by Tamara White
He just leans against the door, assessing me with his eyes, and I’ve never been more glad a towel is covering most of my scars. I don’t want to know what he’d think of them, and I really don’t have the energy to deal with the questions that always come when people see them.
A grin spreads across his face, not a sexy one, but an ‘I could eat you in one bite’ kind of grin as he takes in my state of undress. “You finished staring?” he asks in a deep voice.
“Are you?” I throw back at him, raising an eyebrow and daring him to deny it. He takes a large step towards me. As he gets closer, the smell of his sweat mixed with his cologne hits me, making me want to swoon. What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I getting so bent out of shape over someone I don’t even know?
I shiver as he leans in, his lips now close enough to kiss. He opens his mouth right next to me, and I feel my heart begin speed up, thinking he’s going to kiss me. But then he speaks.
“Don’t get too comfortable, murderer. My brothers and I will drive you out of here by the end of the week,” the stranger growls. Then he steps away from me with a wicked grin while my heart shatters into a million pieces.
Rage, pure violent fury wells at his words and a black haze descends over my vision.
But then as quickly as it began, I snap back to myself, foggy on what just happened. I look at the man, feeling confused. “Sorry, what did you just say?” I ask, guilty that I missed whatever he said. The look on his face is freaking me out, though. He looks somewhere between terrified and turned on, if that’s even possible.
He clears his throat just as we hear voices outside nearing the pool house. “I just wanted to introduce myself officially, especially since my mother informed me you heard what I said in the kitchen. I’m Zane, and I’m sorry about what I said. I just don’t like change.”
He pauses and backs up a step until his back is pressed against the closed door. “It was very nice to meet you and I look forward to getting to know you.” Then he opens the door and walks out of the bathroom without a second glance.
Well… that was strange. And a completely different encounter than I was expecting. He almost seemed scared of me.
I close the door behind him and lock it before starting to dress. But I keep my eyes on the handle, not trusting the lock to work. After all, how else could Zane have gotten into my bathroom? Maybe I didn’t lock it after all? But I could have sworn I had… Shit, I’m going fucking crazy. Maybe it’s time to call Dr. Martins again.
She helped me deal with my blackouts when they started ten years ago. When I was eleven, I started waking up in random places like the garden or in the living room, with no recollection of how I got there. My parents sought her out after that, and while she was never able to fix the problem, talking to her was a great comfort.
I could really do with her guidance again. Maybe we could revisit the same exercises as before to try and figure out what happened to Natalie. Sure, it never worked back then which is why we gave up, but maybe this time will be different. I’d do pretty much anything to get answers about what happened to Natalie.
I make a mental note to call Dr. Martins as soon as I get the chance. Even if she just spews the same psychobabble she always does, I know it will make me feel slightly better.
Once I finish getting dressed, I dig around in the cupboards in the kitchen, only to find them empty. Guess I have to go to the house to eat after all.
With that in mind, I head out. As I close the pool house door, I see a small red light flash out of the corner of my eye. I turn in search of the source of it, but see nothing that would have caused a flash like that.
I walk back inside the big mansion and head towards the kitchen. As I make my way, I look around, marveling at just how grand this house is.
The inside is nowhere near as daunting as the outside with its black on black paint scheme and terrifying gargoyle statues. The fittings in here are all a burnished copper and the bannister on the stairs is a beautiful light polished wood that matches the wraparound staircase. I reach the end of the hall and see a large ballroom. Although I had been on my way to the kitchen, I can’t help but feel drawn towards this place.
I go in, trying to avoid making too much noise, but I’m unable to contain my glee. I used to love dancing. Dad thought it was something I should learn and wanted to attend classes with me. My mother agreed, because dancing was something she said I needed to know in order to draw in a husband. But she didn’t have the time to teach me, or so she said. The first day we went, we learned the waltz and it was the happiest day of my life. It was something that was purely ours.
