“Then what are you waiting for?” she said with a challenging look in her eyes. “Or am I too ugly and plain for you? Should I put a paper bag over my head?”
Now he was confused. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Isn’t that it? Why you chose me? Because I wasn’t as beautiful as her?”
“Who are you talking about?” He dropped his hands down.
“Your…” She hesitated. “Never mind.”
“Who?” he asked again, this time, slamming his palms on either side of her, the sound so loud it made her jump.
“I…your…Andrea.”
Ice filled his veins. He hadn’t heard of that name in months. Memories came crashing back. The day police came to tell him Harrison’s body had been found. But he hadn’t been alone. No. They found Andrea’s body along with his inside the car. It was the same day he found out they’d been having an affair all along. But how the devil did Riva find out? “How do you know about her?”
“I saw her picture. In your drawer.”
“What?” What picture? When Andrea’s betrayal had come to light he had gotten rid of everything that reminded him of her. Every picture, every note, every gift. It might have been a little extreme, but it was the only way he could cope. Anyway, did it matter? Riva had seen it somehow, and gotten it into her head that the reason he wouldn’t touch her was because she was lacking.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You didn’t have to go so low. I’m sure tons of other girls would have been happy to have your heir. You didn’t have to pick the exact opposite of the girl who broke your heart.”
“Riva, stop acting like this!” he bellowed, and grabbed her by the arms again. He wanted to shake her to make her stop thinking like this. He wished he hadn’t left today. Wished he had stayed home and made love to his wife instead.
“Let me go!”
His anger became a quiet, cold fury. “I’ll never let you go,” he said, his tone deadly serious. “If you run away from me, I’ll use everything in my power to destroy your father’s company. I’ll not only demand you pay me back, but I’ll sue you for breach of contract.”
“You wouldn’t.” Her eyes flashed with anger. Or was it fear?
“Try me.”
She let out a small gasp, then dropped her chin and her gaze. He couldn’t miss the wetness on her her lashes or the smell of her tears. It tore him to shreds. Fuck. He had gone too far.
Her small fingers fumbled at her blouse, trembling as she began to unbutton the front.
“What are you doing?”
“What do you think?” she asked, as she looked up at him. Tears streaked down her cheeks. “Just get it over with.”
Again with those words. Just get it over with. Like he was some chore. Truth be told, that was what had rankled him last night. It was pride, pure and simple. He didn’t want to be a chore to his mate. He wanted her to want him and burn for him as much as he desired her. Maybe he should just take her. Get her pregnant and be done with the damned contract.
He let out a silent curse in his mind and pushed away from her. “I’m not in the mood,” he said.
“Then when—”
“Just be ready when I come for you next,” he said, turning away. Each step he took made the ache in his middle grow, but he couldn’t stay there. Riva thought she was the one who was trapped, but that was far from the truth. He would have no other woman, no other mate but her, and she hated him. He couldn’t stop her from leaving, not if that was what she wanted. He was trapped, yearning for a mate who would never give herself to him fully.
Chapter 7
It was like waiting for the hammer to drop. A feeling of dread followed Riva everywhere, and she was just waiting for the executioner to come for her. But surely she was being silly. She wanted it done and over with, but it wasn’t like Hank was just going to attack her in the middle of the night. Besides, it had been two days since she’d seen her husband. Had he even come back to the castle?
Whatever had possessed her to provoke him that day in the walk-in closet, she didn’t know. She was hurt by what she had seen and heard, but perhaps she should have waited for Hank to explain. Explain what, exactly? It had all made sense in her head at the time. Andrea’s picture. Melissa’s words.
And really, what was she supposed to expect? They were strangers, bound together by a mutually beneficial arrangement. Of course he didn’t feel anything for her. She should have realized that from the beginning.
