She shook her head. “You’re a Mage? You—”
“I got a new identity, closed my hot dog shop, and leased out some space for a candy store. Driving drunk that night was the worst mistake of my life, and not a day passes I don’t think about it. But you see, I couldn’t get involved with the human police. I’m immortal, and a life sentence would be long enough to raise suspicion. My prints were all over the car, my paint embedded in his… I panicked.”
April’s gaze drifted down to the patterns on the tile floor. “Is that why you hired me, because you had a guilty conscience and thought you’d do me a favor?”
“No,” he said woefully, stepping closer. “I didn’t know he was your father—not in the beginning. I once asked why you never talked about your father. When you told me about the accident, I made the connection. Same date, same location. After that, I planned my exit from this life. I could have sold the shop like I’d done a million times and used that money to start over, but I wanted to leave you two something. You were always a motivated young lady, and I knew you’d recognize a good opportunity. I gradually stepped back and gave you two more responsibilities. It was the right thing to do. Staying would have meant deceiving you. To tell you the truth, seeing your sunny face every day filled me with the worst kind of guilt.”
My heart broke for April, but somehow she managed to hold herself together with a resolve I didn’t understand.
“My father’s death was a long time ago. Eventually every woman has to let go of the pain that will keep her from living a fulfilled life.” While there was conviction in her words, I certainly didn’t hear it in her voice—not in that moment. April was fighting off a rising emotion that quickly took hold, and she burst into tears. “You killed my father!” she screamed, her voice cracking.
April’s knees gave way, and Trevor held her up from behind until she steadied herself. Dark liner smeared down her face, and she gave way to the pain.
Charlie’s voice broke. “It wasn’t intentional.”
Trevor caged his arms around her from behind and stared daggers at Charlie.
I finally rose to my feet and stood between them. “Why are you back? Because this is a little traumatic for everyone. We would have been just fine living the rest of our lives thinking you were fertilizing a tree somewhere. Is it the store you want?”
“I don’t want the store.” He clasped his hands before him and regarded me with critical eyes. “I live on the East Coast now in Cognito. Rumors are spreading fast about a pack war, and we’ve noticed rogues leaving the city over the past few months. I don’t know if you’re aware of what’s developing, but I didn’t just come down here to warn you; I came to help. You might not want it after all the deceit, but this is bigger than any grudge you’re holding. I didn’t mean to take a life all those years ago, and seeing the aftermath of that destruction made me realize how every choice I make affects someone. This is a choice I’m making because turning away would be a sin.”
“It’s not your battle to fight,” Trevor said, stroking April’s hair.
“No, but ignoring something because it’s none of my business is the wrong thing to do. If you saw a human child wander into a busy street, would you keep walking? Didn’t think so. Sometimes we don’t have to be the same to feel compassion. You know the powers I have as a Mage, and I’ll fight for your pack.”
April wiped her face and stepped out of Trevor’s arms. “How do you know we’re in a pack? I’m human and—”
“And mated to quite an interesting man who happens to be a Shifter. I’ve been out of your lives, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been checking up on you.”
April moved around me until she was standing in front of him. In a flash, she slapped him across the face. Without a word, she spun on her heel and stalked out the door, leaving her purse behind.
Trevor picked it up and shot me a conflicted look. “You okay to drive?”
I nodded. “Go after her.”
When he rushed out the door, I gestured toward the table. “Why don’t you have a seat, and we’ll talk.”
Charlie rubbed his cheek, the skin turning a bright shade of red. He sat down, his gaze drifting around the store until he focused on the Parisian painting by our table. “You’ve done a fine job classing it up, Lexi. I thought you’d knock out the wall in the old store and build a coffee shop like you always talked about, but this was a smart move.” He sat down and lifted his cup. “Expanding on the Breed side of town, I mean. It gets tricky living in the human world and having to deal with their taxes, laws, and hiding what you are. On top of that, you risk regulars finding out when they notice you aren’t aging. You’ll always have to sell and start over.”