by Vella Day
“Tell me what you found out,” Dalton said.
Ronan explained about Jackson’s call to Vinea, and then about his conversation with his dad.
“You’re saying that goddess from the dark realm lured your dad down to Silver Lake, killed Delahart, framed Blair, and erased both of your memories?”
“Yup.”
“Then when your dad denied any wrong doing, she appeared in his cell and told him if he didn’t confess that she’d kill him?”
“That’s right.”
Dalton tapped his pencil on the table. “Your dad’s confession makes proving his guilt unnecessary and exonerates Blair, so things can be neatly wrapped up, but why does Jackson think you and Blair are still in danger? Even if we could find this Darinda, and managed to lock her up, she’d just disappear and cause total chaos.”
“I agree. Jackson thinks it has something to do with pride as well as revenge against Vinea.”
Kalan raised his brows. “The revenge part I get, but why pride?”
Ronan explained about how important it was for gods and goddesses not to get caught. “Their boss, Androf, looks down on it. It means they are less than worthy in his eyes.”
“So, by taking out Blair, and possibly you, no one other than your dad can rat her out, and he won’t unless he’s willing to die.”
“Precisely. The fact we both work for Devon’s family makes us particularly juicy targets. What I don’t understand is shouldn’t Androf be aware of what went down already? If he doesn’t, what kind of god is he?
“You’re asking the wrong guy.” Dalton stabbed a hand through his hair. “What if this goddess does come after you?”
That was the question that kept rattling in his head. “I need to figure out a way to fight her.”
“And how do you think that will end?”
“Badly.”
Kalan waved a finger. “Talk to Missy’s mate, Zane. He is from another realm, one called Cargonia. He said he ended up on Earth after he killed a demon by cutting off its head. That might work on a goddess too. He was an expert swordsman as well as a maker of swords. If anyone can take down a goddess, he can.”
“I’ll speak to him, but I can’t ask him to follow us around for the next few months. I imagine Darinda will strike when we’re alone.”
“Probably true, but he might be able to teach you the art of wielding a sword.”
Ronan would enjoy learning another fighting technique. “I’ll do that. I refuse to take any chances with Blair’s life though. I plan on keeping a close eye on her.”
A small smile lifted Kalan’s lips. “Are you sure that’s all you’ll be doing?”
Damn. He knew. “You could tell?”
“Tell? Yeah. I’m surprised Blair hasn’t mentioned that the two of you are mates. Growing up, she talked about what her mate would be like, and you fit the picture, right down to the beard. She really is a romantic, you know.”
His wolf sat up and howled. She likes our looks!
To be honest, Ronan hadn’t seen her romantic side, but he could understand why he hadn’t. Blair had her memory yanked and then was arrested for murder. Something like that would put a damper on anyone’s libido—including her bear’s.
“I’m sure when things calm down, we’ll discuss it—assuming we live that long,” Ronan said. “Right now, we have more pressing things to talk about—like some goddess out for revenge. When will Blair officially be released?” He looked over at Dalton.
“The judge will return to town tomorrow, and I’ll have him sign the papers then, but consider it a done deal.”
Ronan stood and shook both of their hands. “Thank you,” Ronan said.
“No, thank you. You figured it out,” Dalton said.
“With help from Vinea and my dad. I’d like to meet her someday. She sounds like an interesting lady.”
Both men smiled. “She is at that,” Kalan said.
Chapter Eleven
‡
Blair sensed the moment Ronan walked into the Wellness Center building. Dare she hope her bear was finally waking up? If Ronan were her mate, she would hope her bear would want to meet him.
No matter how many times she convinced herself it was only a matter of time before her bear surfaced, hope was slowly seeping out of her when she didn’t make her presence known.
Wake up, dammit. What is it going to take?
Maybe Blair should speak to Ophelia about her problem. Or not. Then she’d have to confess why her bear had gone into hiding in the first place—and Blair wasn’t ready to share that humiliation with anyone other than Ainsley.
It was probably wishful thinking that she and Ronan were mates. When Blair had questioned her brother earlier about where Ronan had gone, Jackson said he’d received a call from Kalan about something and would be back shortly.
Her last patient had left fifteen minutes ago. It was time to go. She was cleaning up when a knock sounded on her door. It was Ronan. She was sure of it. Her hands shook as a sizzle of excitement raced up her body. Help me, she pleaded to her bear. Is he the one? Don’t you want to know?
Perhaps she wasn’t ready to act on her feelings. She had a murder charge over her head and needed to focus on that.
After running her hands down her shirt and then pulling out her hair tie, Blair yanked open the door. She was going to be her usual distant self, but when she saw Ronan smiling, something inside her snapped. Heat suffused her body, and her breath lodged in her throat.
Mate, mate. Blair froze. Had she thought that, or had her bear finally awoken?
“Come in.”
“I have some good news and some not so good news,” he said as he raked his gaze over her and inhaled. Did her colors change being so close to him? Could he tell she was turned on despite the blanket of depression that she’d been wrapped in these last few days?
