“If it becomes more than teasing, you’ll tell me or your dad,” I ordered.
“I know,” she huffed. “You know, he was annoyed with you yesterday.”
“You know, I think I got that impression,” I said, thinking back. “What’s his problem?”
“You don’t tell him anything. Dad is used to people telling him everything, and he doesn’t like that you don’t. He knows it’s because you’re a werecat, but he’s a control freak. He likes to know everything, and now he doesn’t. He says you keep secrets.”
“I do. More from him than you, actually.” I sat down and cracked open the cake mix that was the base of the cookies. It was a recipe I had found online when I was human and loved so much, I tried it with every cake mix I could find. I didn’t bake often, but this was my go-to baking project. “He didn’t like how you didn’t make him pay for me at the bowling alley.”
“Oh, because I know Alphas pay for their wolves when they do things together. It’s an Alpha’s way of saying he’ll take care of you. But you don’t want anyone to take care of you, and…I know if he acts too much like an Alpha, you’ll want him to leave. Then I have to leave too, and that would be awful.”
“You’re perceptive. Maybe you should tell him everything I’ve told you about werecats. It might help him.” I raised an eyebrow. “Why haven’t you?”
She gave me a sly smile. “I like finally knowing more than him.”
I laughed, shaking my head with dismay for her poor father. “I think he might like to hear things I’m telling you. It’ll help him.”
“We’ve been doing this for months, and he’s only getting…weirder,” she said, her face screwing up in confusion. “Like, every week he’s asking more questions and getting nosier. I don’t get it.”
“Let me talk to him. It’s not like I’m going to make you a werecat or anything.”
“No, you just like having someone safe around,” she whispered, giving me a look.
I had explained to her she was always welcome and why months before. We fulfilled each other’s needs in that way. She wanted a woman to talk to, that was obvious. One who knew everything, both girl problems and supernatural problems. It helped that she felt safe with me. And I needed someone I could safely share with, who didn’t threaten me or feel threatened by me. We were symbiotic, Carey and me. It wouldn’t last forever, but I started treasuring the Mondays we shared after only a few short weeks, something that only began to ease her nightmares. The feeling I would burn down the world to make her smile never faded. It was always there, ready for something to spark it.
“So, cookies,” I declared, showing her everything I set out. “This recipe is so easy, you’re going to die. Promise.”
“Are we just doing strawberry?” she asked. “Can we put chips in it?”
“We are going to do plain strawberry, and I was thinking…” I had a surprise up my sleeve. I grabbed another box and a bag of chocolate chips. “Yellow cake, whatever flavor that is, with chocolate chips. Like how yellow cake almost always has chocolate icing.”
“I love yellow cake!” She made one of those high-pitched girl noises, grinning. “And then we’re going to play something while they bake.”
“And after, I’m going to order us food. If I’m going to bake, I’m not going to cook.”
“That’s cool.” She was still beaming as I sat back down.
Together, we poured, mixed, and stirred. I grabbed two cookie sheets and taught her how to roll the right size balls for good cookies as the oven preheated. Once it dinged, we had two full trays of cookies and extra dough for another batch. Once the cookies were in the oven, we played solitaire together, me teaching her the rules. I had already taught her spider and hearts but figured poker of any sort was off the table for at least a couple of years. Solitaire was easy and would give her something she could do when she was bored.
“You can always download it onto your phone,” I reminded her. “You would learn faster.”
“I like learning from you.”
I wanted to melt. I liked teaching her.
When the first batch of cookies was done, I pulled them out and placed them on racks to cool and put the second batch in. Carey wandered off to my bathroom. Leaning on the counter, I began to think about how awful it would be to kick Heath, Landon, and Carey out of my territory. It would hurt not to see her so often, and I couldn’t imagine how she would feel if she suddenly had to move because I didn’t want them around.
I can’t do it. Not to her. There had to be another way to make everyone out there calm the fuck down. There had to be a way to appease the insular natures of the werecats without throwing her out just to get rid of Heath and Landon. I could always tell them they just needed to move out of my territory, but would Heath trust me with her after that? It would be a major inconvenience and could give him the impression they weren’t safe around me.
And they are. They are safe with me.
