ROMANCE: Mason (Bad Boy Alpha Male Stepbrother Romance Boxset) (New Adult Contemporary Stepbrother Romance Collection) (115 page)

              “Do you know why our kind is so scarce?”  She asked sliding into one side of a picnic table. 

              “Because we’re an abnormality?  An abomination born straight out of hell?” 

              Lydia’s eyes became hard.  “No.  It’s because too many of our kind waste the mating years with humans.” 

              Liam barked a laugh.  “We are human, Lydia!  We just have these extra abilities.” 

              She shook her head.  “No.  We are the beauty of evolution.  We have to stick together to ensure our survival.” 

              Liam looked at her like she had gone mad.  “Our survival?  There is no risk of us being annihilated.  My God, you sound like a vampire.” 

              “Please!  What do you know about them?”

              “I know they’re constantly worrying about survival, yet also worrying about a shortage of their food supply.  Like the food supply would ever tap out!” 

              Lydia regarded him with the coolness that was characteristic of her.  “Our kind is meant to be together.  I picked you out the moment I saw you.” 

              “Picked me out for what?  To be your mate?”

              Lydia didn’t blink an eye.  “Yes.” 

              Liam blew air through his nose and turned in a complete circle.  His eyes landed on her incredulously, bulging from their sockets.  “I’m married, Lydia!  Why is that so hard to understand?” 

              Lydia stood and tapped his chest.  “For now.  It’s nothing a quick divorce couldn’t fix.  I mean honestly, Liam, did you think the rumor hasn’t spread that you’re staying at Hank’s?”  She winked. 

              “That’s none of your business.” 

              “Besides, it isn’t like you’ve had children with your wife.”  She started walking away.  “We’ll talk again.  I know you see the logic in what I’m saying.” 

              Liam stared after her helplessly.  He did see the logic from a pack mentality, but the growing gnawing hole in his stomach spoke of another logic.  It screamed the scenario of a different life, one complete with a smiling Audrey and a smiling child.  All of them living in a sunlight little house, just outside of the city, with dainty curtains hanging from the kitchen door. 

              The tears were hot and took Liam’s breath in on shuddering gasp.  He stared into the sky. 

              Oh God, what have I been doing?   

              Audrey and Luke walked out of the library just as the first signs of early evening approached.  The waning sunlight slanted across the pavement, and shone golden across the hood of Audrey’s car. 

              “I should have rethought my plan.  I don’t like leaving the city during rush hour.” 

              Luke shoved his hands in his jeans pockets, the messy notebook pinned under one arm.  He smiled at her shyly. 

              “Why not bypass the traffic, you know, wait until it’s over.” 

              “No, I better get home.” 

              Luke stared at the gold band circling her ring finger for the hundredth time that afternoon.  “I guess you have a family to get home to?”

              Audrey noticed what he was looking at and blushed.  “Oh…my ring…”

              He nodded. 

              “Truth be known…my husband isn’t living with me right now.”  Audrey nearly choked on the words.  Now came out as a whisper. 

              “Oh.  I’m sorry.  Are there any kids?”

              Audrey shook her head, not daring to speak the word no incase all of her heartbreak would be heard within that one syllable. 

              “Then have dinner with me.”  Luke said quietly.  “There’s no sense in us both going home alone.” 

              Audrey shook her head again, looking off into the distance.  She looked into brief glimpses again of other people on campus.  She was alone in her heart and in the physical.  Luke’s company through the afternoon had been easy and comforting.  They studied side by side, drank coffee, occasionally talked; it had been familiar, just like when she and Liam would spend lazy days at home before it had all fallen apart.

              “Alright.”  Audrey finally said.  “Where do you want to go?” 

              He thought for a moment, then his face lit up.  “Do you like Chinese?  There’s a great place only a couple of blocks from here that has a fantastic buffet!” 

              Audrey smiled.  “Shanghai.”

              The restaurant was a college student’s paradise, it was large enough for groups of them to come in, within walking distance of the college, and it was cheap.  Even with all of that, the food was excellent. 

              Luke and Audrey walked back to their table with plates laden with greasy delicacies.  Audrey tried to appease her conscience with two sprigs of broccoli from the steamed vegetable pan. 

              “I love this place!”  Luke said and bowed his head to pray over his food. 

              Audrey felt an awkwardness creep over her.  Should she pray too?  Before she could decide, he had lifted his head and took a large bite out of his egg roll. 

              “I haven’t been here in over a year.” 

              “Wow…why?” 

              “Last time I was here, I brought my husband.  He wasn’t impressed.” 

              “What happened?  If you don’t mind my asking.”

              “I can’t say for sure.  It was little things at first.  Then all of a sudden we just didn’t talk anymore, unless it was an argument.” 

              Luke stared at her intently as she spoke.  “I guess he’s kind of stupid then.” 

              His statement was spoken so bluntly, that at first Audrey didn’t know what to say.  “What?  Why would you say that?”

              “The guy has a brilliant wife, scraping her way to becoming a PhD in women’s studies, and she’s beautiful too?  Yeah… he’s stupid.”

              Audrey blushed at the compliment, yet wanted to defend Liam.  She wanted to tell Luke how hard it was sometimes when he missed his brother and father.  How he still grieved his mother.  She wanted to explain how hiding half of himself from the world brought its own kind of grief and frustration. 

