl eating her dinner, and wondering how the hell anyone could leave a child behind.
“Maybe you’ll meet your Mate where you’re headed.”
Riley smiled sadly, “Already found her. Hoping she’ll follow when she’s ready. Until then,” he smiled, sneaking a piece of meatball off Cristie’s plate as she tried to slap his hand with her bread stick, “it’s just me and Cristie.” Then it was Riley’s turn to ask questions, “Enough about my travesty of a love life, why’re you stuck here?”
Richie shrugged, “Just always been here, ya know. Alpha’s a dick,” he said before he caught himself. He made a shocked face and slapped his hand over his own mouth.
Riley chuckled and shook his head, “It’s all good,” he said at the man’s response to cursing in front of Cristie. “She didn’t even notice.”
“Okay, good. Anyway, you can’t just move into another Pride’s territory. Passing through is one thing, but setting up shop and moving in — you gotta have permission. I wouldn’t even know how to go about that. Besides, our Alpha don’t like it much when his people move on without his permission.”
“Why’s that?” Riley asked. “You have every right to go wherever you want to be. Nobody owns you. Nobody owns anybody.”
Richie looked around, making sure no one was within earshot, “We all, every one
of us, are watched real close. We have Pride fees to pay, they start coming due when we turn eighteen. If we can’t make our dues, we have to work off the debt in other ways.”
Richie looked off toward the kitchen where the waitress could be heard clattering dishes and running water as she cleaned up.
Riley now had a better feel for why the woman may have been in such a bad mood.
“Sorry to hear that, man. But you know, there’s always a way to change your life. You don’t like what you got, only you can change it.”
“True. Maybe one day,” Richie told him.
“You got family here?” Riley asked.
“Naw. But my Mom’s up north, near Pennsylvania. I call her often as I can. Send her whatever money I can scrape together after paying my dues.”
Suddenly they heard a female’s voice from the back, “Richie! You think I’m cleaning this whole damn kitchen alone, you got another thing coming!”
“Best go help her,” Richie said.
Riley held his hand out for Richie to shake, “Good luck to you, man. You should start your own restaurant somewhere someday. Best food I’ve had in a long time.”
Richie shook Riley’s hand, “Appreciate it. Good luck, Alpha. Take care of that little princess. You’ll have a Pride in no time at all to offer your Mate.”
Riley left the money for the bill, left a tip, then left an extra one hundred dollars on the table for Richie. He had plenty of money saved from working as ‘muscle’ for Ricky prior to meeting Kaid. And then Kaid had paid him very well, too. He’d thought he’d have to spend most of it for the property that he’d bought from Amos, but Amos had barely charged him anything. He’d said he wanted it to go to someone who would appreciate the place, take care of it. And since he was never planning on wandering far from Joanne, he was never going back there. He and Riley had worked out a very good deal. Riley smiled, he liked the fact that he could leave a little extra for Richie. He looked over his shoulder toward the kitchen, “Richie?! I left the bill money on the table.” He wanted to be sure that Richie was the one to get it.
“That’s good, Alpha. I’ll get it. Travel safe!”
Riley and Cristie headed out to the truck and got settled in, bellies full and refreshed, to finish their drive.
Richie walked into the kitchen and looked around at the mess that the waitress had made in what she considered an effort to clean.
“I’m out. I been here longer than I had to be. I’m going home. If Alpha shows up, tell him that I worked my time.” With that she flounced out of the door, letting it slam behind her.
Richie looked around again, thought about what Riley said about only him being able to change what he didn’t like in his life. Slowly a grin took hold of his face, making those deep double dimples painfully apparent. Richie took the towel out of his pocket and tossed it onto the counter-top near the sink. He walked back out to the table where Riley and Cristie had just had dinner, specifically to see if they’d left any tip he could take with him. His eyes popped out of his head when he saw that Riley had left a one hundred dollar bill on the table. He pocketed the hundred, left the rest on the table for whomever ran the diner next. He was done. He’d had enough — it wouldn’t be him. He walked back through the kitchen, out the back door, got on his midnight black motorcycle where it sat in the alley behind the building and fired it up. Slowly he drove out of the parking lot and set a path for Missouri, Hwy 248 and Barry County. Alpha Riley didn’t know it yet, but he’d already picked up the first member of his Pride. Unintentionally, of course, but that made no difference.
In Richie’s mind, his own Panther, black as his bike, roared and paced, anxious to make their own new start in life. Follow Alpha, he said.
On our way, Richie told him. On our way.
Chapter 2
Riley flipped on the light in the cab of his truck. It was dark outside, and he was having trouble focusing on the hand drawn map that Amos had given him while he drove. He pulled off on the shoulder of the road and looked at it again. Yep, they were on the right road — Hwy 248. He read the rest of the directions that Amos had made on the page and glanced at the map once more, then flicked off the light and continued on his way. Twenty minutes later, uncountable twists and turns and ups and downs later, and he was slowly pulling into the white gravel parking lot of what used to be a small rural convenience store. The sign was not lit up, but he could tell that at one time, it said, “The Only Stop.” As he drove slowly past the store, he saw the house set back from it and to the right, behind a chain link fence that was at its highest point, only about three and a half feet. It was bent and sagging here and there, but the gate seemed intact for the most part.