And now she was stuck in some limbo. She couldn’t leave, not when he’d threatened her father. But she couldn’t stay, not when her husband hated her.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts and she sat straight up on the bed. Not knowing what else to do, she had stayed in the master bedroom for two straight days. She didn’t bother to show up for meals, and someone (probably Meg) had been leaving food by her door. In fact, she had finished her lunch not too long ago and left the tray outside. Who was at the door and what did they want?
“Come in,” she said. The door opened and Meg walked in.
“Mrs. Lennox,” she began, avoiding Riva’s gaze. “You have a visitor. Mrs. Walker.”
“Mrs. Walker?” she asked.
“Laura Walker. Her son, Benjamin, is here too.”
“Oh.” She shot up. During the reception, Laura had said something about coming to visit her sometime. This was a surprise, but a pleasant one. She felt like she hadn’t talked to anyone in days, except maybe her father, though she kept him in the dark about what was going on. It would be nice to see a friendly face. “Please tell her I’ll come right down.”
“Yes, Mrs. Lennox.” The young woman turned and walked away without another word.
Hmmmm, strange. Riva thought Meg had been friendly enough in the beginning, but the few times she had seen the girl these past two days, she seemed…off. Each time Riva tried to catch her eye, she turned away. And she looked like she was on the verge of telling Riva something. But what?
Pushing it out of her mind, she quickly got dressed in her her favorite blue sweater, jeans, and boots. It was fall and there was a definitely crisp feeling in the air. She brushed her long, brown hair until it fell into waves down her shoulders and then walked out of the room.
“Laura! Ben!” she greeted them as she descended the stairs. Laura was waiting in the foyer, her son clinging to her. “What are you doing here?”
The pretty blonde smiled at her. “Oh you, know, we were in the neighborhood…Riva, are you crying?”
Seeing a friendly face had made the emotions well up in her, and Riva couldn’t stop the tears of relief that sprang into her eyes. “What? Oh no…I mean…” She wiped the moisture with the back of her hand. “It’s so dusty in here! This old place, you know?”
Laura eyed her suspiciously. “Uh-huh.”
Riva bent down to Benjamin’s eye level, hoping to escape Laura’s scrutiny. “Hey Ben, how are you doing?”
The little boy was the spitting image of his father—blond hair, green eyes, and a smile that could brighten any room. “I’m good, Mrs. Lennox. Mommy says we’re going to get pie at Rosie’s today.”
“Please, call me Aunt Riva,” she cooed. “Can I have a hug?”
Ben looked up at Laura, who nodded. He then let go of his mother’s leg and wrapped his arms around Riva. She closed her eyes. She wondered what it would be like to have a little boy of her own to hug.
“So,” Laura began as Ben stepped away. “I came here to see if you wanted to come to town with me. We can do some shopping and go to Rosie’s for pie, like I promised my little monkey.” She smiled down at Ben.
“Mommy, I’m a bear, not a monkey!” he protested.
Laura laughed. “Well, you’ll be a big bear someday, but can you please be my little monkey now?” She bent down and picked him up, then gave him a kiss.
“Okay, fine.”
She turned to Riva. “So, what do you say?”
“That sounds lovely. I’ll get my purse.
” It wasn’t like she was a prisoner here. Maybe getting out of the castle was a good idea.
Soon, they were in Laura’s dark blue Tacoma truck and driving down the winding road that led into the town of Blackstone. It wasn’t very big—a typical town in the mountains, which, if it wasn’t known for being a shifter town, could probably have been a big tourist destination. Hiking in the summer, skiing in the winter, celebrities buying vacation homes, that type of thing. Still, it was a beautiful place. Riva had been a few times when she was younger, as it was very picturesque, especially during the holiday season.
Laura parked in one of the lots behind Main Street. “Are you familiar with Blackstone?” she asked as they walked out of the parking lot.
“I haven’t been here since I was a kid,” she said. “My dad took me a couple of times, during Christmas.” As they stepped out into Main Street, she looked around. “I think it’s just as I remembered, without the decorations.”
“Oh yeah, things don’t change much around here. At least that’s what I’ve been told,” Laura said. “Although we have seen some new businesses in the last couple of months.”
