Kate giggles. “He is rather nice, with that long hair and those muscles.”
“I’m not growing my hair, I don’t care how much women dig it,” Carter states, as he drinks some orange juice.
Clarissa ruffles his hair. “I like your spikes more than Bucky’s hair.” She gives him a quick peck on the cheek before turning back to Kate and their conversation.
Tracey’s laughter catches my attention and I turn to see her and Nicky both laughing at something Big Mac had said. I suddenly realise that even though these people are all so different and even seem to be from completely different walks of life, like Big Mac being the president of some bikie gang and Tracey being a barbie doll nurse, it doesn’t matter because essentially they’ve known each other forever. They’re family. I can’t help but feel out of place. I may be part of their family now but it doesn’t really feel like it. These people are essentially strangers to me, as I am to them. If Joey was here, I wouldn’t feel this way. I’d known him for years and I know he’d help tether me to the pack. Not liking the loneliness surging through me I quickly collect the plates from around the tables and take them to the kitchen to start on cleaning up.
In no time I’m grabbing the last dirty pan and placing it in the sink before rubbing the grease off with a soapy scouring sponge. A large warm hand grabs my arse and I drop the pan and sponge into the sink, causing a wave of dirty water to pour out of the sink, over the side and down my front. I take a sharp deep breath with the shock of both the hand and my wet top and catch Jesse’s scent.
“Sorry,” Jesse says as he spins me around by the waist to face him. Gabbing a tea towel off the side he dabs at my wet clothes. “I thought you would’ve heard or smelled me.”
I laugh as I bat his arms away, knowing my top is past saving by a tea towel. “I was in my little dream world.”
His hands slip around my waist and he leans back to weigh me up. “Penny for your thoughts.”
Looking into his lovely flame eye’s I can see the love and trust he has for me pouring out of them. As much as what I’d been thinking about would be slightly inappropriate to admit to my lover. I know he’ll understand. “I was thinking about Nate,” I admit. “Who he’d be talking to and what he’d be saying, if he was here?” I glance down at my feet, feeling stupid for thinking such things. Nate’s dead and nothing can change that. Why should it matter what he’d be doing if he was here.
Jesse’s lips brush my forehead in a gentle kiss. “He’d be here talking to you. He loved you whether you knew it or not. He’d probably be making the moves on you by now. As you much I love what you said last night about your wolf choosing me and what Nate had told you.” His words cause me to get over my embarrassment and meet his eyes as I listen to him carry on. “Last night wouldn’t have happened if Nate was still here.” I open my mouth to argue but he doesn’t give me a chance to get a word in. “Your wolf might have picked me all along, but I think you would still be undecided if Nate was here.” Guilt surges through me as I wonder whether what he says may be true and I drop my eyes to the floor once again. After a second’s contemplation I know he’s wrong. My mind had been made up well before Nate had die and in time I’ll make sure Jesse understands that. Jesse lifts my chin with his finger. “You have nothing to feel guilty about,” he states clearly picking up on my guilt through the pack bonds. He gives me a gentle kiss on the lips before changing the subject. “Why didn’t you use the dishwasher?”
My gaze roams around the kitchen, looking for a dishwasher but all I can see are identical cupboard doors. My gaze meets Jesse’s to make sure he isn’t having me on but his straight face tells me he’s serious. He pulls open the cupboard door to the left of the sink and, low and behold, it’s a dishwasher. I glance at the pile of pots and pans on the draining board and then to my wet top. “Damn!” Is all I can think to say.
Grabbing another towel out of the drawer to his right, Jesse starts to dry as I finish washing the last pan. Just as I place the pan on the draining board, Clarissa walks in and reaching out she takes the towel off Jesse. “I’ll finish up here. You guys wanted to go to the hospital before visiting hours end, right?”
