“Yeah,” her niece said, grinning. “Matt crashed his car for us.”
“Yes, he did,” Maddy said, smiling at the bright look on her niece’s face. She looked up and saw Matt standing next to her cart, gazing down at her. Maddy smiled up at him as he helped her out of her seat. “You’re Effy’s new hero,” she said.
His expression glinted with amusement as he reached back in the cart and gently lifted Effy out. He lowered her on the floor next to Maddy. “Are you ready for the movie now?” He asked.
Effy nodded eagerly. “Can I have popcorn first?”
Matt smiled. “If your aunt allows it, sure.”
He met Maddy’s gaze and she nodded. She could tell Effy liked Matt and the thought filled her with pleasure. Ten minutes later, they strolled away from the busy refreshment counter, Matt holding a take-out tray of drinks and popcorn.
Maddy cast a quick glance around her and noticed all the families out for the day. She wondered if anyone watching them assumed they were a family enjoying a day at the movies. The thought dimmed her spirits. Maddy loved Effy as her own, but she would have loved more children. She wanted it all, a loving husband, a big family, the white picket fence. She stopped her train of thought from going further.
They were almost at the line up for their movie when her gaze rested on a little boy standing near the rest room doors. There didn’t seem to be an adult with him and he looked frightened, as though any moment he was going to burst into tears. Her steps faltered and she felt Matt stiffen beside her, his gaze going to her face. She gave him a concerned look and motioned to the little boy with her head. She frowned, watching all the people stroll by him without so much as sparing him a glance. Their narrow vision both startled and angered her. Maddy pursed her lips and stopped in front of the little boy.
“Hi. My name is Maddy. Are you all right, honey? Have you lost your mom?”
The little boy looked up and his face crumbled. “I’m not supposed to speak to strangers.”
Maddy smiled at him. “That’s right. You’re not, but you don’t have to be afraid of me. Look. I’m here with my niece, Effy. She’s about your age.” Effy gave the boy a curious look. Maddy looked around, her gaze catching Matt’s thoughtful expression.
She drew her gaze back to the little boy. “You lost your mom in all this confusion, didn’t you?” The little boy nodded. “Well, I’m sure she’ll turn up. We’ll just wait here with you until she comes back, okay?”
“Maddy, look,” Matt said.
She glanced in the direction of his gaze and relief flooded her senses. A distraught looking woman was making her way toward them.
“Chris, I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” she cried as she lowered herself and gathered the little boy in her arms. She glanced up at Maddy and mouthed the words ‘thank you so much’. Maddy smiled at the woman.
She took Effy’s hand and looked up at Matt. “We’d better get in line.”
“Matt?” Effy asked, raising her little face to look up at him as they weaved their way through the traffic of people.
“Yes?”
“Me, too,” she said. Matt gave her a knowing smile.
Maddy narrowed her eyes with suspicion on her niece. “Honey? Was your button turned off?”
“I’ll do it now, Auntie Mad.”
Maddy gave Matt an apologetic look. “I’m sorry. She didn’t mean to pry into your thoughts.”
“No harm done. I was just thinking I’m enjoying myself with you two.”
Her niece grinned up at him and Maddy’s spirits lifted.
Chapter Three
Two hours later, after Maddy made sure Effy was settled in the living room with her colouring book and markers, she went outside on the porch and took the seat across from Matt.
“Effy is a great kid. You’ve done a great job raising her,” he offered deeply.
A wave of pleasure filled her. “Thank you, but it’s harder than it looks. Raising children doesn’t come with a manual and I’m afraid I’ve done my share of mistakes.”
“The button you’d mentioned to Effy earlier in the car was about her gift, wasn’t it? How long have you known she can read minds?”
“It’s been a couple of years. I had just come back from visiting my grandmother and I was feeling helpless and angry. I walked through the front door and before I could say anything to Effy, she asked me why I was angry at life. It was such a precise question, especially for a child. I asked her why she said that and she told me she heard me say it as I was walking through the door. It was too coincidental, so I spent the next ten minutes asking her what I was thinking. She got everything right.”
