45. Chapter Forty Four

Chapter Forty Four

Skyla

I ’m standing outside Rachel’s shop, looking inside with men literally flanking my every angle. I’m not sure if it’s out of protection or so I’m not seen here. Maybe both. Either way, it’s a little much. Together, the guys and I make our way into the shop until we are practically crowding the intimate space. Liam, being the goldfish he is, immediately walks over to the crystals, checking out all of the sparkling, shiny things, while Wesley picks up one of the jars, reading the label curiously.

Rachel comes from the back, a smile on her face that quickly dies as she notices the guys. All as one, they circle me once more.

“Skyla, when I told you to leave your husband at home, that included his friends.”

“Where she goes, we go,” Ronan answers.

She lifts an eyebrow to him, her mouth flattened into an unimpressed line as her eyes rake over each guy assessingly.

“They are with me,” I say to Rachel. “They are my...” I trail off as Rachel nods once.

“Friends?”

“Yeah,” I say, rolling with it.

“Mhmmm,” she says, her eyes settling on Vincent.

I don’t see auras, or feel them, whatever Rachel does, but even I can tell Vincent is giving off bad vibes. It’s not because he’s a bad person, he’s just in ultimate protection mode. He can’t help it.

“Is it okay that they stay?” I ask. “Please?”

Rachel opens her mouth before letting out a displeasing sigh.

“I don’t have enough sage for this,” she mutters under her breath as she lights two smudge sticks like the one she gave me and begins waving it around the room, lingering around Vincent and Asher for the longest before nodding.

“Did it come in?” I ask Rachel, hoping to diffuse the tension.

“Did what come in?” Asher questions.

“Rachel told me she had something coming in that she thought I needed.”

“Yes,” she says. “It’s in the back. Come with me.”

I step forward, as do the guys, when she holds a hand up.

“Not you all. You,” she says, pointing to Liam. “You may come.”

He points at himself, earning irritated glares from all of the guys as he steps up beside me.

“Why him?” Asher challenges like the petulant child he is.

Rachel shoots him an irritated look.

“Because you all carry a toxic energy that is fucking suffocating. He is the only one who has a pure aura. Your heart must not do well with your circumstances,” she says as her eyes move to Liam with a pitying frown.

She has no idea.

Liam being Liam, though, eases the tension and grins.

“Did you hear that? Perfect aura,” he teases to the guys, who all flip him off as one.

Liam cackles as he sweeps his arms out dramatically.

“After you,” he says to Rachel, and she nods approvingly before leading us to the back room.

Shelves are stacked all the way to the ceiling on either side of us, filled with extra jars, crystals and stones, as well as herbs. A small table is to the left as we move deeper, assumingly where Rachel assembles everything. Finally, we come to a small office. She opens the door and allows Liam and I to step inside first. Confused, I do before my feet cement into place.

What. The. Fuck.

At first, I don’t know what I’m looking at, because how can I be seeing this? This has to be a dream or a hallucination. Something. I grab the inside of my wrist, pinching hard. Shit, not a dream. That means…

“Mom?” I choke out, my eyes running over the blonde woman standing before me.

I’ve only ever seen pictures of her, but it’s like she hasn’t aged a day, and my god, people were not exaggerating when they said I look just like her.

Her green eyes instantly fill with tears as Liam whispers under his breath, “Holy fuck.”

“My girl,” she says before swallowing roughly.

That’s all she can do before I’m rushing to her, full on body slamming her as I wrap my arms around her and sob. Her arms encase me as she begins to cry. Her smell is so calming, like a mixture of vanilla, coconut and a hint of sandalwood. I find myself nuzzling my head into her neck as if I can get closer to her, cling to her harder, and she does the same to me.

Our bodies shake with silent tears before she pulls back and cups my face, looking me over before shaking her head.

“My Goddess, you’ve grown into such a beautiful woman.”

“So have you,” I say with a choked smile.

“My girl. My perfect baby girl,” she says as she cups my face.

I lean into her touch, a loud sob ripping out of me. Apparently, it was too loud because a commotion sounds, followed by several feet pounding through the shop’s wooden floors.

“NO!” Rachel shouts. “You can’t be back here!”

All the guys blow past her, spilling into the room to see what is the matter, but all stop on their heels when they see who is in front of me. Four pairs of eyes, all the size of saucers, as they stare.

“What the fuck is going on?” Ronan asks.

Wesley is shaking his head as Asher and Vincent continue to stare. My mom pushes me behind her protectively, standing in front of them with her shoulders back and head held high.

“She said leave.”

“It’s okay,” I say softly. “These are…well…”

“We’re her boyfriends, well, he’s her husband,” Liam says as he points to Asher before pointing to himself. “But I’m the favorite. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he says as he reaches his hand out for my mom.

Hesitantly, she takes it, shaking it slowly before her eyes assess all of the guys.

“All of them?” she questions.

I’ve never felt so insecure as I do right now. The idea of her not approving of them, of me, of how I’ve chosen to live my life. It gnaws at my stomach until her eyes come back to me.

“So many strong men to protect my baby. Have they done a good job?” she asks.

I smile softly and nod, and so does she, holding me to her once more. We stay like that for several seconds before I speak against her white cotton shirt.

“Mom?”

“Yes, baby?”

“How is this possible? I mean, how are you not dead? Even Steph believes you are. My dad definitely believes so…everyone does. How are you…not?”

She smiles sadly, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

“That is a very long story.”

“Please,” I beg.

“Luther Putnam discovered me and your father. He sent Christopher and Henry to kill me and—”

“Wait,” I say, feeling as if the entire world has shifted beneath my feet. “Are you saying Henry isn’t my father?”

She gives me a watery smile and shakes her head.

“Oh shit, I didn’t see that coming,” Liam comments before someone, rightfully so, smacks him on the back of the head. “Ow.”

“What do you mean?” I ask. “If he isn’t, then who is? Where have you been all these years? How could you—”

“G, it’s time,” Rachel says urgently.

My mom closes her eyes, her shoulders sagging with disappointment as she leans forward, pressing her lips to my forehead. When she pulls away, she gives me a sad smile.

“I have to go.”

“What? NO!” I shout, clinging to her.

“Skyla, I have to. We only have cover for so long.”

“Who is we?” Ronan asks.

“Please, I feel like I just got you back, don’t disappear on me. Please,” I beg.

“I’d never,” she says with a shake of her head. “I’m so sorry. Will you come to me this weekend? Stay as long as you want, make sure you aren’t followed or tracked, okay?”

I nod unquestioningly, and she gives me another forehead kiss before slipping on a hooded cloak and slipping between the guys and out the back door. When the door shuts, the room is silent for several seconds. Rachel grabs a pen and paper from the desk, scribbling an address onto it before handing it to me.

“This is where she lives. Please, for the sake of everyone, make sure you tell no one. Not even Stephanie.”

“You know who Stephanie is?” I ask.

Rachel nods. “And she can’t know. It’s not safe for your mom…or for you.”

“You knew who I was the second I stepped foot into your shop, didn’t you?”

She gives me a soft smile before pulling me in for a hug.

“I’d have recognized you anywhere. You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to meet you.”

“Do you know who my real father is? Where he is?” I ask as I look up to her.

She nods as she looks around the room.

“Come this weekend, and you will get all the answers you are searching for.”

I nod, glancing down at the paper in my hands. New Hampshire?