Pack Bound, page 13
Adam only smiled in that annoyingly knowing way he had and said, ‘I think it’s working fine.’
She growled at him, which only made him laugh.
When the last child had been picked up, she told the remaining staff to go and she’d take care of the end-of-day clean-up. Shelley was on night shift again and Bron always saw clients late on a Thursday. Skye really didn’t feel like going home and sitting in an empty house to stew. Packing everything away at the end of the day and doing some paperwork she’d been putting off seemed just the thing to while away a few hours and keep her mind busy.
Her growling stomach eventually forced her to lock up and head home at nine.
It was drizzling as she walked across the car park, but it wasn’t the rain or the cold night air that caused the icy fingers to chase down her spine just like they had up at the snow. Someone was watching her.
She spun around but saw nobody. Yet the sensation of being watched didn’t go away.
If Morrigan was having her followed again, she would really lose it. This was the last thing she needed right now. What was wrong with her grandmother?
Digging out her mobile phone, she dialled Morrigan’s number, swearing when it went straight to voicemail.
‘Gran, this is Skye. I don’t care what your reason is for still having me followed, I want you to call off your watchdogs. Have the decency to ask me about whatever has you worried enough to lie to me and employ someone to spy. I’m an adult, not a child. I can deal with it. What I can’t deal with is having my privacy impinged on.’
She jabbed the end button, threw her mobile on the front seat of her car, drove home and then went for a long run despite the late hour, her rumbling stomach and the drizzling rain.
When she finally got home, wet and tired, she had a long bath, gobbled down the leftover lasagne in the fridge, ignored the flowers on the bench that Bron had put there with a note—These are for you. Adam says they’re from his brother—and went to bed.
Sleep was a long time in coming, but when she did finally nod off, Jason didn’t invade her dreams again. Images took his place—shadowy figures watching her from the dark; blue lightning-bolt flashes brightening the night; men dressed all in black converging on a crashed car; men changing into huge wolves, baying at the moon; a wolf with a silver and gold pelt standing over her while she lay asleep in bed; a large, grey wolflike dog lunging at her, lips pulled back in a snarl as it attacked.
She awoke in a cold sweat and wrapped her hands around her chest, thankful her fingers weren’t tingling. The dream might have been awful, but at least she hadn’t dreamed about using her magic.
When she could breathe again without gasping, she lay back in bed and closed her eyes. Behind her lids, images from the dream flashed, stopping on one of a wolf staring at her in a dark room, its blue eyes glowing in the dark.
She sat up, fingers clenched, heart pounding once more. There was no way she was going to be able to go to sleep any time soon. She glanced at the clock. Four am. She had to be up in half an hour anyway—she was on the early shift and had to be at work by five thirty.
Dragging herself out of bed, she tiptoed to the bathroom to have a shower. She stood under the spray to let the heat drive away the chill, but it didn’t work. The chill seemed to be in her bones.
Giving it up as hopeless, she turned off the water, dried herself quickly and headed back to her bedroom to get dressed.
After eating some cereal, cleaning her teeth and braiding her hair, she glanced at the clock. Five. Still too early to get to work but she didn’t care. She couldn’t stay here with nothing more to do.
She grabbed her jacket, slung a scarf around her neck, stuffed her purse into her handbag and headed to the front door.
Flowers were waiting for her on the doorstep, the sweet scent of lilies and roses rising up to greet her. What the frickety-fudge? How was Jason having them delivered so early?
She grabbed them, hesitating. She couldn’t bring more flowers into the house. This just might be the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back re Bron’s ability not to pry. These were going in the bin.
She marched down the front steps and headed across the grass to the bin, frost crunching under her boots.
An icy crawl ran down her spine. She swung around, peering into the shadows. The streetlights were so few as to be almost useless; the sky was cloud-covered so there wasn’t even any moonlight to help see. She hit the opener for her car. The car’s internal lights illuminated the area near the trees.
Nobody was there.
Maybe she imagined it. She turned back to the bins.
A twig snapped behind her.
Heart in her mouth, she spun around. Still, she could see no one. But there was definitely someone there.
Moving away from the bins and towards her car, she said, ‘I know you’re there.’ Her voice was loud and echoing in the early-morning quiet. ‘You can tell my grandmother I’m going to have words with her about this later. I didn’t give her my roster so she could use it to have me followed.’
No answer. Not that she expected one. Whoever her grandmother had employed had been told to stay out of sight.
Well, obviously she needed to do more than leave a message on Morrigan’s phone. A face-to-face confrontation would be required, and this time she wouldn’t allow Morrigan to fob her off.
When she arrived at work, she realised she hadn’t thrown the flowers out like she’d intended. Now over her fit of pique, she couldn’t bring herself to throw away something so beautiful—it wasn’t the flowers’ fault they’d been sent to her by a man who annoyed her beyond reason. Taking them inside, she dumped them in a cut-off milk container and placed them in the staff room—her office already looked too much like a florist shop.
She threw herself into the morning set-up and everything was done by the time her staff arrived twenty minutes later.
