“Yes,” he answered. “My pack is following us; we just can’t see them. Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to you or your baby, Vanessa.”
It wasn’t that she didn’t believe him. She did. It was just that she knew very well anything could happen.
She took a deep breath determined to have fun and to escape her reality for a day. She was grateful to Travis for giving her that. As she looked at him, she knew he didn’t want just her gratitude but something more. Something she wasn't sure she could give. She wanted nothing more than to surrender to him, but there was the bond to Dominic. And as long as it was active, she couldn’t be mated to another. At least, that’s what she was always told. And yet…
They made their way towards the gate from the truck, and the nervousness returned when she saw the growing crowd ahead of her, the line long and wide. For being such a small town, there sure were a lot of people. Where had they all come from?
“From the surrounding towns,” Travis said as if he could read her mind.
She snuck a look over at him again and saw his tensed face scanning the crowd, going from the exits and entrances to the fair.
She relaxed and pushed the baby stroller in front of her, heading towards the ticket counter. We’re safe, she thought, a small sigh escaping. We’re safe.
She felt something in her mind, her wolf backing away from the mental cage, and she knew it was Dominic trying to discover where she was. The bond was weaker than most, considering she hadn’t been willing, so she pushed him away and slammed the door closed again, preparing to enjoy the day with her daughter and the man who had made it possible.
The day passed in a wonderful blur. She couldn’t remember laughing so much, smiling as Travis made her baby giggle with each jiggle of their walk, holding her up so she could see the world. But it wasn’t just the effect he had on her child, it was his effect on her as well. Throughout the day, he showed her that she mattered in more ways than one, and before long, they were holding hands as if they belonged together.
Her heart felt like it was going to explode. But all too soon, the sun began to set, and with it, the reality of what lay ahead of them back at the house. Depression threatened to invade, and she squashed it down as they headed away from the fair, away from the escape of the darkness ahead.
An hour later, Vanessa carried her little one to her room and put her in her crib, watching as the baby slept. Seconds ticked by as her vision blurred and thoughts centered on how she could feel so much for one so little…for anyone. Love welled within, and her chest felt tight.
“I love you, darling,” she whispered, running her hand down the soft rosy cheeks before pulling back.
Turning, she walked out after turning off the light and cracking the door a bit before heading to her own room. She was tired and liked the idea of a nap.
Travis stood in front of her door, his hands in his jean pockets as he watched her move closer. She started to say something, but there wasn’t much to put into words, not yet. Not with who they knew was coming for her. She moved around him but stopped when he touched her arm. Looking up, a lump formed in her throat at the emotion she saw in his eyes.
She couldn’t be sure, but it almost looked like…
No, that couldn’t be.
“Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?” he asked.
“Dinner?” she repeated, shocked. Excitement and dread filled her.
Dinner with Travis? Oh, Lord.
She opened her mouth, a polite but firm refusal on the tip of her tongue. There were so many more things to focus on. Dominic was coming; she could feel him closing in. And with the baby…she just wanted to protect her. She had no time for dinner…for a date. With Travis.
“Sure. That would be nice.”
Wait, what? She’d meant no!
Surprise and pleasure filled his eyes, and he grinned. “Great. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
Before she could even say a word—like change her mind—he turned and left, a whistle on his lips.
She remained motionless, unsure of what had just happened. Had she just agreed to have dinner with the Alpha? Mouth dry, she gazed after him, her stomach rolling at the thought.
Unexpectedly, she heard a squeal and flinched as small arms came around her.
“A date! You’re going on a date with my brother!”
Vanessa turned as Anna squeezed her. The girl let her go and danced around the hallway, a happy grin on her young face.
“Ummm,” Vanessa started, unsure of what to say to that. She couldn’t very well deny it, but…
“Anna, calm down! You’re making Vanessa uncomfortable. Geez.”
Samantha walked out of her bedroom, her brown hair in a ponytail down her back. The eye rolling seemed to be a permanent thing when Samantha and Anna were in the same room together. If Vanessa hadn’t been embarrassed, she would have said that their relationship was cute.
She heard her daughter whimper and sighed, dropping her hand from her doorknob. Yeah, her night wasn’t over yet. It would be hours before she could get little one back to sleep, even after the day she had. Her daughter had way too much energy for one so young and small.
“I’ll go and soothe her,” Anna offered, finally done dancing. “Go to sleep. You look exhausted. She’ll be okay, I promise. C’mon Sam.”
With that, both girls disappeared inside of the nursery, leaving Vanessa alone in the hall. Yeah, her daughter was going to be spoiled. Too bad they wouldn’t be around for much longer.
But what if we stayed? she wondered, suddenly disheartened at the thought of leaving. It was something she had refused to think about but knew it was almost time to consider. She still didn’t know many of the Crescent Ice Pack’s members, and her own pack didn’t want her or her daughter. So technically, she was alone.
Chapter 19
Nervous, Vanessa stared at herself in the mirror, at the black dress that revealed more than she thought necessary.
“You look beautiful,” Sam breathed, staring at her from behind.