Blair should probably suggest they leave the office right now and have Ronan tell her the news on the way, but her tongue wouldn’t work. All she could think about was taking off his clothes.
Where had that idea come from? Bear, are you there?
“What is it?” she asked once she shut off her libido. He was still smiling so it had to be good news.
“We found the killer. You’re a free woman.”
The relief was so great that she threw herself into his arms. As much as she wanted to kiss him, at the last second, she lowered her face to his shoulder. His scent entered on the next inhale, and it took all of her effort not to press closer against him. A bit embarrassed by her uncharacteristic reaction, Blair stepped back and looked up at him. “How?”
Ronan stepped around her and then faced her. “My dad confessed.”
“Your dad confessed? I’m confused.”
Ronan told her everything what had happened from the time she walked out of the building and seeing Darinda with a gun in her hand, to when his dad had put that same gun in her hand and shot it.
“So your father framed me?”
“I believe it was Darinda’s doing. My dad is a lot of things, but he’s not very creative, nor is he a killer.”
“Then why did he confess?”
“Because Darinda is a goddess, and—”
“A goddess?” Her mind swam with what that meant. “So that explains the memory loss, and why even Ophelia couldn’t retrieve my memories.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” Ronan said.
“Wait a minute. If this Darinda person shot Delahart, why use a gun? Surely, she can kill with just a look.”
Ronan shrugged. “I don’t know. She probably didn’t want the world to know she was a goddess. It seems as if the bullet might have been a misdirect. It didn’t kill Delahart. Something else did.”
“How did you find this out?”
“Darinda appeared to my father when he was in the holding cell, and she threatened him. If he didn’t confess, she’d kill him. And we know she can, even in a jail cell.”
“Bloody hell!” She didn’t know a lot abo
ut his dad, but from what she’d learned how he’d treated Lexi, Blair wasn’t too sad he would be incarcerated for a long time. However, he had at one point, alongside his wife, helped in raising Ronan become the man he was today. “So he’d rather confess than have Darinda kill him.”
“My dad told me he has cancer and doesn’t have long to live anyway. Even though he confessed, he came clean with me. He decided he wanted a swift end.”
Her chest practically vibrated from the pain Ronan must be feeling. If that wasn’t a sign they were mates, she didn’t know what was. Too bad Ronan never acted as if he was interested in her.
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too.
“How about we get out of here?” she said. “I’m thinking a good run around the lake to release some of this built up tension from the past few days might do both of us some good.” She didn’t say whether they would be in human or animal form, since she hadn’t been able to shift since her bear had deserted her.
Blair just said that to entice him there. It would give her the chance to tell him the truth. If the truth didn’t free her, nothing would.
Or maybe some good hard loving would do the trick. She couldn’t help but smile at that thought.
He studied her for a moment. “I can’t think of anything I’d like better.”
Just thinking about seeing Ronan naked had her body heating.
Ronan escorted her to his Jeep. For the first time in a long while, he wasn’t scoping out the neighborhood. Once he pulled onto the street, her thoughts cleared. “Do you think this goddess Darinda will just go back to the dark realm now that she’s finished her assignment?” she asked.
“I wish I knew.”
She slumped back in her seat. “I wonder if Vinea can find out anything.”
“Jackson has already called her. She was the one who gave him Darinda’s name in the first place. Besides, Vinea’s in no state to travel anywhere far—even when in her invisible state.”
“Oh no, I wasn’t suggesting she go to the dark realm. I was just wondering if she could establish a mental link with the woman. I don’t believe all of her powers are gone.”
He glanced over at her. “You have such faith in people. I like that, but I doubt we could believe anything Darinda says. If Vinea could contact her, it might make Darinda want to cause her even more undue stress.”
“You’re right. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
He reached out and briefly squeezed her hand, sending her thoughts spiraling. A few minutes later, they turned down the road leading to the lake. She hadn’t been there since…when? Too long ago.
Ronan parked. “Ready for me to run circles around you?” He grinned, and heat rushed to between her legs.
Perhaps she wasn’t ready to tell all. Would he even believe her if she said she hadn’t been able to shift in almost three years?
Coward. Once more, she wasn’t sure where that thought came from. “We’ll see about that.”
The air was warm and surprisingly dry for July. The slightly hazy overcast skies would make this the perfect day to play—or to confess her sins. As they walked down the path, she imagined taking off her clothes, all the while trying to stare at Ronan’s perfect body. But in truth, she needed to tell him before they disrobed.
“Do you get out often?” he asked.
“Not as much as I’d like. I work too much.”
He smiled. “Tell me about it.”
They did have a lot in common. Did that mean they were meant for each other? As much as Blair wanted to believe Ronan was her mate, she didn’t trust herself. She wanted her bear to help her, dammit.
As they neared the lake, Ronan grabbed her hand. “I want to look at the lake first. I’ve only been here once before, and that was in the evening.”
She loved the feel of his strong grasp. His calloused palms spoke of strength and confidence. Ever since her bad experience with Jared, she’d kept her distance from men, but with Ronan, it seemed so right.
“I haven’t been back much either.”
