With her gaze on Grant, Mil took a sip of her vodka. "And will Fiona and I be allowed to help protect the city from any rogue attacking wolves, just like last time?"
I immediately whipped my face toward Grant. "And me, too. I want to be in the safety cage, too. I want to use my archery skills to help defend the city and take out the wolves."
After killing the great northern wolf in the yard weeks previously, I'd realized that revenge wasn't exactly as sweet as I'd thought it would be. Yes, I'd felt some satisfaction in taking out a wolf, despite the fact that he wasn't even one of the ones who'd killed my two sets of parents.
Despite feeling a small amount of satisfaction, I realized that having my revenge didn't really even matter. My parents were still gone. I still had to live with the fact that they'd all been brutally murdered. Having my little personal revenge really hadn't made anything better. On any level at all.
I'd done a lot of thinking since then, and I'd realized that I still wanted to help take out the wolves in any way I could, but only to protect my new community and the people I loved, not for revenge.
Revenge was hollow, pointless to me now. But protecting my new loved ones and the city of Sun Creek meant everything to me now. As long as I could do anything to help, even in a small way, I just couldn't sit back while all the men did all the fighting and protecting.
Frowning, Grant didn't respond to what I'd said right away. And before he could, I spoke again.
"I think I've proven that I'm much more trustworthy than I was than when I first came here. I think I've proven that I've learned to control my emotions and keep a level head. No more jumping out of trucks to battle wolves with a screwdriver. If you say yes, that I can help, there won't be any wild moves or trying to break out of the cage to battle the wolves directly, Grant. I'd stay right inside, safe, with Mil and Fiona. So, please say yes. Please say that I can help defend the city with my archery skills. Please. Please say that I've earned back your trust."
I knew I probably should have waited until later, when we were alone, or alone except for Adrian, to make my request. But when Mil had made hers, I just hadn't been able to help it. I had to know if I'd be allowed to join her and Fiona. I had to know if I'd rebuilt Grant's trust in me. I just suddenly couldn't wait to find out if I had. It suddenly seemed like knowing if I had might be key in my decision about which brother I'd ultimately choose to be my mate for life.
I realized I was holding my breath.
Grant knocked back the last inch of whiskey in his glass without so much as a faint grimace, then looked at me, making a noise somewhere between a low, quiet growl and a sigh. His expression made my stomach drop like a stone.
CHAPTER TWELVE
After studying my face for a long moment, another growl-sigh rumbling in his chest, Grant finally spoke. "You're not going to like what I have to say, Lila. I guarantee it. I knew you were going to ask me if you could help defend the city, and I was planning to give you my response maybe later, in private. But since you seem to want my answer now, and since my answer does concern other members of the family-"
"I'm sorry, Grant." With his expression one of unusual seriousness, Adrian cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to interrupt you. I don't mean to be disrespectful, that's definitely not my intent. But since we haven't had a chance to speak about this subject yet, and since I have a feeling about what you're going to say...I myself have something to say first, before you give Lila your response, if you'll allow me."
Everyone around the table sat in what seemed to be very surprised silence, myself included. Adrian was the easygoing brother, the agreeable one.
Other than the time weeks earlier when he'd somewhat aggressively dared to speak against Grant in regards to Grant not letting me take part in the fight, I'd never heard Adrian say anything to him in such a serious tone before. And judging by Mil's widened brown eyes and Samuel's raised russet-colored brows, they hadn't, either. I myself had definitely never heard Adrian outright interrupt Grant as he'd just done.
I wondered if Mil would get mad, like she had at the family meeting, when Adrian had dared challenge Grant's authority. But she kept her silence. I wondered if Grant himself would get mad. But his expression didn't seem to change noticeably, and he dipped his head in a slight nod to Adrian.
"Go right ahead. Say whatever you have to say."
Adrian gave him a slight nod in return. "Thank you. I'll be brief. As I respect your authority as leader of this family and this city, and as I don't intend to question whatever decision you make in regards to Lila taking part in the defense of the city, I just wanted to say something now, before you answer her."
With his deep green eyes displaying maybe just a hint of anxiety, Adrian shifted his gaze to me briefly before looking at Grant again. "I just want to say for the record that I believe in Lila. I have faith in her, and I trust her. I trust that she's learned from the experience of the bad decision she made when she got out of the truck to fight the wolves. I trust that she now has a better handle on her emotions and how they affect her actions.
“I think she'd be just fine in the cage now. I believed that the last time this situation arose, and I believe it even more strongly now. It's your call to make, of course. But...." Adrian turned his gaze to me for just a moment before once more returning it to Grant. "I think Lila's trustworthy."
I looked at Adrian with an ache in my chest. I loved his trust in me. I loved his faith and belief in me. I loved him so much right then I could hardly take it. I wanted to get up from the table, go around to his side, and all but fling myself into his arms.
However, I knew this definitely wasn't the time. Everyone was waiting on Grant's response, and soon I looked at him in anticipation myself. After taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he finally spoke, his gaze on Adrian, and what he said surprised me.
