wondering how she was going to deal with this mess. “A stranger came by last night. I guess he used to go to school with Uncle Lewis. As soon as I answered the door, I knew.”
“I’m guessing if he went to school with Lewis that he’s human?”
“And you would be correct.” Melonee sighed. “What am I going to do, Mom? Maverick is already having a fit over Ruttford, who, by the way, told me last night he was giving me five days and then he wasn’t waiting any longer.”
Olivia chuckled. “It seems you have quite the situation on your hands. Does Ruttford know about this human?”
Melonee growled in aggravation. “No. I was going to tell him last night, but then…” Even talking to her mom, Melonee was embarrassed to say what had happened last night under the large oak tree.
“He became frisky?” Her mom took a guess.
“Kind of,” she shyly admitted. “He made me forget what I wanted to talk to him about.”
“Men tend to do that, sweetie. But you can’t keep that bit of information from Ruttford. He deserves to know that you have a multiple partnership on your hands. I’ve met the young man, and he seems very sweet. I’m sure…oh, heck, I really can’t say what he’ll do.”
“But if Ruttford is my mate, and Adam is my mate, wouldn’t that make them each other’s mate?” Melonee felt a spark of hope light up inside of her. Maybe she was fretting over nothing. Maybe the two would accept each other and things wouldn’t be so bad.
“I can tell you from experience living here in Zeus’s town that just because you have two men doesn’t mean they will get along. Quite a few of the men here almost killed each other until they stopped acting like macho boneheads and settled into their relationship.”
That wasn’t what she wanted to hear.
“But, Melonee, whatever happens, you have to follow your heart. I love Maverick to death for taking you in when I couldn’t take care of you. He was a godsend, but this is your life, not his. Do you really want secrets between you and your mates?”
No, she didn’t. She wanted what she saw the others under this roof experiencing with their mates. The way the men looked at their mates was nothing short of awestruck. Even though Cecil was the biggest troublemaker she knew, Maverick looked at the man like this entire world rode on Cecil’s happiness.
Melonee wanted something like that. She wanted a family so badly that it hurt. She saw the way Murdock looked at Heaven, or the way Montana cuddled with Gabby, their children tucked close and the intimacy so raw it was tangible. Melonee wanted children. She wanted them to grow up with their cousins, under one big happy roof.
But the way things were going, she would be four hundred by the time she bore her first child. “I’m scared.”
“I know, honey. But part of being a grown woman is facing that fear and doing what needs to be done, no matter how hard the road is to travel.” Her mother sighed. “I wish I could give you a hug and make things all better, but this requires more than just me wrapping my arms around you. Although if you need one, I will certainly make your stepfather bring me there.”
Melonee smiled. “No, I will handle this. Tell Windstorm he better bring you for Christmas or I’m going to give him coal in his stocking.”
Olivia laughed, they shared a few more exchanges, and then Melonee hung up, still confused and scared as hell. She dialed Ruttford’s number, biting her thumbnail as she waited for him to answer.
“How’s my beautiful girl?” Ruttford asked when he answered.
Melonee felt the blush creep over his skin once again as she remembered what the man had done to her body last night. “I’m fine,” she admitted. “Heading out to do some shopping today with the guys.”
“And you want me to meet up with you?” His voice was teasing, making things low in her body tighten. “God, no. I love Johnny and Keata to death, but they can’t keep a secret to save their
Learning to Kill: Stories