It was my damn luck Brenna had taken a shine to me since the scowling Com had brought her inside. The tiny monster wasn’t such a damn monster, as I discovered over the next hour, even though she made a bad habit of clinging to me. It was hard enough to keep a firm grip on my emotions, just seeing her cute face, but add in the fact that she was like a damn monkey on me, holding tight around my neck as she talked about everything she looked at, giving me a tour of her house…well, by the time we arrived via Lynn’s SUV at the vacant house, parking around back where no one from the street could see us, I was ready to sit down and bawl. The only thing keeping me from doing so was Brann’s sly antics for antagonizing his sister. A ‘rascal’, he most definitely was.
“The place is empty,” I told Lynn quietly, lifting some of his bags over my shoulders before Brenna managed to jump on my leg, demanding to be picked up. “I hope you brought a few toys so the kids will be entertained tonight.”
Lynn evaluated the house, his eyes assessing as he shouldered a few of his own bags. “Why not a hotel?” A snob, he also was.
“We ran into trouble last night,” I whispered, picking Brenna up. “That’s all you need to know.”
His lips pinched, but he nodded once. “Here, let me take one of those bags if you’re going to carry her.” He lifted one of the many from my shoulders, and for the first time, I think he actually looked at me…well, like a man notices a woman. Not as someone barging into his house, turning his world upside down. His head cocked, and he touched my glasses softly. “You look better without these. They hide your features.” He was almost shy in his flirting, which was actually a bit endearing, really.
But it was time to cut that off. “That’s the point, Mr Johnson.” My eyebrows rose as I hefted Brenna higher on my hip, my tone pure business. “Shall we get inside?”
His lips lifted on one side. “Sorry, I’m a little out of practice detecting if someone’s interested in me.”
I did smile then. “No worries. Let’s just get the rest of the bags and get in the house.”
I felt a swift breeze, and Ezra was suddenly resting a shoulder against the side of the SUV, standing directly next to Lynn. I blinked even as Lynn’s lion growled quietly, startled. And quickly averted my gaze to the bags in the back of the SUV, because all Ezra was wearing was a pair of black soft leather pants. That was it. Well, that and the black knit cap, his brown hair peeking out. Looking f-i-n-e as hell. “Mr Johnson, this is King Zeller.”
Lynn’s growl cut off instantly as I lifted another bag out of the car with my free hand. I watched from the corner of my eye as Lynn studied him. Gradually, he stuck out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, King Zeller.”
“Pleasure’s all mine, Mr Johnson,” Ezra drawled, pushing off the side of the SUV, and just as slowly extended his hand, shaking Lynn’s. “I understand Queen Ruckler’s named your son the next Prodigy Shifter.”
Again, Lynn’s mouth pinched in dissatisfaction. “Yes.” He took his hand back.
Ezra’s lips twitched. “There are worse things to be.”
“Like?”
Ezra took the bag I had in my hand, hooking it over his shoulder. “Dead, for one.”
Lynn blinked, and then rumbled with a deep chuckle. “Well, yes, that would be worse.”
Ezra’s eyes met mine, darting back and forth, his nostrils flaring, and then his gaze zeroed in on the girl in my arms, who was glancing around with wide eyes. “This is Brenna?” His voice was quiet.
“Yes,” Lynn stated, smiling and lifting a hand to ruffle her orange hair. “Brann’s still in the car, probably mad because his sister has already figured out how to unbuckle her child restraint belt and he hasn’t.”
Ezra’s head cocked. “She’s scared.” His lifted a finger, hovering it right in front of her forehead, and glanced at Lynn. “May I calm her?”
Lynn’s eyebrows came together, and he stared at Ezra’s finger, even taking a step closer to me and Brenna, but finally, he nodded.
Ezra’s eyes flashed and he gently touched Brenna’s head.
She damn near broke my heart when she sighed and grinned greatly. “T’ank you.”
Ezra’s resulting smile was sad. “You’re welcome.” His eyes flashed again, and his finger gently brushed my arm. Instantly, I felt soothing peace — my shoulders relaxing — which lingered even when he took his finger away to point at the SUV, asking Lynn, “May I get Brann?”
Lynn nodded slowly. “That would be fine.”
Ezra nodded once before grabbing a few more bags from the back, then headed around the side of the SUV to open the door.
“Like him, Daddy,” Brenna whispered.
Lynn’s eyes darted to mine, then down to hers. “Yes, he was very kind to you.” His eyes went to my arm, then back to mine. “And you.”