Page 13 of Elusive Mate

“I do. What do you have?”

“Bryan works for the cable company, so he can set up your TVs and internet. But he’s been helping me refurbish the pieces I’ve found. We have a set of three matching sewing machine legs, and a solid piece of butcher block. He could make you a table. Again, let’s measure the space first.”

Zenya nodded. “Then I’ll know how many chairs, but I’m thinking six. You’re going to have to close up to go buy more stuff.”

“And wouldn’t that just be a shame? But honestly, when I do go, let me know if you need anything and I’ll pick it up for you.”

“There is still so much to see in your store. Can I come back tomorrow?”

“Girl, you can come anytime you like, and you don’t even have to buy.”

“That’s kind of you.”

“Haven’t you figured it out? You also acquired yourself your first friend here in town.”

“Then that’s the best thing I got.”

A big, good-looking man about Liv’s age joined them, giving his sweetheart a kiss.

“Zenya? This is Bryan. Bry, meet my new friend Zenya. We have stuff to load. We also need to measure some stuff and remember that cool idea you had for a dining room table? Zenya thinks she wants it.”

“Zenya does want it. We just have to figure out how big to make it so it fits.”

Bryan rolled his eyes. “Zenya? Isn’t that the name of the new vet?”

“That’s me. If I give you my address, can I leave and run by the grocery store? How do you want me to pay you?” Zenya asked, handing Liv the address.

“You bought the bed. That is such a cute house! Do you have Zelle?”

“I do.”

“Then just Zelle it.”

Caye had pointed out electronic transfers were the hardest to find unless you knew practically everything about one of the parties to the transaction and could hack into secure servers.

“Pick up some beer and whatever. I ordered pizza from the best place in town.”

“Oh my god. I can’t remember the last time I had pizza,” Zenya said with glee.

Once in her car, she texted Caye, fearful that in her happiness at seeming to be accepted so easily she’d made a mistake. Caye sent her an answering text:

Liv and Bryan are fine. Where do you think I found the bed?

CHAPTER 6

LUCIAN

The night seemed to last forever. His talk with Zaiden had helped a bit, but not enough to take the edge off. By three in the morning, Lucian had given up and had begun to prowl the house and then the grounds. Each time he happened upon someone, they jumped as if fearful of his presence. When had that happened? Was it only since Zenya had failed to come home, or had it started slowly, and he was only now noticing? One more thing Zenya had to answer for.

Zaiden had managed to set up a meeting between Colby and Lucian at Windsong. The damn lynx-shifter liked to control everything. Did he really believe those at Windsong could stand up to a focused attack by the Baihu Clan? Lucian wandered through the night and looked up at the moon. Was Zenya somewhere safe staring up at the same moon?

The thought of Zenya sharing the same moon made him imagine holding her in his arms on the balcony of their room. He could feel his cock harden. How could he miss the embrace of a woman he had yet to hold? Oh, he’d had plenty of erotic dreams in which she’d starred but he’d done nothing more in the real world than offer her a chaste kiss on the cheek. He hadn’t lived like a monk for the whole time she’d been gone, but he had never once exposed his barbs and for the past several years had gone without completely. Well, not completely but he hadn’t touched a woman or had one touch him in a very long time.

His sexual frustration and need only spurred on his anger at Colby, at Zenya, and at the world.

The following morning Lucian was pacing restlessly when his men began to assemble at the plane for the short hop from their home on the mainland to Windsong, just outside of Mystic River on Kodiak Island. When they landed, there was an SUV waiting to take them down to Colby’s impressive manor house. While Colby’s home might be more elegant, Lucian didn’t think as a fortress it would stand up against an outright assault from the Baihu Clan.

They were shown to Colby’s study. Upon entering the room, Colby stood and gestured to an arrangement of coffee and tea on a credenza to the side of his desk as well as an elaborate display of pastries on a silver tray.

---