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“About three weeks ago.”
“Where are you from originally?” I ask, taking a sip of my water.
She pauses, grabbing her own water, and I can tell that she’s trying to buy herself time. She must really not trust me if she won’t answer a basic question.
“Kansas,” she finally says and I nod.
“I’ve never been. Is it nice?”
“Depends on what you like, I guess.”
“Did you like it?” I try again.
“No.”
“Then I doubt I would have either.”
She blinks, seeming surprised by my words.
“I just moved here a few months ago myself,” I continue. Maybe if I share more about myself, she’ll open up a bit, too. “I grew up in Montana, but I was in the Army and moved around for a few years. It’s been nice to settle a bit and put down roots.”
She gets this longing look in her eyes when I mention staying put here and I wonder if she’s already planning on picking up and running again.
I really need to figure out what, or who, she’s so scared of.
“You’re not in the Army anymore?” she asks and I shake my head.
“No, I was shot and injured so Ryker and I got out of the Berets and moved here.”
“I’m sorry,” she says. “That must have been awful to live through and so scary.”
“I’m fine,” I assure her. Was the bullet painful? Hell yeah. Would it have killed a human? Probably. But as a shifter, I heal faster and can take bigger hits. As an Alpha, even more so. That’s not to say I didn’t leave with different kinds of battle wounds. The lives of those I failed to protect still haunt me.
"Well, still. Thank you for your service," she says, her hand reaching out toward mine on the table. Phoenix pauses slightly like she's not sure if she should touch me again. I flip my hand over and open up my palm, welcoming her touch.
When she slides her hand in mine, that now-familiar spark heats me up and sends a tingle down my spine. I know she feels it, too, but we can discuss that later. Right now, I’m trying to woo my woman.
Mary comes back with our burgers and we’re silent as we both dig in. My mate eats like she’s starved and I wonder when the last time that she had a decent meal was. From the looks of her tiny apartment last night, I’m guessing she doesn’t have a lot of room to cook or even store much food other than microwaveable meals.
“Is your family back in Kansas?” I ask and she instantly stops chewing.
She swallows hard and I wonder if it could be her family that is after her. If she just turned eighteen yesterday then that means that she was on her own for at least a little bit now.
“It was just my father and me, but we’re not close,” she says in a rush before taking a big bite of her burger. “What about you?” Phoenix asks as soon as she swallows, clearly wanting to avoid the topic.
I let her change the subject, but make a note to circle back to it later.
“My parents are alive and well in Montana, but we’re not super close. We talk every few months or so.”
Phoenix finishes off her burger and checks her phone.
“I’m sorry to eat and run, but I really do have to get to work.”
“Without dessert?” I ask and she smiles.
“Unfortunately,” she sighs.
“Ah, you have a sweet tooth then?”
