Galen wrestled a smile but lost. “You’re supposed to be serious right now, Renee.”
“Galen, dude, we’re here. This is Jack’s family and I want them to like me. More than that, I want them to understand that despite his infuriating tendency to share information he was given in confidence, I love Jack. We love Jack and we’re good for him.” Of course that was sort of hard to prove when there was truth to the accusation that Renee had dragged all sorts of drama into his life.
“I know you’re angry with me. I can take that. But I hurt you and...” Jack reached to touch her and she leaned into the palm against her cheek.
Renee shook her head, tears pricking her lashes despite her best intentions. She had brought this all on them, even though Grace had no right to say it like Renee had done it on purpose.
“Stop. It’s over and I can’t see the point in beating yourself up over it. Oh, I’ll kick your ass for this crap again later.” She paused. “Please can we just go in to dinner? Seriously, I’m done with all this emotional overdose. We can talk later. I’m all right. I handled it and made it clear I wouldn’t tolerate any more of the same.”
“You act like we don’t have a freeway into your emotions. I can feel you right now.” Jack put his palm over her belly. “You hurt.”
She nodded. “Sure. But I’m resilient.”
“I don’t want to leave it.” Galen looked so sad and upset.
“If we don’t leave it I’m going to punch you in the junk for ignoring me earlier and running to tattle. I’m going to resent it and I don’t want to right now. If I don’t leave it I’m going to start obsessing about Jack and Grace and I don’t want to. I can only do so much. I’m human, okay? I’m upside down and sideways. I’m just not the same as the people in there, or in your jamboree. Even if you were human I’d be different. I’m not giving up. I’m not weak. I’m just...exhausted. I understand you’re upset and you want to fix it, but there are things you can’t fix, Galen. Doctors and lawyers looking down on people who own smoothie carts is not new. I’m telling you I have no room to process anything else right now. I can’t.”
“She said that?” Jack’s shock was plain on his face.
“Shocked? Really? That your precious Grace could be a classist, condescending bitch? Come on. It’s over. I believe her apology was genuine and we’ll see how it goes from now on. I’m willing to give her that chance and even though I’m pissed, I don’t blame you for her comments. Jack, I know you want to make things right and I know you feel bad, but I’m asking you to set it aside and let it go for now.”
He sighed. “If she said that, how can we go and eat at their table?”
“You’re both just determined to make me cry and get puffy and to have Jack’s family hate me too. Is that it? Come the fuck on! Leave it alone for now and I’ll share it with you later. If you both keep pushing, I will lose my shit.” She turned and went back inside.
Chapter Thirteen
“Here.” Grace put a glass of wine in Renee’s hand when she walked through the doors into the family room. She heard Jack and Galen arguing quietly in the background, but decided to ignore it for the moment. She did appreciate that they cared about her and wanted her to feel better, but it was way beyond time they listened and let it go for a few hours so she could get through the rest of the evening.
“Thanks.” It was gone in four gulps.
“I am really sorry. You don’t know me so you can’t be expected to understand just how out of character my behavior was out there. Honestly, I’m so ashamed of myself.”
Henri saw Renee and pushed at his dad until Cade turned, noted her presence and put him down so Henri could toddle over.
“Hey there. You feeling better?” She knelt and he climbed up her legs and into her arms. “I guess so.” She stood, feeling just how heavy he was as he wrapped his legs around her waist like a monkey.
“He’s been saying, Neh? Neh?” I think he means you.” Grace put her hand on Renee’s arm. “I don’t quite know how to make this all better. Are they arguing?”
“You can’t. Not really. Let’s just move forward.” Her stomach growled and Henri put his hands on her cheeks and laughed.
“Food!” he shouted gaily.
“No more for you, little dude. But plenty for us. Come on through. They’ll come in when they’re ready and you look pale. How long has it been since you’ve eaten?” Grace led her through and Renee nearly balked when she noted what seemed like eight dozen pack members milling around.
She was introduced to so many people she couldn’t remember their names. But she knew exactly who the older man using the cane was. Jack’s foster father, Templeton Mancini, the male who had run this pack before a poisoning several years prior had left him severely disabled and he handed leadership over to Cade. Jack respected and loved this person and because of that, Renee really hoped he liked her too.
“I’d have known you anywhere.” Templeton approached with a smile. “He talks about you all the time. The hair, Templeton, gorgeous curls, so soft. She glows with magic.” He mimicked Jack’s voice so well she laughed. “It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Templeton Mancini.”
He took her hand and, in a courtly bow, kissed her knuckles before straightening again. Henri clapped but didn’t seem to want down.
“I’m the one who’s honored. Jack has told me about you and your wife. He talks about you with such respect and affection. You did a fine job raising him. He’s a good man.”
The man in question entered the room behind her. She felt the pull of their connection immediately. Galen was with him and both locked their attention on her and moved as if nothing and no one else mattered. A girl had to be insane not to be flattered by that.
“I think we’ve been dumped for a younger man,” Galen said, grinning at her and then back to Henri.