Jesse lifts his arm to look at the watch on his wrist. “Yeah, I didn’t realise the time. We better hurry. Thanks,” he says kissing her on the cheek, before grabbing my handed dragging me out of the room. I manage to throw the wet sponge in the sink, before I’m completely out of range. Clarissa’s squee after the sound of splashing water helps push down the jealousy that I felt at the harmless kiss. Jesse pushes me up the steps and I throw him a confused look over my shoulder. The hospital is not upstairs shouldn’t he be pushing me out of the front door? At my look he shakes his head and tugs on my wet top. “You might like the taste of bacon fat but you don’t want to smell like it all day long.”
Realising he’s right, I take the steps two at a time and run into the room with my bag. Making quick work of getting into some bacon fat free clothes I’m soon running down the stairs again. I find Jesse waiting for me at the open front door, catching sight of me in my leathers he looks as me through narrowed eyes. Picking up on his confusion I wave my bike keys in front of him. “We’ll get there quicker than we would in car. Kelly won’t mind if you borrow this,” I say while throwing him Kelly’s spare helmet. I walk past him and out the front door as he hesitates slightly staring at the helmet in his hands before following me. Straddling the bike, I pull my helmet over my head and start her up. The bike wobbles as Jesse gets on behind me and I have to adjust my hold on the bike to compensate for the extra weight. It’s been a while since I’ve driven with someone else. Jesse’s hands slide around my waist and I take that as permission to go, speeding off down the private lane leading to the main road into town.
Stopping just outside the door the nurse had told us was Gareth’s room, I turn to Jesse with concern at the fact he hadn’t uttered a word since leaving his house. Taking in his pale face and shaking hands I worry he may be ill. “Are you Okay?”
Jesse gives me a stern look. “I’m driving back in Tim’s car.”
I feel my eyes widen. “What? Why?” I ask, trying to think back to our journey and what may have made him feel so against going back the same way.
“Why?” he repeats my word, sounding dumbfound. “Why?” He laughs, shaking his head before stepping up close to me and stroking my cheek with the knuckles of his right hand. “Because, Sweetheart, I thought I was going to die out there. If not from being crushed between the bus and truck you squeezed us in between, then from the heart attack it caused me to have.”
Thinking back to the moment in question, I guess to someone not used to being on a bike may get a little worried during that move. “Oh! It was perfectly safe. Honestly, you was in no danger,” I say hoping to reassure him and maybe talk him into rethinking his plans for the return journey. I quite liked his body pressed against my back and his hands around my waist.
“Well, that being said I’ll still be going back in Tim’s car, thanks. Anyway, you better get in there quick before the nurse comes and kicks us out,” He says stepping away from me. “I’ll grab us some crappy coffee only hospitals seem to provide,” he adds before kissing my forehead and leaving for the vending machine.
Taking a deep breath I prepare myself for what I may see, remembering the last time I saw Gareth he was at deaths door. Walking into the room I’m surprised by how well Gareth looks and I wonder why I’d been so worried. The only thing that gives Gareth’s injury away is the bandage around his neck. Gareth has a hand full of cards the deck placed on the bed by his side. Tim’s sitting in the visitor’s chair next to the bed with his own hand of cards. Seeing me enter they both place the cards down and Tim stands and steps back to lean against the wall, giving me access to the chair he’d vacated. I squeeze past Tim, through the little space he’d left me and immediately throw my arms around Gareth, forgetting about his injury.
“Hey Darling, it’s nice to see you too but can you maybe squee
ze my neck a bit more gently? It’s still a little sore.”
I pull back quickly and apologise profusely, patting him down gently and treating him with the tenderness you would a baby. I feel Tim take a step closer to my back a second before his hands slide down my rear.
Jesse’s scent instantly fills the room and a deep growl of warning come from the doorway.
Tim’s hands freeze on my arse before they completely disappear as he jumps across the room and as far away from me as he can get in this tiny space. “S…s…sorry Boss. I had no idea,” he stutters looking down at his feet, fear radiating from him.
“Use your nose next time,” Jesse orders with a growl. “Wait outside I’ll be out in a minute.” Tim’s out the door faster than my eyes can follow him. Jesse places the coffee’s on the table at the end of Gareth’s bed, before looking me up and down. Seemingly satisfied with whatever he sees he nods before leaving the room.