"I agree. I agree with you, Adrian. I think Lila's trustworthy as well. Which is something that several weeks ago, I didn't see myself ever saying at this point. But you're right. I think she's learned from the past." With his expression serious and earnest, Grant shifted his gaze to me. "You've earned back my trust.
“You've done that by doing everything I've asked to help me keep you safe, but your new thinking about the wolves has factored in, too. You've said that you don't have a desire for revenge anymore, and that makes me feel like you'd be much more likely to be able to control your emotions when faced with the wolves in the future."
Now I felt like I wanted to fling myself into his arms, too. But again, I knew a family dinner probably wasn't the ideal time. Not when I knew that flinging myself into his arms would likely lead to some very passionate kissing.
Instead, I gave him a little smile that I hoped expressed my gratitude. "Thank you for trusting me again." Remembering Adrian, I turned my focus to him, still smiling. "And thank you for believing in me and trusting me, too."
With the candlelight making golden sparks glint in his deep green eyes, he returned my smile. "Of course."
I realized that despite hearing Grant's decision, I was now still just as hopelessly uncertain about which brother I'd ultimately choose than I'd been before. I loved them both so very much. I didn't know how I could ever spend the rest of my life with just one of them, without them both. I supposed I really wanted to have my cake and eat it, too.
I couldn't deny that my heart wanted what it wanted, and I couldn't seem to just ignore what it wanted. There was no possible way I could, considering that eventually, after the wolves were dealt with, I'd certainly be forced to make a decision. Whether I wanted to or not.
At that moment, I also realized something else, too. Before Adrian had interrupted Grant, Grant had said I wasn't going to like what he had to say, and now I suddenly wondered why. Turning to him, I asked him, beyond curious.
He lifted his broad, muscular shoulders in a slight shrug. "As you can probably tell, I now guess I have no problem with you shooting arrows at the wolves from the safety of the cage, with
Mil and Fiona. Here’s the part I don't think you're going to like. As much as I appreciate the three of you offering to help defend the town while I and most of my shifters are attacking Stony Rapids, I really don't think it's necessary. I really don't think there's any need for the cage this time. I really think the three of you may as well be safely inside the house here that day."
Making a little indignant scoffing sound beside me, Mil sat up a little straighter in her chair, her gaze on Grant. "But you, yourself said that the city will have to be protected in case of any rogue wolves who might try to cause trouble while you and most of your shifters are attacking Sun Creek. So why don't you think it's necessary that Fiona, Lila, and I help protect the city by shooting at any wolves from the cage? Why on earth would the three of us want to be inside the house when we could be helping?"
I really wanted to hear the answers to those questions myself.
Crossing his well-muscled arms over his hard chest, Grant sighed, looking at Mil. "I didn't say what I said because I'm in any way opposed to having women help in the defense of the town from the safety of the cage. I said what I said simply because I think it might be a very long, very boring day for the three of you in the cage. Not to mention, it's the end of October.
“In a week when this takes place, it will be November. It could be freezing cold by then. There might even be snow on the ground. And I hate to think of my aunt, my cousin, and the woman I love all huddled up in one corner of the cage, cold as icicles, possibly getting sick, for possibly ten or twelve hours or whoever even knows how long, needlessly.
“Because, let's say a couple of rogue wolves do decide to try to wreak some sort of havoc in the city while Stony Rapids is being attacked. Let's say, even a dozen of them do. I and many of my shifters will be gone, but there will still be hundreds and hundreds of shifters, very strong shifters, left here to defend the city. I'll have some around the house here, some spread throughout the city, and hundreds and hundreds stationed in a ring around the city.
“All women, children, and remaining elderly residents in the city will be well protected. Particularly since I'll be issuing an order that all residents remain locked inside their shifter-proof homes until I and my men return. So, what good would it do to have the three of you in the cage? Last time, Mil, it made sense to have you and Fiona in there.
“We were able to position it where we were springing our trap for the wolves by the warehouse, and therefore, the two of you were able to do some real good by shooting at them and killing a few.
“But this time...well, obviously I'd want the cage to be within the circle of guards, meaning they'd likely take out any rogue wolves well before you could."
"Likely, Grant." Drawing her dark brows together, Mil folded her arms across her chest, mirroring his posture. "The guards would just be likely to take out any rogue wolves well before Fiona, Lila, and I could. But what if a few wolves slipped past the circle of guards somehow? What then? Wouldn't it be best to have an added line of defense?"
Grant frowned. "Maybe. But there would just be the three of you in an immovable safety cage. Just think of the wide expanse that the guards will be protecting. Seems like it would be quite an off, off-chance that rogue wolves would just happen to try to enter the city at a point near the cage and get past the guards as well. Not to mention, it's very much an off-chance that any wolves will even try to enter the city at all."
