The Butterfly Box_A SASS Anthology

by Anthology

  “Maybe there is a reason for it.” He kisses my shoulder and hands me my wine glass. “He was just being a stupid man.”

  “I know …” I reach out to grab my phone and call Derek when there is a knock coming from downstairs, followed by several more.

  “I wonder why mom isn’t answering.” I stand and make my way downstairs.

  “She’s in the garden.”

  Dean’s perfectly tanned face, broad bleached white smile, and sandy blond hair greets us as I open the door after another knock.

  “Babe!” He extends his arms, giving me a hug as I stay as stiff as possible. He moves past me and into the house without an invitation.

  There goes Spence’s vampire theory.

  “Oh, hello Spencer.”

  “Jackoff … Oh! I’m sorry, Dean.” Spence flashes his forced, I can’t stand you smile and excuses himself to the kitchen.

  Leaving me at Dean’s mercy. “I missed you, babe!”

  Oh how I hate that name.

  “It’s always nice to see a friend.” My stress on the word is lost on him.

  “Listen, Anna. I need your help with the annual Wildlife Association Fundraiser.”

  “Umm …” I’m frozen with the sudden stampede.

  “She can’t, we are leaving in a few days. We have a lot to get ready for.” Spence comes back in, glaring at Dean with a bowl of Cheerios.

  “Please, Anna.” Dean pleads. “It’s a great cause and with you and your photos there they could have a better showing than in the past few years.”

  “Umm …” I’ve done work with the Wildlife Association in the past. They do amazing work with helping animals who have been taken from their homes by trappers and protect them from poachers and deforestation.

  “Anna,” I look up to Spence’s pleading eyes. He doesn’t want me to cave. He knows I will because Dean knows how to get me to. “Call him.”

  “Call who?” Dean is rushed, nervous, and a little on edge.

  “Her boyfriend.” Spence turns and grins smugly at Dean. I’m glad he will talk for me since I seem to be at a loss for words. “Derek.”

  Dean looks back and forth at the two of us, confused but quickly covers it like it means nothing to him and his attempt to get to me.

  “Please, Anna?” He settles on me once more. “For the Association.”

  Damn it!

  Spence huffs and goes to the living room to fall onto the couch.

  “I would be honored.” I nod to Dean who flashes his TV host smile, but he doesn’t know that I’m going to call the chairmen and ask him if I could attend with a friend or two. There is no way I’m giving Dean any alone time with me.

  “Great!” He claps. “I’ll send a car for you tomorrow night at six. That’s when the fundraiser is.” Of course it is. He kisses my cheek and rushes away, leaving me to deal with my angry best friend.

  “What are you thinking?”

  “Don’t start with me.” I walk past him, on a mission for more wine.

  “Oh, I will.” He stands and follows after me. “You know damn well that he is going to parade you and your success around all night and tell everyone he’s your date.”

  “That won’t be happening.” I scroll to the number I’m looking for on my phone and get ready to dial.

  “How is that?”

  “You’ll be my date.” The phone rings and in a moment, I’m arranging for a separate ride for Spence, my mom, and myself to the fundraiser.

  “MOM, DO YOU know where …” I barely manage to dodge the wooden spoon hurling at my head. “Mom!”

  “What the hell were you thinking!” She throws another one at me; this one has dough on it. “You’re meant to be with Derek!”

  “He isn’t here, mom!”

  “You two will always find a way back to each other.” She cries. At a low point, I told her about the whole werewolf thing, she believed all of it. “Why do you want to be with that two timing ass bag.”

  I choke back a snort. My mom never swears. “Mom, I’m going to the fundraiser, not down the aisle.” I take a seat next to her. “I’m not going with him. Spence is going as my date.”

  “Really?” I nod. “Well good.” She goes back to her job at hand. “Your shoes are in the hall closet.”

  How does she do that?

  “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

  “Perfectly. Spence will be by my side all night.” I hand her the fundraiser ticket I got for her. “This is for you.” I dip my finger into the brownie batter and nearly moan. These brownies are the best type of orgasm.