“Wow that was…tense,” Gareth says causing me to tear my eyes away from the door where Jesse had just left and look at him.
As I wake him up, taking in his blush that no man that was so close to deaths door just the other day should have, I realise my actions have caused him to have his life completely changed. Forever. We most certainly have a new pack member.
“Gareth, you look well…too well. Has Tim explained what might have happened?” I ask as guilt surges through me. I’ve caused all of this.
“What…I might start howling at the next new moon?” Gareth asks clearly finding the concept amusing.
“It’s a full moon, not a new moon.” He laugh’s at my correction. “I’m serious. It’s not something to joke about. It’s life changing.”
“She’s right.” I jump at the sound of Jesse’s voice coming from the doorway. “I’ve spoken to one of our nurses, Tracey. She’s going to get you discharged to a private nursing centre before someone starts questioning your speedy recovery. You’ll stay at mine for the time being, so if you do end up releasing the wolf there will always be a strong wolf close by to keep you in control. I’ll get Tracey to stay too, so she can change your bandages and such.”
Gareth looks from Jesse to me, clearly wondering if he should agree. I nod my agreement and give Gareth a reassuring smile before Gareth accepts. “Okay. Thanks.”
Chapter Thirty Seven
Frankie
Tracey works her magic and in no time we’re leaving the hospital together and walking through the carpark. Jesse stops beside a silver Holden Commodore and as Tim pulls a key fob out of his pocket and unlocks the doors, I know Jesse is sticking to his guns. He won’t be returning to the house on the back of my bike. The big wuss. I can’t help but feel somewhat annoyed, it wasn’t as if I was driving like a maniac an the way here. “Tim, give me a minute I need to get Jesse’s helmet off my bike,” I say as I walk past the car and towards my bike parked in the motorcycle spaces, two rows over. I take the spare helmet off my bike and head back over to Tim’s car. The three of them are sat in the car with the engine running, most probably making the most of the air-con, cars get mighty hot in WA’s summer. Opening the back door on the car I throw the helmet onto the empty seat and close the door without saying a word. I hear a door open and a hand gently grips my arms stopping me in the tracks.
“Hey, don’t be mad.” Jesse spins me around and kisses me until my knees feel weak before releasing me and getting back in the car.
I watch the car pull out and drive away before I come back to my senses. I can’t believe I just let him win me over with a kiss. Climbing on my bike I pull on my helmet and mentally kick myself for being so bloody weak and giving in that easy. As I make my way back to Jesse’s house, I consider going back to the farm but it doesn’t take me long to realise how stupid that idea is. Kelly is at Jesse’s and if I was to go back to the farm, I’d have to feed myself. That is something I can not face. Not to mention the fact that Jesse wouldn’t be at my farm and I’d like to have a repeat of last night’s event’s in Jesse’s bed.
We spend most of the afternoon in the backyard playing cricket before retiring to the lounge with some of Kelly’s homemade pizza. I’m sitting on the end of one of the L shaped sofa’s with Jesse’s arm around my shoulders. Kelly is in the seat on Jesse’s other side. Kate, Gareth and Tim are spread out on the L shaped couch opposite us. Kate and Gareth seem to be getting closer to each other every time I glance at them, a shuffle here and a shuffle there. They probably don’t realise we all see it. The phone lets out it’s shrilling ring, breaking the happy chatter. It may be turned down to its quietist tone but it still makes a werewolf’s ears ring.
Tim grabs the phone off the sideboard behind his head. “O’Keefe residence, he answers cheerily.
“The cops are on their way to arrest Frankie,” the voice says down the phone. We can all hear it with our wolf hearing, even Gareth who seems to be taking to the idea of becoming furry once a month pretty well. Hearing my name I sit forward on the edge of the seat.
“What the fuck for, Alan?” Jesse asks, not bothering to raise his voice as Alan’s wolf hearing will have no trouble picking up Jesse’s voice. He mirrors my movement, shuffling to the edge of the seat. His back ramrod straight with the tension I can feel coming from him.