Mil clenched her narrow jaw, seemingly undeterred. "Even an off, off-chance is still a chance, and as long as there's any chance I might be able to help in the city's defense, I want to take it. You know I've never been the type of woman at all, Grant, to be comfortable sitting at home while the men do all the fighting and protecting. And most women in this city do seem comfortable with that, and that's perfectly fine. That's the beauty of women being able to make different choices.
“My choice is not to remain comfortable at home if there's any kind of a chance at all I can help. And I think I speak for Fiona and Lila about that as well."
I nodded, turning from Mil to Grant. "That is my choice. I don't want to be comfortable. If there's even the smallest chance I can use my archery skills to help defend the city, I want to be in a position where I can help."
Fiona nodded as well, rippling her long brown curls. "Same here. Even if we freeze in the cage all day for nothing, I'll still feel good that I tried. I'll still feel good that I was ready to help defend the city if needed."
Sighing, Grant leaned back in his chair. "All right, then. It's settled. From the safety of the cage, the three of you can help defend the city if you'd like. Which...I don't think is in dispute."
I exchanged glances with Mil and Fiona, sure I was grinning from ear-to-ear. I felt like I'd won some sort of very important victory. Even if the chances that I'd actually get to use my archery skills to help defend the city were small, I'd still won Grant's trust. I'd still gotten him to have faith in me, like Adrian did. Which meant the world to me. Even though at the same time, it had further complicated the decision I was going to have to make.
Soon, Grant declared the family meeting adjourned, and Mil brought out dessert, which was apple pie still warm from the oven. The boys, who were both having growth spurts and ate like bottomless pits, had already had theirs before they went to bed.
Despite the fact that I hadn't been very hungry at dinner, my appetite had now inexplicably come roaring back, and I had two pieces of pie, and with a large dollop of whipped cream on each of them, too. I figured that winning a significant victory was more than cause for a little extra indulgence.
After dessert, Samuel, Mil, and Fiona sidled over to the bar to fix nightcaps, but Grant, Adrian, and I made a beeline for my rooms. It had only been a few days since we'd enjoyed intimacy together, but those days had begun to feel like years to me. To them, too, if their haste to get me upstairs was any indication.
The moment Grant shut the front door to my rooms and turned to face me, I rose to my tiptoes and planted a long, lingering kiss on his delectable, full mouth, while at the same time, I ran a hand along the hard ridges of Adrian's back, pulling him closer to me. The instant I pulled my mouth from Grant's, Adrian hooked an arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.
"Don't I get a kiss, too? Or do I have to earn it by carrying you into the bedroom?"
Smiling, I ran my hands up his washboard abs to his hard chest. "You have to earn it. Now that you said it, you have to carry me into the bedroom first."
With his jewel-green eyes twinkling in the glow from the foyer light, Adrian moved his hands to grip my rear. "Do I have to carry you over broken glass? Or will just carrying you over the regular floor be sufficient to earn my kiss?"
I smiled even harder. "Well, I kind of like your feet just the way they are, without any serious injuries from broken glass. So, yes, carrying me over the regular floor will be just fine."
Grinning, he swiftly scooped me up and then surprised me by immediately giving me a brief hungry kiss on my mouth with a low growl rumbling in his chest.
When he pulled away, he looked at me with his green eyes still twinkling. "Sorry. I'm feeling a little greedy. Just couldn't resist having my reward even before I'd earned it."
While I giggled, he carried me into the bedroom and set me on my bed.
Not a moment later, Grant crawled in beside me, pulled me close, and spoke in a low, husky voice near my ear. "We know you've been a bit deprived lately. So have we. But that ends right now. Tonight we aim to satisfy you on such a level that it'll more than make up for the past few days of deprivation."
I rolled toward Grant, hiking a leg up on his hip, already feeling myself becoming wet. I'd been patient long enough. I was beyond ready for some satisfaction.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Not even a second after I'd hiked my leg up on Grant's slim hip, a loud knock sounded on the front door. Loud enough to be heard crystal clearly through the foyer, down the hallway, and into my bedroom. At almost the same time, Grant'
s phone began going off.
He frowned, relaxing his hold on me just slightly. "This had better be a literal life-and-death emergency."
The knocking sounded again, even a bit louder this time, and Adrian, who'd been lighting the tall red pillar candles on my dresser, swore, his gaze going to Grant and me. "Let's just not answer. Whoever it is, they'll go away."
At first, Grant seemed inclined to agree. He pulled me even closer and began kissing me while running a hand up and down my leg that was hiked up on his hip. But the knocking didn't stop. It actually even got louder.
Soon, Grant broke the kiss with a menacing sort of growl. "I'm not kidding. This had better be life or death."
If it wasn't, I felt more than a bit sorry for whoever was on the other side of the front door. Though even at the same time, I felt like making a sort of menacing little growl myself. I'd waited too long to have Grant and Adrian back in my bed to be interrupted. However, as the knocking continued, it didn't seem as if an interruption were avoidable.
Simply Bears: A Ten Book Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance Collection Page 116
