Tori, page 10
He motioned to Devon’s state of dishabille, and his grin widened. “Did we disturb anything?”
“No,” Devon said shortly. “Unfortunately.”
At that, Connor broke out laughing. “I hear you there. Glad I’m past that point in my relationship.”
“I’m not sure that I’ll ever make it to your stage,” he replied quietly. “Tori is not into forgiveness.”
Giving the sisters time and space, Devon walked over to the table and sat down. As he turned back to face Connor, he saw the look on his face.
“What the hell happened to your back? Is that a bullet wound?” Connor said, his voice sharp.
Devon nodded, then motioned at his blanket kilt. “Yes, and the pool didn’t leave me with much in the way of dry clothes, either.”
“I don’t give a shit about your state of undress, but I do want to know everything there is to know about that damn wound.”
Just then the girls walked in, still talking in high-pitched laughing tones. Connor reached out and tugged Genesis to his side. “Genesis, he was shot.”
Silence.
Genesis stared at Devon. “Oh, my Lord. Are you okay?” She turned to her sister. “Were you hurt?”
Before Tori had a chance to answer, Genesis had already turned back to Devon. “Turn around, let me see.”
Devon grinned wryly. “I’m fine, Genesis. It was just a close call.”
She walked over to him, hands on her hips, and said, “Turn around.”
“You might as well do it.” Connor said with a smirk. “She won’t let you go until…”
Devon threw up his hands, grabbed for his blanket and stood, presenting his back.
He heard Genesis catch her breath.
Then a gentle stroke across his back. “Connor, this could have killed him.”
“It was probably intended to.” Connor paused then in a harder voice yet again, he said, “Now, start at the beginning, and…explain.”
Chapter 16
The explanations took a long time. First Tori had to explain about the bank robbery, hating Genesis’ huge eyes when she realized how Tori’s life had been in peril. She reached across to hold Genesis’ hands. “I’m fine. I just used my mind stuff on him.”
Genesis grinned, then laughed. “You were always so damn good at that.”
“She still is,” Devon muttered. Tori ignored him, but Connor reached across the table and smacked him across the shoulder.
Tori rolled her eyes at the male camaraderie but after a nudge from Genesis, she continued on with the story. When she got to how Devon kidnapped her, Genesis reached out and smacked Devon on the opposite arm.
“Hey,” he protested.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Genesis cried out. “She could have been hurt.”
Tori sat back and enjoyed watching Devon squirm. Genesis had always been good at calling bad behavior for what it was—unacceptable. Now that it was directed at Devon, and not her—which it had been plenty of times during her growing up years—it was fun to watch. Besides, Devon deserved it.
Until the tables turned and the rest of the story came out, with Devon sending her to the ground to protect her and taking a bullet in the process.
Then Genesis rose and hugged him.
Tori shook her head. Devon always came out on top, she thought sourly. Then she caught herself. She had no idea what the last year had been like for him, but he’d noticeably grown up. Matured. And she certainly had grown and changed.
“I’m fine,” Devon said when Genesis released him. “Honestly, I might have been shot when trying to keep up with Tori. The brush was closing so fast around us I had to slow down to look. I could have been shot any time. I honestly don’t remember.”
“I’m so sorry you went through this,” Genesis said. “There’s been so much bad stuff going on, it’s crazy.”
“Your turn,” Tori said. “What is all this bad stuff that’s been going on?”
And she sat back to listen. She heard about Connor being attacked, Genesis bringing him right back here to the healing pools, the Paranormal Center, Matt, the black rocks, and yes, even the Portmans. She stared. “Good Lord. You went through all that on your own?”
Genesis smiled warmly. “No. I had Connor’s help.”
“And we both had Matt’s help.” Connor said with a grin.
“And Grandfather,” Devon asked in confusion. “If he was in the healing pool, why is he still…?” He stopped, lost for words.
“Still an asshole?” Connor filled in. “As much as Genesis can figure, when the healing pools were working on his physical body and brought him back to awareness, he crawled out as fast as he could—and that was before all the healing was done.”
“Crap,” Tori said. “That’s no good. Maybe we should knock him out and bring him back to finish the job.”
“If anything, it’s made his opinion of the healing pools worse than ever. Instead of being a fan of commercializing the pools, he wants to destroy them.”
“What?” Tori cried out in shock. “We can’t have that.”
“I know. But he’s been heard muttering about it a few times.” Connor turned to Devon. “What about you, have you heard him talk about destroying the pools?”
“I haven’t had to deal with him all that much lately,” Devon said. “And I can’t say that I heard him mention anything along those lines.” He thought back over the last year. “He didn’t talk to me much anyway, and after that scenario with you two, he’s even more reticent. It doesn’t help that I’m also on the blacklist now, too.”
That brought up more cries of surprise and the need for more explanations.
Tori got up once to make tea for everyone, and when that was gone, Genesis got up and made another round. The conversation continued until Tori realized that Devon was looking peaked and chilled. She excused herself to check on his clothes. Sure enough, they were almost dry. She bought them back for him. “Here, get dressed.”