The early-morning drop-offs began at six and she became too busy to think about Jason or the disturbing dreams that still plagued her sleep. Even so, she still found a reason to be in her office at the time Adam would normally drop Tom off.
She wasn’t hiding, she just had things to do. She was a businesswoman with a business to run, after all. She couldn’t be expected to greet every child as they came into the centre. Or see their annoying uncles who persisted in handing her letters from a man she couldn’t get out of her mind.
When Jenny came in during the late drop-offs to remind her they were celebrating Tom’s birthday at lunch time that day, Skye groaned, her head thudding onto her desk between her arms.
How could she have forgotten that? She never forgot the children’s birthdays. She always greeted them by singing ‘Happy Birthday’ as they walked in the door. She’d let her own problems override the needs of the children.
Hurrying out of the office, she went in search of Tom. She found him instantly simply because Jason, not Adam, was standing beside him. His mesmerising blue gaze clashing with hers across the room.
Everything stopped.
There was no sound, no light except for what glowed in his eyes, illuminating him as if he was the centre of her universe. The world began to spin. Had she stopped breathing?
Taking a step forward—it felt as momentous as Armstrong’s one step onto the moon—she made herself walk towards her tormentor.
He smiled—an irritating and thoroughly provoking smile because it said he knew she’d been avoiding him that morning and he knew the reason why.
Taking a deep breath, she tore her gaze from his and plastered a big smile on her face as she crouched down to greet Tom.
‘Happy birthday, Tom.’
He gave her a shy smile. ‘How did you know it was my birthday?’
She reached out and ruffled his hair. ‘A little birdy told me.’ Calling out to the staff and children, she said, ‘It’s Tom’s birthday today. He’s turning five. How about we sing him our birthday greeting song?’ Pulling him forward a little, she began a rousing version of “Happy Birthday”. Everyone joined in.
After the song was done, Tom and Andy ran off in a giggling mass of arms and legs.
Skye was left crouching on the floor with Jason behind her.
‘Let me help you up,’ he said, his voice a throaty whisper in her ear, his hand already cupping her elbow, the touch a punch to her senses that would have made her stagger if not for his strength bringing her to her feet a smooth glide. It was all she could do not to melt into him and beg to be kissed.
Steeling her spine, she forced herself to sound normal as she eased away and said, ‘Thank you.’
‘No. Thank you.’ His gaze darted to Tom. ‘He’s been happier here this week than he’s been in a long time.’
She waved his compliment away. ‘Well, you and Adam are doing a great job with him. Given what’s happened, he’s doing remarkably well.’ Jason didn’t answer and she cursed herself as she had up at the snow for mentioning the tragedy again. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t know why I brought that up. I know it’s still painful for you because you lost them too.’
His gaze returned to her, clouded. ‘It’s okay. They were important. I don’t want him to ever forget his parents, his grandparents, his uncle and aunt. I don’t want him to be ignorant of the sacrifice they made. But I want him to be happy.’ He took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. ‘Thanks for bringing a smile to his face and light to his eyes.’
He let her hand go—Skye almost wished he hadn’t—and turned back to look at Tom once more, a smile touching the corner of his mouth. ‘Do you know, I don’t think I’ve heard him laugh like that since the accident?’ His smile turned into a frown. ‘In fact, I don’t think he laughed much before the accident either. How do you do it?’
Skye swallowed hard as his gaze, more intense than before, pinned her in place. ‘How do I do what?’
‘Give such happiness. Tom feels it. I can see the other children do too. And your staff. The atmosphere here is so different from anything I’ve experienced before.’
‘That’s just because of the children. There’s nothing quite so healing to the soul as a child’s smile and laughter.’
He cocked his head, a dog-like action she’d noticed him do before. ‘You love children.’
‘Doesn’t everyone?’ she said blithely.
His gaze flickered over her. ‘Not everyone appreciates the gifts they’ve been given.’
‘But you do. I can see it in the way you are with Tom.’
His smile widened and he tucked his hands into his pockets as he said, ‘I try. But he needs brothers and sisters. A family.’
‘You intend to give him one.’ It wasn’t a question.
‘One day. Hopefully. If I’m that lucky.’
She knew his gaze was on her, but she couldn’t look back.
‘Well, it looks like he’s settled in,’ he said after a long pause. ‘He’s certainly forgotten all about me. I’ll just go and tell him I’m leaving. I’ll see you later, Skye.’
She watched him walk away and then turned, blindly walking back to her office.
He hadn’t asked her out. Perhaps he’d given up on her. Perhaps coming here today was a test for him and seeing that she hadn’t greeted him with any warmth, and hadn’t really shown him anything of how she felt, he’d decided she wasn’t worth the effort.
She should be relieved.
So why did it suddenly feel like her entire world had been torn apart?
Normally she would talk to Shelley and Bron about what was going on, but she just couldn’t bring herself to talk about Jason with them. Shelley would get all grouchy and impatient with her indecision and Bron would tell her to go for it and have a good time—to live in the now and not worry about the future.
But how could she not worry about the future when it had been ingrained in her from an early age that she must worry about what was to come? Not to mention the fact that she couldn’t use another human being in that way. He wasn’t a sex toy. He was a warm, vibrant, caring man and it was patently obvious he wanted to give Tom brothers and sisters. He wanted to create a family. That was the one thing she couldn’t give him.