  “What is this?”

  “Your ticket to the fundraiser; I called and they gave me three.”

  “Really?” Her smile fades.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I have … had a date tomorrow, but I’ll try to get out of it. He’ll understand if I put it off a day.”

  “Mom …”

  “No, no, don’t worry. He knows I don’t get to see you very often. It will be all right.”

  “Okay then. I need to go find some makeup and get my hair trimmed.” I kiss her cheek. “I’ll get your friend a ticket too.”

  “Thank you. Love you.” I walk out leaving her worrying about what to wear.

  After the fundraiser I’ll give Derek a call.

  I’M IN HELL and it has nothing to do with my tight seat on the airplane. Complete and utter fucking hell. For the first few hours I was left to my wolf’s pissed off voice in my head, channeling me to get up ass up and get out of the house to go after Anna.

  And then Gram started in.

  “Layin’ in bed isn’t going to get you anywhere. Get off your ass.” She hit me over the head like I was a thirteen years old again. Why did I have to be a stupid fuck? Why couldn’t I believe her when everyone, including my wolf, did?

  Insecurities.

  Thank you.

  Want our mate!

  He had launched me out of the bed and onto the floor causing me to yell a string of cuss words a mile long. When I eventually made it downstairs Gram had a magazine opened up to a full page spread that got me into action.

  The main picture was of a couple in a tuxedo and gown. The guy looked familiar, like from a show I’ve seen on TV but I can’t place him. His blond hair was slicked back and his jaw as stubble free while the woman who was tightly anchored to him was none other than my Anna. My beautiful, breathtaking Anna in an equally beautiful gray gown.

  The caption had read: “Dean Dollins and Annabelle Daniels at last year’s Wildness Worldwide Gala.”

  My blood turned into lava as I read the article and saw their names appear more time together than I care to admit.

  I was furious.

  My wolf urged me to go after her.

  I couldn’t take it anymore. As quickly as I could, I ordered a ticket to North Carolina and hurried out without any clothes.

  Now, I sit in the middle seat on a flight with what feels like one too many people on board. I feel crushed, but that doesn’t bother me. The plane isn’t flying fast enough for my own liking. I want to get there and find her. I don’t care what I have to do. I will travel the world with her if it means I get to keep her in my arms and not that Dean fucker’s.

  I itch to rip the man apart for ever putting a hand on her. He doesn’t know anything about Anna like I do. He doesn’t know when she gets an ice cream cone, she likes to have a waffle cone and in a bowl so she can eat the cone first. Or that she, at least as a teenager, still didn’t like the crust on her sandwiches and she would feed them to the squirrels by her house.

  When the pilot announced we were getting ready to land, my big hands fumbled to find my seatbelt again and latch myself back into my seat. I’m not sure why I even bothered to take it off, I haven’t moved from my seat since I got into it.

  Once we are landed, I waste no time getting out of the plane and through the airport. I’m grateful Gram was happy when I left. She gave me Darling’s address. She said Anna was living there whenever she
was state side.

  The cab driver takes more time to get there than I would like. I try to rationalize it isn’t his fault traffic is being a bitch. Once we get to her neighborhood of identical houses, it really isn’t a surprise to find Darling’s house is entirely different in the landscape department. The woman always had a green thumb.

  “Thanks.” I pay him and get out. Since I don’t have a bag, the driver pulls away from the curb and I’m left there.

  No turning back now.

  I won’t let you.

  “Coming!” I hear Darling’s sweet, lyrical voice float to the front door once I’ve knocked. When Darling appears, I smile, she is just an older version of Anna and unlike her ex-husband, she aged very well. It’s her clean living. “Oh my God.” She grabs her chest. “Derek is that you?”

  “Hi, Darling.” I do my best to smile, but it’s painful. I should have done this years ago. “It’s great to see you again.”

