Page 3 of Lion Conquers All
“Yes, he is. She let you in her house?”
“She let Owen in. I arrived a few minutes later. I didn’t go inside. I worked strictly outside the house.”
“How did she take that?”
“She didn’t say anything. She gave me a suspicious look, but left to go to work about ten minutes later and told Owen to lock up when we finished.”
“What do you plan to do?”
“Wait,” Aarav said without hesitation. “Something happened to her. Something bad. If you watch closely enough, you can see that she’s not interested inanyman. It’s not just me. And even though she acts comfortable around the Tribe, she gets very nervous if it’s not a group setting and she’s alone with only one male or two.”
“I’ve had the same suspicions since meeting her. I do try not to put her in those situations, but unfortunately she has been needed on multiple occasions. She is the only healer in the town. Naomi and I always try to send one of the females to whatever location we have requested her presence for help.”
“You are a good leader, Col. You and Naomi. My brothers and I are blessed that you allowed us to remain here in Mystery.”
“You were good men trapped in a bad situation. You did what good men would do. You were respectful of the women in your care. You protected them and kept them safe. You continue to prove the same over and over for the town. You are a good example to the town for our group. This year has been a good year for building trust, especially after all the trouble last year and having to rebuild the community center. We have brought a lot of noise and upset to what was a quiet and verystilltown.”
Aarav bowed his head. “Thank you. Again, we will never be able to thank you enough for your Tribe’s acceptance and we will strive to earn it over again every day of our lives.”
“Continue to be the good men I know you are. That is all I ask.” Col put a hand on Aarav’s shoulder and leaned closer until their foreheads touched.
The moment was brief but meaningful.
He knew Col was checking up on him and his brothers, but mostly because he cared about them, not because he was worried that they were going to go off and do something foolish or stupid.
They were invited to dinner with the Tribe at least once a week.
There was laughing and eating and drinking and the babies were passed around. He and his brothers hadn’t held a baby in years. Hadn’t seen happy families in years.
This place.
This Tribe.
It was everything they thought they’d never have again.
2
CONNIE
Connie paused her CPR instructions to the gymnasium full of parents and teachers and took a sip of the cold and delicious drink in her hand. Coffee was the essence of life—well, at least her life.
Rain or snow or shine, that beautiful Reylean man left her a caramel macchiato from Lily’s on her porch railing every morning. If the weather was bad, he put it right beside her door jamb.
It didn’t matter though. She still wasn’t interested in a relationship, beautiful man or not.
And she had reminded him of that on multiple occasions. She refused to be a girl that led on a man, but he refused to listen. He wasn’t rude about it. Or pushy. He would smile and nod and tell her he understood.
Understood what?
How could he understand anything? He didn’t know anything about her…except what her favorite drink was. And then there were all the other things. Little things, but noticeable things.
Food. Small gifts here and there for no apparent reason.
Her woodpile next to the house never ran out.
Her lawn was mowed every week during the summer.
And somehow he knew when anything broke or needed to be fixed in her house. She was quite convinced that he had somehow paid off Henrietta down at the local grocer/hardware store to inform on her.Traitor.