With a sigh, I leave the ballroom, but not before vowing to come back and dance. I continue walking through the house towards the kitchen, my sole focus on eating. But before I get there, I run smack bang into what feels like a brick wall. He reaches out to prevent me from falling back on my ass. After making sure I’m steady, he quickly lets me go, as if my touch somehow burned him. His touch, however, sent a spark through me, and the moment he let go, it felt like something was missing.
Once again, I’m left wondering if I’ve completely lost my sanity.
When I meet his gray eyes, I cringe, having not quite expected the anger I see there.
I stutter out an apology. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going. Are you okay?” I bite my lip nervously. It’s something I do to stop myself blurting out stupid shit. Not that it really helps, though. My brain seems to work on a whole different level to everyone elses.
He watches me for a moment, some unknown emotion flashing in his eyes before he answers. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m Carter. Coop and Zane are in there.” He gestures with his head towards the open doorway. Sure enough, I see Zane and another guy in the kitchen behind him, murmuring together. When they notice me, all conversation ceases. I blush, frustrated at feeling like an outsider. It’s not as if I can help the fact that I’m stuck here. Dad had no choice but to let me move in.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt you, I just wanted to grab something to eat. I won’t bother you,” I say, turning to go back the way I came. But before I can take another step, Carter grabs my elbow. I stop and turn to look at him, raising an eyebrow in question.
His eyes soften slightly. “Don’t leave. We were actually just talking about what to do about dinner actually. Mom and Troy already ate, so we’re on our own tonight. Would you like to join us?”
I hesitate for a moment before my stomach gives a loud growl, making the decision for me. Well, might as well get this over with. I need to try and get to know these guys anyway. Playing nice with Dad’s new family is the least I can do after all they’ve done for me.
Carter sees the moment I give in and a bright smile lights up his face, showing me his pearly white teeth. He leads me through the doorway where the other two are watching, seeming completely enraptured, as if our conversation was a daytime soap opera.
“Guys, this is Valerie. This is my twin, Cooper.” He gestures over to a guy just as cute as he is. But while Carter has blond hair like his mother, Cooper has soft brown hair, long enough to tuck behind his ears but not quite reaching his shoulders.
Their eyes are also different, I realize. Carter’s are a bright gray while Cooper’s are a more of a hazel with slight golden specks shining in them. Both have strong, defined jaws, but Cooper has a slight five o’clock shadow, and Carter’s face is as smooth as the day he was born.
“And this is Zane, but you’ve already met him, haven’t you?” Carter asks, his lips curving into a smirk. I blush, thinking back to how he broke into the bathroom while I was in nothing but a towel. Thank heavens they use those oversized towels here. That would have been mortifying otherwise.
That’s three of the brothers down; now I just need to meet the elusive Jax, although part of me isn’t sure I want to. At least everything is going well with these three so far.
Realizing that I’m staring off into space, I clear my throat. “Sorry,
I’m just feeling slightly overwhelmed. My father said you weren’t too happy with me living here, which I guess I can understand, especially considering the circumstances. But I promise I will try not to be too weird or get in your way. I’ll even tour the school on my own, so I don’t have to bother any of you. I’m sure it can’t be that hard to figure out where everything is.” Then I snap my mouth shut, finally realizing I’m just rambling at this point.
It must have amused them, though, because they all crack up laughing. “Oh wow, you’re pretty cute when you ramble like that. Zane, I know you said you wanted us to avoid her, but I don’t think I can do that, she’s just so… innocent.” Cooper grins down at me. “I want to keep her.”
Zane huffs and turns Carter, as if expecting him to back him up, only to have Carter wrap an arm around my shoulders. “I gotta agree with Coop on this one, Zane. I reckon we can train her.”
Train me? Are they being serious right now? “Did you really just compare me to a dog, saying that you could train me?” I stare at them incredulously, trying to determine if they’re kidding or not.
