Make Him Mine

by Lia Bevans

  “You’re holding up the bus, son,” Felix—Cecil’s grandson and their on-call driver—yelled.

  “You can sit with me, Blaez!” Cecil tugged at his shirt. “Here. We can exchange...” She pushed the nurse sitting next to her.

  “It’s fine,” he blurted and shuffled to the back of the van to sit next to Chantal. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” She turned away from him and stared through the window. Blaez got the message and left her alone. The van started moving and, ten minutes into their journey, he noticed Chantal’s head banging around.

  She’d fallen asleep.

  Her head flew toward the glass window and Blaez slipped his hand there so she knocked against his palm. Slowly, he drew her head away from danger. Satisfied, he pulled out his phone to read a book when he felt Chantal’s forehead hit his shoulder.

  He stiffened, wondering if he should push her away. Afraid to wake her and with no real desire to put space between them, he left her there and spent the rest of the ride reading his book and listening to her breathe.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  SUNLIGHT SPRAYED THROUGH the window, tapping against her eyelids. Chantal stirred, stretching her body to its limits. A yawn popped her jaw and she placed a fisted hand there as she turned on her side and got more comfortable in bed.

  In bed? She scrambled up and glanced around. Her hair whipped into her mouth as she turned her head back and forth. The sight of her brown dressers, closet, and vanity mirror shocked her. When did she get home? Last thing she remembered was riding in the van beside Blaez.

  She glanced down and realized she was still in the T-shirt and jeans from yesterday. What happened between then and now? Had she really slept all night? Without a bad dream? Her mind couldn’t fathom such a reality.

  Chantal rushed out of her bedroom. What if something had happened to Mae or Cecil or one of the nurses in the van? Her footsteps thundered down the hall and she sprang into Cecil’s room. Her eyes traced the pink wallpaper and canopy bed to find the coyote resting peacefully in the middle of the mattress.

  She let out a sigh of relief and checked Mae Ling’s room only to come to the same conclusion. They were completely fine. So nothing horrible happened yesterday. That was good, but it still didn’t answer her questions.

  The clink of pots and pans caught her attention. Chantal sailed downstairs and saw Evie in the kitchen. Her rich dark skin glowed in the sunlight streaming through the windows. Her hair was tied back with a silky red cloth and she hummed a hymn beneath her breath as she worked.

  “Morning, sleepy head!” Evie called without turning around. She broke eggs into a bowl. “Wow, it feels good to say that.”

  Chantal sidled up to the older woman and gripped the edge of the counter. “What happened last night?”

  Evie set down the fork she was whisking with and turned to her, eyes dancing with happiness. “You slept.”

  “Slept?”

  “Yup.”

  “When did I fall asleep?”

  “In the van coming back from the nursing home.”

  “No way.”

  Evie nodded proudly. “When Blaez carried you in here like Sleeping Beauty under the witch’s spell you could have knocked me over. I told him to take you upstairs quick, fast, and hurry. We all crowded around your bed watching you sleep. He must have thought we were crazy the way we raised our arms and danced around without making a sound. Ha. It’s a wonder he didn’t run straight for the door.”

  “Blaez carried me?”

  “Yes.” Evie grinned. “We made sure to check on you through the night, but you didn’t stir. Blaez swore up and down that he hadn’t drugged you and Cecil vouched for him. You just... fell asleep on his shoulder and you were out like a light until morning.”

  “You’re saying that’s because of Blaez?”

  “That seems to be the root of it.”

  “But that’s not possible.”

  Evie flipped on the stove and padded to the fridge to pull out the turkey bacon. “Why not?”

  “When I’m exhausted, I can’t sleep through the night. Even when I’m with my sister, it’s impossible to sleep without nightmares. Did ya’ll watch him closely? Maybe he did something when no one was looking.”

  “Blaez isn’t like that.” Evie scrunched her nose. “Why is it so hard for you to accept that he’s not a bad person?”

  “If you knew what I do, you wouldn’t say that.”

