Brazen: A Dark Paranormal Romance (The Sephlem Trials Book 2)

by Felisha Antonette

  Dad breathes deep as he takes in the multitude of Newcombs and the size of the room. He comes from a small family, like me, and it’s a lot of people to take in all at once.

  Taylor leaves us and sits with Justin. Nathan takes over the introductions, and I stand at his side, nodding and smiling as he starts with his mother. Dad’s able to shake hands with Natalia, Mrs. Waturstrom, and Nathan’s grandmother without them being shocked, which is surprising. Maybe it’s because Mrs. Waturstrom and Natalia are no longer mated; their husband’s death broke their bond and diminished their mating, making them available. I’ll have to ask about his grandmother. It could be because it’s how she sees, through touch, leaving the restriction to being touched by a man other than her mate open for her senses.

  The three are the only exception. As they continue, the women no longer make themselves available to shake hands with Dad, nor do the men with Mom. It’s weird to my parents, but they catch on quickly without questioning it.

  Dressed in ties and dresses, the children greet my parents with soft hellos and gentle handshakes before rushing over to hug me. Nick, Cindy, and Curtis make my day; their innocent smiles will brighten anyone’s gloom.

  Dad seems overwhelmed, as if he’s at one of his big business meetings. He keeps his hands clasped behind his back, fingers fidgeting, as he nods and grins at the Newcombs. Good thing they aren’t hugging them.

  Natalia leaves for the kitchen. No sooner than Taylor sparks small talk, Natalia returns, announcing dinner’s ready. And a good thing it is, Dad’s going to pop soon if he can’t catch a break from all the smiling faces.

  Everyone heads for the dining room, but Nathan and I stay behind with my parents, allowing them a break from the cheerful mob. “You cool, Dad?” I ask, holding back my laugh.

  He looks at me with wide eyes. His chest swells out to the point it’s in line with his chin. He sighs, releasing a deep breath he might’ve been holding this entire time. Straightening his spine, the line of his shoulders even out. “Yeah . . . I’m fine.” As if none of it bothered him. “You definitely have a big family, Nathan.”

  “Yes,” Nathan agrees with a soft grin.

  Dad looks around the great room. “And all of them live here?”

  “Olar doesn’t live here at this moment. He just needs some place to stay. Glen and Scott just moved in. But, yes, they all live here.”

  I shoot him a glower, letting him know that he threw a rock at a beehive.

  “Glen and Sc—”

  “Are you all coming to eat?” Natalia asks, accidentally cutting Dad off.

  Yes! Saved! I love this woman. “Yes, we are!” I hook my arms around Mom and Dad’s and pull them in her direction. When we reach Natalia, I hurry them along, but stop to wrap my arm around Natalia’s shoulder and kiss her cheek. You just don’t know how much I love you, I tell her.

  She returns my embrace. I had to do something with Nathan’s big mouth. Thank you. I love you in return.

  I drop my arm, and she walks ahead of us. Nathan’s silent bore burns a hole in the side of my head. What? I ask.

  We’re still leaving, no matter how close you and my mom get.

  Nate, you don’t mean that.

  He presses his lips in a thin line as he drags his gaze away from me. An expression declaring we’re gone, and that’s that. I want to push on, but us waiting in the doorway of the great room while my parents are waiting in the hall for us isn’t the place. It’s obvious it’s a lot for him, especially with his family, but he’s never wanted to turn his back on them. I have to find out what’s changed; it can’t just be Taylor.

  My plastered smile is back in place when I leave Nathan for Mom. I wrap my arm around hers. “Hey.”

  “I like your shirt, honey,” she says, walking ahead with me.

  “Thanks, Mom.” I press my chin to my neck to check out my shirt. “I like it too.”

  She nods. “Something Nathan bought you?”

  And . . . here we go. “After we leave, Mom?” I beg.

  “Just asking, Tracey.”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay.” She grins. “How long is the walk to the kitchen going to be? I can see why you wore flats.”

  I laugh. “Not far. A few thousand feet and it’ll be around the corner to our left. But we’re eating in the dining room, not the kitchen. It’s too small to fit everyone comfortably.”

