Grounded (Grounded #1)

by Heather Young-Nichols

  I laughed at the way his words started to tumble out of his mouth. As if I’d even consider having kids in the middle of everything going on. On the other hand, I was kind of taken aback. It was the first time he acknowledged the extent of our relationship. He’d never said a word, and I realized that Mom must have kept him abreast of the situation. I hated the conversations they must have had when I wasn’t around.

  “Yeah, you don’t have to worry about me getting pregnant anytime soon.”

  I had to get to Jensen, tell him everything and find a way to practice. Unfortunately, Aric would probably be our target. I hated that we had to use him so much, even though he never complained. It still sucked.

  ***

  The next item on my to-do list involved Jensen. I understood that he’d been busy and yes, I figured he and Aric were trying to keep me in the dark because I’d just been injured. I also assumed he felt guilty since he was the one who injured me the most, but he had no other choice. I told him to do it, even though I knew the consequences.

  Even with all that, I couldn’t understand why Jensen didn’t at least come to my room at night. Four days with nothing more than a quick hello or a peck on the cheek was enough. It was Friday night. There most likely wouldn’t be any meetings on Saturday, unless something happened, meaning he should be free.

  When I went inside his room, he was already asleep, so I took the opportunity to look him over. I knew he’d gotten hurt. One of Mom’s healing coppers was on the nightstand. When he rolled over and I saw a bruise shaped like the heel of a shoe mark the left side of his beautiful body, I knew just how badly. I found the reason he was keeping his distance.

  Finally sensing me in the room, he pushed himself up off the mattress. “Christ, Alyssum.”

  “Sorry. Haven’t seen you around much.” I brought my knee up to rest on the edge of the bed. “I mean, you are still my boyfriend, right? Or did I miss something there, too?”

  He didn’t answer, not with words, anyway. Coming across the bed and taking my hands in his, he kissed me in a way that made my entire body come alive, toes curling and everything. Jensen was saying that I was still his with that kiss. I felt my face flush red hot.

  “I guess that’s a yes,” I said very breathlessly once I was able to pull myself away.

  “That’s a hell yes.”

  Pushing him back, I climbed on top and felt a reaction right away. I wouldn’t, couldn’t let it distract me, which was harder than I expected.

  “What have you been doing with your time?” I asked.

  “You know, stuff.”

  “Stuff with my dad? Stuff with Aric? Stuff with the Gobel? Stuff with hookers? Throw me a bone.”

  “Oh, please.” His body shook with laughter. “Where would I even find hookers around here?” Even though he was joking, I dug my fingers into the gnarly bruise on his side.

  “Ouch!” His face cringed with the touch. “Okay, okay. All of the above, except the hookers.”

  “How did you get this?” I traced my fingers over the wound again, gently that time.

  “Aric.” My eyebrows shot up. “We’ve been trying to see if I could do the energy sucking thing on my own. He didn’t have a good reaction to the feeling and kicked me. It’s fine. It didn’t work, though.”

  “Why alone? We can do it together.” Watching him try to figure out what to say to me, probably choosing his words very carefully, it clicked. “So that you can leave me home. Is that it?” Again, his eyes answered.

  “No way.” I threw myself off to let him sit up. “I’ve worked on this for months. I’m not being left behind.”

  “We don’t want you to get hurt.” His voice was soft enough that I would have melted if he were saying anything else.

  “We?”

  “Your dad, me, Aric.”

  “Aric wants me to stay home? No way. He’s never said—”

  “Yeah, the wonderful, supportive friend you made doesn’t want you dead. Imagine that.” Jensen leaned back against the headboard.

  “He is a friend—”

  Jensen winced. “Look, I know he is. He also loves you.” I tried to protest, but he wouldn’t let me get anything out. “I didn’t say you’re in love with him or that he’s in love with you, but he loves you. I’ve accepted that fact. I live with it every day. However, I will exploit it if it means never seeing you the way you were the other day.” He paused. “Your mother…None of us want that for you.”

  “Exploit it?”

  “Use it to get him on my side. Alyssum, I’m here because of you.” He cupped my face, tracing my cheekbone slowly with his thumb. “You are the most important thing in my life. I didn’t come here to help with some crazy, backwoods feud. I came here for you.” Those blue eyes I could get lost in darkened and I thought I saw a little moisture popping at the corners. “If you’re not in my world, there isn’t much for me.”

  I couldn’t let myself get lost in his magical words or swoony eyes. I had to focus because my parents didn’t raise me to sit home knitting when shit got real. His reluctance over me going with them came from somewhere other than the logical parts of his brain. It came from his heart.

  “Jensen,” I started. I dropped all the anger from my voice. Hearing his words made me realize what he was going through. “What did you talk to my dad about on your birthday?”

  “Lots of things.” He sat up straight.

  “Like?”

  “You. The whole normal, ‘I’m watching you and you better not step out of line with my daughter’ thing that all dads do.” Picturing that conversation, I couldn’t hold the laugh in. “And some Gremlin stuff.”

  I closed my eyes. I took a deep breath before I opened them again and said, “Please tell me you did not use that word with him.”