  “Then tell me.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” She shook her head. “I don’t trust him.”

  “That’s not what your wolf is saying.”

  “Huh?” Chantal stiffened. Did Evie know that her wolf was hot for Blaez? “What do you mean?”

  “You’ve always said that you can’t sleep because of your wolf. It’s restless. You have to get up and hunt in the middle of the night just to settle it down again. Maybe you’ve found someone who can soothe it.”

  “No way. Blaez can’t soothe my wolf and make it horny...” She slapped a hand over her mouth, horrified at what she’d confessed. “Evie...”

  The woman spun and glanced at her. “Your wolf has feelings for Blaez?”

  “Forget I said anything.”

  Evie rubbed her chin. “I should have known when you started asking questions about mating last week, but I never thought... you seemed so hostile toward him.”

  “I do dislike him.” She frowned. “My wolf doesn’t.”

  “Chantal,” Evie held her hand gently, “why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Because I was ashamed,” she admitted. “Because it still doesn’t make sense to me. I’m not a sensual person, but my wolf doesn’t seem to understand boundaries when it comes to Blaez. Yesterday, we...”

  “Got personal in front of a crowd of old ladies?” Evie arched an eyebrow. “If I recall properly, Mae said it was like watching two wolves humping to music. Rather crude if you ask me. I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.”

  Chantal blushed. “Mae told you about the dancing?”

  “I wasn’t going to mention it unless you did. Mae’s very traditional so I figured she was exaggerating and I didn’t think much of it. Looks like she was more accurate than I was willing to admit.”

  “I can explain.”

  “Oh, please do.”

  Before she could, a knock sounded at the front door. Evie and Chantal exchanged glances.

  “Were you expecting someone?” Evie asked.

  “No.”

  “Maybe it’s Blaez.”

  Her wolf stirred at the thought and she coaxed it back to sleep with a shake of her head. “It’s not.” She sniffed the air. “It smells like... a human but not. What is that?”

  Evie’s eyes widened and she turned off the stove to follow Chantal to the door. The knocks came again. More insistent this time. The dogs howled. She swung the door open, prepared to face a monster. Instead, she came face to face with Connor.

  The little boy wore a blue beanie over his head and held a suitcase in his grip. Blue eyes sparking, he said, “I heard it’s your fault I’m alive.”

  Chantal’s jaw dropped and she glanced at Evie again. She read the same worry in her eyes. They were in so... much... trouble.

  BLAEZ GLANCED AT CHANTAL’S office and then at the front door. His hands rested on his bouncing knees, trying and failing to get the jitters under control. He already felt protective of her, but having her fall asleep on his shoulder had only worsened the potency of it.

  “She’s coming,” Terry said, offering him a cup of coffee. “You just have to wait a little longer.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I wonder...” She tapped her chin and sat behind her desk. Terry was ten times warmer to him than she was when they first met. That was largely because he’d stopped all efforts to flirt with her. It also had a little something to do with his willingness to assassinate for her.

  Potential murder... what the strongest friendships were made of.

  “I wouldn’t look s
o bored if you gave me something to do.”

  “We don’t have any appointments today. You can sweep the floor if you’re desperate for a job.”

  “I’m good.” He sipped his coffee. “This isn’t half-bad.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.” She smiled. “I admit... I put a little extra effort there. It’s the least I can do for the man who put my sister to sleep. You have no idea how much that means to me. It’s been years since Chantal’s been able to rest for hours at a time.”

  “So I’ve heard.” He thought of the way everyone reacted when they saw Chantal sleeping in the van, again when he scooped her in his arms and she didn’t stir, and again when he placed her into bed. If nothing else, Chantal was loved by her friends. No wonder they were all so concerned for her.

  “How did you do it?”

  “Do what?”

  Terry leaned over her desk and whispered, “Did you drug her?”

  “Drugs?” He nearly spit out his coffee. “Do you seriously think that?”

  “Hey, we’re just trying to come up with some answers.”

  “Try again.”

  “So you really didn’t do anything?” Terry arched an eyebrow. “Maybe you rubbed her head a certain way or sang a song...”