Pride on his face, Jack clapped his hands to get attention. “Everyone, this is Galen de La Vega. And the gorgeous witch holding Henri is Renee. My mates.”
Templeton nodded and then hugged Jack. Renee heard the quiet inquiry about Templeton’s health and the snort of amused annoyance he got in response.
“A cat and a witch? Jack, I’m pretty sure you’re not even that nice. And, I happen to be way more handsome. Why is it you get two mates?”
“That huge lout is Dave. Another Warden. They breed like roaches so you’ll find them everywhere.” Jack indicated the giant male holding Becca. “He’s Grace’s personal guard. And nowhere near as handsome as me.”
She sat, Galen on one side and Jack on the other. But Henri was having none of it. He sent a glare that she had to admit was pure Cade Warden to Jack as he pushed at his shoulder. “I sit!”
Grace held her hands out and Henri hugged Renee’s neck tight. “Honey, why don’t you let Renee eat? Come over here and sit with Mommy.”
“It’s fine unless I’m breaking a table rule. Really, he’s not bothering me.”
“She’s this way when she’s with my nieces and nephews too. They all flock to her and hog her time and attention. Can’t blame them really.” Galen was so charming and handsome, even as he pissed her off, she wanted to jump on him. She also found herself startled to learn he was so much more observant than she’d given him credit for. Those kids were her favorite part of being with his family.
“Yeah, yeah. But he wants my place.” Jack took one of Henri’s hands and kissed the fist. “Sorry, roly, you’re going to have to find your own lady. This one’s taken.”
“Roly?” She dodged questing little fingers, moving her silverware and glass out of his reach.
“Roly-poly. When he was a baby he never bothered with crawling. He just rolled like a little bowling ball.” Cade winked at his son. “He’d barrel through the room. Becca started calling him that, saying he was like one of those little bugs that rolls itself into a ball
. It stuck.”
As it turned out, Jack didn’t have to move over enough for Henri’s high chair because Henri decided to sit on Renee’s lap. He seemed quite content to play with her hair and rub his face on the softness of the scarf she wore. Jack couldn’t hide how happy it made him, which in turn made Renee happy. It also helped keep things in perspective when she thought about Galen’s family. Two of eight wasn’t too much different than other people’s families. She did like many of them. What she needed to do was make more of an effort.
It was late when they finally got out the door. Grace apologized again, thanked her for being so good to Henri and invited her to lunch the following week. When she stepped outside, she felt a million times better than she had several hours before.
They walked the quiet streets back home, her hand in Jack’s and, on the other side, in Galen’s. No one spoke. No one argued. It was a good kind of quiet, comfortable, easy, and Renee rejoiced in its utter normalcy.
“God what a gorgeous night it is.” She breathed in deep, feeling the cold edge into her lungs. “I wish it was clearer. We have a rooftop deck. Galen got me a telescope for my last birthday. It’s fabulous for looking at the stars and spying on other people through their windows.”
Galen squeezed her hand, smiling.
Jack snorted a laugh. “You surprise me all the time. Just when I think I know you, or what you’re like, you break out something I never could have imagined you saying but once I know, I can believe you doing it.” He kissed her quickly. “I like that. It pleases me.”
She shrugged, flattered and a bit flustered. “Thank you. I’m just weird. It’s not special to be weird. But I like who I am. I realized that earlier tonight. I remembered that I do like Galen’s family for the most part. I need to be better about remembering what my blessings are, I think. I certainly want to get along with other people, but I don’t need to quest for approval. I can’t be anyone but who I am. I don’t have the sophistication to fake it.”
“Thank God for that,” Galen muttered. “Look, it’s not about sophistication. But you are special. Not just to me or Jack, but in general. You’re something rare and powerful and things are drawing toward it. I can feel it. The closer we get to home, the more I feel wrong. The air is...my cat is uneasy.”
“It’s not balanced.” Renee realized balance was the perfect word. “It’s uneven and uncomfortable. It’s like the reverse nap of fabric or something. Rosemary said some of these mages prey on witches, hunt them down and take their magic.”
“Like a magic jacking? This guy is so going to die.” The menace seeping from Jack made her feel safer.
“More than theft. The spell to steal the prime magical force within a person is intertwined with their life essence. The witch will die a horrible, painful death as their magic is drained along with their life. Um, or so I’m told.”
“So glad you decided to share that right away.” Jack’s jaw was clenched again.
“Pffft. I only learned it all today. Then we got dressed, had a fight, came over to Cade and Grace’s, had another fight and now I’m telling you.”
Jack’s mouth tightened and she felt better. “Seems to fall under the really good things for Jack and Galen to know category. It’s those things I like to know immediately. Helps me protect your pretty little ass.”
“Hey, thanks for that clue! I’d have never known that ’cause I’m all girly and stuff.” She rolled her eyes at him and he raised a brow back at her.
Renee knew what a freak she was, that even this silly back and forth delighted her because it was normal.
Galen, ever the pragmatist, brought the conversation back to the original topic. “How do we fight this? Should we stay elsewhere until this is cleared up? My mom told me to offer the guest house, by the way.”