“That is quite a power. I understand why you want to protect her. If someone like Garos had Effy under his control, he would be invincible. Imagine having the power to read your enemies’ minds, to know their plans, to discover their weaknesses.”
“Exactly. So you understand me.”
“I do,” he replied, nodding. “Do you mind my asking what happened to Effy’s father?”
Maddy’s mood dimmed as she thought about Catherine’s curse. She hadn’t dwelled on it for a couple of hours and the dreadful reality of her situation dampened her spirit. “He was driving my sister to the hospital the night she was in labour. He lost control of the car and crashed into a street light. He died instantly and my sister lived long enough to give birth to Effy.”
“I am sorry for your loss, Maddy.”
She was touched by the compassion on his face. “It’s okay,” she said softly. “If I didn’t have Effy, I don’t know how I would have survived Melissa’s death.” A dull, empty ache gnawed at her soul. “I have never kept the truth from Effy. She knows what happened to her parents. I tell her as much as I can about Melissa and Frank. I want her to know how special and kind her parents were,” she said, her voice thickening with emotion. “Effy knows about her heritage and how she comes from a long line of witches. She knows, too, I was born human.” A sad smile played on her mouth. “I tell Effy stories how her mother used to tease me if I didn’t stop annoying her, she’d turn me into a frog. Yet, ten minutes later, Melissa would braid my hair or take me out for ice cream. I cherish my sister’s bedtime stories to me the most, countless nights listening to one of her tales about a handsome prince saving his one, true love.” Maddy paused and cleared her throat delicately. It was still hard talking about her sister and she could never avoid the painful lump that would inevitably lodge itself in her throat. “Melissa was older than me. She practically raised me after my mother died.” Maddy’s gaze wavered under his intent gaze. “My mother killed herself soon after my father died of a heart attack.”
Matt stiffened, his eyes taking on a distant, faraway look. Maddy knew what he was thinking. The woman he believed was his one had killed herself.
“Are you okay?” She asked softly.
Dawning realisation settled on his face and he gave her a long, hard look. “You know, don’t you?” His eyes narrowed with suspicion.
“Yes. I’m...I’m sorry you couldn’t save her, Matt. It wasn’t your fault.”
“You have me at a disadvantage. You seem to know a lot more about me than I know of you. Care to tell me how you know my one killed herself? How do you know of the lycan legend, of Leo and Sam, of all of it?”
How much of the truth could she divulge without mentioning the truth about his one? “I was playing a game with my sister one day. She said she could pick any name from the phone book and cast a spell that would reveal that person’s life.” Maddy cringed inwardly at the absurdity of her lie. Her reply was flimsy, at best, and she could tell by the grim look on his face he wasn’t buying it.
“Out of all the names in the phone book, she chose mine, a man whose help you need today? Don’t you think that’s too much of a coincidence?”
Guilt made her turn away from him. She glanced at her watch and feigned a look of surprise. Maddy rose. “Look at the time. I...I need to start dinner.”
Matt
rose from his seat, his expression granite. She could tell he was angry, but there was nothing she could do about it. He would never believe the truth.
He pulled out his keys from his pocket. “I’ll leave you to it, then. Tell Effy I said good-bye.”
Maddy nodded, numb with a rush of overwhelming emotions—fear of Matt refusing to help her, compassion for the guilt he’d endured not being able to save the woman he’d loved, and an increasing attraction to him, the latter taking precedence. She parted her lips, inhaling slowly, and his gaze dipped to her mouth. She didn’t want him to go.
His face darkened and Maddy gasped at the brief colour of amber flickering behind his eyes. His beast felt their connection, she was certain of it!
“You can stay for dinner, if you like,” she said in a small voice.