  “I didn’t touch her and I don’t sing.” He pulled on his ear and glanced at the door again. “I’m glad she got a good night’s sleep, but it has nothing to do with me. She was out before I put her head on my shoulder. Has no one entertained the thought that Chantal might have just... crashed?”

  “Nope.” Terry swung around and started typing on her computer. “I guess it’s a mystery.”

  Blaez heard the patter of feet and knew Chantal was about to open the door. His heart leapt and he pulled out his phone to look busy. His fingers slid across the dark screen and he tilted his head, picking up another scent.

  “Good morning,” Chantal said. The door slapped behind her. “We have a visitor.”

  Blaez glanced up and locked eyes with Connor. “Hey, kid.”

  He shyly waved. Terry abandoned her chair and pinned guilty eyes on her sister. “What is he doing here?”

  “Relax, Terry. He’s going to be helping out, so could you give him a task and keep an eye on him?” She widened her eyes. “Please.”

  “Fine.” Terry approached Connor while Blaez followed Chantal to her office.

  “You brought the kid?” he asked, closing the door. “What do you mean he’s going to work around here?”

  She swiped her long hair behind her ear and shuffled the papers around on her desk. “I’m sure this is pretty clear already, but your deal with Terry is over. If I suspect for a minute that you’d do anything to hurt Connor—” She stopped and pinned him with a hard stare—“I will end you.”

  Blaez stepped back. She still didn’t trust him. Even after yesterday...

  “I’m not going to hurt the kid.”

  “Very good,” she said in a voice that reminded him of a principal. “You can go.”

  Blaez’s wolf didn’t take her tone too kindly, but Blaez stepped in before it could lash out. They were in a business setting and in here Chantal was his superior. Just because he saw her as someone to protect didn’t change their positions.

  He dipped his head and slipped out, nearly opening the door on top of Connor. The kid tilted his head and appraised him with big blue eyes. “I’m Connor.”

  “Blaez.” He extended his hand and Connor grasped it lightly. Connor’s wolf would emerge in a few years, but because he wasn’t born a shifter, his human blood still overpowered the creature inside. His scent was a unique blend—not quite werewolf and not quite human.

  “The lady said I should follow you around today.” He pointed a finger at Terry. Blaez glanced at her and she shrugged, gesturing her hand to shoo them away.

  “I guess you are, kid.” He set a hand on top of Connor’s beanie. “Did she tell you what we were supposed to do?”

  “She said we had to go taste ice cream.” Connor blinked, completely serious. “She said it was very important and that we shouldn’t come back until I’d found my favorite.”

  “Ice cream?” Chantal’s voice resounded and he glanced up. Blaez had forgotten the door was open. Chantal cantered toward them, her heels clicking against the ground. “Terry! Why would you send him out for ice cream?”

  “We need to pick a flavor for the hospital visit next week anyway. Who else can choose the best flavor to serve children than a child?”

  “She has a point,” Connor said, hooking his finger in Terry’s direction. “And you promised I could help out.”

  Chantal sighed and glared at Blaez as if he were personally responsible for everything that was going wrong. “Fine. We can go for ice cream, but I’m coming with you. There are some errands I need to run in town anyway.”

  “Cool! Let’s go, Blaez.” Connor tugged on his hand. “Ms. Terry said you had a pretty blue car...”

  Connor dragged him toward the door and Chantal followed. He had no idea what the kid was doing here, but he had a feeling it would be a heck of a story.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHANTAL WATCHED CONNOR lick his Oreo Cookie ice cream cone and prattle on. As he spoke, her mind traveled to the moment he appeared on her verandah that morning. He had run away from home. Again. Even after he’d promised not to.

  Evie had cautioned her not to push the boy and so she hadn’t, but now she regretted her gentler approach. Connor had to go home eventually. His parents were probably worried sick. Chantal could only imagine what Mrs. Moore was going through.

