22
“Dude just mark her, I’m tired of fighting all these horny idiots thinking they stand a chance with her,” I said to him and his fists clenched and unclenched.
“We all approve Rev, we always have,” Chris said to him and smiled. For once she didn’t have a smart mouth comment about how I beat the shit out of Jax when I thought he had marked her at sixteen.
“Can we eat first?” Preston asked and Jennifer walked in from the kitchen and smacked him against his head.
“For once can you not think about food?” she asked him as Rev grinned.
“I like her already,” Rev said and Jennifer smiled at him.
“Welcome home Rev, I’m Jennifer and this one’s better half,” she introduced herself as she pointed to Preston.
“It’s good to be home,” he said and then frowned, “where’s my car?”
“Uhm well yeah, you see Rev…” Preston began and Rev walked towards him.
“I’m kidding!” Preston said loudly and held his hands up.
“Actually I’ve been driving your car,” Hannah said and Rev turned towards her.
“Okay,” he said and I looked at him with my mouth slightly open.
“Seriously, just like that? I wasn’t even allowed to drive your car until the day you got arrested!” Preston objected as Hannah stuck her tongue out at him.
“She’s different,” Rev said as Martha yelled for us all to get our asses in the dining room.
Our late lunch was one of the happiest I could remember. My family was intact again and I had everyone I cared about around that table. Rev didn’t eat a lot and I’d never seen Hannah so happy. They kept holding hands and every now and then they would glance at each other and that made me slightly jealous.
“Hannah, your birthday’s this weekend,” I began to say, “so I’ve booked you and Rev into a hotel in Chicago for the weekend.”
“What for?” Rev asked.
“You’re not marking her here and that way her mark will show immediately on her birthday. I’m not listening to you two go at it after six years of nothing,” I said and Hannah laughed loudly as Rev looked shocked.
“I can be quiet,” Rev said and Hannah laughed some more.
“No you won’t,” she said and winked at him.
“Okay I really didn’t want to know that!” I said loudly as Rev joined in the laughter.
“Oh big brother, it’s payback time,” Chris said.
“Assholes,” I said as Rylee just watched me.
After we’d finished eating Rylee excused herself and went upstairs. I had to talk to her, the sooner the better so I could get the ball rolling with the Elders. I’d call Cindy after that and end my on and off again relationship with her. My life was really messed up at this point and even Baz had no advice for me.
“Rylee, can we talk?” I asked her as I closed the bedroom door behind me.
“You might want to talk to Cindy first,” she said with a hint of jealousy in her voice.
“I can explain,” I said and wondered how the hell she knew about Cindy.
“You don’t have to explain anything. I know I’m just here for show and you have a life but Cindy might be quite upset,” she said to me looking away.
“When I agreed to do this I agreed to give it a shot with you. I was going to call Cindy to break it off after I spoke to you today. How do you know about her anyway?”
“She called the landline in your office, I was in the hallway and answered the phone,” she said.
“Don’t ever answer my landline!” I said angrily and her eyes widened at my outburst.
“Perhaps you should have told me that before your girlfriend phoned!” she yelled back.
“Look I’m sorry, it’s just that phone’s for business that I don’t need or want you involved in,” I said to her as I tried to calm down.
“Sure,” she said and sat down on the couch facing the windows.
“I sent a letter of retribution to the Elders about what happened to you. You’ll need to testify for the retribution to take place,” I said to her.
“You did what?” she asked me in shock.
“I’m asking for Carson and JD to be handed over to us for retribution,” I said trying to be clearer.
“Why would you do that?” she yelled at me again.
“I know you’re freaked out to be here, afraid of them, what else did you think I was going to do?” I asked her.
“I’m not testifying,” she said as she shook her head.
“Why not?” I asked her.
“It happened to me, not you! You don’t get to make these decisions! I’m not your wife or your sister!” she yelled again.
“Fucking hell Rylee! I’m trying to help you!” I said the anger once again taking over.
“Don’t!” she said angrily.
“What the hell do you want from me?” I asked my hands shaking now.
“Nothing, I want nothing from you. I shouldn’t have told you and I should never have gone to that stupid ball,” she cried.
