She was making her way down the stairs when she realized that she’d forgotten to take the pictures. Oh well. She knew that men, especially men like the ones that would be associated with her daughter, would have a soft heart and a softer head. Ava practiced what she was going to say to him, as well as how she was going to pout. If only she had thought of these things before she left the room. The pout would take work, and she didn’t have time for that.
When she’d first found out that she was going to have a baby, she was thrilled to no end. It would complete them, she thought. And they could use it. Not painfully, but she’d been working corners by herself for extra money for a while now. Ava knew that the girls who had babies, or were about to have one, they’d bring home the most cash. There were even a few of them that faked their big bellies just to get more. Not her. She wanted to get paid for her looks alone.
However, looks without sex didn’t get her very far. Nor did it fill their bellies. Baby or not, she played it up when she found out that not only was she having a baby, but a little boy too. Then the nightmares had plagued them, because a few months later Conrad was born. He was developmentally disabled. He’d never be able to dress himself, they’d been told. He’d never learn anything beyond what a baby would. And they’d be changing his diapers and feeding him forever.
Just as she and Con were ready to drown him, just to get him out of their lives, she’d found out that she was going to have another baby. This time it was a girl. It wasn’t until she was six months old that Ava and Con had begun to relax a little. This child was all right in the head. And they thought again about drowning young Conrad.
Then the strangest things started to happen. Clare was teaching her brother how to not just dress, but to talk to them as well. He’d never uttered a word before that, just grunting and groaning like a freak. Before long the city started paying them to have Clare come to their schools and help out. That money helped her get her thighs done the first time.
After that, money became tight again. Like instead of helping, it was strangling them around the throat and making them fight. Ava hated to fight. It made her cry, and that would smear her makeup. Then one day Con pinched Clare so hard that she had a bruise the size of a baseball. He’d done it, he told her, to blame it on Conrad. But she thought it was because she was bothering him when he was trying to take a nap. Not that she cared that much for her daughter.
People were already telling her that Clare was going to be even more beautiful than she was. So much so that if she were to enter beauty contests she’d win every time, hands down. It was something, even today, that bothered her, and she wanted to hurt her daughter over and over. But she hadn’t, not too much anyway. But the bruise turned out to be a blessing and a bad thing. They took Conrad away, but also the check that he was getting every month that they were using for their own personal things.
“Damned kids.” She looked at the woman in front of her when she asked her what she’d said. “Nothing. I was wondering if you could tell me where Owen Winchester lives. I should like to have a conversation with him.”
Ava had practiced sounding intelligent for years. She didn’t have a high school diploma, nor did she know how to read all that well, but she could hear the voices that came over the television, and said what they said and how they said it for days after. Now she thought she sounded just as good as they had.
“What about your damned kids?” She was startled to think how rude the woman was, and glared at the older woman next to her as the younger one continued. “You have no idea who I am, do you? Not one clue.”
“Should I know you? It’s doubtful that we run in the same circles.” She looked at the other woman when the younger one did. “Do you know where Owen lives? I would like to see him.”
“Sure. I’ll take you right to his house.”
She kissed the other woman on the cheek and told her she’d see her later. As they walked along the sidewalk, the other woman didn’t say another word, but it was the smile that made her want to smack her. Like she knew this great secret that no one else did.
The house was far more beautiful than she’d expected. There was a large wrap around porch that had long windows. Ava would bet in the summer that with them open, the entire house would smell like flowers. When they walked up on the steps, the younger woman walked right in, as if she had every right to. Then it occurred to her what was going on.
“Oh, you’re the maid. If I was Owen, I’d not have such a lovely maid running around. You’re more than likely to find him between your legs, and you with child.” She was sure that the woman said I hope so, but the man came out of one of the long halls. When she started to introduce herself to him, the woman beat her to it.
“Owen, I don’t think you’ve met my mom. Mother, this is my husband, Owen Winchester. Owen, Ava Macintosh. She wants to talk to you. To get you to give her money so they don’t tell anyone that you’re a wolf. At least that’s what Father had planned. I have no idea what she thinks is going to happen other than going to jail.”
Ava looked down the same hall that the man had come from, and there were several officers. Turning to run, she was grabbed by another one that was right behind her. Facing her daughter, she looked at her. Christ, she had turned out to be a beauty, and she held all the cards in Ava and Con’s life right now.
Chapter 9
Clare watched her parents through the glass. Her father was on one side, her mother on the other. Mother was going on and on about how her face had been messed up by ghosts. Father was saying how he wanted a lawyer, the best that money would buy. Sitting in the chair beside her, Owen asked her how it was going.
“I’m not sure what they thought was going to happen here when they were arrested. Mother wants to know when the doctor is coming to see her. Something about her face. My father is wanting the best attorney that you can afford for him. Like that’s going to happen.” He laughed. “What have you found out?”
