“Good night, Dad. I love you.”
“Love you, son,” he said as he walked down the porch steps. “Get some sleep. You may not get much for the next few weeks.”
I did get some sleep, which surprised me a little. I made my way down to the kitchen the next morning and started a pot of coffee. Before it was done brewing, Maddy’s door opened and closed at the top of the stairs. She came walking down, still in her bathrobe from the night before. She didn’t meet my eyes as she walked over and took a seat at the island, probably still trying to process everything that had happened the night before. I couldn’t blame her.
I poured her a cup and slid the mug across the counter top to her. She took it. “Thanks,” she mumbled. “Cream and sugar?”
I pulled a container of heavy cream from the fridge and a small jar of sugar out of the pantry, putting them beside her cup. “I need to go to work for a while.”
Maddy finally glanced up. “How come?”
“Stuff still needs to get done. I own a car shop in town. I’ve had the team taking care of most of the day-to-day stuff while I’ve been doing research and other things. I need to get in there and touch base. Sebastian will be stopping by. He’ll watch you most of the day. When I get back, I’d like to talk more about your adoption.”
When she looked into my eyes, it was like she was diving right into my soul. It was all I could do not to look away. “Have you found something?” she asked, her coffee forgotten.
“My dad and I think your birth parents may have known about their bloodline. It’s our opinion that they gave you up to protect you.”
“I guess that makes sense. If things were as dangerous for them as they seem to be for me, it might have been their only option.”
“Right. We may have a way to find the social worker, but I won’t know for sure until I talk to Luis. I’m going to have him drive out to Tampa this morning, do some digging.”
“Tampa? That’s where the orphanage was where I was found.”
“Exactly. Again, I don’t want to get too deep into it, but we’ll see where this goes.”
“Sebastian should be here soon. I don’t think you’ve been properly introduced, but you’ll recognize him when you see him,” I said. I knew what Maddy had been going through the last week. If anyone could lift her spirits, Sebastian was up to the task. “Even though he’s here, don’t hesitate to call me if you need me.”
She nodded, lowering her gaze to stare into her coffee cup and the steam rising off the cup. I couldn’t help myself. I moved around the counter and put a hand to her cheek, encouraging her to look at me again. She finally did, and I could see the fear in her eyes.
“I promise I won’t pressure you into anything. I’m sorry if…if me telling you about my feelings was too much. I apologize. It’s a lot, and I swear I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to.”
We looked into each other’s eyes for several seconds. The desire and need to kiss her was almost enough to break my will. My wolf was salivating and growling in lust and wanting. I fought off everything raging in my head, desperate to keep my word.
“Thank you,” Maddy whispered after a moment.
I slid my thumb across her cheek like I had the night before. This time, she was awake, and I could see the color rise inher cheeks at the action. Thankfully, the doorbell rang before anything else could happen.
“Hey, yo? Nico? I’m here,” Sebastian shouted from the entryway.
“I’ll see you later today?” I said to Maddy as I walked toward the door.
“Yeah, I’ll”—she shrugged and gestured to the house—“be around.”
Sebastian walked in and waved at Maddy. “Hey, I’m Sebastian. Nico’s most handsome friend. I’m like a solid eight. My humor probably gets me to a nine, so you’ll need to control yourself around me.”
I rolled my eyes and waved to them. Sebastian would either lift her mood or she’d kill him. I wasn’t sure which scenario was more likely. I guess I’d find out when I got back.
11
MADDY
My first impression of Sebastian was that he was a moron. After a few hours alone with him, though, I realized he just had larger-than-life personality and liked to make people laugh. I’d decided to try and go to work again tonight, and he was cool with me doing that. I was happy that Nico hadn’t ordered his men to put me under house arrest or something. That would have been too much. Cabin fever would have set in fast. Sebastian was a lot less serious than Luis, so I hoped he’d be able to keep my mind off the things that had freaked me out the night before.
“My car or yours?” Sebastian asked.
The guys had picked up my Jeep from my place after I moved into Nico’s. I loved that car, and even took the doors off during the summer. I grinned. “My car, definitely. What do you drive anyway?”
“Miata.”