  A cocky half smile spread over his face. “No, I reserve that for you.”

  “Good. So, what stuff?” Again, with the choosing his words carefully. “I’m not delicate. Just spit it out.”

  “He said…he said that he wanted me to think about being the next in line.”

  That wasn’t hard to believe. I mean, Jensen’s father, Glen, had been our leader. Had the Sorrels not run away to New York, Jensen would have taken over one day anyway. My dad only stepped in because his best friend had asked him to and there was no way Ash Bracken would back down from something he saw as his responsibility. What I didn’t understand is why Jensen hadn’t told me before that Dad wanted him to take over eventually. He should have said something the next time we saw each other after their conversation.

  “I didn’t know how you’d feel about it. I mean, he’s your dad. You’re supposed to be next in line and I’m new to all this.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m not even sure I want to stay here once this stuff is done.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Someone punched me in the gut. Or a sledgehammer came out of nowhere. I wasn’t sure which, but I felt like I was going to throw up. See, I’d assumed that once he came to Delaware and reunited with his people, Jensen would know he belonged and would stay. Of course, he’d go home to visit his parents, but he’d be with us, with me. Maybe we’d even get married and have babies or something, which, I admit, may have been jumping the gun a bit, but the guy did just tell me I was his world.

  “You look sick.” He sighed. “See why I didn’t want to tell you?”

  “You think this about the next in line bullshit?” He nodded. “I don’t care about that. I don’t want to be a leader and Ash would never pick me even if I did.”

  He didn’t believe me.

  “Look,” I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose to stave off an oncoming headache, “we’ve never had a female leader. The entire council, my dad included, is pretty sexist when it comes to that. Besides, you were born for the job. Literally. Your dad did it, your grandfather and his before him did it. Leading our people is in your blood.”

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  “I never…I guess I’ve been
pretty naïve. It never occurred to me that you’d go back to New York for anything more than a visit.”

  “My life is there, Alyssum.”

  I nodded slowly, holding back some really girly tears. “I know. I just…” I wasn’t going to let my own fears of him leaving make me cry. Not in front of him, anyway. I’d gotten a bit paranoid about people leaving me since my mom died, but up to that point, I’d done a good job of hiding it. “I’m here.”

  The room stood still, neither of us knowing what else to say. There were problems with me going with him, if he even asked, because blending in the human world permanently could be tricky. If it didn’t work, it wouldn’t be because I didn’t want it to.

  “Okay, um…” I hopped off the bed and started for the door. “I’m going back to bed.”

  He was right beside me. “The discussion isn’t over. Nothing’s been decided. Let’s just get through everything else first, okay?” I nodded again because I didn’t trust my voice not to betray me.

  “There’s a dinner tomorrow,” he said. I already knew about it. Dad’s secretary took over the things my mother was doing before she died. I had to push any thought of her out of my head. One day, I was going to have to grieve appropriately, but continuing with the business at hand was the Gremalian way. “Something about making sure there’s support for his decision on the war.”

  “Yeah,” I cleared my throat, “he doesn’t need approval, but Dad likes to have it. He can’t stand it if there’s dissent within the community.”

  “Right. He wants me for the day, but after dinner, I’m free.”

  I got up on my tip toes to kiss him goodnight. It was pretty quick. My heart just wasn’t into it. “Maybe I’ll see ya around.”

  He watched me until I turned the corner to my room. His eyes felt heavy on my skin. I didn’t look back. That little nugget of information hit me hard and I really needed time to think.

  ***

  Aric and Jensen were gone early again. I didn’t see them when I woke up. Instead, I found an envelope on the table with my name scribbled in what could only be Jensen’s handwriting…or a serial killer’s. Either way, I decided to chance it.

  Alyssum, I thought, after last night, we could both use a reminder. See you tonight. I love you.

  I dumped the rest of the envelope out and a small chain only big enough to be a bracelet fell out. The charm that hung down looked like my car. It was even copper colored, as was the rest of the chain. It would look great with my mother’s necklace, which I hadn’t taken off since she gave it to me before I left for New York. Jensen’s gift brought a smile to my face. It was a sweet gesture.

  I spent the day helping Violet, the secretary, make sure everything was set for dinner. She wasn’t used to organizing those types of events. Mom always did them and this was the first dinner since she’d died. That was my Dad, getting right back into the swing of things.

  Since only a few people had been invited to the dinner—Dad, Me, Jensen, Aric, Dahlia, her dad and the other three borough reps—everything got under control pretty quickly. The cook, along with the other help we brought in, were really on top of everything.

  The house smelled delicious. Fresh bread and spices were infused into whatever was in the pots on the stove. While the dinner was being cooked, I prepared myself. Though dinner wasn’t a formal event, I would still be expected to dress appropriately.

  Rummaging through my closet, I found a bunch of summer dresses that I’d never worn before. I decided on a nice pink dress with a halter top and a skirt that fell just above my knees, I went through ten different pairs of wedges before finding the perfect ones. They added a few inches of height. I styled my hair into soft waves to cover my shoulders and covered my face with just a smattering of make-up.