Carey walked back in, but I busied myself with checking my phone, seeing if anyone had texted me. By now, Jabari would be in Washington, maybe talking to other werecats in the region about the two who were killed. I didn’t know if there were bodies found or not, or how everyone even knew they were dead. There was no news, though. Hopefully, Hasan would keep in touch, and Lani would call me back.
The alarm for the oven made me jump. I quickly turned it off and removed the cookies before anything was burned.
“Are you okay?” Carey asked softly.
“I am,” I lied, smiling easily at her. I wasn’t. I wasn’t normally so jumpy or distracted, not with people around—never with people around. This was the second time in front of her I’d lost track of my surroundings. Including Saturday with Heath made it three times. Three times in three days. Unusual, to say the least, but the recent news had me distracted. I grabbed a plate and two glasses. Carey couldn’t walk over to me fast enough as I swiftly poured the milk, moving too quickly, and over poured. She grabbed the glass before I knocked it off the counter as I cussed darkly.
“What’s wrong, Jacky?” Her words sounded woeful and sad.
“Nothing. There’s just a lot on my mind, and I was rushing to get you milk and…” I shook my head. “Go sit and I’ll—”
“I got it!” She smiled and ran to grab the paper towels. I snatched them from her and pointed to the table. I was too edgy now, especially since she was noticing something was off. I cleaned up as she sat back down. I put her milk and the cookies in front of her, grabbing my glass last.
“Why don’t I just turn on a movie tonight?” I suggested, smiling weakly.
“Okay.”
Turning on the most recent superhero movie, we watched from the table, eating cookies. I ordered Chinese food absentmindedly as the movie played, and it got there fast. I made two plates of Mongolian beef and fried rice, making sure I fed her before shoveling the rest onto my own plate. I could easily eat it all, but I always made sure Carey had enough food. There were even a couple of days when she had told me to stop giving her food. When the first movie was over, I turned on another. It was a good distraction for her, something to keep her eyes off me while my mind continued to wander.
The other werecats could force me to give up Carey. My palms grew sweaty. If they hated that wolves lived in my territory, they could force the issue. They had to see it wasn’t so bad, they could work with their wolves.
Unless their wolves wanted to kill them because they were possible threats.
What if Carey was in danger? Or Heath and Landon? What if a werecat decided to try to claim my territory to teach me a lesson?
The very idea paralyzed me for much of the second film. When it was over, Carey jumped up and took our empty glasses to the sink.
“Jacky…” She touched my shoulder when she got back. “It’s nine thirty.” She yawned, and I groaned.
“Sorry. Let’s get you home. I wasn’t the best company tonight.”
“It’s okay. We all have bad days.” She didn’t seem sad, but I felt guilty. “You’ll be better next Monday.”
“Yup.” I smiled and herded her out of my apartment and back down to my car. She texted her dad with my cellphone as we got into the car. What amazed me was he didn’t call, not that he ever had before. Normally, when I was a little late getting her back, we told him, and he just said it was fine.
“He’s not mad,” Carey finally announced next to me. “He says he got caught up with work. Who’s Jabari?”
“My brother,” I answered quickly then clamped my jaw. “Don’t…”
“Tell anyone? Okay. I don’t like people meeting Richard and Landon either. They just…scare people off. Big brothers, right?”
“Right,” I agreed. “He’s a very private man, and if Heath learns about him, you know your dad is going to look up everything he can.”
“Oh yeah, he is that nosy.”
I let the conversation die out until we were in front of her house. “Be good for your dad. Tell him I’m sorry for being back late with you.”
“He’ll understand.” Carey yawned as she slid out of my hatchback. “Good night, Jacky.”
“Good night, Carey.”
I watched her walk inside, her dad meeting her at the door. He tilted his head at me, leveling me with a confused stare. I wasn’t normally late. I just drove off, hoping he would forget about it.
Chapter Six
I spent the week constantly checking my phone. Hasan was true to his word for the first few days, but Friday came and went without a call or text from him. It was already late Saturday and still no word.
Really? Did he forget about me already?
“So, Jacky—”
“Not tonight, Joey,” I snapped, putting my phone down, cranky there was still no contact. I’m going to call him tonight, and he better pick up. He promised to keep me in the loop. If anything happened to Jabari, I deserve to know.