MADDY
Something was wrong. I could feel it, but didn’t know how to verbalize it. For days, I’d been moody and easily pissed off. The night before, I’d blown up at Travis, one of my bartenders—something I never did. He’d been carrying a jar of olives out of the back and had slipped on a wet patch on the floor. He’d caught himself but had dropped the whole jar. It shattered, throwing olives, brine, and glass everywhere. I saw it happen, and instead of asking if he was okay, I’d flown into a fit of rage.
“What the fuck, Travis? Do you know how much that jar costs?”
The rest of the staff had turned and looked at me in shock. They’d never heard that type of anger in my voice.
Travis looked confused. “What? Are you serious, Maddy?”
“Yes I’m serious. If it happens again, it’s coming out of your next paycheck. Clean that shit up.”
Travis had gritted his teeth and shook his head, starting to pick up the olives, gingerly watching out for broken glass. He muttered under his breath. “This is bullshit. It was just an accident.”
“I’m sorry?” I shouted across the room. “Is there something you want to say?”
“Nope!” he shouted back, his face flaming with anger.
It wasn’t like me at all. It was like I was watching myself do and say these things, but couldn’t stop myself. I chalked it up to PMS, but it was some next-level monster PMS. I mentioned it to Nico after another situation where I’d cussed a guy out for bumping into me at the post office. Felipe had been with me as my guard and had to pull me out the door because I was ready to fight the guy. He was a solid hundred pounds heavier, and all I could think of was busting his face in.
Nico frowned. “I mean, you’ve been under a lot of stress lately. Maybe that could be it?”
“I don’t know, Nico. I don’t like being like this. Could it be my wolf? Can they cause mood swings and stuff?”
He sighed and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. “Usually not. There’s some anxiety and things like that. I’ve never heard of anyone getting that mad, or out of control. Maybe you should take a day or two off to relax?”
I didn’t think he was right. It wasn’t his fault. I was an anomaly. None of the other shifters had ever seen or dealt with a dormant wolf trying to push free. She was stirring inside me, and I could feel it. Almostphysicallyfeel it. Like her body was right at the surface, beneath my skin. It was disconcerting, to say the least.
That night, Sebastian took me to work, and I went directly to my office. I didn’t want to be around any of the staff in case I had another blow-up. I felt bad enough walking through the building and seeing the look Travis gave me. I’d always prided myself on having a family work atmosphere. I was rapidly ruining that with my behavior, and I didn’t know how to stop it. Fifteen minutes after I sat down, a knock came at the door, and Abi leaned in.
She quirked an eyebrow. “Can I talk to you?”
“Sure. Why not,” I said, closing my laptop.
Abi closed the door and sat in the chair across from me. She clasped her hands in her lap and took a deep breath before speaking. “So, why have you been such a bitch lately?”
There it was. The first person to call me out on it. I groaned and put my head down on my desk. “I’m sorry,” I moaned.
“Seriously, Maddy. What the fuck? I had to talk Travis out of quitting. You treated him like a dog last night. What’s gotten into you? Do you need a break?”
It was the same thing Nico had said. I didn’t like that idea. Ever since the attack, I’d only been working two or three days a week at most. I’d always prided myself on being independent and able to handle anything. Most weeks, I would put in five or six days easy. Sometimes, if someone needed a day off, I’d do seven full days. It was all okay because it wasmyplace, the thing I’d built from nothing. I wanted to be here, wanted to lead my staff. I’d become so codependent on Nico that I was having a hard time differentiating the two of us. Always having one of his friends or brothers guarding me, not being able to do anything by myself…it was starting to become unsettling. I knew I needed the protection. I wasn’t stupid, but I was starting to feel suffocated. That, along with whatever the wolf was doing to my head, was making it tough to think straight.
“You may be right, but Ineedthis, Abi. I can’t drop everything and leave you guys alone.”
Abi rolled her eyes. “Sorry to break it to you, boss, but we can run a pretty tight ship without you. I know how to run this place, and the team knows what to do each night.”
“Ugh, I know. I didn’t mean to say you couldn’t handle it.” Nothing seemed to be coming out right.
“I know, I know. I’m just busting your balls. What I’m saying is that it’s okay if you want to take some time. Since the attack,you’ve not spent more than a week away. Most people would have taken awhole month off. I think it’s starting to get to you.”
“Maybe. I’ll think about it. For now, I’m going to try and let you guys do what you do. I’ll try to stay off the main floor. I’ll work in my office or help the kitchen team if they need help. That’s a little less stressful than being out in front of customers.”
Abi grinned and stood. “Good call. I promise we won’t call you out front unless it’s something major. Okay?”
“Deal.”
Luis was due to leave the country the next day. He and Kenneth had narrowed down the search area to something they could probably go through in a week or two. He wanted to come by and confer with Nico in person before flying out.
He got to the house at lunchtime. Nico had ordered pizza to feed him before his big trip. Felipe and Sebastian came over as well, wanting to hear what the plan was.