  She laughs with me. Nathan peacefully chats with Dad while they stroll a few feet behind us. I sigh with relief. This is going even better than I hoped!

  Mom sighs. Whatever it is she’s biting back, it’s clear it’s bugging her. “You know I am going to ask.”

  “Go ahead, Mom. Just, can you ask it before we make it in front of everyone,” I say, defeated.

  “When did Glen move in here? And why?”

  “Oh.” I was expecting a completely different question. “She moved in with Scott months ago. His house was burglarized, so they moved in here. The Newcombs have this thing about family sticking together.”

  “Why did she move in with Scott? What did her mother say?”

  “You know how Glen’s mom is. She doesn’t care what Glen does. Glen moved in because she wanted to, I guess.”

  She gives in, nodding. “Can I see where you sleep when you come over here?”

  “Absolutely, Mommy.” At least she’s accepting of me sleeping over. That’s a win!

  “You and his mom are close?” This woman is full of questions today.

  “Not that close.”

  “Oh.” Her interjection sounds dead, and I can tell she wants to dig further into how close or not close we are. But fortunately, the dining room’s less than a foot away.

  Dad and Nathan meet us, and I trade Mom’s arm for Nathan’s.

  “After you.” Nathan extends his hand toward the entrance of the dining room.

  Rested and smiling faces smile back at us as we enter. The room’s packed with positive vibes and contentment, nothing like people died this morning, one person was out to capture three of us, or that two people tried to kill or take Glen and me last night.

  We sit at the table with prepared plates set before us. At a separate table, just a few feet away from us, the children sit, laughing. Nicholas says grace and everyone dives in.

  Small talk comforts the room for a while. I check in on the even breaths and steady heart beats of Mom and Dad, just to be sure they’re calm and are enjoying themselves.

  Mom wipes her mouth to say, “Your house is beautiful, Natalia. We thought Tracey was exaggerating.”

  “Thank you.” Natalia grins, patting her lips with her napkin. “We’ve lived here since Roseland was born. My husband built it for us. We’ve always wanted a big family and would need somewhere to put everyone,” she says with a titter. “All of my children grew up here. And I’m hopeful all of my children’s children will too.” She rubs Roseland’s cheek, looking to the kid’s table. Roseland pats Natalia’s shoulder.

  “That’s lovely,” Mom replies, picking up her glass. We’ve made Mom privy to not bring up Mr. Newcomb and him being deceased. She’s likely told Dad, because they don’t follow up with further questions.

  My butterflies have faded, and I sigh with relief knowing this is actually going to be fine.

  At least . . . So I thought. As Murphy’s Law states, anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

  Dad clears his throat. “It is a very beautiful house,” he says, admiring the room. “We won’t wear out our welcome. This’ll be our last time visiting. We move in a few months.” Three or four people choke on their food.

  I lean back on the chair, gaze resting on my half empty plate. My appetite goes and my good mood vanishes. Nathan grabs my hand and offers me an encouraging smile. I’m speechless, staggered by Dad bringing that up right now, and of all places, at the dinner table when things were going so well. I snatch my napkin from my lap and toss it on the table, thinking twice about staying quiet.

  “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.
You are more than welcome to come by when you’d like,” Natalia says, smiling wholesomely. “Where are you moving?”

  Pride glows in his eyes as he answers, “Tennessee.”

  “Oh? Going the distance, huh?” Natalia says, looking up from her plate. She stuffs her last forkful in mouth.

  Dad nods once. “You could say that.” He grasps Mom’s hand resting on top of the table and gives it a light squeeze. “It’s an opportunity we’ve been waiting for, for quite some time.”

  Everyone’s eyes shift around the table as we listen to their exchange. My stomach turns. Cuss words and insults charge around in my belly like vile stomach acid, ready, at any moment, to spew in Dad’s face. Mom separates us, set evenly between our chairs. It was a great decision for her to do so.

  “When are you moving?” Natalia asks after taking a drink from her wine glass.

  “After Tracey graduates. We don’t want to interrupt her school year.”

