Olivia stepped forward. “Where’s Zoe?”
“In the house.” Jack rubbed the back of his neck. “Can you see to her?”
She nodded, squeezed his hand in passing, then sprinted towards the yellow light of the kitchen. When the door opened, he swore he could hear Zoe’s sobs.
He had to go to her. Fix things. A clap of thunder stopped him in his tracks.
“What's going on?” His father poured a finger of scotch and took a gulp. He filled another, added ice, and handed it to Jack.
“Kyle kidnapped her.”
“I got that much, son.” His father stared without blinking and swished the gold liquid in his glass.
Jack glanced up at the light that went on in Zoe's bedroom. Olivia's profile was dark against the shade. He should be up there, not down here under the inquisition. Damn it, he wasn't a kid anymore.
The ever-blabber-mouth Kathy spilled the beans. “She's not trained. Clueless. Adopted. And part healer. Jack oathed with her before he knew anything about her.”
The thunder went to a rumble, the wind died, and the air was thick enough to pour into a glass.
Jack scratched at his scruff and stared into the astonished faces of his family. He unclenched his teeth so his jaw would stop ticking.
“You oathed with a complete stranger?” His father's all-knowing eyes lost nothing.
“Yes.”But she doesn't want me.Jack sat down at a table and white-knuckled his glass.
“What aren't you telling us?” His father poured another drink, and gave Kathy a look that indicated she wasn't to speak.
His mom, dad, Kathy and brothers watched him. Jack shifted uncomfortably under their scrutiny.
“Last night, I was patrolling the bars with Stan and Josh. Looking for underage mating. I got hit with an assassin's energy. God-almighty powerful. Thought I'd bought it. Olivia left Zoe in charge. She healed me, but she's warring. She must be some kind of half-breed.”
His mother did a sign for warding off evil.
“Who was the man with the accent?” Josh paced and felt for a pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket.
Jack wasn't going to remind him that he'd quit years ago. “I don't know.”
“But you suspect?” Kathy said, crossing her arms.
Oh yeah, he suspected. He suspected that Zoe had a secret lover. Someone that cared enough to follow her to the shore. Someone who was going to claim her as his own unless Jack convinced her otherwise.
“I think she knows him.” There’d been an undeniable flash of recognition in her face. And she’d been willing to fight him. Jack cringed at the thought. If he hadn’t stopped her, the night would have gone a hell of a lot worse.
“I'll make coffee.” His mom walked by him and squeezed him on the shoulders. Kathy followed.
His father stared out at the crashing waves, then turned to Jack. “So you think you can mate with thispart-healer?”
Jack ignored the insulting tone, stood, and met his father's icy stare. “I'm counting on it, sir.”
“Then go upstairs and fix this, son. Take her before someone else does.”
His father was right. But it was easier said than done. There was too much at stake, and he wasn’t even sure the woman liked him, let alone wanted him for a mate.
Upstairs, he tapped on the bedroom door. He could hear the old shower humming from the bedroom bathroom.
Olivia opened the door and slipped out of the bedroom. She gave him a quick hug, then pulled back shaking her head.
“How is she?” Jack asked.
