“Yeah. I’m just wondering if he’s here.”
“If he is, just ignore him and come right back out. Me and Buster will be waiting, right Bee-man?” Kaiser asked, the elderly dog panting in his ear from right behind them.
Cristie ventured a look back at Buster Bee, riding along in the tiny backseat of Kaiser’s car, sitting happily on top of his new diet dog food. She couldn’t help but grin. She reached back and scratched his head between his ears, resulting in a steady beat being slapped against the large dog food bag from Buster’s foot slapping it uncontrollably as a result of her scratching. “I hope you like that food as much once you taste it.”
“Is it bad?” Kaiser asked.
“No. I mean, I haven’t tried it personally, but the makers claim it’s preferred over all competitors’ weight loss foods. And it’s got better ingredients. It’s just healthier. Higher protein and veggies, less carbs and grains.”
“He’ll eat it. Doesn’t matter what it is,” Kaiser said as he drove them through the front gate that slowly opened and granted them entry.
Kaiser pulled his car up and parked it between Cristie’s car and Riley’s work truck. “You’re on, my dear. Go in and get changed and I’ll be waiting here. If he’s here, just pretend he’s not and make your escape. We’ll whisk you away.”
Cristie nodded, but she made no move to get out of the car.
“Want me to go in with you?”
Cristie looked over at Kaiser hopefully, but then shook her head. “No. Yes, but no. I gotta do this. I can’t be afraid to go into my own home.”
“You are a pretty bad ass Alpha. Don’t let him shake you.”
“Oh, I am shook. But that doesn’t mean I can’t get un-shook.”
“Prove it, then.”
“I will,” she said, opening the door and stepping out of the car. “I’ll be right back. Maybe a few minutes to change clothes and wash my face…”
“Take your time, we’ll be here.”
~~~
Riley glanced through the window when he heard the sensor ping, letting him know someone had entered a security code to open the gate and presumably drive through.
“Who is it?” Lucas asked.
“Kaiser, or Basilio driving Kaiser’s car.”
“I thought I saw his car over at the animal hospital a little while ago,” Lucas said.
“He’s probably bringing Cristie home, since it’s so late.”
“Is Kaiser here?” a beautiful girl with thick, strawberry blonde waves and big bright blue eyes asked as she skidded to a stop in the doorway of the living room.
Keegan glared at her sister disdainfully as she followed her into the living room. “Tia, he doesn’t care that you’re worried about him being here,” she said. It was clear from their physical similarities that the two girls were related, but there were differences as well. At first glance the older sister, Keegan, was very similar to her sister, with the exception of a darker head of hair and a lot less giggly wistfulness in her personality. Keegan’s hair was heavier, a little straighter, and just this side of brown. They both had blue eyes, but there was a small golden splotch at the bottom of Keegan’s right pupil. And she was more stoic, more serious in her approach to everything.
“He’s an adult. He’s not worried about either one of you,” Lucas said.
“What are the two of you doing in here when you’re supposed to be learning how to cook?” Anahla asked, walking up behind her two daughters and laying a hand on both before turning them back toward the kitchen.
Lucas melted the moment his eyes met Anahla’s.
She smiled at him and blew a kiss before returning her hand to her daughter’s shoulders.
Lucas blew one back.
Lucas turned back to Riley as Anahla took their daughters back to the kitchen. “What was I saying, oh, yeah, it’s not even 7:00.”
“Can I just say I get a kick out of the way you two still love each other like that. That’s what I want for Cristie. That’s why I granted sanctuary to Remi. I want her to have what we all have. And it’s still after 5:30. The hospital closes at 5:30,” Riley said.
