by Hazel Gower
“I fear the older you get when you find your mate, the worse the drawbacks of the gift, er, curse, or whatever you want to call it is.” Uncle Duncan sighed. “If this is how you’re reacting, I hope to God Ryder finds someone soon, as he’s older than you.”
“Duncan’s right, son. I don’t think it’s helped that you’ve been fighting your instincts. That you haven’t been able to be with Bailey every day.” I sat up. Feeling calmer, I stared at my father and two uncles.
“When was the last time you saw Bailey before today?” Uncle Lucas asked.
“Two days ago,” my voice was a deep growl even to my own ears.
“Well, hell, boy. With what she went through today and you not seeing her, no wonder you went all caveman. My God, Stephan saw Jade every day and when she got hurt, he went nuts even though he’d only seen her hours before. Oh, and don’t even get me started on when he tried to stay away from her. I was going to shoot my son myself just to put us all out of his nasty temper and misery.”
My father held his hand out to me, and I took it and slowly got up. “Son, I’m sorry you’re going through this.” My father glanced at his brothers. “I know right now you probably feel the gypsy’s cursed us, but I assure you, in the end it will be worth it. I’m sure if Stephan were here, he’d tell you the same. You, our sons are the next generation of Silverman. I know having this gift from the gypsies isn’t what you wanted. The drawback like what happened before is frustrating and not what you want, but it all helps. The caveman instinct pushes you. It helps you get out of your comfort zone, which you need to do sometimes to help get the mate that’s right for you.” My father ran his fingers through his short black hair. “I know once you have your soulmate, and the longer you spend with them, the more you will think of it as a gift and not a curse.”
Calm now, I nodded at my father and then looked around for Bailey.
“Your mother whisked Bailey away before you’d even gotten off Zeck.”
I looked to Zeck and winced, he had handprints around his neck, and he was leaning over from where my knees had nailed him in the gut. “I’m sorry.”
Zeck nodded and rasped out, “I think I’m going to have to start looking for my mate. The less crazy I get around her, the better.”
I heard a grumbled agreement from my other brother and cousins, who had joined us in the kitchen at some stage.
“Don’t worry, son. Your mother and aunts will do some damage control. She won’t let Bailey get away. You do know how long she’s waited for a daughter, right? Trust me when I say Bailey will not get away.”
I didn’t know if I was thankful for what my mother was probably doing or scared. I was kind of thinking scared when my father patted me on the pack and then my brother gave me a sympathetic pat, too. I had better go rescue Bailey.
Chapter Seven
Bailey
Oh. My. God. Richard had gone bat shit crazy. He’d attacked his brother. One minute, he was feeling me up and my body was on fire and next, well, he was like a caveman, all possessive and ready to make a claim on me and to take on anyone who he thought opposed him.
As I watched in shocked horror as Richard attacked his brother, a strong, expensive channel perfume surround me and I felt delicate hands come around my waist, and I was pulled away and out of the kitchen. I was dragged to the back of the house to a large family lounge room.
“Come along, dear. Let the boys have their fun and games. They do love play wrestling.” I could see now that Richard’s mother guided me where she wanted. Her blonde hair didn’t move even as she sat down on a white leather sofa and yanked me down next to her. I sat next to her and tried to pry my hands from hers, but she wouldn’t give mine up.
Tilting my head so I could see better, I gazed up at the immaculately put together woman. She looked like she belonged on the cover of some high priced magazine. Her clothes were definitely designer and in gold and creams. She wore a beautiful black emerald and diamond necklace shaped in a heart with matching earrings. Her blonde bob framed her face. Her blue eyes were like Richard’s but more shrewd, staring at me assessing every little detail about me. I wiggled back on the sofa wishing I could run and hide from her gaze. I focused on her and sighed. Richard’s mother was stunning and my memory of her and a couple of times I’d seen her at the firm hadn’t done her justice.
She squeezed my hand. “You’re very pretty. Once this is over, I’ll take you to Donavan. He’s my stylist. He can do something with this.” She touched my hair. “Oh, and he’ll definitely help find something that will fit your body type.” She touched my clothes. Then she bounced. “Oh, we’ll make it a girl’s day, just you and me.” Her eyes lit up and a smile that I was sure was supposed to be happy and excited but just looked scary, now covered her face.