He reached for them and excused himself. As soon as he was out of hearing range, Genesis leaned closer. “Tori, are you two okay?”
Tori shrugged, glancing at Connor.
The other man took the hint. “Don’t mind me, I’ll just go and visit in the pool room for a bit.”
And he walked out, leaving the two of them alone.
“Genesis, I’m so happy for you.” Tori cried. “You deserve to be happy. I’m so sorry for walking away. Especially now that I hear how bad it was.”
“It was bad at the beginning,” Genesis admitted. “I was lonely. And missed Granny so much I barely came here anymore.” She looked around the cottage with a sad smile. “And I was so depressed, I neglected my duties.”
Tori reached over and grabbed her hand. “You have no idea how sorry I am.”
Genesis squeezed her hand back. “It’s okay. You were doing what you needed to do, and I have Connor back in my life now.”
“And I have Devon back in my life—but not the way you have Connor.”
“Maybe not, but I think he wants to. He can’t keep his eyes off you.”
Tori shook her head. “I doubt that’s true. I don’t know what he wants and I doubt he even knows. I know I’m not ready to have a relationship with him.”
There was a small pause, then Genesis said, her voice rich with humor, “Sweetie, you already are.”
*
Devon got dressed quickly. He was almost sad that they wouldn’t be staying here for the night although it was late enough that they should be. It was a wonderful little place. And alone, he might have been able to cross the divide between him and Tori.
Finished, he cast a final look at Granny’s bedroom to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything and caught sight of something under the bed. A roll of paper that had his…name printed on the outside of it? No, surely not.
He pulled the roll out slowly. What the devil? He studied it without opening it. The paper looked old and fragile, and it was rolled up tightly so it could be easily stored. He had no idea what it was. Or why his name would be on it.
And he didn’t know what to do with it. He didn’t want the others to think he’d been poking his nose into stuff that didn’t belong to him, but now that he knew it was there, he really wanted to know what it was all about.
“It’s a star chart,” Connor said from the doorway. “Granny did them for a lot of people.”
“So this is mine?”
“Not yours,” he corrected. “But it might be about you though.”
Devon nodded, and with a flash of regret, he slowly replaced it. “She was really a stargazer? Wow.”
“Oh yes,” Connor said quietly, with a backward glance toward where the two women sat talking in soft tones. “And something the two sisters are sensitive about.”
Devon collapsed onto the bed. “I had no idea.”
“No. I know the feeling. However, I have since learned that all the star charts are real, the stargazer dynasty is real, and that likely all three sisters have some of the same abilities as their granny.”
“Really?” He’d been prepared to laugh at all the stargazer stuff. He was sure most of the people he knew felt the same. Especially Grandfather. He’d hated anything to do with the stargazer myths.
“Grandfather really had us all believing what he wanted us to, didn’t he.”
“He’s been part of the lie for a long time. He benefited and continued to benefit as long as the lie existed.”
“And now that the girls really own the land?”
“It’s going through lawyers right now. Grandfather and his clan know the documents have surfaced but say they are forgeries and they have the legal ownership documents.”
“Do they?”
Connor shook his head. “No. Basically everything here and in the pools, the forest, the town center, all belongs to the sisters.”
“Jesus. That’s a reason for a bullet right there.”
“Two,” Connor said. “That’s why I wanted to talk to you. We have to consider the fact that Tori and Genesis are both in danger.”
Chapter 17
Tori was tired and worn out. “Can I stay with you for a few days?”
Genesis smiled. “I’m actually living in the Paranormal Center with Connor. He works for Matt now. However, that means my apartment is empty and available.”
“Nice. For you and for me.” And it was. An empty apartment was a huge boon for her. And she was delighted her sister was moving up in the world. “So this is permanent with you and Connor?”
She didn’t know how to phrase it, to ask the personal details she had no right to know, but wanted to understand just what the relationship between them was.
“We’re engaged.”
Tori squealed and hugged her sister. “Oh my, that is wonderful news.”
“It is. We were waiting for you and Celeste to return. I knew it would be soon. I wanted you both to be at my wedding.”
“I’ll be there,” Tori said instantly. “Surely Celeste will come, too.”
“I haven’t managed to track her down,” Genesis said. “But there’s time. All things happen when they’re meant to happen.”
“Oh Lord, that is such a Granny saying,” Tori said, standing. “And speaking of that apartment, shall we go?”
“As soon as Connor is done filling Devon in about us.” Genesis stood and smiled. “You know he is.”
Tori shook her head. “He so is.”
She walked to the kitchen door and pulled it open. The wind had picked up. “We could also stay here overnight,” Tori suggested.
“You do what you want to do. I love it here, but I’m heading home. We come to the cottage on our weekends a lot. In your case, maybe you should stay here and work a few things out.”
“That’s a good reason for leaving,” Tori said instantly.