Riva blinked with bafflement. Why did Laura talk like she hadn’t lived here for long? Ben was around three years old, so she had to have lived here at least that long. But before Riva could ask any further, Laura tugged her toward one of the shops on Main Street.
They spent most of their time going in and out of the different shops. While Riva was going into many of them for the first time, it seemed everyone in town knew who she was. Shopkeepers would instantly recognize her and greet her with “Mrs. Lennox”. They would offer to help and continued fawning over her. And, even as they walked between shops, there were a few people who would walk up to her and introduce themselves.
Though she was perplexed at the treatment, frankly, she was more worried she wouldn’t remember their names next time she met them. Laura laughed and told them it was okay, that the shifters who lived in Blackstone wouldn’t expect her to know each and every one of them.
The rest of the day went by quickly, and Riva had to admit it was nice to get out and temporarily forget her own worries. Finally, when Ben was whining that he was tired, they headed in the direction of Rosie’s Bakery and Cafe at the end of Main Street.
“Oh, wow,” Riva gasped as soon as they entered. “It smells incredible in here!”
“Wait until you taste Rosie’s pies,” Laura said.
A middle-aged woman with bright red hair, wearing an apron over a fifties-style dress printed with cherries, approached them. “Welcome to Rosie’s, ladies,” she greeted them. “You must be the new Mrs. Lennox.”
“Riva, please,” she said.
“Then you must call me Rosie,” she said, giving them a wink. “Now, a table for three?”
“Yes please,” Laura said, and Rosie led them to a quiet table in the corner. The cafe wasn’t busy yet, though it was starting to fill up. They sat down and gave Rosie their orders—coffee for the two women and two slices of cherry pie. Laura ordered milk for Ben.
“I’ll be back with your drinks,” Rosie said before sashaying away.
“Hey, Ben, why don’t you pick your pie?” Laura nodded to the enormous pie display in the corner.
“Yay! Can I have two slices?” Ben said.
“Only because I know you’re going to finish your dinner tonight, right?”
“Oh boy!” Ben bounded off to the pie display.
“This place is nice,” Riva commented, looking around. Everything was done in pink and white, with cozy chairs and decor. “Has it been open long?”
“Hmmm…” Laura tapped her finger on her chin. “I think I remember James telling me it’s only been open a few years. You know, there aren’t many places that would let a shifter open a business, let alone one that served food.”
“Rosie’s a shifter?”
“Yeah. Fox, I believe.”
Riva glanced at the older lady. With her red hair and sly looks, it definitely fit.
“Mommy, I can’t pick!” Ben called. “They all look so good!”
Laura laughed. “Just like his dad,” she said, winking at Riva. “Take your time, monkey. Make sure you pick some good ones.”
“He’s such a nice child,” Riva commented as she watched the boy turn back to the display and press his nose on the glass. “Very outgoing and positive.”
“I know, just like his dad. They’re both good-natured and I’m very lucky to have them,” Laura said. “You know, it’s been less than a year, but I feel like I’ve known them both forever.” She laughed at Riva’s perplexed expression. “By the look on your face, you’re probably confused.”
“Er…I wasn’t thinking anything, but…”
“It’s okay, I’ll tell you. You’re family, after all. No, I didn’t give birth to Ben. In fact, neither James nor I knew he existed until about ten months ago. His mom,” she lowered her voice and looked around, making sure Ben was far away, distracted by the display of pies behind the glass shelf, “died suddenly. She was a bear shifter too, but unfortunately, her clan wasn’t…they weren’t good people, let’s just say.” She took a deep breath. “She didn’t want Ben winding up with her relatives, so she left instructions with a friend to bring him to Blackstone if something happened to her. Well, you can imagine the shock James went through when he saw Ben. There’s no denying he’s the father, not with those looks. Anyway, he remembered her, and said she was just a one-night stand. Never tried to contact him or tell him she was pregnant.”
