“Thanks for asking, but I better not. She’s so tiny. I’m afraid I’ll break her.”
“You sound just like Dylan.” She chuckled and leaned forward. “You’ll be fine. I’ll be right here. Besides, I know you want to hold her. I sense it in you, just like the day you wanted to feel her kick.”
A rebuttal played on his lips, but she didn’t give him a chance to argue. She placed the tiny bundle in his arms, keeping Adalyn’s head cradled in her hand. “This is the most important part.” Easing the baby’s head in the crook of his arm, her fingers grazed his skin when she pulled away. It soothed the awkwardness within him, the same awkwardness that made his body rigid. “As long as you support her head, you have nothing to worry about.”
Once his heart slowed to a normal beat, he held Adalyn to his chest. Everything about her blew him away. Her face. Her awareness. Her energy. He did a double take, but he couldn’t deny what he saw. The big, beautiful eyes. The perfect-shaped lips. And those rosy cheeks. All were identical to his Seekers.
Each passing second he stared at her increased the ache in his heart. She made him want things, things he couldn’t have, things he didn’t deserve. Guess in a way, Karma was still paying him back for all the women he’d used. The thought of someone treating Adalyn the way he’d treated those women had him gritting his teeth. Between him and Dylan, they’d keep her safe from assholes like him.
Not that Dylan would need much help. His friend wanted to be a dad. Always had. Layne hadn’t missed the gleam in his eyes when he delivered Adalyn, or the way his face softened whenever he looked at her.
His thoughts switched to Faith and the child she was carrying. Had it been his… No. He wasn’t meant to have kids, wasn’t meant to have a family. He was meant to be a Keeper, and not just any Keeper, but the one sworn to protect the most powerful Seeker. Nothing could get in the way of that.
Why was he even worrying about this? His life wouldn’t be much different than before. He could have all the one-night stands he wanted and not feel a bit of guilt. He’d managed just fine back then.
But the thought of being with some strange woman didn’t feel right. He didn’t want to please someone he didn’t know. He wanted to be with someone he could talk to, someone he could trust, someone who would be his best friend. He wanted to be with someone like Heaven…
Yeah, right. There was no point in denying it anymore. He didn’t want to be with someone like Heaven. He wanted to be with her. No other girl would do. Not now. Not ever.
CHAPTER 8
Heaven shifted against the back seat and leaned her head on the window. The maple trees lining Highland Avenue soothed the anxiety working through her body. So did the scent of freshly cut grass. It filtered into the car through the crack in Dylan’s window. Nature had awakened in Brightsville, right on schedule for mid May.
It was hard to believe eight weeks had passed since they left for the safe house. She hoped they were doing the right thing in coming back. Her mother assured her the area was free of Nate and his men. In fact, Chelsea had confirmed his return to L.A. when she called the house looking for her.
As Dylan turned up her parents’ driveway, she glanced at the car seat beside her. Adalyn lay nestled inside, covered by her blanket. Her chest rose and fell with each breath she took. She looked like an angel when she slept, so peaceful, so beautiful. Her energy radiated with love and happiness. Every ounce proved content with her surroundings.
Unable to resist the urge, Heaven stroked one of her chubby cheeks. A smile spread over her lips when Adalyn rooted her head toward the movement. She had to be hungry. She hadn’t eaten since they’d stopped for lunch two hours ago.
Poor baby. She wouldn’t be eating right away either. Judging by the crowd awaiting them on the front porch, Adalyn was about to play her first game of pass-the-baby. Many eager eyes and arms ached for her.
Hope’s ache stemmed from curiosity. Her own child would be coming in less than two months. The same went for Faith, who looked like she was ready to go into labor any day. In fact, she had to be past her due date.
Their parents hadn’t held babies since she and her sisters were ones themselves. The same probably went for Dylan and Layne’s parents. If she were right, it meant one thing. She wouldn’t be able to escape long enough to feed her daughter unless someone ran interference.