  “Why, you grew up and got all handsome didn’t you?” She opens the screen door for me. “Come in, I think I know why you are here.”

  “You do?” I walk in and hurry to remove my boots. She has never cared for shoes being worn in the house. If only she could see the state of her old residences now.

  “Yep,” she takes a seat on her couch and points to the same magazine Gram had. “This is why.” She tosses onto the coffee table, shaking her head.

  I don’t need to pick it up; I already know what page she has it opened to. “That would be part of it.” I confirm. I’m also here because I’m tired of others ruling my love life.

  “Good,” Darling gets back up; she isn’t one to sit for long, or at all. She walks over to a table and picks something up. “I need a date, mine got sick.”

  “What?” She hands me one of the pieces of paper. It’s a ticket to a fundraiser. “Why is it good, Darling?”

  She removes her glasses and glances seriously down at me. “That boy has been after her ever since she first published something. She never encouraged him, but she never deterred him either.”

  “Really?” I’m trying to stay passive. I don’t want her to know how at war on the inside I really am.

  “Derek, Annabelle has only ever had one man on her mind and that’s you.” She slugs me. “That’s why you’re going to be my date. Now, go down the hall to the bathroom and clean up. We leave in an hour. You might fit into one of Spence’s nice dress shirts. I’ll go find one.”

  Confused, I do what the woman tells me to. I’m not stupid enough to argue with her. She obviously knows what I need to do to get Anna. She manages to find me a snug black dress shirt and jacket, but I stay in my jeans.

  Thankfully, I’m a guy and it takes me only ten minutes to fit my large frame into the shirt and jacket and clean up so I don’t stink. I find Darling already dressed and ready to go in a bright yellow dress, one that matches her personality.

  It takes us a good thirty minutes to get where we need to go and once there, Darling hands off our tickets and I guide her into the hall. “I feel like I’m guiding the sun.”

  “Oh, you sweet talker.” She leans into me, laughing. “There’s Spence, come on.”

  Suddenly why I’m here comes back to me. Once I find Spence, I desperately search for Anna near him.

  Spence joins us and it occurs to me I’m about to switch dates because Spence is in a bright yellow vest under his suit jacket that matches Darling’s dress.

  “You two are switching on me aren’t you?”

  “You know me too well.” Darling drags a finger across my jaw line and heads over to Spence’s awaiting arm.

  “I’m glad you’re here.” Spence hugs Darling, but looks at me.

  “Good to see you too, bud.” I shake his hand.

  “You need to get your dark head out there looking for Annie. Dean hasn’t let go of her all f-ing night. Well, since we got here.”

  “I’m on it.” I turn back to Darling, her warm eyes and smile encouraging me to get my girl.

  “I’ve got my other boy.” She pats Spence’s stomach. “Go get your girl.”

  Nodding, I head out into the crowd feeling like a Garth Brooks song, especially since I’m in boots.

  As I make my way toward the stage, several women eye me like I’m a juicy steak they can’t wait to dig into. It only makes me snarl. I don’t care what others want with me, I only want my woman.

  And then I see her.

  She takes my breath away while stopping my heart and jump starting it all at once. She’s in a tight black dress that makes me drool for her as well as wanting to beat the shit out of any man, aside from Spence, for looking at her.

  I ache to know what is under it. I walk closer, my fingers itching to grab her and never let go. I finally get close enough to catch her scent, making my dick hard. And then I see Dean appear from nowhere and wrap an arm around her. I see the discomfort etched on her face that she tries to cover.

  She is making something of herself from what I’ve caught glimpses of around me as I searched for her. I won’t tie her down to living in one place. I’ll travel with her, so will our children. I want to give her the life she wants.

  “Everyone,” Dean hits the side of his glass, gathering the crowds’ attention and silencing the room. “Thank you for attending tonight. We are grateful for your continued support.” He then turns to Anna. “And thank you to my beautiful Anna for coming.” He hands his glass to a waiter and slowly drops to his knee.

  That fucker!

  Don’t let him! Claim her!

