by Bryce Evans
“No, of course not, why?” Lennox snorted, looking back at her.
Shaking her head, she couldn’t believe her own ears. That had to be the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her. Did he really mean it? At least, tonight she could dream that he meant every word.
“Baby, you better get used to hearing that a lot,” Lennox said, glancing back at the road.
Baby? He called her baby? Jade sat in silence as they drove back to town. A smile was plastered to her face. She didn’t care if he told her later that he had made a bad call with her. She would remember that one word and fantasize that he was telling the truth. She could go years on that word alone.
When they walked into Get Your Grub, the room fell silent. Many of her pack members and the Crenshaw pack were eating. She wanted to run back to the truck, but Lennox grabbed her hand and slowly escorted her to the only vacant table.
Of course, it was in the middle of the room. Now everyone could stare and hear their conversation. Lennox pulled out her chair, she heard someone whisper, “Traitor.”
Lennox must have heard it too. He glared at everyone around the room waiting for someone to say it again. She could feel all eyes on her when he finally sat.
She leaned in and whispered, “Maybe we should just leave.”
“No. That’s what they would expect from you,” Lennox muttered. She didn’t expect his words to hurt her, but they did.
“Does everyone think I’m weak?”
Lennox stared at her for a moment then leaned forward. “Do you want the truth?”
“Yes, that’s why I asked.”
“Yes.” Jade sat there. Swallowing hard, she wanted to cry. She never wanted anyone to think she was weak. “But I think you’ve got it in you to be so much more and you need to start using it. Jade Cross, the woman who started a multi-million-dollar business from nothing. Only a few bracelets and purses. No, ma’am, that’s not weak. You want to know how to change your perception?”
Looking up at him, she nodded.
“Always, and I mean always, look them in the eyes. Never let them see that they have upset you. If you do that, Jade, nobody will ever think that about you again.”
“But I’m not an alpha and it’s hard to look you in the eyes. Especially how dominant you are. I’m a submissive wolf, Lennox. I’m not made like you.”
“That’s not what I see. I see the fire in your eyes when I say something that you don’t like. I saw how you spoke to your brother. You can make the most dominant shifter look away if you do it right. No more excuses, okay?”
Jade snorted and leaned forward again and whispered, “Yeah, well, I’ve never seen that happen before.”
“Well, baby, today is your lucky day. You want to practice? I can teach you, but you have to want to succeed. You’ve got to want it really bad. Do you want it, Jade Cross?”
“Yes.” Who was this girl saying stupid things like that? For some reason, she couldn’t tell the man no. Now he wanted her to stare at people to get them to look away.
“What does it prove anyway? What if I get them to turn away? Then what?” Jade asked.
“Self-confidence for one. Don’t look now, but the people sitting directly across from you. The woman staring a hole through you, shaking her head, like you took her man from her. When I lean back, look up at her and just stare at her. Don’t smile just stare. But look at the top of her forehead and whatever you do, don’t look away. Got it?”
“Got it. I think.” At least, she hoped she could do this. Oh god, the woman was Nicky Temple. She was such a gossip and always made her feel like she was the dog poop under her feet, but what if she couldn’t do it?
“Jade? Don’t think about it and doubt yourself from succeeding before you even try. Look up at her, now.”
She couldn’t say no to the man. Taking a deep breath, Jade looked up and made eye contact with the gossiper before she lost her nerve. Her heart was pounding so fast, she was going to pass out. But she did exactly as Lennox said and stared at Nicky. When she thought she was going to look away, she found a spot on her forehead and leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. She knew people were watching them, but she was too far into the game to stop.
This was a game to him, but she had to face these people tomorrow.
She was just on the verge of looking away when Nicky did something she never thought she would do and that was to lower her eyes and look away from her.
“Hey, Jade. What you two having tonight?” Teresa asked. She glanced at Lennox who winked at her and smiled. She couldn’t stop smiling to even answer her. She just had a stare down with Nicky the smarty pants, gossip, and bully. She was a bad ass.
