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Who knows that better than me? I spent years hiding the pain from my dad. I’d even smiled at him a few times while he beat me. I had to talk to Stella. I had to know she was a willing participant.
Without thinking, I grabbed Isaac’s keys and moved to the door. “Hold on there, Em. Where the hell are you going?” He grabbed my arm to turn me around.
“I need to talk to her, Isaac. I can’t just assume she’s okay with what we saw. This isn’t the Stella we have known all our lives.”
He studied me for a minute before nodding. “Okay. I’ll come with you.”
“No. I think it’ll be better if it’s just me because of my history with my dad and the fact that I’m a woman.”
“I get that. Okay, but at least let me take you to Fraser’s to get your car. I’ll need mine.”
My nerves kicked up as we neared Liam’s house. I wasn’t ready to see him yet, but I still felt a pang of disappointment when we pulled up to find the garages open and my car the only one in there.
“Be careful,” Isaac said, kissing my cheek before I got out of the truck.
“I will. I’ll text you when I’m done.”
He watched as I got into my car and only backed out after I had. He followed me toward Stella’s, and for a moment I thought he was going to sit and wait while I talked to her, but he made the turn to his office.
If I thought I’d been nervous at Liam’s it was nothing compared to what I felt when I pulled up to Stella’s house. Her parents had given her the small white ranch-style house with wrap-around porch and turquoise front door as a high school graduation gift.
They’d told her it would make the perfect starter home for her family. I’d never thought twice about that comment until now. Had they always pressured her to find a mate, or had it been an innocent comment meant for the future?
I stood in front of the cheerfully painted door and stared at the black doorknocker in the shape of a butterfly.
“Suck it up, Steele,” I whispered to myself as I raised my hand to the butterfly.
It took her a few minutes, but she opened the door and looked shocked to see me. Not as shocked as me though. Her appearance surprised me so much, I took a step back. She wore a black leather mini-dress and shiny red high heels.
“I take it you’re expecting company?” I asked, running my eyes over her body. “Damn, Stella. Look what you’ve been hiding under those sweaters of yours.”
Her face flamed red. A contradiction to her outfit and what I’d seen the night before.
“Thanks,” she said as her eyes darted to the road behind me. “Uh, yeah, I am expecting someone, but not for a little while. I, uh, thought they were early.” She shuffled over to the coat rack and slipped on an oversized jacket.
It must be his, I thought as I watched her zip it up.
“So, can I come in?” I asked. She hesitated and her eyes moved to look behind me again. I turned to look but there was nothing there. “Stell?”
“Uh, yeah, yeah, come on in.” She backed away from the door to let me pass then locked the door behind us. “What brings you here?”
“We haven’t seen or spoken to each other in a while. I need to know you’re okay.”
She fiddled with the zipper of her jacket. “I’m fine. Why would you think I’m not okay?”
I shook my head. “Again, we haven’t talked in a while. We have never gone longer than a day without talking to each other since we were toddlers. What’s going on?”
She stared at me so long I thought she might actually tell me. But she plastered on a smile and waved a hand at me. “You’re such a worry wart. I’ve been working a lot like I told you. You’ve been with Liam. I thought you’d enjoy some time alone with him.”
“I moved to Isaac’s.” Her smile faltered a little before she secured it back into place. “Stella, what’s this all about?” I motioned to her jacket and what it was hiding.
Her lips pulled into a huge smile as if on their own accord. “I found him, Em. I found him!”
“Who? Who did you find?” I asked even though I knew what she was going to say.
“My mate. I finally found him.” Her smile fell into a slight frown. “He’s not what I’d always dreamed he’d be, but he’s mine.”
Concern sprang up in me. “What do you mean he’s not what you dreamed he’d be? What’s he like?”