Too bad Adalyn refused to take a bottle.
The car rolled to a stop a few seconds later. By the time she opened her door and unbuckled the car seat, a surge of energy pushed her way. Dylan shut his door and cut off the ones who’d made it off the porch. Once she lifted Adalyn from her seat, Layne opened the other door. His fingers wrapped around the car seat as he pulled it.
“I have this and her bag. If you run, you can make it to the cottage before anyone can stop you.”
She didn’t know if he was serious or joking until he winked. Her cheeks tightened the further her lips curled up. It was just like him to try and lighten her mood, and it worked every time. He would provide her with the interference she wanted. All she had to do was say the word.
As she exited the car, she held her daughter close, but observed Layne. He guided the diaper bag strap around his neck, and then lifted the car seat. After he shut the door, he moved to the back of the car, flashing her another smile before greeting his parents.
What would she do without him? The mere thought made her shudder, but she pushed it to the back of her mind, focusing instead on the vibrations behind her. When she turned around, Hope greeted her. Her sister’s lips spread wide once she saw Adalyn.
“Auntie Hope gets to hold her first.” The singsong sound of her voice made Heaven laugh, but not Faith. Her pregnancy did little to hinder the sway of her hips when she sauntered their way.
“Dream on, sister. Aunt Faith gets first dibs.”
Hope sneered at Faith. “You can barely hold yourself up. Go sit down on the porch and take it easy. Someone will bring her to you…at some point.”
Bickering ensued the way it always did when those two got together. But after weeks without seeing them, she didn’t mind…much. Being together at the house brought back a lot of memories of when they were younger. She hoped Adalyn would get to build similar memories with her cousins.
Her father stepped between Hope and Faith a moment later, just like old times. He glared from one to the other, and then moved next to her. “You know what I think would be best?” He waited for one of them to respond, but both shook their heads, keeping their mouths shut. “I think we should give Heaven and Adalyn a few minutes to get settled. Right now, your niece doesn’t want to be around either one of her aunts. And she’s hungry.”
“I can feed her,” Faith piped up, but Hope elbowed her in the arm.
“She’s breastfeeding, you idiot. What are you going to do, hold Heaven’s tit?”
The arguing continued. Heaven snuck around them and walked toward the front door. Scott’s energy kicked in once she passed him. Her brother-in-law could try to calm them down if he wanted. He had a better chance of getting hit by a giant meteor.
Endless barbs spewed through the air, but Heaven ignored them. She made her way to the porch where Dylan waited. He sported a humorous smirk on his lips as he curled his arm around her waist. They entered the silent house soon after. Though it felt good to be back, the last five minutes convinced her of one thing.
She hadn’t missed her sisters as much as she thought.
* * *
Heaven passed Adalyn to her father first, as a thank you for providing her with the opportunity to feed her daughter. She sat on the couch between Dylan and Layne, unable to look away from her dad. His face brightened when he saw his granddaughter. Then he made the silliest sounds she’d ever heard him make.
As he walked toward the fireplace, she noticed Hope and Scott standing nearby. Her sister couldn’t wait to get her hands on her niece. Scott was doing a good job in keeping her anxiety at bay, but enough seeped through to make her wring her hands together.
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Still surveying the room, she spotted Faith sitting on the cushioned bench by the bay window. Her hands rested on her taught belly, but her eyes followed their father across the room.
Irritation quivered in her sister. She was tired of being pregnant, yet dreaded the delivery. There would be pain involved, something Faith never handled well. But there was more to it than fear over what her body would suffer. Pain didn’t last forever, not the physical kind. Emotional pain was a different story.
The couch cradled Heaven’s back when she leaned into it. She couldn’t stop thinking about Faith. A cold reality fueled the bitterness in her sister’s heart—the fact that her child’s father wasn’t with her. She made herself sick over the situation and the reason keeping them apart. Brooke’s pregnancy.