He inhaled slowly as he stared down at her and a low, soft growl rose in his throat. Against her own volition, she leaned a fraction of an inch forward and parted her lips. Slowly, Matt lowered his head, his gaze fastened on her mouth. He was going to kiss her. Maddy swallowed the heady rise of anticipation in her breast and closed her eyes. She had longed for their first kiss from the moment her sister had spun tales of the lycan legend and soul mates.
His hands closed over her shoulders, dragging her toward him. Before she could catch her breath, the warm, firm pressure of his mouth covered hers. Maddy limbs melted with pleasure as his mouth moved sensually over hers. She slipped her hands along his arms to his shoulders, and clasped him around his neck. Matt groaned and his kiss grew with urgency, his hands slipping to the small of her back as he crushed her against him. Maddy whimpered with pleasure and opened her mouth. He inhaled sharply as his tongue meshed and mingled with hers.
“Auntie Mad, I’m hungry,” Effy called from inside the house.
Matt growled as he dragged his mouth away. His eyes glittered like two black jewels as he stared at her. Maddy shivered under the passionate heat of his gaze, a part of her relieved at the interruption.
“I...I should go inside,” she said as her face flamed with shame.
“Give me a minute out here. I’ll join you shortly,” he said thickly.
“You’re staying for dinner?” She asked, her voice sounding pathetically high pitched. Her embarrassment deepened and she stifled a self-deprecating groan.
“I am.”
Maddy returned back into back into the house and hoped she knew what she was doing.
****
“What the hell am I doing?” Matt cursed under his breath.
He grimaced at the discomfort in his jeans as he paced up and down the length of the porch, willing his damn erection to go down.
He’d wanted to give in to his primal need and seduce Maddy, but he knew she would come with an emotional attachment. He didn’t know when the hell it had happened, but he lusted after her, in a bad way. Damnation! He didn’t want to hurt her. She was too sweet, too nice, and she’d already gone through so much in her life.
And what the hell was he supposed to do? Take her out here on the porch while her niece was in the house? He growled his frustration. Matt rubbed an angry hand at the back of his neck, stunned at his near lack of self control. He hadn’t meant to kiss her, but the moment she’d parted her lips, she’d aroused him like no other woman ever had. He clenched his fists, heat rising to his face as he recalled his powerful and inexplicable need to mate with her. What the devil was happening to him?
He’d slept with thousands of women and he’d never felt this connection to any of them. A wave of guilt coursed through his veins as the memory of his one flashed in his mind. The analytical part of his mind wondered why he’d never felt like this for her.
Matt was disturbed as hell since the moment he’d met Maddy. His mouth curled sardonically. Maddy. It was a fitting name because she was definitely driving him mad.
Cursing roughly under his breath, he opened the front door and went inside.
Chapter Four
Garos leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers on his desk. He stared at Catherine’s crystal ball, his thoughts on her death and all the damn problems that resulted because of it. This was a bloody mess, he thought angrily. That bastard, Leo, was going to pay.
His door opened and a loud splash of music from his nightclub filtered in his office. He tossed his newly recruited lycan an angry look.
“What is it?” He barked.
“Boss, can I talk to you?”
Garos narrowed his eyes. “What is it?” He asked, knowing the answer. His gaze travelled over his recruit’s fearful expression. Another miss, Garos thought with disgust. If he wasn’t so enraged at the nuisance of having to find another witch to operate the ball, he would have given this spineless, weak recruit more time to adjust to his new way of life.
“Boss, McKinnely just told me you want me to join his team for the bank robbery tonight.”
“Yes, I do. Is there a problem?” Slowly, he slipped his hand beneath his desk and grabbed the silver dagger he kept hidden. Catherine’s death meant there would be no more spells where money appeared in his bank account. Garos gritted his teeth at this damn nuisance.
“Boss, I don’t know if I’m ready. McKinnely told me you want me kill anyone standing in our way.”
“Miles, when we turned you on the last full moon,” Garos began in a deceptively soft voice, “we promised you immortality and in return you promised me allegiance, is that not correct?”
