by Mia Taylor
“I never said that, Chloe! You’re not acting like yourself at all!”
“Why?” she snarled. “Because I’m speaking? God forbid I use my voice!”
“Because you don’t know anything about this guy!”
Chloe’s mouth formed a fine line and she stared at her sister for a long moment.
“Are you jealous?” she asked, disbelief coloring her words. “Are you jealous that I’ve got a successful man for once and you’re not the center of attention?”
Maddison’s eyes flashed but Chloe realized that there was some truth in what she’d asked.
“This is unbelievable,” Chloe snorted. “Being happy for me is out of the realm of possibility for you people, isn’t it?”
“Chloe!”
She shoved her way out the door, her bag in hand as she ran down the steps.
“Where are you going now?” Blaine growled but Chloe didn’t answer as she threw open the front door and stormed toward the road.
She’d call an Uber when she had put enough distance between her and her family.
This is supposed to be a time where we’re all brought together. Instead, we’re down each other’s throats more than we ever were. Mom would be so proud if she was here.
Panting with emotional exhaustion and heartache, Chloe finally stopped, flopping down on the curb, pulling her suitcase toward her calves as she pulled her knees up to rest her chin on them.
Anyone passing by would have mistaken her for a small child, taking a break from play.
As if on cue, her cell chimed from inside her purse, which was slung over her shoulder like a sash.
In spite of herself, a wry smile formed on her lips.
He can sense my distress from a mile away, she realized, her sad heart lightening slightly as she poised her index finger to respond.
She waited, noticing the bubbles as he formulated a response, her eyes scanning the treelined street.
A part of her expected one of her siblings to come sauntering down the avenue, their faces pinched in disapproval.
I’m a grown woman and they still make me feel like I’m ten years old. I bring home a rock star, for God’s sake, and that somehow translates into me having Stockholm Syndrome or something. When am I going to realize that nothing will ever be good enough for my family?
Idly, she looked back at the screen where Cypher was still typing, her mouth forming a small frown.
What I said to him was wrong on the plane. He should leave well enough alone. He shouldn’t be looking for his family. Who knows what he’ll find?
She raised her head and watched as a green Camry pulled toward her slowly and her heart began to thump with anticipation.
Jumping to her feet, she grinned almost stupidly as he neared, rolling down the passenger side window.
“Need a ride, miss?” he asked in a nasally voice.
“I don’t know,” she replied softly. “I’m not supposed to ride with strangers.”
He stared at her pensively and rubbed his chin.
“You can trust me,” he promised. “I’m a famous rock star.”
Chloe laughed, her hand reaching for the back seat to throw in her suitcase before joining him in the front.
“You were waiting for me,” she sighed as they pulled away from the curb. “How did you know?”
Cypher chuckled, casting her a sidelong look.
“Do you really have to ask?”
She didn’t answer, reaching out to touch his hand over the center console and they drove in silence toward downtown, only the sound of the GPS’ nasally tones guiding them toward the Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee.
Unlike Maddison, Chloe didn’t need a reason to understand what was happening between her and Cypher. In less than a day, he had saved her a handful of times.
She was not about to question the reason behind their connection. She was only going to protect it the way he had protected her.
Chapter Seven
Fated Date
They settled into their loft-style room with the chic décor and ordered room service while Chloe went to have a shower.
Despite his strong outer face, Cypher was having second thoughts about what he’d done, accompanying her to her family’s home.
I should have thought it through better. Of course her family was going to wonder what the hell I was doing there.
But he knew that Chloe needed all the extra support she could get and he could clearly see why.
Tough family. I wonder how she survived it.
It was a silly question; Chloe was a lot stronger than she gave herself credit for. No doubt, that strength had come from rebuffing the blows her siblings and parents had admonished upon her since birth.
No, he told himself firmly. I’m staying here as long as she needs me. I’m glad I waited around. I had a feeling she wasn’t going to last long in that house.
Her cell had not stopped chiming since she’d gotten into the rental car and he finally turned it off, sick of watching her face contort into a grimace with each text message.
Chloe had been through enough for one day. The rest of the afternoon was theirs to shut out the world for a while. Whatever it was being messaged could wait until Chloe was ready to deal with it.
It’s my job to protect her. She’s my mate.
He heard the water turn off in the bathroom as there was a knock on the door.
“Who is it?” he asked cautiously, his experience with opening hotel room doors to unexpected fans fresh on his mind.
No one knew he was in Milwaukee and no one needed to know. He’d rented both the car and the hotel room with the company credit card so there was no need to trace it back to him specifically unless someone was looking for him.
“Room service!” came the cheerful reply.
Cypher hurried toward the door.
“Thanks,” he said as the young boy rolled the cart inside. “The wife is starving. She was ready to eat the drapes.”
“No prob—oh my God!” The server’s face turned bright red when he looked at Cypher. “You’re—you’re—you’re—”
“I’m nobody,” Cypher sighed, gritting his teeth. “Thanks for the food.”