“Their fingerprints match all the bombs that were in the building where Conrad was staying until a few months ago. The police are still trying to figure out how they’d done all that without anyone seeing them.” She waited on him to continue after saying that she had no idea either. “I told them that. Also, there is some speculation that they murdered their partner, Norman. His wife got a letter from her husband yesterday, telling her that if he ended up dead for real that Con and Ava were the ones that murdered him. He even thought that he’d be washing up on some shore, but one closer to where they lived. The police there are helping the Feds, since it’s out of the state.”
“What do they do now? I mean, the Feds. They’re going to arrest them, correct? I have to tell you, I’m thrilled not to have them out there anymore.” He said that they were being brought up on enough charges, even without the murders, to have them in prison for a long time. “On smuggling, right?”
“Yes. Bringing diamonds into this country is against all kinds of laws.” She laid her head on his shoulder as they listened to the things being said and recorded. “I’d like to take you someplace where we can talk about the watches.”
“All right.” She looked at the police officer and he said there wasn’t any reason for her to stay any longer. “I want food that is greasy and messy. Pizza. I want a gooey, cheesy pizza.”
“All right, love.” They walked across the street to the local pizza shop. They had beer too, but she didn’t want any. Instead, she got her favorite cola and sipped it while he spoke. “They wanted me to come and get my check rather than to send it to me. They were willing to take no commissions on this auction if I were to sign an agreement with them that I will use them in the future, four more times, with as many pieces that I have.”
“That’s very nice of them.” He nodded and grinned at her. “Before you blow me out of the water with how much you made, I’d like to ask you something.”
“Anything.” She nodded, knowing that he’d say that. She nibbled on her salad but didn’t want that, she wa
nted what was in the oven. “Tell me so I can tell you. I’m about to bust here.”
“I would like to do what you said when you first met us. That you’d divide the money up that we got off the auctions three ways. And put money in the bank for Conrad. I want him to have his own things—his own home actually. Margo, the person that he works with at the pack, said that he has several friends there that want to live with him. To sort of take care of him. But instead of an apartment, I’d like for him to have a home. That way if it goes wrong with any of them, we don’t have to worry about the press or the police.”
“You think something will go wrong.” She shook her head. “I don’t either. However, I think that’s an excellent idea. He needs to be on his own. And like you said, have his own things. Did you know that he has asked Caleb to let him rent part of the place he has?”
“Yes. That’s what made me think of it. And I have three more murals to do now, and more than likely a few more after that. I’m going to be really busy, and I think this will be the best time for him to move, when I won’t hurt as much.” He asked if she thought that was going to work. “You’re supposed to say ‘That’s perfect, Clare. You won’t miss him as much.’”
Laughing, he repeated what she wanted him to say in the first place. “But, there are a couple of things you need to consider with this move of his. He’s just getting used to being independent, and I would like for you to allow him to pick his furniture out. Conrad is smart, so I don’t imagine that he’d be buying stupid things. Not like I would have when I was younger. And we’d have a cook there. Not just to cook, but to keep an eye on him, sort of be someone that he could go to in the event of an emergency.”
“I think I have that one figured out as well. Alexander and Harley could stay there.” He looked shocked. “According to Alexander, Harley is calmer around Conrad, and seems to enjoy that he will sit for hours on end just being with him. And since Conrad can read, he’s been reading to Harley. It’s like a match made in heaven, Alexander said.”
“I love that idea.” She grinned when the large triple cheese, half of it with black olives, was set before them. “I cannot believe that you eat those nasty little buggers.”
“Because they’re very good. And they’re reputed to be an aphrodisiac too.” He asked her if she was serious. “I am. Just look it up.”
“Well, I’ll be damned.” He took several of the little black buggers, as he called them, off her side and ate them. Then he promptly spit them into his paper napkin. “No thanks. I think I’ll be sexy all on my own.”
They were nearly finished with the pizza when she remembered that he’d been to the auction house today. So, between bites, she asked him about it and he laughed. Today, she thought, was turning out to be much better than she’d imagined when she’d seen her mother coming toward her.
“The sale went very well. The owner, Mr. Liberty, said that it brought in for both of us more than even his idea of what would have been made off them.” She asked him if that was why they wanted him to bring the rest of his business there. “Yes, in part. But it’s because he was able to pick up one of the tea sets for his wife. We made nearly two-hundred thousand on the tea cup sets alone. Total sales were two point seven million dollars.”
Clare waited for the punch line. Or him to say he was joking. There had been only four sets. So that made the sale of just the cups and saucers to be around two point two million. For fifty of them, that came to forty-four thousand each.
“That’s insane.” He nodded and said there were the watches as well. “I don’t think I want to know.”
“You do. The watches were the biggest sellers they’ve had to date. And that’s even including the paintings they had from the great ones.” She leaned back and looked around the pizza shop. “What are you thinking right now?”
“We need to do something with some of this money. In honor of my great whatever in the past.” He said that he agreed with her. “I was just thinking about an art school. Not just for kids and adults, but underprivileged and handicapped too.”
