Lucian
No.We’re busy cleaning up.When do you need to wear them?
I laughed at his remark, mostly because it was accurate.There wasn’t a rush to return the shoes unless I had plans to wear them with a specific outfit.
Eden
Can you bring them to my house on Tuesday morning?I’m scheduling the day off, so whenever you have time.My house isn’t far from yours.
Lucian
I know where you live.See you then.
I stared at the phone.
“I know where you live?”After setting the phone down, a laugh popped out of me.“Boy, you sound like a serial killer.”
From anyone else, that ominous remark might have concerned me.But this was Lucian, and he was… literal.My location wasn’t a secret by any means, but I never had visitors over, only colleagues who dropped by on occasion for an impromptu meeting.
I closed my eyes.The scent of a distant campfire filled the night air, and the crickets’ rhythmic chirping mirrored the ebb and flow of my thoughts.My father had raised me to walk in his footsteps, and those were big shoes to fill.He always said: Be more than a good person; be a person who does good things.
Now our roles had reversed, and I could feel his frustration when I set rules.None of his gripes had to do with me, and I had to remind myself of that.He loved living with me, but the root of his unhappiness was fear—fear that when he died, I would be alone in this world.Fear that no one would love me or have my back like he always had.Even though my past five dates were failures, I wouldn’t let that deter me from finding a suitable match.
As I stared up at the half-moon, a shiver ran down my spine.For a split second when I found my father earlier, I thought he had passed.My life flashed before my eyes, and it wasn’t just the pain of not having him anymore.How could I let him leave this world with worry in his heart?It made me determined to honor his wish while he was still alive.
Afram was born in Africa long ago and lived many happy years in his tribe of hunters.Despite the beauty, there were also hardships like drought, fires, and sometimes warring Shifter tribes.When the colonizers arrived, he traveled the world to escape the clutches of slavery among Breed and humans alike.As one of the first black settlers in the northern half of America, he worked hard to free human slaves as well as ensure Shifter slavery would not carry over to this country.He kept his first name but eventually acquired a modern surname.
Because my father was old, his tribe was no more.Their unique language was now extinct, only spoken by him and me.I wasn’t as fluent as he was since we rarely spoke in his native tongue anymore, but he’d taught it to me so I could one day pass it on to my children.
The swing slowly stopped as I thought about children—something I’d never desired.I loved babies and was good with kids, but I didn’t have the longing for them that some people did.The only time I ever felt guilty about it was when I realized my father’s history and language would one day die with me.Having children to make him happy wasn’t in the cards, but finding a mate?Nowthatwas something I could do.
A frog lazily hopped onto the porch, unaware that a predator sat a few feet away.When I leaned forward and growled at him, he fled for his life.
Chapter5
“Thank you so much for carrying this up to the porch.”I stuffed cash into the delivery driver’s hand.“I added extra this time for the rush order.”
“Thanks, ma’am!”The young man set the last box of goods on the porch, including the oxygen tanks, before taking off.
After lifting one of the heavy boxes, I opened the screen door and pivoted left to set the box on the kitchen counter.
“I thought this was your day off?”My father leaned against his walker at the kitchen entrance while delivering one of his famous looks of disappointment for a daughter who couldn’t sit still for a second.
I set the box of food on the counter.“No such thing as a day off in this house.Your drink’s on the table by your favorite chair.I’ll join you in a little while, but I’ve got a few things to do around the house first.It’s nice outside.After lunch, we can go for a drive.”
“And see more trees?”He barely suppressed a laugh while shuffling through the house.
I turned the music up and began unloading the food.While I missed grocery shopping myself, it was nice to have it delivered so I could focus on preparing our meals.On my days off, I spent time with my father, but I also cleaned and completed projects around the house.
After grabbing a couple of oxygen tanks from the porch, I danced my way into the living room and set them by the wall.Then I lost myself in the music, snapping my fingers and remembering what it was like to be carefree and young.
I spun around, and when I noticed a man looming outside the glass door, I had a whole-body spasm.My heart ricocheted, and I clutched my chest.
As I drew closer to the silhouette, relief washed over me.Despite the false alarm, my inner animal was irritated and pacing beneath my skin.
Lucian’s hypnotic gaze followed me as I crossed the room to greet him.
“Mr.Cross.I wasn’t expecting you.”
