Filed to story: Reclaimed Book by Roxie Ray
Something in my expression made Stephan take a small step back. “But we can talk about that later, of course. One day at a time.”
“Right,” I agreed in a voice that only wavered a little. “One day at a time.”
There was clattering and a frustrated sound behind Mom’s closed door. I sighed. “We’ll meet you at the house in a few.”
Stephan narrowed his eyes in the direction of the door. “I can stay.”
“Thank you for that, but we’ll meet you there. I’ve got to pack a few things, and… I should talk to her.”
“You don’t deserve to be treated that way.”
“Well, she’s my mother,” I said with a small shrug. “Gotta play the cards you’re dealt.”
Stephan wrinkled his nose in frustration. I couldn’t help but smile-it was a cute expression on such a tough guy. I’d forgotten he did that. I knew he wanted to push back, but then he sighed. “All right. But if it takes more than an hour, I’m coming back here.”
“Definitely won’t take that long. I’ll see you soon.”
His hazel eyes searched my face, then he nodded and left. The car engine roared as he started it up.
I climbed the stairs and stepped into my small room to toss my stuff into my suitcase. It only took a few minutes for Mom to stomp out of her room. She stood in the doorway to the room, red-faced, her arms crossed under her breasts. “You know he’s going to break your heart again.”
“That’s not what this is about, Mom.” I threw my dirty laundry into my open suitcase.
“If you’re not careful, you’ll have a repeat of that summer,” she said. “Ace will charm the pants off you the way he does to half the tourists here, and then you’ll leave here with another baby to raise all on your own.”
I burned with embarrassment and anger in equal measure. Mom didn’t know what the hell she was talking about-but she was right about him leaving me high and dry. I knew there was no use trying to explain how it would be different now, not when she was a little drunk and a lot pissy, but I still felt like I had to defend Stephan. He was more than just a summer fling, now. He was Dylan’s dad, whether my mother liked it or not. “That’s not what I’m here for. This is for Dylan, okay? I know what I’m doing.”
Mom rolled her eyes. “If you say so. At least get a few child support payment checks out of him.”
I bit my tongue. Arguing with her over this would get me nowhere. Maybe Stephan was right about getting out of her house. My mother and I always got along better with a lot of distance between us.
Mom lingered for a moment, waiting for me to respond to her poking and prying, but I ignored her and focused on my packing. Soon, she gave up and drifted back to her own room, where she surely had the dregs of a wine bottle waiting for her.
I finished stuffing my clothes back into my suitcase, then dumped my toiletries on top. With my suitcases zipped and ready to go, I went back to Dylan’s room and knocked on his door. “Hey, kiddo, how’s it going in here?”
Inside, Dylan’s suitcase was in an even worse state than mine. He was balling up his shirts and stuffing them into the luggage, then leaning all his weight onto the bulk to try to get it to close. “How was this packed before?”
“The clothes were folded,” I said with a laugh. “You know, it’d be easier to get them into the drawers at your dad’s if you went ahead and folded them now.”
“That’ll take too long. I’m ready to go.”
“You’re excited, huh?” I nudged Dylan aside and rearranged some of the things in his suitcase to get the zip to close.
“Yeah.” Dylan nodded eagerly, then rubbed his palm over his chest. “My dragon’s excited, too.”
“That’s good,” I said. “Being around your dad should make your shifting a little easier. It’ll be good practice.”
“I’m really excited,” Dylan said quietly. “Do you think he’ll take me flying?”
I closed my eyes. The memory was so sudden I could almost feel the wind on my face, feel Stephan’s smooth scales under my hands. I could almost see the spread of the lake like a plate of glass beneath us as we soared through the clouds. “I’m not sure, Dyl,” I managed to say. “But remember, this is only for the summer, okay? We’ll have to go back to Atlanta at the end of the season. And you have to go back to school.”
“I know, I know,” he grumbled. “But a summer can change a lot of things, right?”
“It can,” I said.
He had no idea how right he was.
ACE
Iswallowed the last of the dregs of the whiskey in my glass. The alcohol didn’t do a damn thing-never did-but I liked to think the placebo effect did something for my nerves. Hopefully, that distillery we had invested in was onto something. I’d kill for a little buzz right now.
I’d gone to Liz Founty’s house as soon as I’d gotten out of my meeting with Striker. It’d only been a clan meeting, going over the theft and the evidence that Sean was involved. I spoke to the distributor on the phone, personally-and that was the only reason why he’d agreed to meet with Striker and me tomorrow. I had to ensure this theft didn’t turn into something bigger. I needed to keep Lakeview safe while Harley and Dylan were here, no matter what that took.
It was late, and the moonlight streamed into the empty living room. At night, the house felt emptier. There was too much space here, too many bedrooms, too much land. It was all too much for one man.
I knew it wouldn’t be easy for me to share my home with my fated mate. My dragon whined at the mere thought of it. Having Harley here, in my territory, close to my bedroom, where I should be taking care of her, pleasuring her, keeping her safe… She’d be close, but entirely out of reach. Fuck, it would be harder than not having her at all.
An engine rumbled outside, cut off, and then footsteps crunched briskly up the gravel driveway. I heard Dylan’s excited voice chattering before I heard the knock on the door. My dragon sensed them both-my son and my mate.
This felt so right, and at the same time, it wasn’t anywhere close to enough.
I set my glass aside and strode to the door. “Come on in,” I said with a smile. “Make yourself at home.”
“Yay!” Dylan’s voice echoed all the way up to the rafters. “This is so awesome.”
“Don’t get too excited, kiddo,” Harley said. “Remember, you’re still in trouble from earlier.”
Dylan’s expression fell a little. Obviously, Dylan had thought Harley had forgotten about something.
“What happened?” I asked.
“Tell your dad what you got in trouble for,” Harley said as she set her suitcase down in the foyer and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked like a stern, serious mom. Seeing that unfamiliar expression on her face turned me on-just a little. But in my defense, everything about her turned me on.
“Um… I yelled at her,” Dylan said meekly.
“About what?” Harley prompted.
“I didn’t want to go back to Mama Liz’s.”
“Right,” Harley said. “And you used the strong words and tone that we’re not supposed to, right?”
“Uh-huh.” Dylan toed at the floor. “I was… I was really mad.”
“I get it.” I stepped closer to Dylan and set a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, and I saw my own hazel eyes looking back at me. God, would I ever get used to the resemblance?
“I know how big your feelings can be when your first shift is coming. I remember how that feels.”
“You do?”
“Yep. It’s not easy. But that doesn’t mean you get to disrespect your mom, okay? Not under any circumstances. She’s pretty amazing, and she’s doing a good job with all this craziness, don’t you think?”
Dylan nodded.
“How’s your dragon feel?” I asked.