Months had passed since Jerry confessed the news to Faith. Chelsea had to know by now. Brooke’s due date couldn’t be far away. Maybe she’d already delivered. It would explain the voicemails and texts Chelsea left while they were at the cabin. The only way she’d know for sure is to get in touch with her friend.
After hearing what Faith had to say about the ring, Heaven doubted Jerry proposed. Not if he bought the ring for Faith. He must have gone back to New York to see her and discovered she’d left. Why else would the ring Faith wanted be in his overnight bag?
The thoughts came crashing down as her mother rounded the corner of the doorway. Layla wasn’t far behind, but she kept looking over her shoulder as if she were waiting for someone to follow. When she reached the doorway of the den, she flashed Heaven a tight-lipped smile before concentrating on her son.
Layne gazed up. His brows drew together as he waited for her to speak, but she remained quiet. She proceeded through the door, stopping beside the corner of the couch where he sat.
“Anna and I have a couple people we’d like you to meet. Though technically, you’ve already met them.”
A wave of confusion surrounded Heaven. It came from Layne and Dylan’s energy, as well as her own. Layne’s lips parted in response to his mother’s weird statement, but he pressed them back together. Movement near the doorway drew his attention back to it.
Disbelief wavered within him and Dylan. Her husband’s stemmed from what he saw. Layne’s, from what was happening. She tried to deconstruct why each felt the way they did as she stared at the man in the doorway.
He was every bit as tall as Dylan, if not taller, and about the same build. His dark green eyes caught the light above, making them sparkle, but not as much as they did when they landed on Layla. They trailed over her body and then back to her face before he ran his hand through his thick, dark hair.
The stranger proceeded through the doorway and walked into the den. His head nodded once in their direction, a sort of cordial acknowledgement of their presence. He finally stopped by Layla’s side but faced them.
Layla cleared her throat as she linked arms with the man. Whoever he was, she knew him well. Judging by Dylan and Layne’s vibrations, they did too.
“Heaven?” Layla waited until she faced her. “This is Isaac Snow, my Keeper. Dylan and Layne already know him because he lives right down the street from my house and Delia’s.”
Isaac stepped forward and extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, young Seeker.” His hand gripped hers in a firm handshake. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too.”
He leaned over to shake Dylan’s hand and then Layne’s. “It’s always good to see you guys.”
“I can’t believe you’re Layla’s Keeper.” Dylan chuckled before glancing her way. “This guy used to let us hang out at his house and drink. He said he’d rather we do it there instead of going out. At least we could walk home when we were ready.”
Hearty laughter erupted from Isaac’s mouth. “Well, your mothers insisted that Spencer and I do something. They knew you guys were getting to that age, and they didn’t want you drinking and driving, so Spencer and I made the suggestion.”
Dylan leaned away from the couch, resting his arms on his knees. “So, if you’re a Keeper, what are your abilities?”
“He’s a nosokinetic,” Layne announced. “He has the ability to create and control viruses and diseases. He helps my mom with her healing sessions.”
“So you knew about him?” The tone of Dylan’s voice sounded normal, but Heaven could sense his defensiveness. He wasn’t happy that Layne had kept information from them.
“I found out before we left for the cabin. My dad told me.”
Dane wasn’t around to confirm his answer. Neither he nor Spencer were back from walking the perimeter of the estate, but Heaven sensed Layne’s honesty. There was no reason for him to lie, anyway. He would gain nothing from it.
After a moment of silence, Dylan’s energy settled. “It took me a while to process the news about Spencer, so I get why you didn’t say anything. It’s a lot to take in.”
“That’s an understatement.” Layne grumbled his response and glared toward the hall. He didn’t like the fact that he’d been lied to again by the people he trusted most.
Heaven wanted to console him, wanted to assure him that he could trust her. Before she could reach for his hand, movement from the doorway gained her attention. Standing underneath was another man, but this one was no stranger. The fact that he was inside her house wasn’t all that odd either, considering he’d been there plenty of times over the years. After all, he lived in the house across from their driveway.
