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He put the hat back on his head backwards and I walked my shopping cart into a wall. I didn’t dare look to see if he’d noticed. Couldn’t make eye contact; it felt like it’d be breaking some rule or something, even though I knew of no such rule.
“Rikki!” Vivica exclaimed and grabbed my hand.
“I’m okay. Just a klutz.” I waved it off.
“No. I…” Her eyes flashed with something that made my scalp prickle. I knew her eyes were on him, but I was afraid to look, afraid he’d be looking in our direction.
My cheeks flamed as she shook her head and hurried me the other way.
“What?” I asked when we were down the cereal aisle.
“There’s something between you and him. The hot guy with the yellow t-shirt.”
My back straightened. “What?”
“Something.” She gave her head a shake, her dark curls bouncing.
“Something what?”
“I don’t know. It’s murky. I can’t bring it into focus. But…” She let that hang.
“Think, Vivi, think,” I pleaded.
“I’m trying.”
I offered context, “I saw him two years ago. He was there when Aunt Lyrica did the first cloak on us under a big magnolia tree. He’s beautiful, isn’t he? And Vivi… dibs.” I smirked.
Not that the gorgeous wolf shifter would have any reason to know I exist. Unless the fact that the last six shooting stars I’d seen and wished upon granted me what I wanted.
“I need to see that tree,” she interrupted my thoughts. “We’ll go there tomorrow. We’ll bring Ronnie. Have her lay hands on it.”
***
All five of us were under the magnolia tree, but there was a complete block from Vivi. She could only feel the immense magic of the area, but couldn’t explain what she’d felt the day before and was unable to elaborate on it.
“Maybe we should come back tomorrow, cloak ourselves and wait and see if he shows,” I suggested.
“We have to leave today,” Vivi said. “I have to open the store tomorrow.”
“Why don’t Dani and Jessie open the store tomorrow and Vivi and I will stay here? Maybe Ronnie, too.”
“No,” Vivi denied. “I don’t know why, but we can’t be here tomorrow.”
“Then we’ll-” I was about to suggest we come back the following weekend, but I was cut off.
Vivi waved off whatever had happened the day before, saying she couldn’t pinpoint it and didn’t think it was significant enough for her to waste time coming back here. But I didn’t quite believe her. Though I was kind of pissed off about it, I had no choice but to let it go.
It wasn’t until the next summer, just before my twenty-first birthday, that I’d fuck not only my life but Riley’s life up royally.
And I often wondered who or what had blocked Vivica’s visions. Because if she’d seen, or if we’d known, could I have prevented the shitstorm that followed?
10
Erica
Now
I gasp as glass explodes around Riley’s giant, brown wolf body. It doesn’t slow him down; he’s gone. Can’t get away from me fast enough. Before my broken heart sinks, it immediately sprints forward in panic because my first thought is he could be hurt. My second thought is that I want his irresistible scent in my nose all the time.
Ugly emotion twists at that.
We hadn’t even been in Roxy’s long enough to get served our drinks. Coming in, I’d taken note of the sign indicating Private Event, Closed to the Public which is obviously permanent signage for any non-pack visitors who happen upon the area.
Myself, the Brennan sisters, and Cicely walked in to be greeted by a light-brown haired, bespeckled twenty-something half human, half she-shifter staring at me with unconcealed interest at a table for six. I already knew who she was. Bailey Blackwood, the half-sister of my cousin Greyson Blackwood, though no blood relation to me.
By the time introductions were made and congratulations given to Amelia on her pregnancy, I knew Bailey was trying to suss me out. Cicely, showing intuitiveness, spoke up first saying, “She can’t tell us anything until she tells it all to Riley. Amie and Ivy wanted to bring her out for breakfast as part of the welcoming committee.”
“That’s a little…” I started to say. Premature? No, impossible. “Um, I’m just here to talk to Riley.”
“We have so much to talk about,” Bailey had said to Cicely with urgency, as her eyes took me in.
“Lots goin’ on, girlfriend,” Cicely agreed. “But not sure now’s the time.” Cicely’s head tipped slightly in my direction, and I knew she didn’t want Bailey giving me access to more information than necessary.
“Greyson’s-” Bailey started and stopped just as a frisson of heat trilled up the back of my neck.
I looked over my shoulder and saw Riley’s eyes on me. Then everything happened really fast. Growling, neck-baring by one of the staff, then a few more, plus council alphas coming in before Tyson ordered the place emptied, which happened quickly and then Riley was on me like a bull seeing red, pinning me to the table, with a prominent erection pressed against me.
