“Excuse me—Oh, Ben! Amelia!” Rosie, the owner of the cafe, exclaimed. “How nice to see you both together. So, just one table for all of you?”
“Why not,” Penny said. “You’ve been back in town for a couple of weeks, but we’ve hardly seen you.”
Amelia looked at Mason. “Of course,” he said. Mason glanced at Ben from the corner of his eye as Rosie led them to their table. He wondered if Ben knew anything about what happened four years ago. Probably not. If he did, Mason suspected that he’d be at the opposite end of teeth and claws, not having a nice dinner at Rosie’s.
Chapter Eleven
Rosie sat them at a big table in the middle of the dining room. Mason put Cassie in a high chair between Amelia and himself, while Ben and Penny sat across from them. They quickly ordered and Rosie promised to return with their drinks.
“Nice to bump into you here,” Ben said.
“Of course.” Amelia really was glad to see her brother and his mate, though she knew Ben would have many questions. She just hoped it wouldn’t get too awkward.
“You must be really busy,” Penny said. “We’ve only seen you once since you got here.”
“Yeah, well I have a new job, new house—”
“New friend?” Ben looked meaningfully at Mason.
“Actually, we’re old friends,” Mason said. “Just reconnecting.”
“I see.”
Thankfully, Rosie did come back as she promised with the drinks they ordered. Rosie hung around and asked Penny about the baby and how she was feeling. Amelia was glad for the distraction, though it was hard to ignore the way Ben kept glancing over at Mason. To his credit, Mason did his best to ignore her brother, focusing on Cassie instead and trying to get her to drink her milk. When Rosie left, Amelia immediately took control of the conversation, asking Ben about the nursery, which of course, distracted her brother enough, at least, until Rosie came back with their food.
“So, how did you two meet? How many years ago?” Ben asked when Rosie left their table. “Are you visiting or staying here in Blackstone?”
“Ben.” Penny rolled her eyes, and then turned to Cassie. “How old are you, sweetie?”
“I’m three,” Cassie proclaimed as she dug into her beef pot pie.
“Do you like the pie?” Amelia asked.
Cassie nodded. “It’s good.” She looked at Amelia’s half-finished plate. “Don’t you like it, ’Melia?”
“I’m just not hungry right now,” she said. In truth, she’d been too anxious having her brother and Mason at the same table that she hardly noticed her food.
“Maybe Daddy can get you more tacos after we finish here. I’m sure you could eat at least ten more.”
“She does love her tacos,” Ben said with a laugh. “Do you go out to dinner often?”
“Ben,” Penny warned again, placing a hand on Ben’s arm.
“What?” He smiled innocently at Amelia. “They’re friends, right?”
“We always take ’Melia to dinner to say thank you,” Cassie interjected.
“For what, sweetie?” Penny asked.
“Well …” Cassie tapped a finger on her chin and cocked her head. “The first time was when she helped me pick out my sheets. Green is my favorite color and she got the best ones. And then last night, ’Melia slept in Daddy’s bed.”
“Cassie!” Mason dropped his fork so quickly, it made a clattering sound as it hit the plate.
Penny’s jaw dropped and Amelia spit out the water she was drinking. Ben’s expression was inscrutable, but there was an unmistakable glow that signaled his bear was lurking at the surface.
“I … was … babysitting.” Amelia cleared her throat of the water that had gone down the wrong pipe, then wiped her mouth and the table. “Mason had to work at The Den. Someone broke their leg and he was filling in.”
“Heather,” Penny said. When Mason looked at her, she added, “I’m the waitress on maternity leave. She texted me yesterday, telling me about how she fell off a ladder.”
Ben’s face and eyes returned to normal. “And you were sleeping in his bed because …”
“I was watching over Cassie,” Amelia continued. “And I fell asleep because Mason didn’t come back until after midnight.”
Penny looked up at Ben. “Amelia was doing her friend a favor, and now he’s thanking her. Isn’t that right?”
Mason nodded. “I just want to be a good friend.”