Cooper gets up from his seat and wraps an arm around my other shoulder, squeezing me between them. “Aw, don’t worry, Valerie. We’re fun, and I promise we’ll buy only high quality chocolate as treats. Unless you’re one of those ‘I don’t eat calories’ kind of girls, in which case I can make you little bite-size carrot treats. Doesn’t that sound good, Carter?”
I wiggle out of their arms and glare at them.
“Oh relax, babe. We’re just teasing.” Cooper says as I put some distance between me and the three of them.
I lean forward, a look of challenge in my eyes. “I understand you’re a little put out by me being here, and I get that. But if you treat me like a dog, I will bite,” I growl through clenched teeth. If they think for one second I’ll let them treat me like that, then they have a whole other thing coming their way.
Maybe I should just avoid the crap out of them? I mean, what are the chances I’ll even see them on campus? We probably will all have different classes. Yes, I’ll just stick to myself. And I can always make new friends too. I hope so, at least.
With my new plan firm in mind, I frown at the strange uncomfortable feeling in my stomach that came from the thought of being away from them. There’s something seriously wrong with me if I’m already missing their company when I barely know them.
A voice whispers in the back of my mind. They’re your guardians.
“What the hell are guardians?”
Carter and Cooper gasp and Zane pushes back his chair, letting it clatter to the floor in the otherwise now-silent room. The three of them are looking at me with horror in their eyes.
“What?” I ask, confused by their strange reactions.
Zane recovers first. “What do you know of guardians?” he asks as he picks the chair up from where it landed.
Shit, I must have asked that out loud. If I tell them that I was only responding to the voice in my head, this isn’t going to go well.
“Um, I was just thinking about an old assignment I did and guardians popped into my head,” I lie, saying the first plausible thing that comes to mind.
They visibly relax at that, and I find myself a little uneasy lying to them. This is starting to give me a headache. Maybe I’d better give Dr. Martins a call sooner rather than later. It’s possible the stress of losing my best friend is finally catching up to me and making me go off the deep end. Either that, or lack of food is making my brain cells start to die off. “Right, well if you guys are done analyzing me to ensure I won’t murder you in your sleep, I’m starving. So…” I trail off, hoping they get the hint.
Zane clears his throat from behind me. “Well, actually, if you don’t mind eating with us, we’re thinking of going out for pizza. Or we could go somewhere else if you’d prefer?” I look up to see him rubbing the back of his neck nervously while the other two remain stoic and silent.
They’re all watching me, waiting for me to say something.
“Are you sure you don’t mind? I’d rather not cook, but if you’re just trying to be polite, then don’t worry about it.”
“No, you were right earlier. It was unfair of us to tease you, and it was unfair of me to make a snap judgment about you based on what may or may not have actually happened.” He releases a heavy sigh before continuing. “Besides, your father left us enough cash to feed you too and I figure with the way your stomach is growling, you could do with a decent meal.”
I nod hesitantly. “Okay, but only if you’re sure? If I get annoying or something, just tell me and I’ll leave.”
Cooper choses that moment to interrupt. “Oh, it’s not that he doesn’t like you, babe. It’s that he’s worried he will like you, and that could ruin our family dynamic.”
Huh?
I wait for him to explain, but instead, he pushes past me through a door I hadn’t noticed. Zane follows right behind him, leaving Carter and I alone in the kitchen.
He grabs my hand and drags me through the door after his brothers with a soft smile. “Don’t worry, Valerie, they’ll warm up to you eventually. I think we were all just taken by surprise.”
“How so?”
“Well, when your father called to explain the situation, he was in such a rush to get to you. So he told us you were arrested for murder, and that he was going to try to bring you home with him, but he forgot to say whether or not you had actually killed anyone.”
I let that fact sink in as we hurry to catch up with the others. Knowing that, I can understand why they weren’t happy by my arrival. If I was in their position, I wouldn’t want a murderer living in my home with my family either.