“That’s very nice of her. I don’t know, to be honest with you. I don’t. Rosemary seems to believe that the warding around the house will be enough and that teaching me to use my power more effectively will be the best weapon. We can’t hide forever. If this is my normal level of power, this one guy won’t be the last we see.”
“Which is so very comforting,” Jack mumbled.
“All the more reason to find this dipshit and tear him apart.” Galen kept his gaze darting around the area as they approached their front doors. “No one here but the neighbors as far as I can scent.”
“If I tell you it makes me hot that you and Jack are all alpha male right now will that change the subject too obviously?”
“Hmpf.” Jack tried to look gruff but failed.
“Look, my aunt and sister are helping me. Really. Teaching me stuff. Right now it’s worse because it’s all new and I don’t quite know how to protect myself or even what the fuck I am. But eventually it’ll be better. Eventually we will have a normal life. Or as normal as the three of us can have given the circumstances.”
Jack went ahead of them and put her in the middle with Galen at her back. It felt very commando and silly, but she appreciated it nonetheless. He made them wait outside while he made sure everything inside was all right. Galen pulled her back against his chest and she listened to his heart, breathed in his scent, let him comfort her.
“What did you think of Jack’s people?” she murmured.
“I don’t like how you were treated. But they were friendly to me. Then again, my family hasn’t been that good to you either.”
“Galen, you know I love you more than breathing, but we have to let this go. I really think it’s been holding me back, keeping me from really enjoying my time with your family who do like me. It sets me up for failure. I’m not the only wife in the world whose in-laws don’t like her and it’s not everyone. Most of them are very nice to me. Beth is Beth, I just have to avoid her as much as I can in the future.”
Jack called them inside and they found themselves ensconced in their big bed, naked, just enjoying each other. She knew the thing with the Pack would come up, it had to. But she also knew they could work past it.
* * *
Jack let out a long breath after settling in, his nose in the crook of her neck as he caressed her skin and reached over to touch Galen from time to time as well. Trying to process the insanity of the last week certainly seemed nicer to do in bed with Renee against him and Galen’s scent rising from his skin.
The night before they’d loved for hours. His muscles ached pleasantly as he stretched. He didn’t bother opening his eyes, he knew they were there where they all belonged.
Renee made a seriously sexy snuffle of annoyance when he slid a thumb across her nipple. As if he could resist, it was her nipple in his palm after all. He was weak, what could he say?
Galen interrupted his thoughts. “How about I go and grab breakfast? I need to drop something by the office, so I’ll rush back.”
“Take my car. It’s around the corner.” Jack looked over her shoulder to Galen. At lips he’d kissed, the hollow of his throat where Jack knew Galen’s taste was strong and warm. Their gazes locked as the heat rose enough to bring a soft sigh from Renee and a raised brow from Galen.
Enough to bring Galen across Renee, those lips brushing against his own and then against his throat, teeth there just enough to remind Jack of what they were. Galen’s growl made Jack’s system speed up with want, even as it luxuriated in their connection.
A look passed between them again. Jack knew Galen also had procured a lease on the space in his building for her cart and they planned to bring it up that day. They’d briefly spoken about it the night before when she’d been in the bathtub. Jack and Galen would present a united front. This was about safety, plain and simple. In that building she’d be guarded and away from her fucked-up father and stepmother. He and Galen could afford it and they weren’t going to argue.
Ha. Well, it would help if she were nice and relaxed from being waited on a bit, maybe sex
drunk too. Not that either of those things would be a hardship for them. Both men not only wanted to take care of her, it was something they both found comfort in. They needed to know she was safe and happy. Not that he didn’t expect a fight from her because she was independent and while he found that incredibly attractive, it wasn’t going to fly this time.
“Don’t think I can’t feel you two scheming through the bond. And all that hot gay stuff too. That part I like.”
Jack laughed and Galen grinned, rolling his eyes as he pushed from bed. “I like that part too. I’m going to rush off and be back as soon as possible.”
She poked her head from where she’d buried herself in the blankets. Corkscrew curls in disarray, she rubbed her eyes and looked toward Galen. “Make it fast. I don’t like you not being right here.”
Galen turned from his path to the bathroom and came back to her side. “I don’t know what it is, but you live inside me. Don’t ever not do that,” he murmured, bending to kiss her temple. She blinked up at him and Jack watched, looking at the two parts of himself that rendered him whole, let that warmth wash through him.
“Okay. I promise.” She allowed herself one caress of Galen’s thigh and settled back against Jack’s chest, both taking in that graceful, powerful gait before Galen disappeared into the bathroom to clean up and get ready to go to work.
He held her until she’d relaxed, breathing deeply as she’d fallen asleep again. They’d kept her awake after a rather intense discussion about what had happened during the dinner at Cade and Grace’s and Jack hadn’t ever seen her as angry as she’d been when she found Galen’s sister had been punished when she had unsheathed her claws. But they’d worked it through, had yelled, sulked, laughed and fucked.
He got up, careful not to jostle her, and headed into the office space he shared with Galen. He wanted to check his mail to be sure there wasn’t anything pressing and then grab a shower himself.