“What does that mean?” I asked her.
“I don’t know why I’m here! You don’t even like me!” she said as more tears streamed down her face.
“You’re here because the Elders ordered it and right at this moment, no I don’t like you but I still care, why can’t you see that?” I said still angry.
“Just leave me alone,” she said with a sigh as she wiped her tears away.
“Fine, have it your way,” I said and slammed the bedroom door shut as I left.
I went downstairs and grabbed my car keys. The house was eerily quiet as I left and got back into my car. I saw Rylee standing at my bedroom window as I reversed out of the driveway and drove away. I was angry as hell right now.
I drove back to The Drake and closed myself off in my office upstairs with a bottle of scotch. I had to call Cindy and I had to call the Elders and I wasn’t looking forward to either of those phone calls. Rylee was mad at me for some reason and I just couldn’t win with her.
“Elder Gareth Winestone speaking,” he answered when I tried to call for the third time.
“It’s Lucas again,” I said.
“I’ve been waiting for your call,” he said sounding agitated.
“Is there another way to get retribution? She’s not eager to testify,” I said.
“Without her testimony there is no proof, I’m sorry Lucas,” he said.
“I thought so, so there’s nothing I can do and they just get away with it?” I asked him.
“We can investigate but it would be a waste of time since they won’t admit to the crime,” he said and I knew he was right.
“Thank you in any way,” I said and he ended the call abruptly.
This was just great. I really didn’t get why she was so angry at me when all I was doing was trying to help. I drank half of the bottle before calling Cindy because she would be spitting fire at me and she had more of a right than Rylee to be mad at me.
“Hello,” she answered on the fifth ring. The phone in my office always showed as unknown and I preferred it that way.
“It’s me,” I said and closed my eyes briefly.
“I guess this is your explanation phone call?” she asked.
“I’m sorry, I should’ve phoned you earlier, things were kind of out of control and Rev got out today,” I said to her.
“I’m really glad Rev’s back home, Hannah must be thrilled,” she said and I knew she was smiling.
I had met Cindy three years ago at a restaurant where she had been celebrating her birthday. There was a connection, a click and I took her on our first date the next day. She was kind and beautiful, smart, and funny and she never asked for more than I could give.
“I sought out the Elders to break the bond but it didn’t work and they ordered Rylee to stay at my house for six months to see if the bond grows or not,” I began to explain to her.
“Lucas, we both went into this thing with open eyes. You told me from the beginning that you had a bonded half. I’m not mad at you, I can’t really be mad. I hope this works out for you, I really do,” she said.
“Why?” I asked her.
“I met mine yesterday, that’s why I phoned your office this morning,” she said to me.
“I’m really happy for you Cindy, who is he?” I asked her.
“Sire Marcus Livingstone from Halifax, Canada,” she said.
“I hope he treats you right,” I said and she laughed.
“If he doesn’t, you’re the first person I’ll call,” she said and I smiled.
“I’ll kick his ass so hard his dragon won’t know what hit him,” I said.
“Thanks Lucas, try and be nice, if she’s your bonded half you’re meant to be together, you can make this work if you try and I know you,” she said.
“I’m trying, believe me I’m trying,” I said to her.
“Try harder, you can also be the world’s biggest asshole without trying,” she said and this time I laughed.
“I’m going to miss you,” I said to her honestly.
“Me too, stay safe okay,” she said and ended the call.
I sighed as I put my phone down on the table. That was one of the reasons why Cindy had lasted so long with me, she was perfect actually except that we weren’t bonded. Life would have been so much easier if I had been bonded to her instead of Rylee who acted like she hated me but at the same time felt the pull as I much as I did when it came to sex.
“Fancy catching you here,” the soft voice said. She had opened my office door without knocking and the bottle of scotch was now empty and the second bottle already half.
“What do you want Tessa?” I asked her.
“You look stressed, maybe I can help with that,” she said and I looked at her.
I shouldn’t even entertain her but I was beyond caring at this stage and slightly drunk. Besides, Rylee didn’t want me and Cindy was happy. I was happy for Cindy too, Marcus Livingstone was one hell of a lucky man although I would still check him out.
“On your knees,” I said as I pushed my chair back.
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