“I hate to break it to you, but Hawthorne Hollow is an entire town with nothing to do.”
“That’s true, but at least at a hotel there’s likely a pool and room service,” Aric pointed out. “If you haven’t yet noticed, my tribe is extremely food-oriented. Besides, vampires are unlikely to attack a hotel. It would draw too much attention.”
He had a point. “You’re going to spend the afternoon at the hotel?” I asked.
“At least a few hours. We could all use showers and a nap couldn’t possibly hurt.”
“I don’t need a nap,” Sami whined. “I’m fine.”
“You need a nap most of all.” Aric looked away from his daughter. “We’re still in this, and deep, but my family needs to rest. I need to rest.” Rueful, he rubbed his forehead. “I’m not as young as I used to be.”
That earned a smirk from Zoe, who leaned in close and grinned at him. “You’re still as hot as the day I met you.”
Aric gave her a soft kiss. “Right back at you.”
My heart pinged at the naked emotion on both their faces. They’d been through an ordeal, and it clearly wasn’t the first time, yet they were the sort of couple who remained strong under pressure. I hoped, twenty years down the road, Gunner and I were exactly the same way.
“Gross.” Sami mimed gagging into her lemonade. “I don’t understand why you guys always have to be so disgusting. Do you have any idea how embarrassing you are? You act like teenagers. It makes me want to die.”
Zoe smirked at her offspring. “You’re a teenager and you don’t act like us.”
“That’s because Dad won’t let me date.”
“You’re fourteen!” Aric’s eyes flared. “You’re not dating until you’re forty.”
This sounded like an old argument. The exhaustion lining Zoe’s face told me Aric had made the right call. This was a family that needed a little private time. The parents were still smarting from being separated from their child the previous night and the child’s adrenaline had long since flagged.
“You guys should get some rest,” I said. “We’ll tap our source and see what we can get from her. After that, we’ll play it by ear.”
Zoe’s smile was heartfelt. “Thank you.”
“No thanks are needed, Zoe. We’re in this together. We’ll figure it out.”
IT WASN’T UNTIL WE PARKED IN FRONT OF MAMA MOON’S shop that I realized Gunner and I had barely spent any time together – just the two of us – since the previous afternoon.
“It’s weird, but I’ve gotten used to you being around.” I ran my finger down his cheek and he graced me with a smoldering sidelong look. “I think I missed you.”
“I know I missed you.” He leaned in and gave me a flirty kiss. “How about we go back to your place and take our own nap?”
I laughed. “Are you sure you want to risk it? Your new girlfriend might claw my eyes out, literally, if we try.”
His smile slipped. “Yeah, that’s weird, right?” He looked distinctly uncomfortable. “That kid is a little intense.”
“That kid is at an odd age,” I corrected. “She’s feeling things out, pushing boundaries. I have a feeling she’s adopted her mother’s temperament to the best of her ability. In Sami’s mind, Zoe gets away with anything and everything. She wants to be the same way.”
“Raisin isn’t like that,” Gunner persisted. “She’s not that much older than Sami.”
“She’s two years older, and when you’re dealing with a fourteen-year-old, that’s a big deal.” I hesitated and then pushed forward. “I also think that Sami has been through a lot.”
“So has Raisin.” Gunner’s expression darkened. He was overly protective of our young sidekick, and rightfully so. Raisin’s father was an abusive jerk who threatened her life on a regular basis. Recently, his abuse had turned so terrifying that she’d been removed from his custody. He was currently sitting in jail awaiting trial and she was living with her grandfather. Things were much better for her now.
“I’m not saying Raisin hasn’t been through a lot,” I said quickly. “She’s been through more than any child should ever have to go through. But it’s different from what Sami has been through.”
“How so? That kid seems like a total menace to me.”
“You’re only saying that because she’s decided to use a crush on you as a way to garner attention from her father. That’s what everything is for where she’s concerned, by the way. She wants attention, even if it’s negative attention.”
“Something tells me that kid gets more attention than she needs,” said Gunner. “Her parents are devoted to her, along with that vampire. On top of that, Aric Winters is rich. He doesn’t rub it in anybody’s face, but he’s not hurting for money and he clearly spreads the wealth.”
“He does. That doesn’t change the fact that Sami is a conflicted child who has been isolated for a great deal of her life. It’s not the same sort of trauma Raisin has been through, but make no mistake, Sami Winters hasn’t had it easy. She’s a survivor, though. Look what happened this morning. How many other children do you know who would’ve done what she did when she came to the vampire’s rescue? She’s brave and her parents raised her right.”
“She keeps looking at me funny,” Gunner complained, making a face. “Her father is going to kick my ass if she doesn’t knock it off.”
And that, I realized, was the root of his problem. “You respect her father.”
“He’s a legend in certain circles,” Gunner acknowledged. “He’s the reason I felt comfortable distancing myself from pack politics. Sure, my father did it before me and led the way, but Aric Winters notoriously told his pack to stuff it when they made demands of him. When I heard the story, I realized that was the sort of wolf I wanted to be.”
“You have a man crush on him.” I was amused despite myself. “That’s pretty cute.” I pushed open the door and we stepped outside.
Gunner rolled his eyes. “I was