What the hell was going on? Had I stepped into the twilight zone? I opened my mouth to respond but closed it again. I was speechless. I truly had no idea what to say.
“I see I’ve made you speechless with my generous offer. You know, I have been waiting for a daughter for years.” She sighed dramatically and reached over with her spare hand that wasn’t clutching my other and patted my leg. “Evelyn’s been lucky to have a daughter for months now. She has been helping her plan the wedding to her son. I’m sure we can start planning yours now dear.”
Er, what was going on? What was Mrs. Silverman talking about? “Um, I’m sorry, Mrs. Silverman, but I think you have everything wrong. I’m not—”
“Pish posh.” She moved her hand from my lap and waved it in front of me back and forth, as she interrupted me. “Richard has told me all about you.”
“He has?”
“Sure. Isn’t that right, Evelyn and Carol?” Mrs. Silverman turned her head to the sofa on the other side. I turned and saw Jessica and another Mrs. Silverman, if I remember correctly, Stephan’s mother. I could see a shadow of someone on the very end and turned further to see a woman, who I assumed was Carol, in her mid to late forties, with orange, well, red hair.
“Oh, yes,” Evelyn said.
“You were telling me how you hoped before all this happened that Richard would bring her around to dinner,” said the woman I assumed was Carol. I watched Jessica and she looked as dazed as I felt.
Richard’s mother squeezed my hand drawing my attention back to her. “With all that has happened, I not only get to meet you but have you stay with me. Isn’t that fantastic?” With a force, one I didn’t think the small delicate woman had, she pulled me to her and wrapped her arms around me. “I’m sorry about your brother, but I hear he is doing fine, and Richard is going to take you to see him tomorrow morning.” She patted my back. “Now Jessica’s parents are letting her stay here with us for the next week. Isn’t that wonderful?” I eased away to look at Jessica, but the surprisingly strong woman clutched me tighter against her. “She’ll be staying in the purple room only three rooms down from where you and Richard are staying.” She patted my back. “Now, I wasn’t going to do it, but I decided to put you and Richard in his old room.”
“Oh, I can stay with Jessic—”
“Nonsense. I may look a little prim, but I assure you I’m fine with you sleeping in the bed with my son. After all, he is your soulmate. You two will be married soon anyway.”
I choked on a cough and pushed away. “Mrs. Silverman.”
“Gillian. You can call me Gillian, or… no, you should call me Mother.” She grabbed me and hugged me again. “Yes. Call me Mother.”
“Mother. I think you’re smothering Bailey.”
“Oh, Richard. You’ve finished playing with your brothers and couldn’t be away from Bailey any longer. Come.” Gillian let me go and practically pushed me off the sofa and to Richard who caught me. “Go get settled into your room for the night. I’m sure Bailey would love a nice relaxing bath. Go now.” She shooed her son away. “Carol, Evelyn, Jessica and I have so much to do so we’re ready for the wedding tomorrow. Right?”
I looked to Jessica to see she had a deer
caught in the headlights look on her face. I understood why she’d have that look if she’d spent the afternoon with Gillian. “Um, Mrs… Mrs… Gillian.” I stutter out. “Jessica may want to go rest too, and leave all the organizing to you three.”
“Don’t be silly. Jessica is having a ball, right?” Gillian didn’t give Jessica a chance to reply. “See. She’s so excited she doesn’t know what to say. Go. Go spend some quality time with my son.” She shooed Richard and me away, and as Richard backed us away, I tried to catch Jessica’s eye before he turned us, but I missed out. Richard picked me up and rushed us out of there.
The relief I felt was huge when we got out of the room and reached the stairs. Once we reached the floor that the bedrooms were on, guilt assaulted me. I was a terrible friend. “I need to go rescue Jessica,” I mumbled out as he stopped in front of a door.