              Audrey’s mind slipped into a memory of the first time he wanted to show her his other side.  He had told her that he needed to blow some steam or he was going to go crazy.  They drove into North Carolina and rented a cabin within that section of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

              “Keep your eyes shut.” 

              “I will.”

              Audrey heard the rustling of clothes being removed and muffled sounds that reminded her of elastic stretching and popping.  Something rough yet soft touched her cheek and she opened her eyes.  Liam stood before her with bluish gray fur along his jaw line and across his chest.  It was on his hands, that were now paws, and it ran up his arms and down his legs.  His posture was slightly hunched.  His face was Liam, but not at the same time.  His lower facial features were elongated and she could see long sharp teeth when he opened his mouth. 

              “You’re beautiful.”  She had whispered, and reached out to touch the fur that mingled with the natural hair of his head and the tufted ears that had temporarily replaced his human ones.  “It’s a miracle.”  She had laughed.  “You should have shown me in high school!  There was no need to be ashamed!” 

              She had wanted Liam to make love to her in that form, but he had roughly shook his head and held her at arm’s length. 

              “Audrey?”   Luke was looking at her with concern. 

              Audrey snapped her head up and blinked.   “I’m sorry!  What did you say?”

              “I…uh…I asked what your husband does for a living.” 

              “Oh.”  Audrey tried to push the memory from her mind.  “He’s a policeman.” 

              “For the city or the campus?”

              “The city.  He’s actually a detective now.” 

              “Oh that’s cool.”  Luke seemed disappointed. 

              Audrey was ready to turn the conversation from herself and Liam.  She stabbed her fork into a piece of sweet and sour chicken. 

              “So, do you have a wife or girlfriend?”

              Luke laughed.  “Me?  Oh no, not yet.  I’ve been down that road a few times, but it didn’t work out.” 

              “Why not?”

              Luke shrugged.  “I’m married to school right now.  That’s my wife, girlfriend, and mistress.” 

              Audrey nodded her understanding.  She understood what he was saying completely.  The hardest years were the four she worked on her bachelors while trying to work and be a wife.  There were many days she wondered if she could keep going under the strain, refusing to carry less than a full class load. 

              They ate and talked for another hour before deciding it was time to call it a night. 

              Luke stood beside her car in a similar fashion as he had outside of the library when he wanted to ask her out to dinner.  His bashful way reminded Audrey of a boy, but she had learned through the course of the evening that he was actually twenty six years old. 

              “This has been really great, Luke.  Thank you.” 

              “Oh, it’s been my pleasure.  I hope we can do it again sometime.”

              When Audrey didn’t respond, he took his phone out of his pocket and asked if she would program her number in. 

              What could it hurt?  Audrey thought. 

              Once their numbers were exchanged he leaned in and kissed her cheek lightly. 

              “Keep your chin up, Audrey Lamb.”  He said as he walked away.  “It won’t always look this bleak…it never does.”

              Audrey waved as he started his car and drove away.  She felt immediately alone, yet at the same time she felt liberated.  Was she going to allow her crumbling marriage to dictate the course of her life? 

              No.  To hell with Liam.  I’m better than what he’s made me. 

              Liam shuffled papers around on his desk the next morning trying to make his desk look like Ramirez and Johnson’s desks’; used and important.  He couldn’t stand it, and began rearranging things back into the tidy piles he originally had them in. 

              Hank watched him soberly.  His desk was backed up to Liam’s, so when they worked they were actually facing each other.  “Liam, we have enough to do without trying to make ourselves look busy.”   Hank hadn’t questioned Liam when he had said he needed the sedan the afternoon before.  He doubted it was to see Audrey, and he hoped it had nothing to do with Lydia; but Liam wasn’t talking and Hank hadn’t pried.  Liam had spent the rest of the evening watching ESPN with him and then had gone to sleep without even pulling the couch out. 

              “Do you miss it?”  Liam asked. 

              “Miss what?”

              “The beat.” 

              Hank shrugged.  “I don’t know.  Hadn’t thought about it.” 

              “I miss it.”  Liam picked up a pen and began tapping it on the desk.  “I’m thinking about transferring back.” 

              Hank looked at him like he had grown an extra head.  “For what?”

              “I belong there, Hank.  This just isn’t me.” 

              “You haven’t even given it a chance!  You just got here.  Do you really want to give up the pay raise?  I mean that alone is worth it.”

              Liam threw the pen down.  “I don’t know.”  He actually hadn’t given the pay raise much thought until just then.  “Hey, when we get off, let’s go car shopping.” 

              “What?  For you?  You have a car.”

              “Yeah, but I can’t take the car away from Audrey.  I need one of my own.”

              “Ok, maybe I should get one too, and we can just leave the sedan here at night.” 

              “Whatever.  I just need my own wheels.” 

              They made it to the Ford dealership at just past six.  Thankfully the place stayed open until eight. 

              Liam walked the lot.  “You know, I was thinking of buying a car and letting Audrey have the new one.” 

              Hank stopped mid stride.  “Why?” 

              Liam didn’t have an answer.  All he had wanted to do since Lydia left him the evening before, was to do something nice for Audrey.

              “Does this mean you want to fix things?” 

              “I don’t know what it means!”  Liam snapped, immediately feeling sorry when a hurt expression crossed his friend’s face.  He decided to change the subject.  “So, how much have you lost?”

              Hank beamed like a girl.  “You noticed!  Six pounds in the past two weeks.” 

              “Your face is a little thinner.  Just don’t lose it too fast.”