“You’re Cypher Maison!”
“I’m here for a funeral,” Cypher told him sharply. “And I would appreciate your discretion. No one needs attention at a time like this.”
He slid a fifty into the boy’s hand and the kid gulped like a cartoon character, nodding.
“I—yeah! No problem! Your secret is safe with me.”
He backed out of the room, a wide smile on his face, and Cypher was suddenly filled with a feeling of dread.
The last thing he wanted was Chloe’s grief turned into a zoo. Her father’s words rang in his head.
“This is a funeral, not a photo op!”
Cypher closed the door in his beaming face and turned as Chloe stepped out of the bathroom.
“Oh, good,” she sighed, sauntering toward him, her head and body wrapped in two separate towels. “I’m starving.”
“So you mentioned—six or seven times,” Cypher chuckled. “Go ahead and eat.”
For a moment, his breath was caught as he marveled at her loveliness. She reached forward to pull a silver lid and grab a French fry from the plate.
Cypher couldn’t stop himself, the affection he had for her overwhelming. He pulled her toward him, catching her off guard.
She gasped slightly, choking back the morsel of food into her throat as he pressed his lips to hers.
Without hesitation, her arms reached up as if she’d been hoping for his embrace and they melded their mouths together into a warm kiss. Instantly, Cypher felt her relax in his arms.
Inhaling the sweet smell of her skin, his mouth moved along the lines of her delicate features, his hands cupping the small of her back.
The towels fell away in unison and she stood
before him, naked, her eyes wide with desire while her fingers twined in the edges of his hair.
Cypher lifted her into his arms, carrying her to the king-sized bed. His kisses grew hotter as she arched her body up toward him, their crevices fitting into one another as if they had been made for each other.
Cypher raised his head to stare into her eyes, his chin resting on her bare chest. Was he going too fast?
“I feel like I’ve known you my whole life,” she murmured as if reading his thoughts. “Like maybe I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life.”
He sighed, his breath hot against her skin, and he trailed the softness of her flesh with the tip of his tongue, moving along the crevices of her body.
She flexed her slender frame, wrapping long legs around his shoulders as he dared to sample the succulence of her center.
Together they fell into a rhythm, her gasps mounting until she seized, crying out and pulling him to her.
Chloe’s fair face was flushed with pleasure, ready for him to fill her and he had never been readier to do anything in his life.
They fit together perfectly, their frames gliding into each other, their desire reaching epic peaks as he rocked against her. He relished the feeling of her hands against his bare shoulders, nails digging into him as he met her climax with his own until they were both a trembling heap of legs and arms, shivering with pleasure.
Like a bowl of multicolored jelly, they lay entwined, neither speaking for a long moment as if they were trying once more to come to terms with what was happening between them.
“I’m sorry,” Cypher heard himself say. “I shouldn’t have instigated that.”
Chloe rose herself onto her elbows, staring at him quizzically.
“Why not?” she asked, her confusion clear. “Are you regretting it?”
“No! Of course not. It’s just…”
He didn’t finish his sentence. What he wanted to say would undoubtedly kill the heady feeling which seemed to have consumed them both.
“You feel like you’re taking advantage of me?” Chloe suggested, amusement touching her question.
He shrugged and looked at her.
“So what if I do?”
“So you’d be wrong,” she replied. “That’s what.”
“I guess our timing’s all messed up, isn’t it?” Cypher laughed, sitting up against the fluffy comforter. “Although in my life, timing is always off for everything. Occupational hazard, I guess.”
Chloe shrugged.
“There is never a ‘good time’ for anything,” she offered. “If we sit around waiting for perfect timing, we’ll be waiting to the grave.”
Cypher grinned and nodded.
“I suppose you’re right,” he agreed. “When did you get so wise?”
“Around eighth grade,” she replied and he laughed, leaning forward to kiss her lips softly.
“You’re incredible,” he told her softly. “You have a resilient spirit.”
Chloe grimaced at the assessment.
“We’ll see how resilient I am after this next couple days,” she answered dryly. “If my family has their way, I’ll be committed by the end of this.”
“I’ll never allow for it,” he promised. “I’ll use every last penny I have to get you out of the nuthouse.”
Chloe giggled and smacked him playfully.
“That’s the most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me,” she said, rising from the bed, and Cypher stared after her appreciatively.
“No one has spoiled you enough,” he told her seriously although she snorted as she reached for the forsaken plate on the serving tray.
“Are you offering?”
“No. I’m telling you that I’m going to spoil you in ways you never imagined.”
Chloe grinned, popping another fry in her mouth.
“I’m in tech. I don’t have a very good imagination.”
She offered him a potato but he shook his head, rising to wrap his arms around her waist from behind and place a kiss on her neck.
“That’s perfect. I won’t have to try very hard,” he joked but he was consumed by a fierce sense of protectiveness as he held onto her tightly as if he was afraid to let her go.