“The murder of Nathaniel Michaels and the attempted murder of Gareth Murphy. A witness came forward giving Daniel Black a solid alibi for the time of the murder.” All eyes seem to bounce around the room from one person to the other, disbelief written on all our faces. We all know Danny was there. Who the hell would give him an alibi? It’s not as if he could be asking this person to do it. He’s dead.
“Who?” Kelly asks the question we are all probably thinking as e sits straighter in his own seat.
“I don’t know. I’m not on the case but I’m digging. I’ll get a name. Just get Frankie out before they get there.” He pauses as though something has caught his attention wherever he is. “They’re leaving now,” he whispers into the phone before hanging up.
I can’t seem to take my eyes off the phone, even as time puts it back in the cradle. Shock surges through me. The police are coming to arrest me for murder. The wrong murder. I’m going to go to jail.
Jesse’s face appears infant of me blocking my view of the phone. “Frankie, come on we have to go. Now!” He tries to tug me to my feet but I can’t move. I feel cement to the sofa. “Frankie please,” he begs.
“They think I killed Nate,” I say as I stare into Jesse’s worried gaze. “I didn’t kill Nate.” My eye’s find Kate’s, who is still sitting beside Gareth opposite us. “I didn’t do it Kate.”
She stands up and takes my hands in hers. “I know that babe.” She tugs me to my feet. “Quickly, go with Jesse. Let him take you somewhere safe.”
Allowing Jesse to take my hand out of Kate’s, I follow her request and let him pull me out of the french doors that lead to his yard. He starts to jog tagging me along by his hold on my hand and I vaguely notice as he seems to be leading us into the forest that surrounds his house.
“Frankie. You need to run. Okay?” he asks his voice sounding full of concern. I nod even though I know he isn’t looking in my direction. Run, I can do that. Doing as I’m told I pick up my pace.
We haven’t run far before the wind blows away the shock and my head starts to clear enough for me to start asking questions. “Why would someone give Danny an alibi? Why would they lie about something like that?”
“I don’t care why. I want to know who?” Jesse says with a growl in the back of his throat.
The sound of police siren’s travels on the wind seemingly coming from back at the house. It sounds like they are chasing us but I know they would have no idea that we’d had a tip off so they won’t be chasing us yet. Jesse stops at the edge of the tree line, turning to face me he places his hands on my shoulders and holds me still hidden in the trees. “Wait here. Tim’s coming with a car. I’m just going to go wave him down.” He kisses me on the forehead before turning and disappearin
g through the tree line to the road.
It’s only a matter of minutes before his arm reaches through the trees, his hand grabbing hold of mine and pulling me out of the trees and into the open road. I recognise Tim’s car parked a couple of metres up the road its engine running and the red tail lights lit up like a beacon. I glance up and down the road expecting to see police cars screaming towards us. I jog behind Jesse towards the car. He opens the back door and as he gestures for me to get in, I slide in. I’m surprised as he bends and slides in along side me. Once the door clicks shut Tim slams his foot on the accelerator and we speed off down the dark empty dirt road.
Tim drives us north past all the suburbs I’d expected him to turn into. I’m just starting wonder how far he’s going to take us, as he pulls into one of the newer housing estates. One that only popped up about a year ago. It’s only a thirty minute drive from one of the larger suburbs but people don’t like driving that far to get to a decent shopping centre. The council have been promising the residents their own little town centre, but nothing like that has gone up yet, and I’m pretty sure it won’t be happening for another couple of years. Tim pulls onto the drive of a modern looking house that looks like it could be painted a light grey, but I can’t be certain of that in the dark. He stops the engine and both him and Jesse open their doors and exit the car. Following their lead I climb out of the car and follow them to the house. Opening the door Tim gestures for us to go in as he flicks on a light switch just inside the doorway. “Mi casa es tu casa,” he says with a grin.
“Thanks Tim, I appreciate this,” Jesse says stepping into the house. “Can I use your phone. I left mine at home, just incase they try putting a trace on it.”
Releasing the Wolf (The Rossi Pack Book 1) Page 24