“No more running away, Tori.” Genesis’s tone was firm. “You tried that and look where it got you—right back here. You have bank robbers after you. Stay here and stay safe. Now that I know you’re here and not lying in a ditch somewhere, I won’t worry anymore, but when you two didn’t show up for dinner…”
“Sorry. I had no way to contact you.” She frowned. “That reminds me. Did you do something with the cottage alarm? It’s different.”
“I had to strengthen it after the attack.” Genesis said. “Where’s your phone?”
Tori shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. We used Devon’s to contact you earlier.”
Genesis sighed. “I just got a new one. You can have my old one.” She walked out the door and over to the hovercraft and pulled out a large purse. She dug around inside for a bit then pulled out a sleek pink phone, then reached in again and pulled out an older blue one. “This will work for you until you get a new one.”
“But your number?”
“No, I had to get a new one when I started to live at the Center. High security and all that.” She held up the pink phone and said, “Matt paid for the new one, too.”
“Nice. How come?”
“I’m helping out at the Center with the star charts. They are in the vault and scientists are doing tests on them. He’s also got the copies of all the land registry documents.” Genesis hesitated, and her face closed down enough that a spiral of worry filled Tori’s belly.
“What the matter?”
“I didn’t tell you about all the paperwork.” She fidgeted with the purse then pushed it onto the hovercraft seat and turned to Tori.
Tori held her breath and braced herself.
“There were adoption papers—for a fee. Granny bought us off Grandfather’s sister when we were little. She had the DNA tests done to prove that we were hers, then she had to buy us back.”
“Jesus.” Tori felt sick. “Is nothing what we thought?”
“No. Grandfather said his father had killed our mother years ago. But as his father is dead and can’t be prosecuted, it’s a closed case. We can’t prove he had a hand in it but in my heart, I know he did.”
Tori sat heavily on the side step of the hovercraft. “This is too much. I’ve hated Grandfather for a long time. I can’t believe he actually had something to do with this. I understand about the property values and all the rest, but there were lives at stake here.”
“And many lives were lost.” Genesis reached out and clasped Tori’s shoulder. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that we can’t trust him, even now. So, not only do you have to worry about bank robbers after you, you need to keep an eye out for Grandfather, too.”
“Great.” Tori stared up at the dark sky. “Maybe it would be best if I stayed here for the night. Set up a game plan.”
“Honestly, I would. I’m sorry I don’t have any more food and supplies for you…”
“I’m fine. I don’t need them,” she said absently, her mind considering all the possibilities. She could go into the pool and heal. She’d be able to spend time alone to reminisce. “I think that’s a good idea, actually. Can I have the keys to the apartment? I’ll have to return Vienna’s car. That’s the only thing.”
“Don’t worry about it. We can do that for you.”
The sisters quickly exchanged keys as the men came outside.
“Everyone ready?” Connor asked.
“Yes,” Genesis answered, climbing into the hovercraft. “Let’s go home.”
Connor walked around the hovercraft, Devon at his side. Genesis waved at Tori. “Come by tomorrow.”
“Will do.”
Tori backed up to the cottage door and watched as the hovercraft started up. The wind blew dirt and leaves all over. She quickly stepped inside and waited for the wind to calm down, then went to shut the cottage door.
And found Devon standing in front of her.
“Why didn’t you leave?” she asked in surprise.
“Why didn’t you?”
“I was going to enjoy some time alone,” she said honestly. Until he winced and she realized that she’d hurt his feelings. She shrugged apologetically. “This is home for me. I figured some time here to get reacquainted wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
“And I’m not letting you out of my sight while someone is trying to hunt you down.”
“I’m safe here,” she said in surprise. “No one can get through this door.”
“That’s not true. Genesis and Connor were already attacked here.”
“And Genesis strengthened the protection energy.”
“That’s nice.” He stepped closer. “Until you know for sure that no one can come through here, I’m going to consider it still a possibility.”
She shot him an odd look. “And if we are attacked? Then what are you going to do?” This was all energy-related, and he’d lost his abilities.
“Protect you. If I have to, I’ll take a bullet for you.”
Instantly, she felt like shit. He’d already taken one bullet for her, she wouldn’t dare let him take a second one. What if the next guy was a better shot?
She let him inside, closing the door securely behind him. “I don’t need protecting, you know. But thank you for thinking of me.” She smiled at him, probably the first real smile she’d given him since he’d walked back into her life. “It’s nice knowing you were thinking of me.”
He gave her a crooked smile in return and answered, “Always.”
*
He watched her turn away. The naturalness to her smile gave him hope. Maybe she’d forgive him someday. He could hope. He cared about her—had always loved her, right from the beginning. They’d been so hot for each other. So in love with each other that they’d raced to the altar—and almost made it. But at the first bump in the road, they’d fallen apart.
Then again, he didn’t even know what the bump was before it had turned into a complete cliff.
Possibly because they’d had no foundation to work from. And given the depth of emotions they felt for each other, they should have been able to work through this.
But they’d both failed that step.
He watched as she locked the door. “Do you need to do any other kind of locks here?”
“I already have.” She walked back to the bedroom. “I’m going to the pool.”