“Oh, my…”
“Yeah. We’d been dating for about three months at that point. James told me right away that he didn’t want me to leave, but understood if I did because a son wasn’t part of the deal. I laughed in his face and told him he couldn’t get rid of me that easily.” Laura smiled. “And that’s when he told me I was his mate. The bear in him had chosen me to be his mate.”
“Mate?” Riva asked. “Like, soulmates?”
“I didn’t understand this whole mate thing either, since I’m a human,” Laura replied. “But James explains it like…something in him knew I was special. He said it was like I was the only woman who existed from that point on and all he wanted to do was protect me. He was scared to tell me about it, fearing that I’d run away or not understand because I was a human. Apparently it’s different with shifters. It happens fast for them and they just know. He said it was agonizing to go so slow, but he wanted to win my heart.” A reminiscing smile crossed her face. “And, well, when he was willing to let me go because he loved me and because he loved his son so much, I knew he was the one for me.”
Riva felt her throat constricting, and her eyes getting misty. Oh, to have something like that. She felt envy, too. Unreasonable, because James and Laura were such good people and deserved everything they had. But still, she couldn’t help but wish she could have a happy ending like that.
Laura looked over the Ben, who was still perusing the display of pies. “Honey, have you decided?”
“Not yet, mommy,” he called out. “There’s too many. And they all look too good.”
“Okay, monkey, take your time.” Laura turned back to her. “Now, you must think I have an ulterior motive, asking you to go out today.”
“You did just show up out of the blue.”
“Well, James has been telling me…things.”
“Oh?” Had Hank told James about their problems?
“Oh no!” Laura said quickly, as if reading her mind. “I mean, Hank hasn’t said anything to James. Or, er…sorry. Look, James said that Hank’s been a beast to work with these past days. Now, my husband, smart and sweet as he is, doesn’t seem to have a clue how that could be, but I thought maybe…something was up with you and Hank. I’m not going to pry, but I wanted you to know I’m here if you need to talk.” Laura looked at her, her eyes filled with sincerity.
Riva’s shoulders sagged. “I…”
Laura reached over and put her hand over Riva’s. “It�
�s okay.”
Before she could say anything else, Ben strode over to them, having finished picking his pies. Laura scooted over to give him space beside her and waited as Rosie brought them their food.
Ben devoured his slices of pie in minutes. Laura laughed, saying that she was proud of his appetite and then told him he could go to the small play area Rosie had set up for her customers. The young boy happily bounded off.
“Now that we’re alone,” Laura began as soon as Ben was out of earshot. “Is there something you wanted to talk about? I meant what I said.”
Could she trust the other woman? Well, Laura had opened up to her. “I just…I’m not sure it’s working out. You know about our…arrangement, right?”
Laura nodded. “James told me. He was against it, you know. Said it wasn’t fair to you.”
“You must think badly of me. I know how this makes me look.”
Laura shook her head. “No, I think you’re brave. You’re only trying to save your dad’s company.”
“But I think I made a mistake,” Riva said glumly. “Hank…he’s…he doesn’t want me.”
“What?” Laura asked, confusion marring her pretty face.
“Why would he, when he had the perfect fiancée?”
“You mean Andrea?”
Riva nodded.
“Hmphhh.” Laura crossed her arms over her chest. “You know, they say you shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, but Andrea wasn’t as perfect as most people thought she was. Sure, she was gorgeous and would have made the perfect trophy wife, but she was also vain, stupid, and insecure. Hank worshipped the ground she walked on, but if he made any small mistake or even looked at another woman, she’d go off the rails.”
“But…what about his brother?”
Laura sighed. “Yeah, that was a surprise. Them running away together. No one knew, not even Melissa. But don’t throw a pity party on her behalf. She was just as bad as Andrea. In fact, she and Harrison deserved each other, and if you ask me, no one in this town is too sorry he’s gone and Hank’s president of Lennox Corp now.”
Riva’s brows wrinkled. “I don’t understand.”
The Last Blackstone Dragon Page 5