“She’s collateral damage.” Richard put a code into the number pad of the door where the door handle should be. The door opened, and I stepped forward into a lounge slash playroom. A massive flat screen TV was hooked on one wall, below it was a bunch of game consoles and DVD’s and games. The opposite held a huge black leather lounger. “Come on through.” He opened a door to my right and guided me into the bedroom. The bed in the room was huge, a large black wooden sleigh bed. The bedspread was brown with a swirl of darker brown. The walls were light beige. The bedside tables matched the bed frame along with a chest of drawers that had photos on the top. A photo of the beach was on one wall. It was a very manly room.
“This was your room?” I asked as I looked around.
“Yeah. My mother hasn’t changed it since I moved out. I, um, don’t think I’ve stayed here in years.” He gently took my hand into his. “Come on. I think Mother was right.” He opened a door to my left and we walked into a bathroom. It was brown with a spacious shower with two showerheads and a massive spa bath. “Which would you like, a shower or a bath?”
The spa was huge. I could lay in it and not touch the end. “Bath, please.”
“Sure.” He moved to it, put the plug in, and turned the taps on. There were shelves on the opposite wall with towels. “You can help yourself to the towels. Um…” he opened the sink draws and his eyes lit up. “Mother must have thought ahead. Here are some things you may need.” He placed beside the sink a woman’s bath kit with everything you could need, a loofah, body wash, razors, blow up bath pillow, a new toothbrush, toothpaste, and so on. He stood for a moment unsure of what to do. “Are you fine? Do you need me to stay and help?”
I didn’t even bother replying to that one, I raised my eyebrow and waited for him to realize how stupid his question was.
“Okay then. Well, I’ll be just out here. Yell out to me if you need me.” I watched him leave and shut the door.
When I was alone, I let out a breath. I needed ‘me’ time. I needed to think. So much had gone on in so little time. I opened the female bathroom pack, blew up the pillow, and stuck it to the side of the tub. I set everything where I could reach it. I brushed my teeth while I waited for the bath to fill.
When the bath was full enough, I turned the water off, stripped, folding my clothes and placing them on the floor by the door. I then went to the spa bath and eased slowly in. Heaven.
Resting my head back on the pillow, I let exhaustion seep in. I’d had a huge day with so much happening. I probably should feel uncomfortable or maybe even scared; especially after the way Richard acted earlier, but no matter what happened, I never seemed to truly feel those things around Richard. Sure, when he took me the first day I meet him I was a little scared, but after spending time with him, the feeling didn’t last long. For everything I’d been through with Richard, I should run in the opposite direction any time he was near. I couldn’t even when I tried. I’d spent the last two previous days without him, and he’d been in my thoughts at least eighty percent of the time. I wasn’t stupid. I could feel the pull between us. I was drawn to Richard like I’ve never been to anyone before.
Closing my eyes and frowning, I thought over meeting some of the Silverman family. I’ve always been drawn to them, Richard’s sibling the most. I wondered if that had to do with my pull towards Richard. Taking a deep breath in and slowing letting it out, I sank further into the bath until the water met my chin.
Even though Richard and his family were crazy, for some reason, I still felt safe and content. If Richard still wanted a relationship, I was going to give him a chance. The kiss in the kitchen had been amazing, mind-blowing, panty wetting, goodness. Even though he’d gone crazy and attacked his brother not long after, I had never been so turned on.
Now that I thought of it, anytime Richard touched me, my body came alive and a lust flowed through me that, with time, only seemed to grow stronger. I just hoped now Richard didn’t break my heart.
*****
Richard
It had been over an hour. I really needed to check on Bailey. I knocked on the door. “Bailey. You okay?” I waited a while and she didn’t answer. I tried again, this time knocking louder. “Bailey, you okay?” I still got no answer. Standing there for a good five minutes, I debated with myself about whether I should go in or not.