Amelia wanted to strangle the next person who said friend. For some reason, the word annoyed her right now, especially when referring to Mason. She was about to berate Ben for overreacting when Cassie spoke up.
“Daddy, Daddy, I gotta go potty.”
Mason stood up. “Okay baby, I got you.”
“I should go too,” Penny said, putting her napkin on the table. “I swear, my bladder’s the size of a pea these days.”
“Maybe Penny can help you,” Amelia said.
“But I want Daddy,” Cassie insisted.
“It’s okay.” Mason looked at Amelia and Penny. “I just usually stand outside the door while she does her business.” He unbuckled Cassie from the high chair and set her down.
“We’ll be back,” Penny declared as she followed Mason and Cassie to the ladies’ room.
“So,” Ben said when they were alone. “Anything you want to tell your big brother? I know I’m seeing something going on here. Should I bring out the shovel?”
Amelia pushed her plate at him. “Here, have mine. I heard hunger can make people see things.”
“Amelia,” Ben said, his voice turning serious. “I’m not stupid; I can see the way Mason looks at you.”
“It’s nothing.” She waved a hand at him. “I’m not interested.”
“Is it because of that kid?” Ben asked. “You’re not interested because of his baggage?”
“What?” Her voice rose, and a roar of denial came from somewhere deep in her. “No! Cassie’s not baggage, don’t say that.” Her hands gripped the edge of the table.
“Whoa there, she-bear,” Ben teased, raising his hands. “I’m not saying anything. She seems like a good kid.” He chuckled. “Probably going to be a troublemaker someday. So, is she like, a niece or something? Adopted?”
Ben must have sensed that Cassie was human but was too polite to say anything. Amelia sighed. “Well, it’s complicated, but …” She quickly told him the story, telling him only the pertinent details.
“Whoa.” Ben’s face was one of disbelief. “I …” He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck with his palm. “That’s some serious shit he’s got going on.”
“Tell me about it.” Which is why Mason didn’t need another burden. That’s what she was trying to tell him the other day when he said he was going to fix her.
“But, I can’t help but feel respect for him. He sounds like a good man.”
Amelia knew that her brother had been thinking of his own situation, when he was a kid, and she couldn’t help but feel her heart swell. Yes, Mason really was a good man, stepping up like that when he didn’t even have to, when Cassie wasn’t even his own flesh and blood. Knowing that her brother approved of him made her feel warm inside.
Ben’s expression changed. “Everything okay?”
Penny had come back and sat on the chair beside him. “Yup. Good as gold.”
Mason put Cassie back in her chair, and then sat down. “What’d we miss?”
Amelia looked at Ben and smiled.
The rest of the dinner proceeded with no more awkward questions. It was like something had changed, and Amelia was glad her brother wasn’t quite as suspicious as he was at the beginning. She felt a little guilty about telling him Mason’s private business, but she knew Ben might have asked questions, which would have led to more awkwardness. She didn’t know what Mason told Cassie or what his plans were for what to say to his daughter when she grew up and realized she was different. Surely, being surrounded by shifters, Cassie would eventually figure it out.
&nb
sp; When they finished and Rosie brought the check, Ben insisted on paying. “No buts,” he said. “I don’t always get to see my sister and meet new friends.” He winked at Cassie.
“Thank you,” Mason said. “Cassie…”
“Thank you for dinner!” The girl said as Mason took her out of the chair.
Ben smiled at Cassie. “And thank you for being good company.”
“We had a great time,” Penny added.
Ben turned to Mason. “Why didn’t you tell me you worked at the mines? Stop by my office anytime if you need anything. I usually try to go home to Penny for lunch, but I’m mostly there the whole day until three.”
“I’ll do that,” Mason said as they clasped hands. “Thanks.”
Ben and Penny waved goodbye as they walked away and so Amelia found herself alone with Mason and Cassie once again. “Thanks for taking me to dinner,” she said as they walked back to the parking lot. Cassie was between them, holding their hands.
“Technically, your brother got us dinner,” Mason pointed out.
“Well, you still invited me.”