“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful,” Chloe said, turning to look at him over her shoulder. “But I really am starving and it’s hard to eat while you’re crushing my diaphragm.”
Cypher snickered and released her as she grinned wickedly at him.
Their gazes locked and he felt the wave of gratitude flowing toward him, dispelling his earlier doubts about having traveled with her.
“I’m really glad you’re here,” she told him sincerely. “I know it sounds weird but I feel braver with you here.”
“You are much braver than you think,” he told her earnestly. “But I’m really glad to be here.”
“If you keep this up, I might fall in love with you.”
As soon as the words left her lips, she turned white and started to shake her head as if she could not believe she’d said that.
“Oh!” she cried, covering her mouth. “I—I have no idea… I mean I didn’t…”
She inhaled deeply but Cypher only watched her without saying a word.
“Please say something!” she muttered and for a second, Cypher thought she might faint.
“What would you like me to say? That I know you’re my soulmate? That I know we’re fated to be together and that I’m already in love with you, even though it defies all logic?”
Chloe’s lips parted and she nodded slowly.
“Yes,” she whispered. “Something like that.”
They shared a private smile and Chloe seemed to regain her breath as she pulled her eyes back to the food and tentatively began to pick at her burger.
Cypher could see the wheels in her head turning as she tried to make sense of it all.
She was not a bear but she was his mate. She may not know or believe in being fated but he knew the truth. If it took her a little longer for her to realize what he had already discovered, so be it. She could take all the time she needed. He wasn’t going anywhere.
~ ~ ~
They stayed in for the rest of the night and Cypher noticed that Chloe deliberately left her phone off.
I was right. She needed to disconnect.
She needed at least that night to forget about the turmoil surrounding her and Cypher was proud of her for doing that.
Together they snuggled in the room of exposed brick and rented movies, penetrating their cuddling with bouts of lovemaking, and talked endlessly.
Chloe began regaling him with sweet anecdotes about her childhood, the fond memories she had of her mother.
They were bittersweet recollections, he could hear it in her voice as she struggled to come to terms with the car accident.
“She was a terrible driver,” Chloe conceded. “I’m not surprised that’s what happened.”
“The news reports said it was the other driver at fault,” Cypher told her. “But they are still investigating.”
Chloe shrugged.
“Doesn’t really matter, does it? She’s dead and he’s not. Blame is a little bit useless at this point.”
“You’re not angry at the other driver?” Cypher asked curiously.
“What’s the point of that?” she demanded. “It doesn’t change anything. He wasn’t drunk or out to murder anyone that day. I mean, even if he was, would I be angry? I dunno. It seems like such a wasted emotion.”
Cypher stared at her, trying to make sense of her seemingly cryptic statement.
“Sometimes anger is a good tool to have,” he offered.
“Sometimes,” she replied but there was no emotion in her voice. He felt like he was missing something important but he didn’t push the issue.
“You’ve got enough to worry about without thinking about that anyway,” he told her softly. “Just rest now and tomorrow we’ll deal with this together.”
She sighed, lowering her face into
his chest and Cypher could see she was listening to the beat of his heart through the inked skin.
“Does your heart beat like that because you’re a bear?” she asked sleepily.
“Like what?” Cypher asked, laughing, but he realized it was a genuine question.
“So strong and steady. I’ve never known a heart could beat so firmly.”
Cypher smiled and squeezed her closely.
“I think it’s beating like that for you,” he replied honestly.
Slowly, her breathing deepened as he stroked the silken tresses of her hair and she fell asleep.
Tomorrow is another day, he told her silently. We’ll bury your mom and I’ll bring you home to be with me where you belong.
In the back of his mind, he remembered what they had discussed on the plane and he was conflicted about what he’d promised.
Families are so complicated, he thought, staring down at Chloe’s face. And my life is complicated enough. I should just be grateful for what I have and move forward.
But Cypher knew it wasn’t so simple. After all, his family wasn’t just averagely dysfunctional. They were supernaturally so.
He pushed the thought from his mind.
His only concern for the moment was getting Chloe through the next few days and with that fresh in his mind, he allowed himself to fall into slumber with his lover.
Chapter Eight
No Escaping the Past
The shrill sound of the hotel telephone roused them from sleep at the same time.
“What time is it?” Chloe mumbled as Cypher leaned across the bed to the nightstand. “Is it more bad news? It’s gotta be more bad news.”
The old-fashioned alarm clock on the wood surface read six fifteen a.m.
“It’s okay, just relax,” he told her, reaching for the receiver. “It’s not bad news.”
“How do you know?” she insisted.
“Hello?” Cypher barked into the phone, furious with whomever was on the other end of the phone. They had stolen away the peace he had just managed to give Chloe and Cypher was prepared to wring their neck.
“Cypher? Cypher Maison?”
It was a woman’s voice on the other end but he didn’t recognize it.