“Can you give us a minute,” Lennox asked still smiling at her.
“Sure can.” Teresa laid down the menus and walked away.
Leaning in, she whispered, “I can’t believe that worked…for me. She actually lowered her eyes and looked away, first.”
No one had ever lowered their eyes toward her. Nobody, ever. “How did I do that?” Jade asked.
“Confidence.”
“Confidence? That’s all it takes? There are lots of people in our pack with confidence and they never made Nicky lower her eyes. It can’t be just confidence.”
“It was the way you were looking at her too. Your look said I’m going to whip your ass. And it looks like she saw something in you that made her believe you could do it. I don’t know what it is, but there is something in you, Jade. I believe that you can do it.”
“You believe in me?” She was smiling like a little kid, but she felt like she could do anything with Lennox.
“Yes, baby, I believe in you.”
“Ready to order?” Teresa asked.
“I want the special, T,” Jade announced. She was giddy, making T smile.
“And for you, sir?”
“I’ll take the same but double it,” Lennox said.
“You got it and just because you made my girl smile, I’ve got some appetizers here for you to try, on the house, of course.”
“Thanks, Teresa, that’s really sweet of you to do that, but please don’t get in trouble for me,” Jade said, putting her hand on her friend.
“You beat all I ever seen, girl. You don’t know this, Alpha, but I was Jade’s babysitter for a very long time as she grew up. But even then, she was so sweet and generous to everyone including those who didn’t deserve it. I wish you could have seen her then. She hasn’t changed a bit,” Teresa said, patting her on the hand.
“I wish I could have seen her then too.” Lennox never took his eyes off her. She felt special around him. Maybe he was just being nice, but whatever the reason, she was going to savor this moment, whatever this was, until it ended.
“Looks like we have some pack members in here that don’t take kindly to you two being together. They see it as a slap in our alpha’s face, but I know you, little girl, and if Arden didn’t want you to be with him then you wouldn’t. So that’s all I need to know.” Teresa said it loud enough before she walked off.
Jade glanced around the room and saw people who she had known all her life looking at her like she was scum. Some had the smarts to look down ashamed, hearing T’s comment. “They don’t even know you, but they are judging both of us.”
“They will get over it. I don’t care what they think. I care about what you think.” She knew and loved all these people and now they sat here treating her like she had done something wrong.
“I can’t believe they are acting like this,” Jade whispered. “I’ve never done anything to any of them.”
“Jade?” Lennox’s voice became softer as he spoke. “We can leave if it would make you feel better.”
She sat staring down at her hands. Why was she such a wuss? Damn it to hell. She wasn’t leaving her first date. No, she was going to tough it out.
“No, but I will have some of the cheese sticks Teresa brought us.” Jade smiled then frowned then smiled again. This made the alpha
smile and chuckle out loud. She had never heard him laugh. He barely smiled, so this was a pretty good start for tonight.
“I’ve been waiting for you to start the quizzing,” Lennox said, piling half the cheese sticks on her plate.
“Whoa, big boy, if I eat all that, I won’t eat my special and I love the special. Spaghetti and double meat sauce, garlic bread, and salad. Nothing gets in the way of me eating the special”
“That’s the special? You eat bunny food?” Lennox asked, taking back four cheese sticks and placing them on his plate.
“Yes, I like bunny food. Is that a problem?” Jade asked frowning, but she couldn’t hold it long, until she had to smile again.
“No, but you’re a wolf shifter and we crave meat and lots of it. Do you eat meat?”
Snorting, Jade coughed. She about choked on the cheese stick. “Of course, you big goofy. I love meat, but I have always loved salad. I know it’s strange. I guess I’m strange to someone like you? Most shifters don’t eat rabbit food.”
“You’re just different. That’s all,” Lennox said. “And there is nothing wrong with being different.”