“So, did Dad explain everything when I got here then?”
“Nope.” His mouth makes a popping sound on the ‘p’ as he leads us around a corner. “He didn’t tell us until after you went for a nap. I’d imagine that’s why Zane is feeling like such an ass. He misjudged you horribly and said some things that you overheard. He never apologizes for his actions, but he feels he owes you one. So basically, he’s a bit of a mess right now because he doesn’t know how to handle that. Then there’s the fact that he sort of likes you, or at least the way you look, but you’re also our step-sister. He worries that thinking of you like that is some kind of taboo thing because our parents are married,” he scoffs at that.
I don’t know what to say. Zane likes me? He doesn’t even know me. And what taboo thing? So what if our parents are married? We’re both adults and it’s not like we grew up together or anything. Not that I actually want to date right now, though. All I want is to focus on my classes and stay out of trouble.
Men are nowhere on the list of my priorities.
Eight
“Guardians protect their charge from many things, but most importantly from emotional pain. Their charge is weakened by emotional constraints, making them unable to complete their mission in this world. The connection between a guardian and their charge is spiritual and unlike anything else you’ve ever felt before.” The man watches me for a reaction, but I just stare at him with a blank look. Why do I care about guardians?
Carter leads the way through the house to a garage attached to the opposite end. Cooper sits behind the driver’s seat of a luxury sports car and blasts the horn just as the door closes behind us. Zane’s nowhere to be seen, though. Maybe he has a separate car or something and already took off? After all, if their mother is as well off as my dad, they probably all have their own cars.
Cooper leans his head out the window with a mischievous grin and blares the horn again. I cringe at the sound and his grin only grows. “Sorry.”
I roll my eyes. “Sure you are.”
Carter walks ahead and holds the door open to the back seat. I climb in and he waits for me to click my seatbelt before closing it and joining his brother in the front. Once we’re all securely buckled in, Cooper starts the car and takes off out the garage.
“Well, it’s not my fault
you two decided to take the long way to the garage. Jax and Zane already left.”
“Jax?” I ask, intrigued to hear that he’s coming. After all, he’s the only one I haven’t yet met.
Cooper nods, keeping his focus on the road. “Yeah, he’s our older brother. Fair warning, he can come off as a dick, but that's nothing personal. He’s just… complicated.” I sense that he’s holding something back, but I decide to hold my tongue.
I’m here until my trial and who knows how long that will be? I’d rather not antagonize the people I’m living with. I just need to be the bigger person.
Hopefully, the police will find the real person who hurt Natalie and these murder charges will go away. Then I’ll be free to live my life, far away from my mom. It’s gonna be hard without seeing Nat’s shining face every day, but I know she’d want me to move on.
I still don’t understand who would have wanted to hurt her, though. She was like a ray of sunshine and helped you see the brighter side of life. Then I think about Sally and Jess and everything they did to help me. I hope they’re both okay and that they don’t get into trouble for being at the crime scene. I wonder if they miss me as much as I miss them.
Then there’s my co-workers. Do they even know where I am? Did Dad talk to my bosses? I’m sure they heard about everything on the news, but still, I never even got to explain to them I was leaving.
After a few minutes, we pull into a parking lot behind an Italian bistro and climb out of the car. I stretch my hands over my head before straightening. Then I freeze when I see Carter and Cooper both staring at me. “What?” I glare at the two of them.
Cooper is the first to snap out of it, grabbing my hand and pulling me after him without a word.
Does he think I can’t walk through a door on my own or something? I pull my arm away, crossing them behind my back so he can’t grab them again. He only grins before gesturing for me to walk in ahead of him. When I don’t move, I feel a hand on my lower back, pushing me through the doorway. I look back and see Carter smirking at me, his eyes twinkling as his hand trails lower. I almost jerk away, but then notice that Cooper has moved to stand in front of me, blocking any kind of escape.
