Page 21 of Wonder
He shook his head. “I asked Jackson if they’d mind sleeping out here with me, and they said they would.” He pointed at the TV. “I’m used to having that on all the time.”
“Ah. Got it. Whatever makes you comfortable, Nicky. But, if that’s the case, do you mind if I sleep in the guest room instead?”
“It’s all yours.” He gave me a little grin. “I won’t fight you for it like Greg and Marcia onThe Brady Bunch.”
I chuckled. “Okay, thanks.” I left the room, my heart aching for Nicky, who’d had to grow up watching other people experience life on television. As soon as he was healthy, I would help him experience life for himself.
I fell asleep making a mental list of things he might like to do once he was well. It helped me avoid obsessing about Reno.
I woke up before dawn, so I got my yoga mat out of the minivan. In the backyard I went through my usual sun salutationsequence then a short but much needed vinyasa flow. When I was done, I could smell bacon and hear voices talking softly in the kitchen. Reno and Tucker. My connection to Reno was still as solid as it had been last night, which was a relief. I had to hope Shane was right, and all Reno needed was to get used to the idea of us being mates. Or even justhavinga mate.
For decades I’d been looking forward to meeting my future mate, but he’d only been what my imagination could create. Now that I’d met Reno and knew he was a good man, caring and protective, not to mention sexy as fuck, I was all in. Fully smitten. He might not be ready to be mated right now, but I’d had plenty of practice waiting to get what I wanted. I’d stick close and treat him the way he deserved. The magic pointed people in the direction of their mates, but it was up to us to fan the flames and create the romance.
I went back inside and greeted Reno and Tucker on my way to the guest bedroom. Reno met my eyes briefly before looking away. I kept smiling. This was a marathon, not a sprint.
After I showered and got dressed, I returned to the living room. Nicky was on the sofa eating oatmeal, and Jackson was next to him in their panther form, sleeping on their back with their paws in the air. Nicky was wearing clothes that fit him, so Tucker must’ve brought those over. I waved at Nicky, and he waved his spoon back at me before returning his gaze to the TV.
Shane had joined Reno and Tucker at the table, and Esperanza was stirring something on the stove.
“Good morning.” They all greeted me, and Reno actually gave me a nod. I passed the table and went into the kitchen. “Esperanza, do you need help with anything?” I’d onlyoccasionally had access to a decent kitchen, but I could do prep work like nobody’s business.
“No, thank you,mijo. I’m making some hot chocolate for Nicky. If you want coffee, the mugs are in the cabinet above the coffee maker. Your breakfast is in the oven.”
I leaned over her shoulder. The rich chocolate and cinnamon smell was intoxicating. I found a mug and filled it halfway with coffee, then I took it over to the stove. “Is there enough to spare for me?” I gave her my best puppy dog eyes, and she laughed and knocked her shoulder into my arm.
“You are trouble, aren’t you?” She lifted the pot and carefully poured some of the hot chocolate into my mug.
“Mmmm. Thank you.” I bent down and kissed her cheek. What the hell? I froze for half a second, but I managed to straighten up and take my mug to the table. The last person I’d kissed, even on the cheek like I’d just done to Esperanza, had been Davi, multiple decades ago. But this kiss had been unconscious, like my magic already recognized Esperanza as family.
Reno watched me with an unreadable expression as I set my mug down at the empty seat next to Tucker. I couldn’t feel anything through our connection. Had he already learned how to block it?
I went back and got my plate out of the oven. After complimenting and thanking Esperanza, I sat down and focused on eating. I’d need to figure out how to obtain more blood, because I’d have to consume my last bag before nightfall. After a few minutes, Jackson came over, yawning and swishing their tail, and hopped onto the chair on my other side. I gave them a piece of my toast, and they purred.
Tucker pushed his empty plate away. “I was tellin’ Reno and Shane that I spoke to Dominic this mornin’. The Hunters he sent after the runaway vamps couldn’t find the trail.”
I sipped my coffee and nodded. “I didn’t expect them to. Marcas and Roibeart would’ve stayed in mist form as long as they could.” I glanced over to the living room to make sure Nicky was occupied with the TV. “Which means they burned a lot of energy. They’ll have to feed as soon as possible.”
Reno pulled out his phone and set it on the table. “How far could they get in mist form before they had to rest?” His phone vibrated with a text, but he swiped it away, pulling up a map app instead.
“Maybe twenty miles on the outside.”
His head shot up, and his whole body went tense. He kept his voice low. “That’s not far enough for them to have followed us here, but could they have waited around and seen our cars?”
I gave what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “Even if they did, they’ve never had much in the way of computer skills. They wouldn’t know how to hack into the state’s database to find your address from your license plate.”
He relaxed. “Okay, good.”
Esperanza came out of the kitchen. “I’ve got my bridge club luncheon today, but let me know if you need help this evening. There’s more soup in the refrigerator, and I also left a container of beans and some tortillas for Nicky to try.” She kissed Reno’s cheek, then Tucker’s, then mine. I managed to refrain from putting my hand over the spot, but I wanted to. She patted Jackson on the head and waved at Shane, stopping on her way to the front door to reach over the back of the couch to hug Nicky.
Reno watched her fondly as she left before turning to me. “Hey, I hope you don’t mind, but I looked through those papers we found at the house. They’re in my office if you want to see them.” He made a face. “The laptops are password-protected, but hopefully you can get around that.”
“I can try.” I raised my eyebrows. “Did you find anything interesting in the papers?”
“I found a bank account. Since the early 2000s they’ve been using an account in the name of Monique Grafton. I’m guessing she was one of their victims back then.” He darted a glance toward the living room. “I don’t really want to ask Nicky about her though.”
I grimaced. “I’ll do some research. It probably won’t make any difference whether or not he remembers her.”
“Agreed. I also found a sort of ledger of jobs and who brought in what money. They did a combination of day labor and fencing stolen items. And they were squatting in the house. The owner went into a nursing home, and the property was being foreclosed on. That shit takes years, and even in Texas squatters have some rights. Even if one of the neighbors had reported them, they weren’t in any danger of being forced to move any time soon.”