Blowing out a deep breath, Jade muttered, “You know everyone keeps pointing that out to me, but…is it wrong to be different? I never wanted to be like everyone else. Me and my friends have always felt out of place in the pack because we didn’t like the same stuff the other pack members liked. I love to read and make things. My friends love to read and work on computers. They are even in college now. Not many shifters can say they have done that. I guess you could say I’m a nerd. I bet you never thought you would be sitting here eating dinner with a big fat nerd, did ya?”
“I don’t think your fat and I don’t mind that you’re a nerd. It doesn’t matter to me. I just want you happy.”
Jade studied this man, an alpha for the Death Hunters, and here he sat being nothing but nice to her. He never pressured her or made her feel uncomfortable. In fact, he had been the complete opposite. Encouraging her even.
“You’re nothing like I imagined either,” Jade whispered.
“And you’re nothing like I imagined, but I like what I’m seeing.”
Her heart skittered around inside her. Was this man for real? “Why are you being so nice to me?” She was afraid to hear what he said. Her every muscle tensed as she waited for him to answer.
“What’s not to like. You are beautiful, sweet, and you make me laugh.” Lennox looked away from her. “And nobody has made me do that in a long time. Cosmo does, but I don’t let him see me smile because it only encourages him to keep up the crazy shit he does. But you…you make me smile, Jade Cross.”
Oh my, her heart nearly stopped with that admission. She wasn’t expecting him to be so poetic and she really liked him.
“You make me smile too.” Before she could go on, Teresa brought their food to the table. She giggled when T placed the biggest plate she had ever seen in front of him. It looked like a volcano but this was topped with pasta and meat sauce dripping down the sides.
He looked up at her when she giggled. “Looks like a volcano, doesn’t it?”
Jade nodded, picked up her fork, and twisted the pasta around the meat and took a big bite. This was the best date ever.
Chapter Ten
Arden, Quinn, Bane, and Simone stood at the edge of the building watching. Actually, they were stalking Jade and Lennox. Bane wouldn’t stop until he knew his sister was okay. He kept saying that Arden should have forbidden Jade from going with the Death Hunter.
Quinn smiled as she watched Jade and Lennox laughing at something she said. “I’ve never seen Jade so happy.”
“I have,” Bane answered. But even he couldn’t deny how happy his sister was.
“I think he really does like her,” Simone said, crossing her arms over her chest. She wasn’t going to let her mate make this into something it wasn’t. She had already concocted a plan. A mating plan and Bane nor Arden would stop them.
“This is only one night, Simone. One night. I’ve seen what the Death Hunters can do, and he isn’t going to destroy my sister when he figures out that he made a dumb move.”
“You should be ashamed of yourself, Bane Cross. Look at her.” Simone pulled her mate’s face toward the window. “Look at that smile and look at his. I’ve never seen that man smile, ever. But your sister made him. Give it some time.”
“What happens when his enemies find out that he has a mate? Hmm, you didn’t think of that, my beautiful mate, but you should. We all should. Because they will hunt her down and kill her and I’m not going to let that happen.”
“Bane has a point, ladies. Lennox has a lot of enemies who would love nothing more than to see what he loves taken from him. That’s why the Death Hunters were never allowed to mate. This isn’t good, and I can’t believe I allowed this.” Arden expressed bowing his head.
“Look, let’s all just see what happens. Arden, you and Bane can put more guards on Jade just in case. I think she is safe at the store, and let’s be honest, she spends more time there than anywhere else. Don’t ruin this for her. Please. I don’t think she would forgive any of us if you did. Plus, you know you can’t stop this,” Quinn pleaded.
Her mate never answered, he just stared in the window at Jade and Lennox laughing.
“You know, I didn’t know how tonight was going to go, but I’m having a good time,” Jade said. She had hoped, but she had heard only horror stories involving Lennox.
“Me too,” Lennox leaned forward and whispered, “but you’re not ready to go home, yet, are you?”
Leaning forward, Jade smiled. “No.”