Groaning, I slowly opened the door and looked in. The bathroom was steamed up, so I stepped in and saw Bailey with her eyes closed on a pillow. I crept closer keeping my gaze up at her face, but as the distance between the bathtub and me got less and less, the harder it got not to look down. One quick look won’t hurt, surely. Slowly, I let my gaze wander, down her face to her chest and the rosy pink nipples that floated just out of the water. Her breasts were full, big and round. They were definitely more than both my hands together, and I couldn’t wait to cup and hold them. I looked past her full, perfect breast and down the swell of her stomach to the small trimmed black hair that protected what my now rock hard cock craved to sink into. Holy crap, she was so goddamn perfect for me, her body so lush and vivacious. I knew I was going to enjoy exploring every inch of her for many, many years to come.
Closing my eyes, I took a calming breath in and opened them again on her face. “Bailey. Bailey.” She was fast asleep in the bath. I couldn’t leave her in there. Gently, I touched her cheek. “Bailey. Wake up.”
This time she at least groaned, “Mmm, go away.”
Chuckling, I tried again, but this time, I leaned over and brushed my lips over hers. “Wake up, little Raven. It’s time to get out.”
Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she blinked a couple of times. “How long have I been in here?”
“Over an hour.”
She gasped and then gasped again when she finally released I was in here and she was naked. She covered her breasts with one hand and the other her privates. “Get out!”
I stepped away chuckling and got a towel opening it. “Let me stay. I’ll be your towel boy.” I didn’t give her a choice. I stepped towards her and lifted her out of the bath as she stood. The towel got wet, and I went and got another swapping them. I then leaned down, hooked my arms under her legs, and lifted her up cradling her.
“Richard, you’ve got to stop carrying me. You’re going to hurt your back.”
“I like carrying you. I like when you’re in my arms” I did. I loved any contact with her. I gently placed her on the bed, then went to the walk-in wardrobe, and got one of my shirts. “Here. Mother said there would be clothes for you tomorrow. You can wear this if you’d like.” I smirked. “Or I’m happy with you sleeping how you are.”
She giggled and drastically rolled her eyes. “In your dreams.”
“Yes. Yes, you’re there all the time now.” Every fantasy or dream I now had, Bailey was the star.
Bailey kept the towel wrapped around her, but pulled my black t-shirt over her head and then down. She then stood on the bed, unhooked the towel, and shimmied out of it. The towel fell to pool at her legs. She looked to the bathroom for a moment nibbling on her lips before she sighed and sat on the bed.
“Do you need something from the b
athroom? I can get it. I’m going in now to get a quick shower and empty the bath.”
She nibbled on her lip again and wiggled on the bed fidgeting. “I, um…well, I don’t have on, er...” Her face became bright red and I looked her over trying to think what she could be talking about. I paused when I saw her hands holding my shirt down. She wasn’t wearing underwear. My cock that was already rock hard jumped and I swear did a dance. Fuck, I didn’t need this. I’d already lost control today and gone all caveman. I didn’t know if I had to sleep in the same bed with her with no underwear, whether I could keep control of the caveman instinct. “Never mind,” she mumbled.
I couldn’t speak. I nodded and went to the bathroom. I stripped and turned the shower on, not even bothering with the hot. I was going to need the cold shower. I rushed through my routine, even brushing my teeth in the shower. My usual twenty-minute shower was cut in half, and I was back out in the bedroom to see Bailey in my bed.
Groaning at the sight of her where I wanted her, but knowing now wasn’t the time to do anything about it, I groaned and scrubbed my face going to my wardrobe and shoving on some boxers. I usually slept nude, but with Bailey in the bed, I didn’t think she’d appreciate that.
I eased into bed, and I was surprised when Bailey turned to face me. “Richard, I need to tell you something.”
Shit! That wasn’t good when a woman said that. “What do you want to tell me?”
“I, um…I broke up with Toby. I broke up with him days ago, but I promised him I wouldn’t go straight to you, though.”
Hell fucking yes. This was the best news I’d heard all day, no, all week. Feeling on top of the freaking world, I couldn’t hold back. I gathered Bailey to me and plastered her mouth to my own. Her surprised gasp had my tongue seeking hers and tangling in the way my body wanted to be with hers. Pulling her so she was on top of me, my hands trailed down her body and up under my shirt resting on her bare arse. She stilled at the action, and I patted her nicely rounded globes. Her legs slid apart to straddle me and I felt like I’d died and gone to fucking heaven.
