“An antiquarian. Before he died, he put his collection in a storage unit that was moisture and temperature controlled. According to the man who runs the place, my father even shelved them. Before delivering them here, they had to pack them in boxes, which isn’t how they’re meant to be stored.”
“Get to the point.”
“Those books meant the world to him.” I cupped my elbows. “I mentioned them to you once before, but you didn’t want to talk about it. So I left everything in storage.”
He sighed. “Go on.”
“Well, it was nearing the date my father had paid up to, and I wanted to call to see if they still had them.”
Noah arched an eyebrow. We didn’t have a home phone. He used a cell phone for work, and I wasn’t allowed to use it.
“A few weeks ago, I used your phone while you were sleeping. The owner wasn’t happy about my calling after hours, but I didn’t want to risk losing everything.”
His countenance expressed both confusion and disapproval. “Why didn’t you junk them?”
“Junk them?” I exclaimed. “They were his prized collection. He spent a good part of his life curating his personal library and scouring the ends of the earth for these.”
Noah frowned. “He was a recluse who never left the house.”
“He used to… until he figured out how to use the internet. He would call pawnshops for their inventory, and anything he wanted, they’d ship. Maybe he didn’t leave the house very often, but he forged strong relationships with those he did business with on the phone and through email. Noah, these are Breed books. All of them. Some are one of a kind. They’re valuable.” I clutched his arm. “We could use the money.”
“Is this not enough for you? I work my ass off?—”
“I know you do, and that’s why I wanted to do this.” I fell against his chest and tilted my head up. “I’m sorry I lied and stole money from your stash in the closet to pay for the delivery. But these books are worth something.”
“You should have told me. I would have sent a book dealer out to the unit to take them.”
“I wanted to go through them first.”
He barked out a laugh. “Are you kidding me? There’re a million books in there, and you want to go through them?”
“It’ll keep me busy—give me something to do around here.”
When Noah’s shoulders sagged, I knew I was winning him over.
I drew back and brushed lint off his dark jacket. “It gets lonely around here when you’re gone. Perhaps with that money, we could buy a television or even another car.”
A smile tugged on the corner of his mouth. “A car? And where do you think you’re going? We live in the middle of nowhere.” He kissed my head and wrapped his arms around me. “You have everything you need right here. A house, books, a nice garden in the back, and your man.”
“Let’s talk about this later. Okay? I’m starving, and you promised me a date.”
Noah squeezed me tight and gave me an admonishing look I’d seen too many times. “Don’t youeversteal from me again. That money puts food on the table and pays the bills. Do you think that’s what couples do? Lie and steal from each other? Is that what I deserve?”
I shook my head.
Noah released his hold. “I’m really disappointed in you. I thought we trusted each other.” He caressed my cheek with a firm touch. “Someday you’ll be in a bigger house than this. I’m trying my best to take care of you.”
“I’m sorry.”
Honestly, I felt terrible for sneaking around. Noah worked as a bouncer at a prestigious Breed club in Austin. While we owned this house free and clear, it wasn’t good enough for his standards. Since he wanted to save up, that meant working additional hours. The clubs and bars in Storybook weren’t hiring, so his options were limited. It was considerably cheaper to live in rural areas, but it also meant a two-hour commute both ways.
“You haven’t been shifting by yourself, have you?” His thick eyebrows sank into a slash.
“No. Of course not.”
“Good.Neverwithout me. We’re in wolf territory, and if your animal gets out, they’ll hunt and kill you. A girl like you needs protection,” he reminded me for the millionth time. “The men out here would snatch you up in a heartbeat and share you like a piece of meat. That’s how some of those savages are, you know. They make up their own rules in the country, and Councils turn a blind eye. Rogue women go missing every day. How are you going to protect yourself when you aren’t even a predator?” Noah locked his arms around me. “I may not be a rich man, but I’ll make sure you’re safe.” Following a tender kiss, Noah searched my eyes. “Any other secrets I should know about?”
I shook my head again, but this time, I was lying.