“Good.”
“They have great desserts here too. Can I get a chocolate milkshake?”
“Baby, you can have whatever you want.” Lennox motioned for Teresa.
Jade couldn’t stop the smile spreading across her lips. She really was having a good time and she liked it when he called her baby. She even got Lennox to talk more. Now that most of the diners had left, she relaxed and opened up telling him about her business. Stuff she wouldn’t tell anyone.
“Lennox, do you have any brothers or sisters?” She watched as the good time they were having blew out the door. His whole demeanor changed. She had hit a nerve. He didn’t answer but looked away. “I’m sorry. That’s really none of my business. I shouldn’t have—”
“No, it’s just something I don’t like talking about, but I feel like I can tell you anything.”
“What else can I get for you folks?” Teresa asked, standing in front of their table.
“The beautiful lady here needs a chocolate milkshake and I’ll have pecan pie.”
“You got it.” As Teresa walked off, she patiently waited for Lennox to continue. She wasn’t going to push him. Her heart broke for him. She could see the pain in his eyes.
“When I was young, there was a rogue pack. I was away when they came, but they killed my parents and little brother and sister. They must have dragged my little sister away because her body was never found. So, to answer your question, no. I don’t have anyone except my pack. They are my family now.”
Jade held her hand over her mouth. She wanted to cry but she couldn’t do that to Lennox. He had probably told her more in one night then he had ever told anyone, except maybe Cosmo. Her heart was beating so fast, he could probably hear it breaking for him.
Pulling her hand down, Lennox searched her eyes. “Don’t cry for me, little wolf. It was a long time ago.”
“But…” Jade had to look away before she cried.
“It was a long time ago and it’s the reason I joined the Death Hunters. I needed something to…”
“Here we go.” Teresa set the milkshake down in front of her and placed a whole pecan pie in front of Lennox. She couldn’t help the smile. It wasn’t the first time she had seen a shifter male eat an entire pie, but she needed her date to relax like before she brought up the topic of his family. “I put extra cherries in yours, Jade. I know how you like them
.”
“Thank you, T. You’re the best. You know how I love them?”
“Yes, I do, sweet girl.” Teresa put her hand on her shoulders and then looked at Lennox. “You need anything else or will this be enough. I’ve got apple pie too.”
“I think this will do it. Thank you,” Lennox said, giving T a half smile.
“Wow, I didn’t think you could smile. Some things never cease to amaze me,” T said before she walked off.
Jade covered her mouth and snorted. She tried to stop the giggling. But she couldn’t and it continued. She even looked away so she couldn’t see him, but nothing was working as the giggling became full-on laughing. She couldn’t stop as she leaned over holding her side.
“I do smile, sometimes,” Lennox said, smiling.
“Oh yeah, when?” Jade said, laughing. “When you’re asleep? Maybe when you think nobody is looking.” Oh, no she couldn’t believe she was saying all of this. She was actually teasing the alpha. The man she feared.
“Didn’t think you were cruel,” Lennox said then picked up a knife and cut his pie into pieces.
Immediately, Jade stopped. “I’m so sorry.” Putting her hand on his, Jade shook her head. “That was very insensitive of me. I…I don’t know where that came from. Please, forgive me.”
Lennox continued to cut his pie, but his lips turned upward. He put a piece of pie on a plate and slid it across the table to her. She couldn’t take her eyes off it. “You just got me, didn’t you?”
“Yep, you looked like you were about to fall out of the chair laughing. I had to do something. It was the first thing that came to mind. Pecan is my favorite and I wanted you to enjoy your milkshake. It looked like you could laugh forever.
“I must admit, we come here sometimes at night just for the pies. Cosmo likes apple, but we usually get one pie a piece and we share it. That way we can have a piece from all of them. If the whole pack comes, we wipe them out of desserts. I guess we are good for your sister-in-law’s business.”
Jade laughed. “You’re kind of funny when you want to be.”