  Half an hour before our guests were to arrive, I was all put together and back in the kitchen to double check everything. I left because I was just getting in the way. The kitchen people were great and they didn’t need me looking over their shoulders.

  I heard the others come into the house from The Council room. By the time I got out there, though, Aric and Jensen had disappeared to clean themselves up. My dad called from his room.

  “Everything ready, Alyssum?” He asked when I peered through his open door and saw him buttoning his shirt. I knew what his outfit would be and I figured Aric and Jensen’s outfits would be similar: dress pants and shoes with a button down shirt that would have the top two buttons undone to keep it nice but casual. His cuffs would be rolled as well.

  “Yup, and it smells great.”

  He turned, looking at me for the first time. Dad looked older than he did a few weeks ago, but there was a lot weighing on his mind. “You look beautiful, just like your mom.”

  “Thanks.” That’s the highest compliment a person could ever get from him, but I didn’t know what else to say and was thankful when the doorbell rang.

  Everyone else had arrived except Aric and Jensen. The guests had drinks. Small talk was being made in the living room. I stood near the fireplace, which wasn’t lit because it was far too hot and humid for that, gossiping with Dahlia with a few comments from Finch, the youngest of all the reps at only twenty-five. He felt more comfortable with us than the much older people in the room.

  Dahlia took my arm, leading me away with some excuse about the ladies room, but all she wanted was some girl talk.

  “So, how’s it going?” She had far too much perk to be around regular people.

  “Ah, fine, I guess.”

  “Well, with all of our stupid rules, I couldn’t be with you for your mom’s funeral and my dad’s kept me busy since then.” Dahlia primped her already perfectly put together hair. “I guess Mom and I are going to Chicago to do some shopping, which is great, but you should come with us. Get away, new scenery, all that.”

  “Not a chance.” I didn’t want to do her caliber of shopping, and there was no way I was going to be left out of fighting. It was not happening. However, it was highly unlikely that she even knew how bad everything had gotten with the Gobel.

  “And Jensen.”

  My eyes rolled involuntarily because of the sing-song quality her voice took on. “What about him?”

  “You know, the good stuff. Come on.”

  I chewed the inside of my cheek for a second. “There’s nothing to tell.”

  Before answering, I avoided her eyes, but she was watching every move I made, waiting for the smallest sign that I was trying not to give her.

  “Oh, there’s something. You wouldn’t blush over nothing.” I still didn’t answer. “I could tell you about the other night with Aric, which was ridiculously good.”

  “Please don’t.” Dahlia, my supposed best friend, wasn’t letting me off the hook. “What do you want to know?”

  “Have you, ya know, given the ultimate gift?”

  “Keep talking like that and you’ll be glad we’re in a bathroom.” I made choking sounds, like I was going to vomit at what she was saying. When I giggled, she didn’t see the humor. She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head, which said she’d wait forever for my answer if she had to. “Okay, fine. Yes, but that’s all I’m saying.”

  She smiled an annoying wide, almost knowing, smile that just made her look creepy. “That’s all you need to say. I have a wonderful imagination to fill in the rest.”

  I left before she had a chance to elaborate on her imaginative skills. No doubt she had something far kinkier in mind than what actually happened. I went back to the front room to wait for everyone else and took pity on poor Finch, who’d been left with only the older men.

  The minute the guys came in, Dad hijacked them to his group of people to introduce Aric. The reps had already met Jensen what with all the time he’d been spending in The Council room. Handshakes were exchanged all around, which was surprising.

  That was what surprised me most about the entire situation. Many of our people embraced Aric fully, not even caring that he was the mortal enemy. It wasn’
t clear if that was a tribute to their trust in Dad, their belief in me or to just how awesome Aric was.

  Jensen’s eyes stayed on me with a small satisfied smile on his lips. When Dad brought Aric over to meet Finch, Jensen came too. I noticed Aric whispering something to Dahlia. Jensen placed his hand on my bare back. His soft fingertips traced my spine, forcing me to control a full body shiver.

  “Can I talk to you?” I whispered.

  He nodded, leading me from the room, never moving his hand from my skin, to the hallway that runs behind the living room, where no one would see us.

  “You’re beautiful.”

  “Thanks. And thanks for this.” I shook the charm on my wrist at him. “It looks like my car.”

  “Yeah, that’s how we met. You sabotaging your car.” A pink shade of embarrassment covered my face. He knew I was the one to let the antifreeze out? How embarrassing. “Are we okay?”

  “We’re okay. I don’t like being left out and I’m not going to be, but I have to remember that those decisions are official ones and not personal, but you have to separate being a leader, if that’s what you’re going to be, and being my boyfriend.” I stopped. That wasn’t where I meant to take the conversation. “We’ll get to that stuff later. Sorry. And I love it. It matches my necklace.”

  “I know.”

  He kissed me, long enough for me to lose my senses and not notice that everyone had left the room to take their seat at the table for dinner, at least until my dad called our names.

  We sat next to each other with Aric and Dahlia across the table, Dad at the head to my right and the four reps next to him, two on each side. Salads came first. I picked at the leafy greens, half listening to Dahlia ramble on about the shopping trip and half listening to Dad and the reps.