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“Fuck,” I muttered. If anyone thought I was to blame for this mess, they’d never let me forget it.
The moment I stepped inside the tattoo parlor, I could see the progress—freshly primed walls, new equipment, even the scent of paint lingering in the air. It was coming together beautifully, and Tori would love it. I wanted her to have a say in the final details, paint colors, the name of the place—whatever she wanted.
I stepped outside and allowed myself a moment to picture Tori’s reaction when she finally got to see it and was told it was all hers. As soon as the hunter threat was cleared, we’d be a family.
Thinking of family, I dialed the number for the facility where Aunt Lucille was being cared for and asked if she was lucid enough for a conversation.
“Actually, she’s having a good day today, Mr. Blackwood,” the nurse informed me.
Another reason to smile. “Good to hear. Can you please put her on?”
“Of course, just one moment.” I could hear the phone being passed from the nurse to my aunt.
I headed toward the manor, walking slowly as I waited for Aunt Lucille to come on.
“Ridge, is that really you?” She sounded stronger today. It saddened me she sounded so surprised to hear from me, like I didn’t call or visit every other day.
I swallowed down my emotions to keep from upsetting her. “Hey, Aunt Lucille. It’s me. How are you?”
“Today’s been better than most. The wolf’s quiet, at least for now. How about you? How’s life in Blackwood Creek?” Lucille sounded surprisingly coherent, more so than she’d been in a long time.
“Busy, to say the least. I’m sorry I haven’t visited lately. Things have been, uh, complicated. I promise I’ll come see you in a couple of days.”
“Ridge, you know I understand. You’re the alpha. You have responsibilities.” She was always so understanding, but other weeks, she wouldn’t know if I’d visited or not.
Guilt had my voice cracking as I said, “Still, family’s important, too.”
Lucille was quick to ease me of my guilt. “True. But sometimes, we need to trust others to take care of our loved ones for us. Like that girl you’ve been spending time with. What’s her name again?”
“Tori. Yeah, she’s something else.”
“Good, good. It’s important to have someone by your side, especially during difficult times,” Lucille replied wistfully, probably thinking about my uncle.
I had to ask my question before the thought of Vincent sent her wolf feral, as it so often did. “Speaking of difficult times, do you happen to know any witches, Aunt Lucille?”
“Ah, witches. Dangerous creatures, those. I remember hearing about someone with lots of scars who knew witches. Terrible things they’ve seen, horrible things they’ve done.” She was beginning to spiral.
“Who are you talking about?” I urged.
“Jaxon Hyde,” she mumbled.
“Jaxon Hyde? Are you sure?” Why did everything so often come back to that man?
Lucille sounded small and genuinely frightened. “Yes, Ridge. But please, don’t ask me any more about it. It scares me to talk about him.”
“Okay, Aunt Lucille. I won’t push. You just focus on staying well, okay?”
“Thank you, Ridge. And you take care, too. Remember, family is important.” She sounded like she was speaking from a distance.
“I will, Aunt Lucille. I love you.” Hopefully, this conversation wouldn’t bring her wolf to the front. I wanted to see her before the feral wolf took over.
“Love you, too, Ridge. Goodbye for now.”
“Bye.” I absentmindedly ended the call.
Jaxon Hyde echoed in my mind as I hung up the phone, trying to make sense of Aunt Lucille’s ramblings. Her mind wasn’t what it used to be, but there was something in the way she’d spoken, the fear and certainty, that made me question if there was any truth to her words.
My mind swirled with questions, refusing to let me shake them off. Who was Jaxon Hyde, really? And could he be trusted?
