Chapter 16

After the harrowing ordeal at Howlers two days ago, my life returned to a normal routine. Though Tak had promised to stay in town, I hadn't spoken to him. My hours at the store were long, and by the time I made it home, all I wanted to do was sleep. As much as I missed his company, I needed the space to clear my head. Inviting him to sleep over behind my brother's back would have been a mistake. Maybe Tak understood the position it put me in, or maybe he didn't want to pursue me as anything more than a lover. But either way, he was still around. I'd glimpsed him walking by the window every so often, and I'd spotted his wolf in the shadows last night when I closed the store later than expected.

I slumped down in my chair and admired the view out the living room window. Dusk approached, the colors changing from burnt orange and gold to a hypnotizing shade of indigo.

Instead of sending a message, I found Melody's number in my contact list and only had to wait through two rings. "How's everything going up there?"

Melody sounded like herself again. "We're having a blast. I've never eaten so much food in my life. His dad made the most amazing lemon cake. There must have been some inside joke I didn't get, but the cake was scrumptious. Why didn't you tell me how awesome their home is? I love how they each have their own floor. It's so different from living with a pack of wolves. I practically had to make reservations to use the bathroom at my old place."

I chuckled softly. "Did Lakota's parents have a coronary over your hair?"

She snorted. "Okay, maybe I overreacted just a little bit. They accepted me the second I walked through the door. They're so easy to talk to that it's like having a second family. My parents are impressed with the building and the way they live together like a pack. Did you know his uncle's a Shifter?"

"Of course. Who do you think carved the wolf totem in our store? I knew everything would work out just fine."

"I guess if it wasn't my hair I would have been nervous about something else. Meeting the family and all. By the way, your dad's butting heads with Justus. They were arguing this afternoon. Something about which is faster, a Ferrari or Porsche. Then they both took off in their cars. I thought for sure their mates were going to lock them out for the night." Melody laughed, hinting there was more to the story. "Anyhow, it's not the same here without you."

I steered my gaze up to the heavens. "I wish I could have come, but we'll make the trip another time when things settle down with the store. I'm so glad everyone's getting along and having a good time. That's all I wanted for you. Maybe we can invite everyone down for a peace party."

"How's Moonglow? I didn't think I'd miss work, but I do."

"Nothing to worry about. Sales are up, and Naya volunteered to take over for an afternoon if I need a break."

"That was nice of her. I miss you."

"Me too. Are you still coming home on Friday?"

"Maybe. I'm having such a good time up here, but Lakota's been talking about heading back a little early."

"Why's that?"

"He had a bad dream. I told him that he's worrying over nothing. That's one reason I wanted to call tonight to see how things were going. Maybe it'll put his mind at ease and we can stay."

I didn't mention my own dream about the store in flames. Lakota and I believed dreams were messages, but they weren't literal interpretations. Usually they were metaphors, and the meaning for mine seemed obvious. Someone was trying to shake my confidence.

"Stay as long as you want and tell my brother not to be such a worrywart."

She chortled and repeated my comment, and Lakota said something in the background. Those two really deserved a honeymoon. They'd been cooped up in the house with me since their mating.

Melody cleared her throat. "Did you close that deal with what's-her-face?"

"You mean Asia? Nothing's in writing yet. She's supposed to talk it over with her housemates. We'll see."

"Well, if it falls through, we'll figure something out. Maybe we can just sneak over and pluck them."

I bit back my laughter. "I better let you go. Say hi to everyone for me."

"Will do. Talk to you later."

After I set the phone down, my gaze fixed on the buildings across the street. The light soaked into the brick, amplifying the colors. I loved Texas. Even in the city, the expansive horizon was full of possibilities.

And danger.

Would my stalker ever relent? Some resented that we'd purchased the shop, especially since we were single women. There were people who didn't believe Shifters should own businesses when we had so much land. Maybe someone had targeted me for a specific reason. There were so many angles and no way of knowing the truth.

If only we could set up a security camera, but recorded surveillance wasn't permitted in the Breed district since the Councils protected the identities of immortals. At least Tak was still around.

When the doorbell rang, I jumped out of my chair. Sometimes our neighbor gave us a heads-up that they were having a party. With Shifters, that could mean a lot of howling. I padded across the floor and looked out the peephole.

"Dutch," I said, opening the door. "How did you get in the building?"

"My charm and good looks?" He gave me a sheepish grin. "I snuck in behind the delivery man. Mind if we talk?"

Impeccable as usual, I thought, admiring his golden hair, which was neatly styled back. Did the man even have whiskers, or did they simply stop growing at his command? Dutch could have been a male model in a cologne ad.