“Yes, but I—”
“Do not interrupt me!” Garos growled. “Your allegiance means you do what I say, when I say it. I want,” he added slowly, his patience almost gone, “you to join my men and rob that damn bank tonight.”
“Can’t I—”
“Dammit!”
With lightening speed, he brought the silver dagger out from its concealed place and flung it at Miles. Garos admired his shot. The silver went straight through his heart and he watched the young recruit’s face crumble with shock before he fell to the ground.
Garos leaned back in his seat, his thoughts returning to Catherine. Even though she had been an annoying thorn in his side, she had been a valuable asset to him. Her spells the past year had served him well and another wave of anger rose in his chest.
Damn that bastard! Leo was going to pay for killing her. Garos’s only consolation was his men had had enough sense to reach Catherine’s room at the bed and breakfast and steal the ball before Leo’s men had arrived.
Garos reached for his pack of cigarettes and pulled one out, lighting it before he took a long drag. He knew he would have eventually killed Catherine himself after he’d gotten all he’d wanted from her. She’d been too powerful for her own good, but that infernal bastard had taken her away from him too soon.
There was only one way to make Leo pay for what he did.
Matt’s life for Catherine’s. Garos knew Leo valued Matt as his second in command, but he also treated him like a brother. Killing Matt was going to feel like plunging silver into Leo’s heart. And afterward, Garos would begin his search for a new witch to join him.
The damn problem he faced was witches were experts at living amongst the humans, hiding under the radar. They were masters of disguises and short of witnessing one pull out a wand, he didn’t know where to start looking for a witch. Their damn coven was in a secret location, otherwise he would have raided it a long time ago and captured a small army of witches to help him. His anger boiled to an uncontrollable rage.
He grabbed his phone and dialled James’s number. “Assemble some men. I want two outside Matt’s office, two casing his home, and two more outside Leo’s hotel. The moment either team sees Matt, tell them their orders are to kill him on sight.” His gaze went to the young recruit’s body on the floor. “And get Carlson in here. There’s another body he needs to dispose of.”
Garos slammed down the phone and inhaled sharply through his nose, his mouth a thin line. When Leo returned from his honeymoon, he was going to face some very unpleasant news.
The only challenge Garos had left now was to find a damn witch to operate the ball.
****
Maddy tucked the blanket around Effy and kissed her warmly on the cheek. “Good night, sweetie. Pleasant dreams.”
“’Night, Auntie Mad.”
“I love you.”
“Love you, too,” Effy said, her eyes closing.
Maddy turned off the bedside lamp and quietly left the room. Matt was waiting for her downstairs in the living room and her stomach fluttered with anticipation at the thought. She found him sitting on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands clasped in front of him. Matt stared at the coffee table, his expression deep in thought. As soon as Maddy entered the living room, his head shot up and his gaze met hers. He unclasped his hands and straightened in his seat.
“Effy is already asleep,” Maddy said as she took the seat opposite him.
Matt nodded with a distant look in his eyes. “Thank you for dinner,” he said deeply. “It was delicious.”
“My pleasure.”
Maddy knew what was on his mind. He wanted to talk about the wand, the spell, the fact she knew about his one. It was a conversation she dreaded, but she had to give him some explanation if he was going to help her.
“Matt, about the wand.” She drew in a deep breath. “Please tell me you’ll help me tomorrow.”
“It’s in Leo’s office in his hotel.”
That didn’t tell her if he was going to give it to her. “It’s Sunday tomorrow and I’m not working. I can have Wendy babysit Effy while we go pick it up.”
“What do you do, by the way? I know nothing about you.”
Maddy had the grace to feel ashamed. “I’m a freelance writer. I write for women’s magazine, but I occasionally I write for the local newspapers. I work from home, so it makes it easy for me to look after Effy. The only time I need a babysitter is when I have meetings.”
“I would imagine when you take Effy out her button has to be turned off? How does her gift work?”
Tall Dark Handsome Lycan, Book 4 Page 3
