Chapter 13

13

Dylan's shoulders ached as he turned onto his road. His eyes felt dry and bleary, and the skin on his face was too tight for his features. His brain was just as tired as his body, and his bear was restless. He turned into the driveway and parked, grateful to finally be home.

At least, mostly. Home was no longer the sanctuary it used to be. The clanhouse was a symbol of all that'd been achieved not only by him but by the generations of Brighams who'd come before him. It was the one place he could let his guard down and be himself, and he never had to worry about what secrets he was keeping. Will's presence had changed all of that.

He slipped in the front door and listened. It wasn't his job to monitor his brother's comings and goings, but he didn't love the thought of Will having free reign of the place while Dylan was gone. Thumping music came from upstairs, quickly switching off.

Lila came trotting down. "Hey, Dad! I thought I heard you come home."

"Yeah, I'm here. How was your day?" He kissed his daughter on the forehead, feeling a small amount of tension leave his body.

"Fine. I spent most of it at Grandma and Grandpa's. Bella and I are going out tonight, so I'm on my way to meet her now." She slipped on the sandals she'd left by the front door.

Dylan had always missed her terribly when she was in Boston for the school year. He knew he'd get plenty of time with her now that she'd graduated, but he still wanted her company. It was a little difficult to know how grown up she was and that she didn't rely on him the same way she used to. "Are you getting dinner?"

Lila smiled. "Yes, Dad. I'll eat. I promise. I think we're getting pizza, actually. I haven't had a chance to catch up with Bella since I got back into town."

"You two have fun." He remembered when Lila and Bella were just little bitty things, out playing in the sand.

"We will!" She reached for the door handle.

"Hey." He stepped a little closer, not knowing who else might be in the house. "Have you seen Will?"

She made a face that she didn't bother hiding for his sake. "He was on his way out when I was coming in, but he didn't tell me where he was going. I can't say that I asked. I think I saw him out on his boat a little while ago, though."

"Okay. I was just curious. I'll see you later." He closed the door behind her, wondering if he'd ever get used to not asking her precisely when she'd be home or reminding her to keep him updated on where she was and who she was with. Those precautions had been necessary at one point, and he'd slowly pulled back on them as she'd gotten older. He'd told himself that it was all for her benefit and safety. Now that he had to let her be her adult self, Dylan realized it'd been just as much for him.

With a sigh, he headed into the kitchen. Since Will wasn't there, maybe he'd be able to relax a bit. He took a beer from the fridge and cracked it open, knowing he was just fooling himself. Will wasn't the only reason he had such a time getting comfortable these days.

He sighed again when he heard a knock on the front door. Any clan members living on their stretch of beach would come to the back door. Someone knocking meant someone to deal with, and he wasn't in the mood. He'd already had a shitty day, and he hadn't yet figured out how he'd shake it off. Beer in hand, he marched to the entryway and swung open the door.

It was Stacey. She stood straight and stiff on the porch, her mouth a hard line and her eyes glittering like sapphires. "Hey, Dylan."

"Hi." He managed to get out that one syllable before the remainder of the air in his lungs disappeared. Dylan had been thinking about her all day. She'd haunted him as he'd gotten ready for work, knowing she was right next door. Things hadn't gotten any better once he'd left. When he'd led a group on a guided seashore walk, a woman had been there with her two young kids. She wasn't Stacey, but the love in her eyes when she looked at her children reminded him of her. His lunch break had felt lonely and desolate, even though he knew he was doing the right thing by staying away from her right now. He'd spent the afternoon arguing with his bear, but now she was at his door.

And she looked pissed. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

"No, not really. I need to talk to you, if you have a moment."

"Sure." He opened the door wider and ushered her inside. His bear had been pestering him all day, and now it rose even further within him as if to say, ‘See? I told you so?' Something was definitely wrong with Stacey. He could tell that this wasn't just anger on her face but worry and fear. He closed the door behind her and lifted the bottle in his hand. "Can I get you a beer?"

"No. Wait, maybe I'll take one," she amended. "Why not? It might make some of this easier."

"Sounds like it's pretty damn bad," Dylan noted as he fetched another drink. Whatever it was, he wanted to fix it. "I assume no one's bleeding, so come sit down."

Her elbows were tight against her sides as she followed him to the kitchen table, her shoulders drawn up around her neck. She sat stiffly in a chair across from him, the same chair she'd sat in the day she'd brought over lunch. That hadn't been all that long ago, but so much between them had changed that it might as well have been months. "Is your brother home?"

He had several brothers, but he knew she could only be asking about one. Dylan didn't like where this was heading. "No, not at the moment."

"Good." She took a swig of beer before she began. "I hate to bother you about this, but I can't think of any better solution."

"Go ahead," he urged, more desperate by the second to find out what was wrong. If Will did something to her, then to hell with any blood ties.

"He was out on the beach with a metal detector today," she began, speaking quickly as though she might not get it all out otherwise. "I was in my yard with the kids, and Elijah was pretending to be a pirate. He asked Will if he was hunting for buried treasure, and the guy totally flipped out on him. Will ran up to the fence, got in Elijah's face, and told him to mind his goddamn business."