“I think that’s an excellent idea.” He made his way to the counter as he continued. “Also, tell me what you think about helping out with some other projects around town. There are a lot of things going on, and I think we should help out as much as we can.” She thought so as well.
While they were paying for their pizza, Owen ordered ten large with everything to be delivered to the station house, their treat. Pop was included, as well as several more pizzas to the pack house.
The station was all abuzz about the arrests they’d made as they returned. Caleb was there too when they arrived—he had some input on the arrest of her parents. He was, he told her, worried about how she’d feel about it, and Clare hugged him.
“I don’t care so long as Conrad isn’t going to be with them and I don’t have to look over my shoulder every ten minutes.” Caleb said she’d never have to do that again. “Then all is well. Thank you, Caleb. Thanks to all of you.”
Going home, she wasn’t surprised to find Conrad not at home. He had been staying at the pack house more and more of late. She liked and was depressed about it. She missed him more than just a little. And he was so much fun to be around lately that she missed having him around. But she knew that while he was older than her, he was just now beginning to grow up.
Clare looked at Owen when he said her name.
“What would you say if I asked you to go out in the back and let me run you down? Then I’d take you hard against whatever hard surface you’re close to.” She nodded, grinning like a loon. “Yeah, I like that idea as well. I’ll even give you a head start.”
“You have to tell me how this works.” He moved closer to her, his wolf showing against his skin. “You’re very sexy when you do that. I don’t think I’ve told you that before.”
“My wolf wants to run you down, honey. He’s excited to do it. And we can both smell how excited you are.” Clare nodded. “Strip down to your panties if you want, then I’ll count to twenty before I take off after you as my beast.”
“When you call him your beast, all I can think about is how much wetter I’m getting.” He growled low, sending her body into another heat frenzy. “I love you, Owen.”
“And I love you. But you’re wasting time.”
Clare moved out of the house and into the back yard. Once she was naked, she took off running, leaving only her boots on. This was going to be so much fun, she didn’t care if he found her in the first few seconds.
It was colder than she thought it was going to be. Of course, it would probably have been much warmer if she’d been dressed. Almost too soon she was in the trees, where the temperature dropped like fifty degrees, she thought. Not really, but she was considerably colder by the time she was in the furthest part of the woods.
There was nowhere for her to hide, she knew. Wolves could smell better than most animals, and Sara had told her once that since they were from the canine family, that they, even as humans, could smell things. Just as she was trying to decide if she should go to the right or left of the pond, she was knocked down and a warm furred animal was over her.
You didn’t try to hide much. She said she was freezing. Well, I can help you with that. But you have to earn it. Run now, and when I catch you, so long as it’s more than two minutes, I’ll warm you up.
Getting up, she took off again. Clare realized that she was no longer cold, but looking forward to being caught again. When she saw a stand of deer just beyond the water, it drew her closer to see what they were doing.
There were six of them, just nibbling on grass and weeds. When the big buck raised his head up and looked at her, she knew when he took off that he’d seen Owen as his wolf. Taking off in the direction that the deer went, she hoped that her scent would mingle with theirs and he’d not find her. It was futile.
Owen, who’d already shifted, was laughing when she fell in the pond. Coming up out of the freezing water, she screamed at the feeling washing al
l over her. Staggering to the muddy shore, she slipped twice before she made it very far. Finally, while she was cursing at Owen, he helped her out of the water. But she jerked him hard, pulling him and her back to the murky cold water.
“You are a bad girl.” Her teeth chattering, she told him that she hated him. “No you don’t. You love me with all that you are. The same that I do you. Now, come here, let me help you out and we’ll warm up.”
He pulled her out of the water and into his arms. It felt wonderful to be there, his body naked and warmer than hers despite the fact that they’d both been in the icy stuff. Rubbing her arms and waist, he told her that he loved her over and over as he kissed her throat and ears. Clare started heating up almost immediately.
“I so love you.” She told him that she loved him as well, and wrapped her arms around him. “Clare, you’re in heat, did you know that?”
“No. What does that...?” She looked up at him. “I’m in heat. That means that we can have a baby, right?”
“Yes. Would you like that?” Nodding, she leapt up and wrapped her legs around his waist. “Well, here I am, baby, let’s make a baby. Why are you going so slow?” He was teasing her, she knew that, but she did want a baby.
“I do want to have your child, Owen.” He kissed her as he took them both to the ground. “What do we do now? I mean, I know that we’d have a better chance of having a wolf if I was a wolf as well. But that’ll be all right, won’t it?”
“Very much so.” He kissed her again, taking her breath away with the feeling of it. When he lifted his head and looked down at her, she felt his cock right there and begged him to fill her. “I will, but I need to hear it from you, love. Right now. Tell me that you love me.”
“Oh Owen, I love you with all my heart, and if it came to one of us being hurt, I’d take whatever was being served up as pain for you. And I hate pain.” He laughed and kissed her again, this time filling her with his cock and making her cry out with the pure pleasure of it.
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