Tired if thinking, I shifted to let my wolf hunt and play with Henry. He gently swooped down at our head and made a soft cooing sound. It was as close to a hawk kiss as we were going to get.
As the sun was just setting, I was ready to see people again. The house was quiet and dimly lit as I wandered the halls trying to find any signs of life. Making my way up the stairs I saw light coming from under the door of Liam’s office.
He looked up from whatever he was working on as I entered the room. “Ah, you’re back,” he said as he rose and made his way toward me. “How are you feeling?”
“Exhausted.”
“I can imagine. Are you hungry?”
“Nah, I let my wolf explore your grounds. We ate well.” I patted my stomach as I spoke.
“Good, I’m glad.” He moved back to the desk to get something from the top drawer. “I thought you might want this.”
“Oh, my phone. I’d completely forgotten about it.” There were about a million texts and missed calls from Isaac and Stella. “I should probably get back to these two before they storm your castle.”
“Take your time.” He settled himself back behind his desk as I wandered out to the balcony to make my call.
I merged the calls, so I only had to tell the story once. Isaac blamed Liam while Stella argued with him. “Listen, guys,” I said, interrupting their argument. “I’ve had a crazy rollercoaster of a day. You can call each other and keep going, but I’m going to crash.”
I disconnected the call and leaned on the railing to look out at the trees. It was still just warm enough that fireflies filled the night. Henry swooped down to sit beside me. I reached out to pet him. He tilted his head to give me access to his neck where I obligingly scratched. Laughing a little when he puffed up and closed his eyes.
He opened them again when Liam stepped out to join us. I looked at him from the corner of my eye. His hair looked black in the moonlight. The shadows made him look dark and mysterious. Which he was. I knew nothing about him, but I was drawn to him more than I’d ever been to anyone.
He turned to me. His expression was soft almost concerned. “You look tired. You should go to bed.”
“I am tired. To my bones, but I don’t want to be alone.” I moved closer to him. “Would you lie with me?”
“Of course.” He took my hand and led me down the hall to the bedroom I’d woken up in. “Would you like to shower first?”
“Yes, please. That would be great,” I said realizing I must stink. Not that a shifter cared too much about sweat—that usually excited us—but I could still smell the fire on myself.
In the bathroom, which was almost as big as the bedroom, I grabbed a towel and a robe from the linen closet. Once the water was hot, I stepped under the powerful spray and groaned with pleasure. I let the water run over me for a few minutes, letting it ease my tension.
I stepped out of the shower to find a selection of lotions and deodorants on the counter, along with a satin nightgown and a set of men’s silk pajamas. I slathered myself with lotion before slipping into the pajama top that smelled of Liam.
“Good choice,” he said as I reentered the room. He was lounging on the bed in a pair of pajama pants not much different from the ones he’d left out for me. “I wasn’t sure of your preference for sleepwear.”
“I normally sleep naked, but this will do for now.” I smiled as I pulled back the covers and slid into the bed.
He slid in beside me and I snuggled into him, tucking my head under his chin. I may be stronger than most shifters, but sometimes we need to be vulnerable. Sometimes we need to be weak and lean on someone. This was my time, so I let him coddle me, but before I knew what was happening, I was crying.
“Ember?” Liam whispered.
When I didn’t answer, but kept crying, he didn’t freak out. He didn’t try to stop me. He didn’t try to leave. He just held me and waited patiently for me to compose myself. I hadn’t cried like that since I was a child.
My father had always punished crying. The more I cried the more he’d hit. I’d learned early on to take my beatings quietly. They would end sooner that way.
“Do you know why my dad named me Ember?” I asked as I pushed myself up so I could see him.
“Tell me.” He sat up next to me.
“He would tell me—as often as possible—that he’d named me Ember because when I was born, I had lit up his world for a second before he saw my mark. That’s when the light in his life snuffed out forever. ‘Like an ember leftover from a fire: Weak and insignificant.’ That’s what he’d say to me as he kicked the shit out of me.”
Liam cupped my face in his hands, using his thumbs to brush away my tears. “You know, one tiny ember can smolder undetected before growing into a powerful, raging inferno destroying everything in its path. They are not insignificant or weak. They should never be ignored,” he said before touching his lips to mine.
His hands moved down to my shoulders over my arms to my waist. He used his grip to pull me against him. I moaned and deepened the kiss as I ran my hands over his chest, toying with the hair there. Something about a man’s chest hair always got me going. The roughness of it rubbing against my breasts sent thrills through me. A pang of excitement hit my center at just the thought of my bare chest against his.
“You know, Isaac thinks you’re a dangerous man,” I said dancing my fingers down his tight abdomen.