Chapter 15
Stryker
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“Ow! Gigi, what thehell?” I flinch away from smacks that are way too strong for a woman in her nineties.
Her snow white hair is pulled back into a braid nearly as long as she is tall, only a few inches shorter than Risa. Her eyes are the same shade of green as mine, and right now, they’re narrowed on my face as she takes another swat at me.
“Three weeks and no phone call. I was hoping you were dead in a ditch somewhere so that you at least had an excuse, yet here you are, right as rain,” she snaps, hitting me once more before wrapping me in a bone-crushing embrace. “You’re lucky I wasn’t dead in my chair when you found me.”
I hug her back, her peppermint scent bringing up far too many memories, making each visit harder than the last in recent years when I’ve been in a bit of a downward spiral. “Sorry, Gigi.”
She huffs, hugging me tighter before finally releasing me, patting my chest as she turns to the others. “Well, I can’t be too mad now that I see what’s kept you so distracted, can I?” Leaning heavily on her cane, she approaches Risa, currently nestled between Bane and Mason near the door. “Now let’s get a better look at you, shall we?”
Sending a nervous glance my way, Risa steps closer, and Gigi Rosalie wastes no time snatching her wrist, closing the distance when she deems she’s taking too long. She scans Risa head to toe before tossing her cane at Bane to hold, knowing he’ll catch it. Flipping Risa’s hand to bare her palm, Gigi traces over the lines and mutters to herself, running a finger down the vein at Risa’s wrist. I share a worried look with the others, wondering if she’s somehow able to see right through to the fact that Risa’s... different.
But she simply swivels so that her arm is interlocked with Risa’s elbow, using her for support and patting her hand a few times. “Come sit, come sit. Stryker can get the tea going while we chat. I wish I’d known you all were coming, I’d have tidied up. Only get one first impression when meeting your son’s mate.”
Risa shoots me a confused look, and I shake my head, mouthing ‘later’ while walking towards the kitchen. “Who says she’s my mate?” I counter, only because it’s fun to rile up the woman I spent so many years convinced was a witch, always seeing right through me. “Found her on the side of the road and she just hasn’t left.”
She scoffs with derision, rounding the corner out of sight and hollering back, “Who else would put up with you besides me? You found your other two mates in the woods like a damn creep, so of course you’d snatch a pretty thing like her the same way. You should come with a warning label, I’m telling ya.”
Grinning, I make quick work of the tea, meeting everyone back in the living room with a heavily laden tray. Setting it on the coffee table, I pass a bottle of water to Mason, ignoring the disapproving shake of Gigi’s head at the sight, but even she’s never been able to find a flavor Mason can stand. Risa’s sitting beside my great-grandma on the loveseat, Mason and Bane in the available chairs, so I steal a chair from the dining room. I’d prefer not to sit on the floor feeling smaller than everyone in the room, knowing it’ll dredge up the wrong feelings for what’s supposed to be a happy occasion.
“So.“ Gigi claps her hands and Risa jumps, startled at the sharp sound. “Tell me everything. Last I heard, we were waiting for sleeping beauty here to wake up.” She glares at me while reaching for the teapot to pour herself a cup. “It must have taken a hell of a long time, otherwise you’d have called to let me know that you met the love of your life.”
Chagrined, I rub the back of my head. “Sorry.”
Her eyes sparkle with mischief. “So, how long did it take?”
I flip her off with a smile, well aware of what she’s really asking. “Moment I bit her, but knew for sure when she tackled me down the stairs.” Waggling my eyebrows at Risa, I tease, “First thing she did when she woke up was take a swing at Bane and throw herself into my arms, picking favorites on day one. Who wouldn’t become obsessed?”
Risa’s chest shakes with silent laughter as Gigi cackles. I wait until she takes a sip of her tea before giving the abridged version to bring her up to speed, but if Rosalie Cromwell respects anything, it’s the truth; no matter how harsh, or if it’s something you’d rather not hear. She punches her problems in the face, looking at hiding in your delusions and denials as a fool’s errand that solves nothing.
She sees right through the parts that I attempt to skim over, forcing me to back up enough times that I just cave and tell her everything, including our theory about why Risa can’t shift. I glance at my mate, pleading for forgiveness, but she simply sits through it all with a small smile, amused at watching this little, old woman bully me into submission.
The entire pot of tea is gone by the time she’s caught up, and she simply stares at me as if waiting for something. When I don’t pick up on her hint, she mocks, “And what about you, Rosalie? What have you been up to these days while waiting for death to save you from the never ending boredom?”
Mason chuckles, twisting the cap back on his water bottle. “I forgot how much I enjoyed coming here.”
Gigi snorts. “Can’t blame you for choosing to spend your time with a sweet girl like this instead of an old bat like me.” She turns to face Risa, a sad look of understanding on her face. “Your parents ever try to contact you after you left?”
She grimaces. “Didn’t give them the opportunity. Apartment was in Blake’s name, and the club was a cash gig. Honestly, I’m happier cutting them off like this. If I’d stuck around to give them a chance to explain, I’ve no doubt they’d have manipulated me into feeling bad forthem; it’s just the sort of people they are. If it wasn’t for the clean break, they’d have just dragged me back into their psychotic mess.”
Gigi nods, cupping Risa’s cheek. “You’re a smart girl for realizing that so young after all they’d put you through. Some people always need to be the victim, and don’t care who they hurt so long as they stay the center of attention.” Her eyes cut to me. “To flex their control over people to make themselves feel stronger.”
My jaw tightens as I shake my head imperceptibly in warning. She raises an eyebrow in challenge, unperturbed, and it’s what I love and hate most about this old crone. She isn’t scared of anyone or anything, and will gladly stand her ground on even the most trivial matters out of sheer stubbornness.