  “Oh,” Natalia chirps.

  Her ohs are killing me. Nathan rubs my knuckles, and I calm down a little, relaxed by his touch.

  Natalia nods. “Tracey’s moving with you, I suppose?”

  Dad’s lips spread and his eyes lighten. “Of course! She hasn’t registered in school yet, and she has no place to live here.” Little does he know; all those bases were covered months ago. I wish he’d just stop.

  Mom sits back, removing her napkin from her lap. She, too, sees where this conversation is going. Good ole Dad, out to ruin a great day.

  Natalia looks at me then down the table, gaze slicing over all the faces as if she internally spoke a single word to everyone. Finding that of my dad’s, she smiles and says, “Tracey’s always welcome here.”

  I pin my attention on Nathan’s hand sitting in my lap, clutched in mine, as I pray he keeps me calm, and I don’t turn into the fire girl at this table. There’s no way I’d be able to explain that to Mom.

  “No, Natalia.” Dad shakes head, frowning. “We wouldn’t impose on you that way. Your family’s big enough, and we don’t need the handout.”

  I keep my gaze fixed on our clasped hands, refusing to look in Dad’s direction. Because if I do, Mom just might wake up tomorrow morning a widow.

  Calm down, Sparks, Nathan tells me.

  Make him stop, Nate. Why does he have to bring that up in front of everyone? The entire family is sitting here! My shoulders jerk as I angrily think to Nathan. Mom faces me, but I won’t meet her eyes.

  Calm down. If you get upset, I get upset. And that will not be good for anyone. Accept my calm, and relax.

  I sigh.

  Everyone’s gaze stays on Natalia and this man I’d call my father if he acted like him. Dad is laid-back, joyful all the time, finds humor in everything and cares a lot. He genuinely cares about everything and is so cordial it makes Mom and me envious the way he can hold up a kindhearted, casual conversation with anybody. But this man. . .

  Natalia offers me a kind smile and says to him, “Oh, yes, James, I understand. We do have a full house. But in our family, we stick together. Tracey is just as much a part of our family as my daughters. If she stays in Vermont and requires a place to stay, our doors are always open.”

  Dad slips his napkin from his lap and places it on the table. “Thank you for the offer, Natalia. However, it will be better for Tracey to venture out and visit new places, see new things, meet new people. She’s never been out of the state, and the move will be good for her.”

  “Okay.” Natalia leaves it. “Anyone ready for dessert.”

  Dessert? The majority of the plates are still full. Let’s bypass dessert and call it a night. Standing, I say, “Excuse us,” pulling Nathan with me.

  “Ladybug?” Dad scoots his chair from the table as if he was invited. “Where are you going?”

  “To the bathroom.” I blurt the first thing that pops in my head.

  “Why is Nathan going with you to the bathroom?”

  “He’s going to show me how to get there, considering I’ve only been over here a couple of times.” I flick my gaze to Mom, flash her a cocky smile.

  Her piercing scowl cuts me deep. She must’ve not told Dad what she’d found out this morning because my response is news to him. “Why don’t you have Taylor show you where the bathroom is?” he says, gesturing to her.

  “I’m not Taylor’s company,” I retort.

  Nathan gently pulls us from the dining room before Dad comes up with some other absurd response.

  Leaving from the back door into the yard, we step into the warm night. Nathan pulls me into his embrace, wrapping his arms around my neck, and I ram my forehead against his chest, letting out a grumble. His scent fills my nose and dazes my mind as he massages the back of my neck. It supports the affect his aroma has on me. I release another sharp breath filled with the frustration of my father. Pacified, I lean back, meeting brown eyes. “Thank you.”

  “Of course.” He pulls me back to him, and I wrap my arms around his middle.

  The evening breeze pushes leaves, bark, and the smell of water in my nose. I breathe it in and exhale away the last of my annoyance.

  “You feeling better? We can go in and you not set the dining room on fire?” Nathan asks.

  “I wouldn’t say so.” I tilt my head back and admire the stars before allowing my focus to fall on him. I do feel a lot better though. “I really appreciate you.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” I reach around his neck, pulling him down to me. “I love you, Nate.”