  “Anna, will you marry me?”

  I hear her gasp and then I turn to leave. Dean Dollins can give her the life she wants; traveling, seeing exotic places, and freeing her of our bond.

  That won’t help though; she will forever and always be the only person I will ever love.

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!”

  I’VE MANAGED TO make my way around the room to as many of the magazine editors I could to talk about pictures I’ve had in their magazines and possible future spreads. I had debated all day if I should tell them I wouldn’t be traveling the globe anymore, but should still be doing pictures for most of North America. But I went against it. I will be moving my main home to Wyoming where I can be with Derek when I’m state side.

  Spence and I even managed to track down Silvan Marshall the founder of the Wildlife Association. We discussed me coming to one of his centers to take some pictures of the animals they have rehabilitated. I was just wrapping up when Spence was by my side again.

  “Dollins at two o’clock.” He whispers to me and I force a smile to Silvan.

  “Thank you, sir. I’ll be in touch.” I barely have a moment to brace myself when Dean’s arm snakes around my waist and he kisses me on the cheek. He turns me in his arms and I put my hands up between us to try to keep some space between us.

  “Hello, Dean.”

  “You are looking lovely. I see you are already making the rounds.” He pulls me against him before he turns his attention to Spence. “I have a few people I need Anna to meet.” He doesn’t even wait for Spence’s reply and hurries me off.

  When we first got here, Spence and I overheard one of the producers to Dean’s show how they may be cut if they don’t find something to bring in more viewers. Dean’s ratings are at an all-time low. That’s because he isn’t very well liked. I have a feeling Dean found a new angle for his show.

  Me.

  I turn back to Spence before we get too far. “Can you see if you can find mom and her date, please?”

  “On it.” He glares back up at Dean and heads off. I’m excited to meet my mom’s date. She, as far as I know, hasn’t been with anyone since Amos.

  Saying his name doesn’t sting and for that I feel bad. He was my dad after all; he was a horrible man, but still.

  When Dean tugs on my hand, I turn back around and see we are approaching his two other producers.

  Called it.

  I grin and bear it as I’m re-introduc
ed to the two men I’ve met before. If Dean thinks making a guest appearance for me to boost his ratings, he has another thing coming.

  “AND THAT’S WHY Anna would be a great decision for a co-host.” I was drifting to sleep at the table Dean parked us all at until the mention of the word ‘co-host’.

  “Whoa, wait a minute.” I jolt up, standing and startling all the men around the table, including a sweaty and nervous Dean. “Dean, I’m not doing that. I don’t want to be on TV. I’m not even sure I’m going to be traveling the globe anymore.” As I explain, each of the men seated with us start to anger and glare at Dean.

  “Mr. Dollins, I thought you said she would be interested.”

  “Well, umm … I said …” Dean laughs nervously and starts to tug on his tie. He is saved from his explanation when his assistant comes up behind him and whispers something to him. Whatever she says, it perks him up and he stands. “If you’ll excuse us gentlemen, Anna and I have to announce how much has been raised and then we will be back to discuss this further.”

  He buttons his suit jacket and takes my hand, once again tugging me He guides me to the stage with a hand on my lower back, all the while two strong sensations take hold of my body; conflicting with one another.

  One is chilling, telling me Dean is up to something. I wasn’t informed I would be announcing anything tonight when I arrived and before when I called to ask if it was all right for me to attend.

  The other is fire hot, confusing me. I only ever feel this way when Derek is close by. But I know he can’t be. He’s still in Wyoming, because I ran and again he didn’t come after me. I push that one down and focus on the first. I need to put Dean in his place. I should have done it long ago.

  Once on the stage, Dean calls for everyone’s attention and turns to me.

  Oh fuck.

  “Everyone,” Dean taps his champagne glass silencing everyone. “Thank you for attending tonight. We are grateful for your continued support.” When he turns back to me, my stomach starts to twist into a giant knot. “And thank you to my beautiful Anna for coming.”