Dylan stared at her, his body frozen as his mind reeled. She had no idea just how much she was telling him. Will had been on the beach with a metal detector. That wasn't anything Dylan had seen him do, which meant he'd timed it carefully so he could do it while Dylan was gone. Will had been practically scouring his den when they'd spoken a few days earlier. Dylan had been wondering what'd made Will come around again, but now he knew. It was so obvious! How could he not have seen it before?

"I really am sorry to bug you about this," Stacey continued. "I know your brother's behavior isn't your responsibility."

"He's a guest in my house, so he's at least somewhat my responsibility." Dylan looked after the entirety of the clan, but Stacey didn't—couldn't—know anything about that. Will wasn't exactly part of the clan and hadn't been for a long time. That didn't detract from Dylan's urge to protect Stacey.

She nodded as she rubbed her thumb up the side of the beer bottle, playing with the drops of condensation that'd already started to form there. As incensed as she'd appeared when she first arrived, she now looked like all the wind had been taken out of her sails. "I really am sorry to bother you with this. He's your brother, and I don't mean to speak ill of him to you. He scared Elijah, and in turn, that scared me. I should've come over and talked to him myself instead of running over the second you got home, but I just didn't feel comfortable approaching him."

"No, that's all right." She'd been waiting for him to come back. Dylan imagined her peeking through the curtains, watching for his Jeep. The idea of her waiting for him made coming home sound much more appealing, even if it wasn't for the reason he'd prefer. He was also relieved that she hadn't confronted Will herself. Dylan hadn't been sure how much he could trust him, and Will had already wasted the tiny sliver Dylan had granted him by letting him stay there. "You did the right thing. I'll talk to him and take care of it."

"Thank you." She let out a weak laugh. "It's kind of funny, really."

"How's that?" Dylan didn't find a single thing funny about this situation. It alarmed him more than anything. She didn't realize what Will's behavior implicated.

"Well, you know, I used to run all these big meetings in boardrooms. I dealt with high-level executives from my own company as well as others. I never shied away from stating my opinion or standing up for myself. I didn't think of myself as a meek woman amongst a bunch of men. I shouldn't be the kind to back down from a situation like what happened with Will today. I guess the setting and the clothing make a big difference. There's a lot about this new life I've created that I still have to get used to. "

"It just means you get to explore your softer side," Dylan said, thinking aloud as he admired this beautiful woman. He hadn't known her long, and he knew there was still much more to find out about her if he had the chance, but so far, he'd liked every aspect he'd seen. It could be the angry mother who'd just shown up on his doorstep, the fun-loving woman who'd been so excited for their drive on the beach, the devoted mother who put her kids above all else, or the sultry lover he'd joined with under the stars. "No one's the same all the time."

"I suppose not." She was studying him just as intently as he was her. Those blue eyes were soft now, like water instead of hard sapphires, and they poured into him.

Dylan wondered if she'd spent as much time pondering their relationship—or current lack thereof—as he did. "Other than my obnoxious brother, has everything else been going okay for you? Are the kids getting adjusted?"

"Well enough, I think. We're trying to just enjoy the summer, but in the back of my mind, I've got a big list of things to do. I'll have to get them registered for school soon. Vivian is pretty nervous about it, but Elijah is young enough that he hasn't thought about it much." Her fingernail picked at the label on her beer bottle. "I know that overall, this move was the right thing, but there are a lot of adjustments."

"Lila went to Central, which is where Vivian and Elijah will be in the fall. She'd probably love to take them over there sometime. They can't get into the school right now, but she could walk around outside and show them the playground. Maybe that would make them feel better." Damn it. He'd just volunteered Lila to spend more time with Stacey's kids right after he'd told her he couldn't see her. He'd even used Lila as an excuse! He truly did want to spend any time he could with his daughter, and it wasn't like he could've told Stacey about the clan issues at the heart of his decision. Still, he felt like such a hypocrite.

"Check with her and let me know. I think they'd love that, but I don't want to impose on her summer." Stacey rose from her chair. "I didn't mean to impose on you, either."

He was on his feet in an instant. "You're not. As far as I can tell, this is a pretty normal conversation for neighbors to have." Well, maybe about the kids and life, but not so much about his brother's odd behavior. Was there any such thing as normal for someone like him?

"I'll be sure to stop by next week and ask to borrow a cup of sugar, then," she said with a laugh as she moved toward the front of the house.

He walked along with her, already dreading the distance that was about to open up between them. "I'll be sure to give it to you as long as you agree to pay me back with interest."

The lines around Stacey's eyes deepened as she wrinkled her nose. "I'll have to check the pantry and see if I can afford it."

"We can make payment arrangements. Then I'll have an excuse to see you every month." He couldn't control his mouth around her, but it was too late to take it back. The mirth quickly drained out of their conversation as he got so close to the truth. "I really do miss you, Stacey. I know I shouldn't say that since I was the one who stopped things between us."

"It's all right," she replied quickly before he could make more excuses. "I get it. I miss you, too. You're fun to hang out with."

