Pride to Pack
Page 42
“Hubby, I’m home,” says a stranger’s voice from the front of the house, followed by a really irritating cackle of a laugh.
“Oh, god help us. The bitch is back! That’s the last thing we need right now,” Billy announces, obviously recognising the voice or more likely the cackle. That cackle isn’t one you will forget in a hurry.
A brunette walks through the door looking like she’s raided Chloe’s wardrobe. She’s wearing a baby pink tank top and a denim mini skirt, or belt whatever you prefer to call it, she’s matched it with black knee high boots to finish off the look. Her mannerisms are just like Chloe’s. She’s like a dark hair, dark eyed version of her.
“Oh great,” Ruby whispers as gets up leaving for the kitchen.
“Wesley, what are you lot doing in my house? Where’s Theodore?” She sounds just like Chloe too.
I bloody hate women with an attitude.
“Ruby is living here now. Theo asked us to stay and look after her while he’s away with business.” That was quick thinking Wes, well done.
“What all of you? There are four of you looking after a seventeen year old?” she asks sounding slightly perplexed.
“Yes, safety in numbers and all, as you’ll have seen the front door isn’t quite intact,” Chloe throws out there.
“Ok. I’m going to get changed. If Theodore isn’t here, his room will be free. I’ll go in there,” she says before heading for the stairs.
This strange woman is not sleeping in Theo’s room. I don’t care who she is. “No! That room is taken. Any of the downstairs rooms are free,” I clarify. I hear Billy chuckle and start to wonder what he’s laughing at, that is until I catch a whiff of my bonding scent. Jealousy will do that to a girl.
“And who might you be?” she snaps at me with that attitude that could give Chloe’s a run for her money.
I look at Billy, who looks at Wesley, who looks back at me with a shrug.
Ruby comes back from the kitchen and perches next to me on the sofa. “That’s Rosabel. She’s Theo’s girlfriend and that’s why his room is taken.”
“His girlfriend? Oh well, I’ll go in the baby pink room down the hall near the front door, My case is through that way. It saves me carrying it far,” she says sounding put out as she walks off. I don’t feel one bit of guilt.
“Who is that?” I ask no one in particular.
“She’s Theo’s wife, Selena. They’ve been separated a year. She cheated on him,” Wesley answers, clearly not wanting to.
I’m floored by his answer. No one has mentioned a wife to me. “His wife,” I whisper to myself.
“Aw, didn’t he tell you he was married?” Chloe asks smugly. So much for thinking she was starting to like me.
“We’ve not really had the chance to have the getting to know you conversation yet.” That wiped the smug smile off her face; I don’t need to tell her what we have done. She already knows. I quickly dismiss Chloe and look at Wesley. “You said she cheated on him. Is she insane? He’d kill the guy.”
Wes glances nervously in the direction Selena had disappeared. “She doesn’t know about any of us.”
“What? He married her without telling her what he is? Where did she think he went every full moon?” I whisper so she doesn’t hear me if she decides to come back - not that I could feel or hear her coming. Sometimes when you know something is a secret you can’t help but whisper when talking about it.
“Exactly. She isn’t really bright. She just believed he was away on business,” he explains.
“Well fuck,” is all I can say. I can’t imagine Theo deceiving someone like that.
Selena comes back in to the room, halting the conversation. She sits down and starts chatting to the others as if she has never been away.
I manage to sneak off unnoticed and go back up to Theo’s room just to get away from her. I need some time alone with my thoughts. I’ve got more than enough things to think about right now.
27. EXECUTIONER
Rosabel