“I think that means Cassie and I owe you,” he said, his eyes dancing with mischief. “How about dinner tomorrow?”
Amelia stopped in her tracks. “Mason, this really isn’t—”
“’Melia!” Cassie cried, the distress in her voice obvious. “What happened to your car?”
Amelia’s head whipped around toward her parking spot. Her car was still there, but it was trashed—the tires had been slashed, the windows smashed in, and scratches ran up and down the sides. Her heart stopped and her blood turned to ice. “What the …” She made a step toward her car, but Mason blocked her. “I need to check—”
“Stop.” Mason’s voice was almost inhuman. “Go back inside, Amelia, and take Cassie with you.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Mason, you’re being ridic—”
Eyes like twin blue shards of glass pierced into her. “I said go.”
Amelia felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end at the cold, deadly expression on his face. He was worried for Cassie, she told herself. With a nod, she picked up a confused Cassie and jogged back into Rosie’s.
“Did you forget something?” Rosie asked when they walked in again.
“No.” Amelia shook her head. “It’s … someone vandalized my car.”
“What?” Rosie’s eyes grew wide as saucers. “Are you okay? Did you see who did it? Did—”
The door slamming open made both women startle. Mason came in, fury obvious in his face and the way his body tensed. His eyes were an eerie luminous blue. “Do you have cameras out there?” he asked Rosie.
The proprietress shook her head. “I’m afraid the security company hasn’t put them back yet, not after the incident a couple of weeks ago.”
Mason let out a grunt, then turned to Amelia. “We need to call the police. And get you some protection.”
“Police … protection?” Was he crazy? “Mason you’re overreacting. I’m sure it was just some kids. Maybe a prank.”
“That didn’t look like a prank.” Mason’s hands turned into fists at his sides. “My truck doesn’t have a scratch on it, nor does any other car in the lot. They were targeting you.”
“Me? Mason, that just means it really was just a prank. Maybe some kids thought it was funny.” Why did Mason think someone was out to get her?
“I’m not going to let anyone get to you.”
“How did we get from vandalism to someone trying to get me?” She placed her hands on his upper arms. “Mason, let’s just call the police and put in a report. Then maybe have it towed to J.D.’s. I’ll press charges if it was a deliberate, malicious act, but I want to get to the bottom of this first.” It had to have been some prank, right? Amelia was trying to convince herself that it was nothing, but a small pit began to form in her gut.
“Fine,” Mason said, turning his back to them and crossing his arms over his chest.
“I’ll call the police,” Rosie said, as she hurried to the back room.
Amelia could feel just how agitated Mason was. Anger was radiating out of him like a wave. She reached out and touched his shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. Nothing happened.” She glanced down at Cassie, who was clutching at her hip. “Cassie’s fine. Right, sweetheart?”
Cassie nodded. “Daddy won’t let anything happen to us.”
“See?” She squeezed his shoulder. “Everything will be okay.”
He relaxed and turned back to them. His face was still tense, but his eyes had returned to normal. “It will be,” he said. “I’ll make sure.”
The police arrived fifteen minutes later. Mason took the officer to the back to show him the car. Minutes later, they came back and the officer began to take their statement.
“Was there anything else unusual?” Officer Benton asked Amelia as he wrote in a notepad.
“I really didn’t see much, just that the car was trashed.”
“Do you suspect anyone who could do this? An enemy? Ex-boyfriend?”
Amelia could feel Mason tense beside her. “No,” she said. “I just moved back to Blackstone a couple weeks ago.”
“You’re Ben Walker’s sister, right, Miss Walker? And you’re related to the Lennoxes?”
“Yes. But what does that—” She stopped. “You think this might be from that anti-shifter group?”
“Anti-shifter group?” Mason asked, his voice rising. “What are you talking about?”
Officer Benton frowned at Mason. “You’re new here too, right?” Mason nodded and Benton continued. “A few weeks back, there was an attack on Blackstone. A major anti-shifter organization tried to blow up the entire town.”
“Blow up the town?”