Vanessa swallowed, trying to comfort her dry throat, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the mirror. It wasn’t that the black dress was too short. It was that it fit her so well, leaving her shoulders bare, the edge coming to the top of her breasts. Samantha had surprised her with it a few hours before, and Vanessa hadn‘t been able to say no.
“Really? You don’t think it’s too much?”
Or too little?
She eyed herself and fought the urge to change or throw something over her outfit.
Sam shook her head quickly as she finished fastening the back, then took a step back and pushed her hair away from her face. “Of course not. You look gorgeous.” She grinned, which was a rare sight. “You’ll have my brother drooling through the whole date.”
“Would you please stop calling it that? We’re just having dinner.”
Sam gave a sly smile. “I’m only calling it what it is. Trust me. I’ve known Travis my entire life. He doesn’t just ‘have dinner’ with people he’s interested in. This is a date.”
Vanessa felt her heart hit her stomach but tried to cover it up by rolling her eyes and turning her face. She wished she could stop her face from flushing at the thought of Travis desiring her. By Sam’s sly smile, she wasn’t fooled. Vanessa opened her mouth to respond, but a knock on the door halted the words, and her heartbeat quickened. She abruptly had the urge to run, and Samantha must have realized it because she grabbed her arm, holding her in place.
“Oh no, you don’t. I worked too hard on your hair and shit. It’s probably just Momma or Anna coming to look.”
It was Emma with baby Ava. The older woman took one look at her and gasped, her eyes watering.
“You look beautiful, Vanessa.”
She blushed. “Thank you.” Reaching for her daughter, she cuddled her against her chest. Kissing her little forehead, Vanessa watched as the little eyes opened and her mouth puckered, searching.
The girls la
ughed as Emma took her daughter from her.
“You made me plenty of bottles in the fridge. I’ll feed her. She’ll be fine, honey.”
Vanessa nodded and took one more look at herself in the mirror before taking a deep breath. She had never been on a real date before and wasn’t above letting it show, allowing herself to enjoy this moment. Four months ago, she would have never put on a dress like this. What the hell was Travis doing to her?
“Travis is downstairs waiting, dear,” Emma said.
Her stomach tied in knocks. She took another deep breath and nodded just as Samantha handed her a black evening bag.
“Have a fantastic time, Vanessa.”
She didn’t know why she was so nervous. It wasn’t as if she didn’t know Travis.
Maybe it’s because I’m twenty-eight years old and never been on a date?
Yeah, that could be it.
She refused to admit the deeper feelings that persisted in making themselves known as she started down the stairs, anticipation growing stronger with each step.
Travis was beyond nervous as he paced in the living room, waiting for Vanessa. This was their first date and the first chance he had of convincing her to stay. He knew she was thinking of leaving the pack, of leaving him. He could almost see the thoughts running through her head, and panic was starting to set in.
What if he couldn’t convince her to give him a chance? Give them a chance? Shortly, it wasn’t going to matter that she was unsure about how he felt because tonight, he would make his feelings for her clear, one way or another.
He heard a noise and turned, staring up at the woman walking down the stairs. Their eyes met and time seemed to slow as he took in the vision before him. Vanessa’s hair was elegantly styled, and her long neck was exposed with a simple heart-shaped necklace as an accent. But it was the dress that took his breath away. The black, silky cloth that hugged her body showing more than half of her long, smooth legs. In all his life, he had never seen anyone so beautiful.
She finished her descent and approached him. “I’m ready.”
He couldn’t stop his eyes from roaming her body. His heart lodged in his throat, and he couldn’t find words. He recognized the anxious anticipation and fear in her green eyes, but until he could get the words out, he knew he was only making it worse.
“You’re beautiful,” he managed to croak.
Damn it, was that his voice? He cleared his throat and tried again.
“You’re beautiful,” he repeated. Much better.
She flushed. “Thank you.”
They stared at each other, their gazes locked until Samantha cleared her throat from behind Vanessa.
“Reservations? Dinner?” Samantha pointed out from the living room door, laughter in her voice.
Travis jerked and straightened, a heat touching his own cheeks. Was he blushing? Damn it, how long had it been since he’d done that?
“Of course,” he said, collecting himself. “Shall we go?”
Embarrassed, he took a step back and quickly grabbed Vanessa’s jacket from Samantha, who had come forward and handed it to him, her eyes dancing with mirth.
Damn sisters.
Vanessa turned, and he lost his breath altogether. Her back was completely bare, the black fabric dropping down to right above the curve of her ass.
God, please save me.
He finally noticed the small goose bumps on her skin as he put the jacket on her.
Vanessa turned and looked over at Samantha. “Are you sure you’ll be okay with Ava?”
She nodded with a smile. “Yes. Anna and Momma are upstairs playing with her now. We’ll try to put her down soon.” Samantha placed her hands on Vanessa’s shoulders. “Don’t worry. Go. Have a great time.”
“Thanks, Samantha,” Travis answered.
Within minutes, they were leaving the ranch behind on their way to town.
Travis pulled out her chair, and Vanessa sat down, her palms sweating. She tried to smile but knew it probably came across as weak. A waiter came up to their table just as Travis sat across from her.
