“I was trying to think of a way to slow me down. All I wanted to do was just come right then, and I wanted to tease you more.” She lifted her head from his chest and frowned. “She really is a panther. I mean, I saw her and everything, but she scared the shit out of me.”
“I should have told you. Or one of us should have. She really was changed against her will, and Steele has found her a teacher to guide her through some of the things she wasn’t trained on.” Nick thought of the pretty little panther that he’d seen a week ago and wondered if Steele had had any luck bringing the little cub to the house. “When you walk the grounds, be careful of the cub, the little panther that is roaming the grounds. I don’t know if she’s wild or not, but she’s a little thing and scared to death. I meant to ask someone how to tell, but it wouldn’t matter since she runs when I get close to her.”
“I was watching her when Kari came up behind me. I thought for sure she was her mother, but Kari told me that she’d been tracking her for days and that was the first time she’d been close enough to her. She’s a panther, not a shifter. Kari told me.” Addie laid her head back down on his chest. “Steele told me that you guys are going to the house tomorrow to confront Ellen. I would like to go.”
Nick wanted her there too, if for no other reason than he wanted her close to him. But she had little to no experience dealing with the dead, much less a living monster, and thought it was a good idea that she and Kari stayed here. He told her that and she nodded.
“Do you want to live here for a while, or did you want to find us a place close to here? I know that your grandmother has decided to buy. She even told me that she’d like for us to live with her and Bentley until we get us a house.” Addie sat up over him again. “I don’t care where we live so long as I’m with you.”
“I’ve missed her.” He nodded. He wasn’t close to his own family and never would be, but he could see the love that the three of them, Bentley included, had for each other. “I know that this house is huge and all, but I’d really like our own home. With Grandmother.”
“Then we’ll tell her.” Addie laid her head back down and he held her. Nick had never been one to cuddle much, but he loved having her so close that he could touch whenever he wanted. When her soft breaths slowed, he knew she was asleep and closed his eyes. But sleep didn’t come to him easily. Tomorrow he was going to confront his stepfather, and he was terrified about it.
The dream, if that was what it was, started out slowly. He and Addie were in a limo. Nick had no idea where they were going, but the sudden appearance of his stepfather made him think this wasn’t a normal nightmare.
“Hello, shit head.” Nick held onto Addie, knowing for some reason Dane was there to get her. “I will, you know. Get her I mean. And when I do, you’re going to do just what I tell you to do. Even going so far as killing that fucking killer.”
“Who would that be? You? Gladly. Ellen Wooten? Again, I’d gladly kill her for you. And we will.” Dane reached for him, but it was as if he’d been blocked. Even he looked surprised by his inability to touch him. “Any last requests, Dane? Like, I don’t know, maybe you could have me tell Mom and Ana how sorry you were for ruining all our lives.”
“You think I’m sorry for that? Nope. What I’m sorry about is that I’d not killed you when I had the chance. And I did, boy, and you know it.” Dane leaned back on the seat, and that was when Nick saw his hand. It was burned. Right where he’d been blocked, his hand was burned badly. “You and me, we’re going to have us some fun now. You just wait and see. And that woman of yours? I cannot wait to get me a piece of her too.”
Nick felt a calmness settle over him just as he was ready to lash out at Dane. He had no idea how she was doing it, but he knew that it was Addie. Putting his hand over his heart, he felt her there. Not her hand but her love, and it calmed him more.
“You’re not going to touch her. Do you want to know why?” Dane looked confused and Nick loved it. It was the first time in all his life that he wasn’t afraid of the man. “Because I know how to beat you now. All of you. And we’re going to.”
“You think so?” Dane didn’t sound so sure now. His voice, always so strong and loud, sounded slightly nervous to Nick. “We’ll just see about that. But you know this. I’m going to get you here with me, and not a day won’t go by that I don’t fuck you in that pretty ass of yours like I used to.”
“Never. Never again.” Nick smiled. “Be gone from me while in this place.” When he was gone, Nick closed his eyes again. He knew that for now, rest would come easy to him. And for the first time in longer than he could remember, Nick felt at peace with himself and the world.
Chapter 12