  She’d tried calling the woman but had gotten voicemail. Chantal left a text message to let Talia Moore know Connor was with her and that she shouldn’t worry. Hopefully, she heard back soon, but first, she’d get to the bottom of Connor’s strange behavior.

  “Sounds like you had a lot of fun with the animals on the farm,” Blaez said. His deep voice drew her attention and she couldn’t resist staring at his face for a second. He was such a good-looking man, but it was more than his face that affected her this time.

  The way he interacted with Connor was so gentle and kind. It was becoming more difficult to get a read on him. How could someone contracted to kill a child treat his victim with such patience? It didn’t make sense. Unless Blaez suffered from split personality? That could explain some things.

  “I love the animals,” Connor said. “Every time I heard that Ms. Chantal was coming to the hospital, I got really excited. My favorite is Ralph. He’s warm and very funny. He’s always juggling balls on his nose.” Connor giggled. “Sometimes I think he’s a real person.”

  “What a smart kid.” Blaez tugged on Connor’s beanie. “I like your hat.”

  “I brought all of them to the farmhouse. I can give you one if you want.”

  “You’d do that?”

  Connor nodded. “I’ll give one to Ms. Chantal too. To thank her for taking me in.”

  “Connor...” She shook her head, “I’m sorry, but you can’t stay with me.”

  “Why not?” He stiffened. “Mom said you saved my life that night. She said you found me and took me home. She said a lifesaver should be responsible for the person she saved.”

  “I don’t know exactly what your mother meant by that, but I’m sure she didn’t mean to imply that you should come to live with me. Your parents love you very much and they’d be sad to hear that you don’t want to be with them anymore.”

  “You don’t understand!” Connor shot to his feet, his ice cream plopping to the ground. “Nobody understands!”

  “Connor!” Chantal shrieked and stooped to pick up the ice cream from the floor. “Connor!” Her cries fell on deaf ears as the little boy scurried from the table. She looked helplessly at Blaez. “What did I say?”

  “I’ll go talk to him.” She watched Blaez rise from his seat and canter after the child. Chantal sighed. Connor was her responsibility, but she was starting to wonder if she’d done the right thing in reviv
ing him.

  BLAEZ FOUND THE KID stooping at the front of the ice cream shop. His spindly arms wrapped around his knees and, with the harsh sunlight casting over him, he looked far younger than his eight years. Blaez could spot a hurting kid from ten miles away. After all, he used to be one.

  He sat beside Connor, not caring that the back of his pants would probably be grey with dirt. “Hey, kid. You okay?”

  “Do I look okay?”

  That was a Chantal-type answer if he’d ever heard one. “You mind using your words to tell me what’s wrong? And drop the attitude? I’d appreciate it.”

  “Sorry.” Connor dug his fingers into the sand and drew circles. “I’m just upset.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m alive. Because no one wants me.”

  “Now I don’t think that’s true, kid. It’s great to be alive. You breathe and run and play. There are so many things you can do. Your future’s brighter than the sun.” He lifted his hand and twined his fingers around a ray of sunlight. “And about nobody wanting you... well... your mom and dad do.”

  “That’s not true!” Connor shrieked. Blaez’s eyes widened as the little boy began to tremble. “My parents don’t want me. I’m a burden to them. It would have been better if I had died. That’s why I went to Ms. Chantal. They think it’s her fault I’m still alive.”

  “Your parents said that?”

  Connor nodded. “I heard them arguing. They were always fighting before I got sick, but my cancer just made it worse. We didn’t have enough money to pay the hospital. Dad had to work harder. Mom had to quit her job to take care of me. I knew they wanted me to die.”

  “Is that why you went to the farm that night?”

  “I didn’t want to die at first,” he said quietly. “I just wanted to see Ralph and the other animals. I couldn’t take the shouting anymore. But when I got lost and it was so cold, I figured it would be nice to die out there, you know?” His blue eyes shone like the sky. “It was nice and quiet.”

  Blaez’s heart stirred. What was it about this city, these people, that affected him so much? He started caring for them at the drop of a hat. “I’m sorry, man.”