"Don't tell my family that if you happen to run into them. They'll never believe you." Dylan tried to joke, but his heart felt too heavy now. He truly was missing her, and in ways he couldn't even begin to explain. A human could never understand just how deep a shifter's feelings for his mate could be. She'd never comprehend that two sides of him were equally crazy about her. It wasn't just a desire to be with her but a need. Fate had taken its sweet time in finally pulling them together, yet it had also made anything between them feel impossible. "Maybe I'm only fun when I'm with you."

"I doubt that." Her mouth matched the softness of her eyes as she smiled at him.

His hands remembered the feeling of her skin, the curves of her body against his. Dylan's bear cried out for her, acutely aware of just how much distance was between them even though they only stood a few feet apart. He lifted his hand to run his finger slowly from her elbow to her wrist. He hadn't meant to touch her, but there was less and less of himself that he had any control over. Dylan had fought hard against his duty to keep Stacey at arm's length, and he was failing quickly. He pulled back.

But she turned her wrist and caught his hand in her own. Stacey looked into his eyes as she squeezed his hand. It was a simple gesture, but it let him know that she was truly struggling with this just as much as he was. Her fingers pressed against his, and he couldn't take any more.

Dylan pulled her close, his hands smoothing against her hips and around to her back as their mouths found each other. Dylan felt all resistance to Stacey quickly melting away like an ice cube in the sun. This was where they were meant to be, right in each other's arms. His bear roared to life, demanding that he claim her as his own. It wasn't enough to have her breasts pressed against his chest. It wasn't enough to feel her lips against his, exploring, feeling, enjoying. He held her tighter, wondering how he'd ever manage to get close enough.

Her head tipped back, and her lips parted as the tip of his tongue touched them. Dylan dove into her mouth, as hungry as ever for her. He roved over her tongue, and a moan escaped his throat as her hands ran up his arms and to his shoulders, holding herself just as tightly against him as he was trying to hold onto her. With her arms up, his finger caught a strip of bare skin between the hem of her shirt and the waistband of her shorts. It sent a new bolt of lightning through him. His bear knew it wouldn't take much effort to scoop his arms under her backside, throw her over his shoulder, and carry her upstairs to his bedroom where they could while away the afternoon celebrating each other's bodies.

With a quick inhale, Stacey pulled back. Her cheeks were flushed, and his stubble had abraded her lips, creating a darker shade of pink. She pressed her fingers to her mouth, her eyes alight. "I'm sorry about that. I already took up your time, and then…"

"No," he breathed, feeling like he had to remaster the English language after the whirlwind that'd just gone through his head. It didn't help that she was blaming herself for that kiss. That meant she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her. It would make things even harder to deal with once she went home, but he reveled in it at the moment. "That was me just as much as you. Trust me."

The heat in her eyes suggested she did, and she turned away before the temperature could rise any further. "I should be getting back to the kids. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me."

That kiss had pulled any thoughts of Will straight out of his head, but they came rushing back in with a slap of reality. "Of course. I'll be sure to take care of it."

"Thank you. I know Elijah's young, and he probably overreacted. In fact, I know he did." She shook her head, a small smile playing on her mouth.

"Why do you say that?" It was a small detail, but Dylan wanted to know even the tiniest thoughts that echoed through her mind.

She waved her hand dismissively in the air. "Right after it happened, Elijah insisted that Will had fangs and yellow eyes. I know he was just scared, so I didn't think much about it. I figured he'd forget about it completely once he calmed down, but he still swears up and down that it was real."

His throat was dry and tight. Stacey might think that was something insignificant, nothing more than the silly fantasies of a scared child. She was so wrong. "I'm really sorry that Will scared him so badly."

"He'll forget about it in time. It's just like the time he thought zombies were real. It took him a bit of convincing, but he finally understood. Anyway, I should get out of your hair. I'll see you."

"See you." Dylan let her out the front door, his knuckles white around the knob as he shut it behind her. He headed down the hall to his den, needing time and space to think.

It wasn't easy, not with Stacey taking up such permanent residence in his mind. He could still feel her lips against his, her heated skin against his body. He wanted her, and his responsibility to the clan couldn't change that. Dylan had planned to keep her as far away from their secret as possible, but Will's conduct had put his plan at risk.

Dylan leaned back in his chair. Every muscle in his body was tight, ready to jump into action. His bear urged it on. Will couldn't know that Stacey was Dylan's mate, even if he got the idea that his twin was attracted to the woman next door, but he still had to be held accountable for revealing the other side of himself to a human.

Despite the trouble Will was causing with Stacey, Dylan knew with all certainty now just why his brother was there. He could claim he wanted to be close to family, that he was in between jobs, that he needed a break, but Dylan knew it was complete bullshit. He ran his knuckle along his jawline, trying to think it all through before taking action.

No.

That wasn't going to work. Not now. Not with Will. There would be no talking this out, no trying to understand everyone's side of the story. Many clan problems could be handled that way, but not all of them. Dylan clenched his hand into a fist and pounded it on the arm of his chair before he shot to his feet and stormed outside.