Another neighbor…imagine that. Only this man was more than a neighbor. This man was her former music teacher, Mason Wright.
* * *
Heaven gazed across the den toward the fireplace where her father stood. Adalyn remained nestled in the fold of his arms, near his chest. She wondered how well he could read her daughter’s thoughts. Not only had he known Adalyn disliked Hope and Faith arguing, but he also knew she needed to be fed. Perhaps he knew the thoughts rolling through her mind at present, because the thrum of her energy spoke of her contentment.
He looked up long enough to acknowledge Mason’s presence, then refocused on the baby. Guess he had no intention of joining her mother in the introduction she was about to give. Neither did Hope and Faith. They’d already exchanged pleasantries while she, Dylan, and Layne were in Kentucky.
Mason plodded toward the chair where her mother was sitting and stood beside it. Not much time passed before the pieces of her puzzled thoughts connected. Then it all made sense. Mason was a Keeper—her mother’s Keeper. Why else would he be hovering by her side?
Of all the teachers she’d had, she connected easiest with him. He was familiar, like a kindred soul. At the time, she thought it was because he’d been her music teacher for as long as she could remember. She’d found that odd too, but it finally made sense. How each time she and her sisters moved up a grade and to a different school, Mr. Wright became the school’s new music teacher. It gave him a way of keeping an eye on them for her mother.
Knowing what she did about Nate, she doubted her mother had a moment’s peace when they were away from the house. Having Mason at the school must have helped. Come to think of it, she’d noticed him around town a lot too. No wonder Faith was always getting busted for her misdeeds. He must have followed them wherever they went.
Layne would do the same with Adalyn. She had no doubts. He’d been great with her while they were at the cabin. In fact, she didn’t know who doted on Adalyn more, him or Dylan. They were two tough guys, ready to take on the world to keep her safe. Yet they turned into the goofiest people she’d ever met when it came to her daughter. She couldn’t help but wonder if Mason had been the same with her and her sisters when they were little.
“Heaven?” Her mother’s voice regained her attention. “I’m sure you’ve figured out that Mason is my Keeper.”
She nodded, unable to form words.
“Long time no see, little sparrow.” It was Mason who spoke this time. He kneeled beside the chair until he and he
r mother were eye level. “You’re right, Anna. She is powerful.” Dylan and Layne caught his attention. His lips pursed as though he wanted to say whatever was on his mind, but thought better.
Dylan shifted on the cushion beside her. He stretched his long legs underneath the coffee table and eased back on one of the oversized pillows. “Let me guess. He’s your neighbor, isn’t he?”
“Yes.”
She leaned against the back of the couch, snuggling closer to her husband. “He’s the first house at the end of the driveway, but he was also my music teacher.”
The news gained Dylan’s attention. He’d found a common interest with her mother’s Keeper. “Do you play guitar?”
Mason nodded. “There isn’t an instrument I can’t play, but there’s a reason for that. I’m a sonokinetic. I create and control sound waves, which are pretty vital to music, don’t you think?”
Dylan agreed. She could tell he liked Mason, despite the fact he’d only known him for a few minutes. Her mother’s Keeper had a charming personality. All her high school friends used to swoon over him. He was well liked by his coworkers, too. Even Layne had come out of his irritable mood and tuned into the conversation. Of course he would. Both he and Dylan loved making music.
“As much as I enjoy music, it doesn’t do much to help me protect my Seeker. But my abilities are about more than creating a perfect melody. I can generate sound waves that bring people to their knees. I’m good at reading people too.”
“How so?”
Layne asked the question this time. Curiosity beat inside him, which didn’t surprise her. Mason was the third Keeper he’d met. He wanted to know about his kind because the more he learned about them, the more he would learn about himself.
Mason gave him a genuine smile and then launched into his explanation. “People produce a ton of sound waves. I’m able to tap into those vibrations. Doing so allows me to sense things about them, like who they are, who they’re with, where they’re located, even what their mood is.”
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