  He smiles. “Back at you, Sparks.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Anytime.”

  I bring him nearer to kiss me. I barely graze his lips with his resistance. “What?”

  He squeezes my sides, retracting. “Are you trying to get it outside?”

  I laugh a little, bringing him back. I just want more of this. I leave no room for spoken words as I steal my kiss. He breaks away again.

  “What?” I huff.

  He peeks down over my shoulder and pats my lower back. “Stop kissing me.”

  “Why?”

  Sliding his hands over my hips, they trace the curve of my butt, and he seizes it. “Because of these goddamn jeans,” he utters through his teeth. “I can’t think of nothing else. Just Sparks, jeans, ass, bag, now. It keeps replaying in my head over and over since you walked in the room earlier.” He steps away from me, waggling his index finger from left to right.

  I fist his shirt and yank him back. Taking his hands in mine, I allow them to find my butt as I kiss him in a way I know gets him going. “Nate, I was doubtful, but I’m pleased to see you’re as enraptured by me as I am you.”

  “We’re about to travel down a long, dark road if you keep at it.”

  “Uh-huh,” I sing. His left hand surfs over my butt and reaches between my thighs, finding my center. It grabs my butt and rubs against me at the same time. “Oh,” I moan, heat flushing my body. I grab his neck tight in my hands. He tugs me closer, and I lift onto my tiptoes, making his efforts easier. We tug at each other, feeling parts and extensions of one another we couldn’t if we weren’t pasted together, standing in the backyard, being watched by the stars and moon. I’m so lost, I couldn’t care less if they see. I need this moment with him.

  “Tracey Warren!”

  Nathan and I wrench away from each other at the blaring sound of my name screeching from Dad’s angered voice.

  Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Just damn it all to hell!

  I cross my arms and look to my left and right, finding myself standing alone. I look over my shoulder, seeing Nathan walking away, both hands shoved through his hair as he heads in the opposite direction of Dad. Where the hell are you going? I ask.

  Give me a minute.

  For what? I fire back.

  Trying to think of a good damn explanation why it looked like I was just fucking his daughter in my backyard.

  “Excuse me, Tracey,” Dad snaps.

  Dragg
ing my shocked gaze away from Nathan’s back, I face Dad standing in all his angry glory. I, also, need a good excuse to get out of this one. I debate not answering, running away, or shooting my pet snake of fire out of my hand to change the subject completely. Bet that’d make him forget.

  “Tracey, explanation please!” His voice blasts through my ears like the blare of sirens. He’s never hollered at me, and I’m baffled.

  Dad has pissed me off today, and if I lie, I’d be taking it easy on him. Telling him the truth would light him on fire. “Yes, Dad?” I try to say nonchalantly.

  “What in the hell are you out here doing? This doesn’t look like the bathroom!” he gripes.

  “Dad, if I want to kiss my boyfriend, I can do that,” I say, throwing my pointed finger to my chest. “I didn’t mean to do it in front of you, but that happened. I needed to get out of that dining room because” ―I can’t help my voice rising an octave― “you want to bring up moving to Tennessee, knowing it would make me angry. Knowing this wasn’t the time or the place for that conversation. This was supposed to be a peaceful dinner and then you had to make everyone uncomfortable.”

  Dad props his hands on his hips. “Tracey, you need to watch your tone.”

  “No, Dad, you need to watch your tone.” Daggers nearly fly off his narrow-eyed glare. Step back, Tracey, going too far here, I check myself, taking notice of Dad’s shifting stance when he folds his arms in front of his chest. “Sorry, that was a bit much. But I’m being honest. That conversation shouldn’t have happened at that dinner table, and you know it.”

  “And that is supposed to explain why you’re in the yard with Nathan’s tongue down your throat while he’s groping you?” he snaps in a singsong voice, hands moving about as he exaggeratedly complains.

  “He wasn’t groping me,” I shyly object.

  “Then what do you call it, Tracey Warren? It was completely inappropriate.”

  “He is my boyfriend. I can kiss him if I want, and he can touch me if I want him to. That’s what couples do.”