Ronan faced her. “Why’s that?”
“As I said, I’ve been busy.” Tell him.
“But that’s not the real reason, is it?”
Was she emitting a color that said she wasn’t telling the whole truth? Damn. “Not entirely.”
He led her over to a large log and eased her down. “Tell me. We’re all alone. No one will know, and I’m good at keeping secrets.”
How did he know she was harboring a secret? Had Ainsley hinted at something? Did it matter?
Or does it mean he’s my mate.
Yes, yes, said a voice she hadn’t heard in a long while.
Is that really you? she asked, working hard to keep the smile from her face.
Where am I? her bear asked.
Thrilled that her bear was back, albeit a little sleepy, Blair took it as a sign that Ronan was fated for her. Hadn’t her bear just confirmed it? It was time to come clean.
“I dated a man by the name of Jared Henderson. Without getting into a lot of detail, he convinced me I was his mate.”
Ronan stiffened. “That’s not possible.”
She failed to keep the smile off her face. So, Ronan knew the two of them belonged together. “I know, but he was a very persuasive man.”
“How did you figure out he wasn’t your mate?” Ronan asked with a knife sharp edge to his tone.
“After I learned that he was really married and that he was living a double life.” His jaw tightened, and Ronan’s eyes darkened. She continued. “I was in my senior year in college and saw Jared two, sometimes, three evenings a week. The rest of the time, he said he needed to travel.”
“You were young and sheltered. I can see how you might have been fooled.”
She wasn’t that young. She should have known better. Blair clasped his hand, and a few blue sparks shot off his arm. Confident that he was her mate, she wanted to confide everything to him. “I’d like to think that’s true.”
Ronan’s eyes turned blacker than the lake water. “If I meet the man, I’ll be happy to skin him alive for you. What kind of shifter is he?”
“A bear.”
The black anger seemed to disappear. “On second thought…”
She loved his flash of humor. “I bet even your wolf could take down Jared. The man was a coward.”
“Did you parents freak out when they found out?”
She waited for her bear to tell her what to say, but she kept quiet. “They don’t know.”
His brows pinched. “If this had happened to Lexi, she would never have confided in our dad, but your parents seem wonderful.”
“They are, and that’s the problem. When you grow up a Murdoch, you’re expected to be perfect.”
Ronan rubbed her arm. “I bet it only seems that way to you. I swear Jackson breaks some law daily.”
She’d never asked, but since it was for the company their father helped start, Dad probably forgave him. “I’m the only girl in the family, and I think they had higher standards for me.”
“In what way?”
While Blair had spoken about this with Ainsley, it was harder telling Ronan. However, if they were to be together, there could be no secrets. “I had to dress more conservatively, act appropriately, and never lie. The usual things.”
He chuckled. “Not the way I was raised. My mom was a good person, but my dad? I learned that it was okay to drink on the job and not follow directions, because it was always someone else’s fault.”
This time Blair grabbed his hand and squeezed. “I’m sorry. That must have been tough.”
He glanced away. “It made me more resilient. In a way, he was a good role model. He taught me what not to do.”
She smiled. “Way to put a positive spin on things.”
“Back to you, miss perfect! What did you do after you found out that the man of your dreams was a cad?”
She would have used a stronger word for it, but she decided not to get into name calling. “
I did the usual. I cried. Called him a few names, and then told him I never wanted to see him again. I was devastated and embarrassed. I felt betrayed. My bear had warned me that Jared was using me, but I wouldn’t listen.”
“I would never lie to you,” Ronan said.
He was a sweet man. “I know.”
“Anyway, I tried to put it behind me and concentrate on school.” Blair inhaled, hoping she was doing the right thing in telling him the rest. “But that wasn’t the worst of it. We’d been apart about a week when I found out that I was pregnant with his child.” She held her breath, waiting for the censure.
Ronan didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Nothing. It was almost as if he’d turned to stone. Finally, he exhaled. “And the baby?”
If only Blair could read his mind to see whether he would understand or not. “I miscarried. I think it was the stress. I’d never been so distraught in my life. Not only did I fail to see what kind of man Jared was, I failed at having a baby.” Blair looked upward, trying to keep the tears from falling.
“Did you really want that jerk’s child?” Ronan’s voice came out soft, soothing, and full of pain.
“I don’t know. I told myself it was for the best that I lost the child since I wasn’t ready to care for a baby, but part of me yearned for one. I would have loved him or her, but being a single mother wouldn’t have been easy for either of us.” The tears finally fell. “Can you see why I never told my parents?”
“From what I’ve seen of them, they’d understand.”
Blair looked off to the side. “Maybe, but there would always be pain and disappointment—in me for being so stupid. I wasn’t ready to handle it.”
“Is that why you live on the other side of town?” She nodded. “You know it’s best to clear the air. Misunderstandings always end badly.”
“I know.”
“How long has it been? Three or four years?”
He made it sound bad. “Yes. I keep saying I’m going to tell them, but the words won’t come. You see, after I lost the baby, my bear went into hibernation.”
“Hibernation? I’ve never heard of that.”