I stepped back to let him inside. "Can I take your jacket? It's a little warm in here."

His sports coat slid off his shoulders, and I hung it up.

"Nice place. It doesn't look anything like what I imagined," he said, staring at the living room.

"I have two roommates, and we have different ideas about interior decorating. Can I get you something to drink? Root beer, tea, water…"

"Wine?" He gestured to the small wine rack in the kitchen.

"Sure. Make yourself comfortable."

While I uncorked the bottle of red and filled our glasses, Dutch strolled around and inspected the apartment. He looked closely at pictures, touched fabric, studied the artwork, and admired the view.

"Do you live nearby?" I asked.

"No." He shook his head. "I don't know how you can tolerate the noise level outside."

Only then did I notice a car alarm going off. "You get used to it. After a while, it's just white noise." I crossed the room and offered him a glass. "I haven't heard from you since that night at Howlers. I've been thinking about you. How have you been?"

He gulped down a large swallow and lingered by the window. "I came by to apologize for abandoning you the other night. It was rude."

"No apology needed. You were injured."

A small drop of wine splashed on his grey button-up, and he brushed it with his hand before setting down his glass. "Rude isn't even sufficient a word. Unforgivable."

"Half the men in that bar took off," I pointed out. "Not everyone's animal can stand up to a grizzly, especially one on a rampage. I'm just sorry that we didn't get to finish our… um… Well, whatever it was."

"Date?"

I furrowed my brow and drifted past him. "I'm still not sure."

After setting my wineglass on the end table, I took a seat on the pink sofa. Dutch remained by the window, gazing down at the street. His pants fit him snugly, as did his shirt, but in an agreeable way. I guessed they were tailored, and I wondered how much money he spent on his wardrobe. Did he have one of those fancy walk-in closets?

Dutch strode over and gestured to the small gap beside me. "Mind if I sit?"

I scooted to the center.

He stretched his arm over the back of the sofa, fingers lightly touching my right shoulder. "Who was that man you were speaking to at the bar?"

"Tak? He knows my brother."

"For a man you're barely acquainted with, he behaved a little possessively. Do you two have something going on?"

Dutch didn't need the full story. I smiled coyly. "It's a wolf thing. We get territorial."

He winked. "Never trust an evasive woman."

I cocked my head and gave him a pointed look. "And never trust a man who doesn't make his intentions clear."

"Touché."

"Could you hand me my wine?"

He reached for the glass. "I couldn't help but notice the ostentatious display of necklaces you had in your counter were priced considerably high. Do you actually sell those, or is it a tactic to make everything else in the store look like a bargain?"

I swallowed a mouthful of heady wine. "Those are harder to sell since my art has to speak to the buyer. Each piece tells a story, each stone unique. Buying a showy piece is a personal decision and rarely has anything to do with the price tag."

When I passed him my glass, it slipped through his fingers and splashed red wine all over his shirt and pants.

Horrified, I fumbled for the stem before it rolled to the floor. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do that."

Dutch stood up and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, working his way from top to bottom before stripping it off. I tried not to stare, but he had a fine physique that resided somewhere in the middle of perfection. It was as if Greek gods had carved him in their likeness, what with his golden locks and aquamarine eyes. He was so different from the men I'd known—men who were physically strong and abrasive. Dutch had clout and a sophisticated aura about him. He walked as if clouds were beneath his feet, and he spoke as if every word would be etched in stone.

"Let me try to clean that," I offered, rising to my feet.

"Don't trouble yourself. It's not worth fussing over." He wadded up the dress shirt and tossed it into a small wastebasket. "So how much do those feather earrings go for?"

I set the glass on the table and strode to the window. "For the opening, we ran them fairly cheap as a test. If I can secure a deal with the seller, I'll have a steady supply. It won't be difficult to move the merchandise. We've never sold such a buzzworthy item. As quickly as they went for a hundred dollars, I'm quite certain a price increase won't impact the demand. You can't buy those anywhere else. That might change if a bird Shifter decides to open up shop, but I have the edge with all the other merchandise we sell. Clothes, shoes, purses—Mel's even thinking about mittens for winter."

He pinched his chin. "You're a clever businesswoman. All that hype over feathers."

I swept my tresses behind my shoulders. "People pay good money for things of monetary value, but you underestimate how much they'll pay for items with a personal connection to something they care about. Customers value my gems because my dealer's tribe handpicks only the best. The feathers connect them with Shifters. Each purchase supports the Breed community. Can you say the same about your collection?"