Somewhere deep inside her, she’d begun to hope those things weren’t important to him.
She needed to talk with her brother. River wouldn’t judge or preach to her or tell her she was being stupid. Even with the PTSD and horrifying mood swings, her brother was one hell of a good listener. Swiping up the phone from her desk, she took in a steadying breath and called her grandmother’s house.
‘Cantrae House. How may I help you?’
‘Ferris?’ She was glad Morrigan’s butler had picked up the phone. She didn’t think she could face talking to her grandmother right then.
‘Miss Skye. What can I do for you?’
Her fingers tightened around the phone. ‘I was just wondering if River is having a good day today. I’m thinking of visiting him later.’
‘I think he would like that. He’s been a bit out of sorts since your last visit.’
‘Is he coming down with something?’
‘No. Nothing like that. He’s just not eating much and he’s stayed in his room, refusing to even come out and do some gardening.’
‘Really?’ That was strange. River loved working in the garden. It was one of the only times he seemed happy.
‘I think a visit from you would do him some good, though.’
‘All right. I finish at two. I’ll come right around afterwards.’
‘We’ll see you then, miss.’
She put the phone down with a smile. She’d visit River. Even if she couldn’t broach the subject of Jason with him, just being with him would make her feel better.
And while she was there, she would find some time to have a little chat about privacy and her rights to it with her grandmother.
With luck, the day would end on a brighter note than the one it had started on.
14
Skye pressed the button and waited for the ornate iron gates to open, glancing up as she always did at the lions standing on the brick posts of the twelve-foot sandstone wall that surrounded what could only be called a compound. She’d loved those lions when they had first moved here—they’d been friends and guardians, greeting her every time she came home. Now their glowering faces looked down on her with disapproval akin to the expression on Morrigan’s face every time she looked at her granddaughter, a reminder that this place had long ceased to be Skye’s home.
Cantrae House.
The gates opened and she drove forward. The place looked like a mansion you’d find in France, surrounded by sweeping lawns and perfect garden beds. It was beautiful. A showpiece that was a source of great pride for her grandmother. It left Skye icy cold.
She pulled up in front of the house, slammed the car door and trudged up the steps to the oversized double doors that stood under the grand portico.
Ferris opened the big white wooden door, his greying hair perfectly combed back from his thin, angular face, his posture rigidly upright, mouth pressed in the tight line of a correctly welcoming smile. He would seem cold to anyone who didn’t know him, but Skye saw the warmth and compassion of the man who had always stood as a shield between her and her grandmother.
Smiling, she stepped through the door and said, ‘Nice suit, Ferris. Is it new?’
‘It is indeed, Miss Skye. Madame picked it up for me yesterday.’
She looked down at the blue tie—it had pink dots on it. ‘Did madame pick the tie, too?’
Ferris’ lips twitched, but he held back the smile. ‘No. Cook did.’
‘I like it. It’s very metro.’
‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’ Ferris nodded slightly and turned to close the door— she was certain he hid a smile.
‘Is my grandmother home?’
‘Madame is out with one of her charity groups.’
‘What are they raising money for this time—disadvantaged heiresses with an addiction to saltwater pearls?’
‘I believe it’s something to do with the Leukaemia Foundation,’ he answered stiffly as he took her coat and bag.
Skye swore under her breath. Ferris had always been so kind to her, but he was loyal to Morrigan and her careless words about her grandmother had upset him. ‘I’m sorry, Ferris. I know Morrigan does a lot of good with her charities. My sarcasm was uncalled for.’
‘Have you not had a good day, miss?’
‘You could say that.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Forgive me.’
Ferris smiled. ‘There’s nothing to forgive, miss. Now, I think you’ll find Master River is in the kitchen. He refused his lunch but I finally managed to coax him downstairs to have a sandwich. Is there anything I can get for you?’
Skye shook her head. ‘I’ll help myself. I’m sure you’ve got plenty to do.’
‘Very well, miss. Let me know if you change your mind.’
Skye thanked him and went in search of her brother.
River sat at the small table in the bay windows overlooking the back garden, the sandwich in front of him untouched as he stared blindly at the opposite wall.
His shaggy auburn hair glinted in the sunlight streaming through the window. Seeing him sitting in sunlight would normally have cheered her, but it just served to highlight how pale he was and outline the dark circles under his eyes, marring the chiselled planes of his handsome face.
The table was designed for the much more petite Morrigan, so when River sat at it, he looked like an adult at the kiddy table. Rather than making him look big though, the comparison just showed how thin he was—far too thin for his six-foot four, wide-shouldered frame.
The muscles that had started filling out at the beginning of puberty, promising a build that might have looked like Jason’s, had all but gone now with his slow and steady decline. Nothing any of them had done had managed to change things for him. It was like he was slowly fading away and there was nothing she could do.
She wanted to cry. Instead, she forced a gentle smile to her lips and touched his shoulder. ‘River?’
He turned slowly to stare up at her, his hazel eyes lifeless.