“Yeah. It was bad. I’m sure Miss Walker can fill you in. Normally, I would put this down to some kind of prank, but since then, we’ve been on high alert,” Benton explained. “We’ll dig deeper, see if there’s any connection.” He closed his notepad.
“You’ll keep us updated?” Mason asked.
“Even if it is just a prank?” Amelia added, giving Mason the side-eye.
“Will do. And of course, we’ll call you in if we bring in any suspects.”
Officer Benton wrapped things up, and then left. The whole ordeal took about an hour, and Amelia was glad it was over. At least for now. Mason looked like he was not going to let this go.
“J.D. said she’ll take care of it.” Mason slipped his phone back into his jacket pocket. “She’ll let us know what time we can come by tomorrow and see what can be done.”
“Thanks for taking care of that.” She felt a headache coming on. “I should get home. I still have work tomorrow. I can call Kate or Sybil—”
“I’m taking you home,” Mason declared.
She was too drained to protest. “Fine.”
Mason’s hands gripped the wheel so tight, his knuckles turned white. He drove slowly and carefully, nodding as Amelia gave him directions, but hardly saying a word. When they stopped outside her house, he turned to her.
“I changed my mind. You shouldn’t be here alone. I’ll call your brother and—”
“Hold on!” she hissed. “Mason, have you gone insane?” She looked behind her in the back seat. Cassie was fast asleep in her car seat. “Let’s talk outside.” She yanked the door open and slipped outside. By the time she shut the door, Mason was already in front of her. She glared at him, her hands on her hips. “Now, tell me why you’re overreacting?”
“Overreacting? Someone wants to hurt you.”
She rolled her eyes. “You don’t know that. Did you see any evidence? A note or a threat?”
He gritted his teeth. “I just know it. I can feel it. This was directed at you, Amelia. What was Benton talking about? The anti-shifters?”
Amelia sighed. “It’s a very long story, but turns out, there was a big, underground anti-shifter organization that planned to destroy Blackstone. They kidnapped Luke’s stepson and mate, too. But that
’s all done now. Their leader’s in jail and as far as we know, the organization’s leadership is in the wind.”
Mason’s lips thinned. “But there could be more of them out there?”
“Yes, but …” Kate and Sybil had told her about the Shifter Protection Agency operating in Blackstone but she wasn’t sure if she should tell Mason. It was supposed to be a secret that they were working right under everyone’s noses, hidden on the fifteenth floor of the Lennox Corp. building. But then again, it might reassure Mason that Blackstone was safe for him and Cassie. The thought of them leaving …. “Mason, let’s not jump to conclusions. Besides, Cassie is fine and—”
“I’m not talking about Cassie,” he growled. He leaned forward and she realized how close he was. His scent tickled her nose and the warmth of his body shot desire straight to her core. “I need … to keep you safe.”
“Mason.” She tilted her head up and she wasn’t sure if she had moved forward or if Mason had bent his head down, but she suddenly felt his lips on hers.
Strong arms wound around her, pulling her to a hard chest. His mouth was gentle and sweet, with a hint of desperation that made her ache. Because she felt it too; that longing that seemed to have been inside her for years. She moved her mouth against his, unable to stop herself from opening her lips so he could dip his tongue into her mouth.
She knew she should have pushed him away, but instead, she moved her hands up his chest and around his neck, digging her fingers into his nape to bring him closer. He groaned, then pressed her up against the truck, his body covering hers.
He tasted the same—hot, masculine, and all Mason. She realized how much she missed this, being in his arms, kissing him and that ache inside her was still there, even after all these years. Which was why she pushed him away.
“Mason.” Her voice sounded much breathier than she intended. “We can’t—”
Mason silenced her with his mouth, urgent and wanting. He kissed her hard, his teeth grazing at her lips, leaving her feeling branded when he pulled away. “Don’t say we can’t.”
Amelia felt her throat tighten. “Mason, this is crazy. We’re not going down this road again.” She dropped her gaze to her shoes.
The Blackstone She-Bear: Blackstone Mountain Book 7 Page 11