“Hello. My name is Jason, and I’ll be your server this evening. What would you like to drink?”
Travis looked at her and smiled. “Trust me?”
She nodded, and he looked up at the man. “Yes. We would like to try the Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 please.”
The waiter nodded and was soon back with two wine glasses, pouring a small amount into the first.
Travis picked the glass up and took a sip before nodding. “Perfect.”
The waiter swiftly poured her a small glass after refilling Travis’.
“Would you like some more time to order, sir?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Nodding, the waiter left as Vanessa took a sip.
“It’s a red wine,” Travis explained, watching her.
“Yes,” Vanessa said with a nervous laugh, her eyes flashing from the glass to him. “I can see that. It’s good.”
The waiter returned a few minutes later. “Do you see anything you like?”
Vanessa looked down at the menu in her hands, but she couldn’t think. Thoughts muddled. She swallowed, attempting to moisten her dry throat.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Vanessa shook her head, not sure if she could even eat anything with her stomach tied in knots. She looked up, and their eyes met again.
Smiling gently, almost as if he understood, Travis turned to the waiter and ordered. She shook her head to clear it of the mental pictures and set the menu down.
Snap out of it girl. He’s just a man! Granted, a sexy specimen of a man, but still a man.
Sighing, she glanced around the high-end restaurant. It was beautiful and on the edge of the next town over. It almost looked out of place, seeming to sparkle in the night. They traveled a bit to get here, but Vanessa hadn’t been paying that close attention, which wasn’t like her at all. She was normally very alert but chalked it up to nerves as the heat waves seemed to roll off of Travis. The black suit he was wearing was molded to his muscular frame, the dark color bringing out the blue hue of his eyes and his tan complexion.
Trying to distract herself, she fiddled with a fork. A large, tan hand covered hers, startling her.
“It’s okay, Vanessa. We’re just here getting to know each other. Nothing is going to happen, all right?”
Taking a deep breath, she nodded as she felt heat stain her cheeks. Was she that transparent?
Travis made small talk until the waiter appeared again, this time with their food. She looked down at her plate and her mouth watered, which beat the dryness of minutes before.
“It looks delicious.”
Vanessa took a small bite of her salmon, and her eyes widened as the fish seemed to melt on her tongue. She shut her eyelids and moaned. “Oh Lord, this is delicious!”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” he said huskily.
“I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”
When she looked at him, Travis pulled his gaze away and stared down at his own plate. “I love this restaurant. The food is excellent.”
“I won’t argue with you there,” she said, finishing another bite.
Something caught her eye, and her gaze shifted. Her stomach dropped as a man walked out the door, drawing Travis’s concerned attention.
“What is it? What's wrong?” he demanded. He looked behind him, but it was too late; the man was gone.
She shook her head hurriedly. “No one. I must have been imagining it.” She stopped, glancing over at the doorway.
“Vanessa, talk to me,” Travis said encouragingly. “I can’t protect you if you don’t. Who do you think you saw?”
She swallowed the lump of fear and met his eyes. “Dominic’s brother.”
His look hardened, and she could see the murderous rage on his face, the skin tightening with the surfacing of his wolf as his irises turned black.
Without taking his eyes off her, Travis q
uickly dialed a number.
“Come to my table. Immediately.”
Within seconds, Patrick stood beside them. “What’s going on?”
Travis got up and nodded towards Vanessa, inching back away from the table. “Stay here with Vanessa. Have five men meet me outside to look around. I’ll explain later.”
Patrick didn’t ask questions. He nodded and sat down across from her, dialing for backup. He spoke in a hushed tone as Travis disappeared out the door without a second glance.
Everything happened so fast that her head was spinning. Without a doubt, he had believed her. Just like that. Vanessa stared after him in shock. She was so used to people—family and the pack—treating her like a child and sometimes worse—as if she didn’t have a brain or wasn’t worthy of a second thought. And yet, Travis had gone outside because of what she thought she had seen.
In what seemed like forever but could only have been thirty minutes or so, Travis returned wearing a different shirt and pants. He must have shifted outside and hunted around before returning.
She scanned his face but couldn’t tell anything from his expression.
Patrick stood, and the two men talked unobtrusively, their voices too low for her to understand even with her excellent hearing. The secrecy was pissing her off.
So much for that theory. Ha!
She arose, finally drawing their gazes towards her.
“Where are you going?” Travis asked, frowning.
“Home,” Vanessa said curtly, throwing her napkin down on the table. “If I’m to be treated like a child as you two gossip among yourselves, I would rather be with mine.”
She turned and headed towards the door, more hurt than angry. She thought this man was different, that he saw her more as an equal than anything else, but she had been wrong before. It wouldn’t be the last time.
Travis grabbed her hand, jerking her to a stop right outside the door. She turned and glared at him. Eyes on her, he spoke to Patrick.
“Patrick, we’ll be home soon. Get back to the house.”
The Alpha had spoken.
Footsteps indicated Patrick retreating somewhere in the distance, and Travis still held her hand.
Crescent Vendetta (Vendetta Series Book 1) Page 13