He shook his head. "Diamonds will always sell, no matter where they came from or who distributes them."

I glanced out the window at a white truck down below. "I suppose. Dutch, you have nothing to worry about. Our customers are entirely different, so it's not like we're hurting your business."

He came up behind me. "Did I say I was worried?"

He didn't have to. Dutch implied my jewelry was not up to par with his and that he'd felt threatened by the new shop in the neighborhood. I wondered if any of his customers had asked him for directions to Moonglow. Did he want to compete by selling similar items? Why else would he have come into the shop to purchase the very earrings that were creating a buzz on the streets? It must have frustrated him to see me profiting from something that wasn't high-end enough to sell in his own store.

When I turned around, Dutch had his hands in his pockets.

"Do you forgive me for running out?" he asked, his expression guarded. "I'm not a man who needs his feelings coddled, so be honest. Let me know what I can do to make it right between us. I don't like making enemies who smile to my face."

"You have a nice smile," I observed, circling around him and collecting our glasses. "What happened back at the bar doesn't bother me. But something else does. Why did you want to purchase my earrings if they're not your style? You don't have a woman or else you wouldn't be here alone in my apartment." I set the glasses in the sink and then turned around, inching up to the edge of the island.

Dutch strolled into the kitchen, chin down but eyes up. "I admire your business tactics."

My brows arched. "Tactics? I love each and every piece I create. There's nothing tactical about that."

He placed his hands on the granite countertop. "Ah, but there is. You could have purchased feathers from any wholesale dealer, but you chose to use Shifter feathers and create letters of authenticity or something along those lines. At least, that's what one woman told me. I wanted to see for myself what came with the purchase."

"You don't provide documents with your precious stones? My intention is to share the history and origin. For many, owning something unique with a history behind it is special. It connects them to the Breed world when so many things in today's culture disconnect us. My mother made this bowl," I said, sliding the fruit bowl toward him. "It's irreplaceable and means more to me than the crystal bowl on top of the fridge."

He leaned forward and tipped his head to the side. "So who's your dealer?"

My lips eased into a grin. "Trying to steal my business?"

"Just curious who would sell you their feathers."

"Why not ask about my gemstone dealer?"

Dutch stood up and waved his hand dismissively. "Everyone knows Shikoba only deals with Natives."

"Ah. So you've tried."

He shrugged. "You have to give the people what they want. But if I can't strike a deal with the most reputable guy in his field, then it's not worth pursuing."

"You spend a lot of time pursuing perfection."

"I'm a man of refined taste."

I tucked my hair behind my ear. "Someday you'll meet a woman so flawed that all you can see is how perfect she is."

Dutch folded his arms. "Doubtful. Women see me as a means to the finer things in life."

"You can't be serious."

He arched an eyebrow. "Can't I? My looks are appealing, but not as much as my money."

I shook my head in disbelief. "If you don't think relationships can be genuine, why do you spend so much time searching for perfection?"

He dropped his arms to his sides. "If a woman stands to gain from a relationship with me, then why should I not have high standards? I'm not cold, Hope. I'm just… practical."

"What about love?"

"Love is irrelevant. One thing you should accept with your success is that you'll never know the genuine affections you call love. Companionship is a suitable compromise. Why should I give my heart away like a commodity?" The light dimmed from his eyes. "I can buy anything I want, but I can't buy love. I can't even earn it. It's the tragic fate of success. You're an ambitious woman, but be careful how well you do in this world. Everyone has ulterior motives, and everything comes at a price."

Despite the niceties, I wasn't Dutch's type. Perhaps he wondered if a woman with equal success could be a suitable match, or maybe asking me out had been a ruse to gain information. The trouble with Dutch was that I couldn't begin to guess his true intentions. I was used to being around people who were straightforward. He danced around words and always left me feeling as though I knew even less about him than what he revealed.

I worried my lip and glanced over at the folded-up paper next to the bowl. I finally gathered the courage to slide it in front of him. "Did you write this?"

His brows knitted together, and he opened the death threat. Dutch quickly shoved it away. "Do you think I would write something so crass?"

"I don't know what you're capable of. We barely know each other. So you didn't leave this outside my shop?"

He gave me an indignant look and wiped at the wine stain that had already set in his pants. "I suppose you also think I'm responsible for breaking your window? Tread carefully, Miss Church. You walk a fine line between curiosity and slander. An unfounded accusation like that could ruin my business and reputation. But I suppose you already know that. Coming here was a mistake."

Maybe it was.

As I saw Dutch to the door and handed him his jacket, I wondered if I'd just made an enemy.