There was a light pole set at the far edge of the parking lot meant to illuminate the store, but the light was burned out. And another further down the property at the far side the house sat on. From its yellowed light he could make out the raised cement porch of the house, which would be about chest level on him if he stood on the ground next to it and the chairs still sitting on it. Riley drove his truck to just in front of the gate and parked it there. He got out and looked around. It felt right. Almost like home — almost.
He reached in and grabbed a duffle bag, threw it across his shoulder and went to the back seat to unstrap a sleeping Cristie from her carseat. He picked her up, cradling her against his chest and shoulder, as he locked his truck and headed toward the gate that would let him into the yard of his new home.
Riley fumbled with the keys in his hand, looking for the one that Amos had given him that would open his new front door. He shoved it in the lock and turned it, smiling at the click that sounded as the tumbler turned. It was a bittersweet smile, but still a smile. It wouldn’t be perfect — nothing would be until Maia was there with him. He clung to the last things that Kaid had told him, ‘Maia was young. She was confused, trying to find her place. She’d come around.’ He hoped that Kaid was right. In his heart he believed Kaid was right, but he’d been wrong before. He let himself into the house and flipped on the light. Nothing happened. Damn. Now he’d have to go outside and find the breaker. He dropped the duffle just inside the door, but kept Cristie cuddled securely against himself. There was no way he was leaving her in a darkened house that he hadn’t had the opportunity to check thoroughly yet.
Riley went back outside and using his cell phone as a flashlight found the breaker box mounted at the side of the house near the back. He opened it and looked inside — sure enough, Amos had turned off the breaker before he’d left. Riley threw the breaker to the on position and smiled when the old house purred to life. He closed the breaker box and made his way back inside. He looked around. It was a little dusty, but none the worse for wear. He walked over to the couch, lifted a cushion and peeked at the bottom of it. Perfect, nice and clean, no bugs. He checked the other two cushions before flipping them also and then laying Cristie on the couch and covering her with one of the t-shirts in his duffle. He looked under the couch, satisfied that nothing was hiding under it, mammal or reptile. Then he went about the rest of the room and moved outward from there. He checked the entire house. Amos had covered most of the furniture in the bedrooms with sheets, so once he removed them, they were more than fit to be slept in. But still, he pulled back the quilts and shook out the pillows just to be sure. He checked all the light bulbs, and all were working. He flicked on the gas stove, but nothing happened. He could smell the gas though no flame jumped to life. The pilot light must be out; he’d have to light it tomorrow. He checked the refrigerator, which was humming away and starting to get cold, and turned on the water. After a few moments of tepid, cloudy water, the water sputtered, relieving whatever air had built up in the pipes and then fresh, clear, cold water poured out of the faucet. Riley turned on the hot water, but no hot water was to be had.
He found the hot water tank in a pantry off the kitchen and could clearly hear it heating up. Thankfully, it was an electric tank, so it wouldn’t be long before the water was ready.
He’d kill for a hot shower about now. He opened the pantry, and following Amos’ instructions, moved the cans on the hip level shelf aside, feeling for a latch there. When he found it, he pulled on it causing a loud click to sound. The wall with the shelves on it pulled away from the corner. Riley pulled it the rest of the way opened and felt along the inside wall for a light switch. He found it and flipped it on. He looked down a set of cement steps, satisfied that the storm cellar was exactly where Amos had said it was. He pushed the wall closed until he heard the latch click back into place and looked around. There was food left in the pantry, dry and canned goods, but nothing in the fridge. Amos had cleaned it out and properly prepared it for non-usage before he’d left the place. He’d have to find a grocery tomorrow and get some food for them, but tonight, just knowing this place was his, was enough. For now, he needed to get Cristie upstairs and tucked into bed. Then hopefully he could rinse off quickly in the shower and get a couple hours sleep before the sun came up.
Riley turned off the shower, listening — surely his senses were playing tricks on him.
Tap, tap, tap.
Nope, there it was again. Who the hell could be at his door in the middle of the freaking night? He’d only been here himself for a little more than an hour.
Riley stepped from the shower, dried off a bit and wrapped the towel around his waist. He checked to be sure that Cristie was fast asleep, then went down cautiously to see who was at his door.
Riley approached the door silently, trying to see through the glass panel in the top of the door. But it was dark, and whoever it was, was standing to the side. Riley couldn’t get a good look at him.
He tried to turn on the porch light, but it didn’t work. The one light he needed more than the others didn’t work. Irritated, he yanked the door open, “Can I help you?” he demanded.
His eyebrows rose almost to his hairline when he saw who was standing there. “Richie? What are you doing here?”
Richie smiled, his smile genuine and sincere, “Hello, Alpha. I decided you need help building your Pride. And you’re right, nobody can change my life but me. And I need a change. So — here I am!”
Riley's Pride Page 2