DIMITRI PACED OUTSIDE of the cabin he had prepared for Lainie. They should have been here by now. Josh had called him when they crossed the state line, entering Florida from Georgia, which was almost three hours ago. Had they stopped for dinner and not told him? That would piss him off, since he hadn’t eaten anything since lunch, waiting on them.
He didn’t want his sister to have the same feeling as Josh and he had when they first arrived and saw how overgrown the plant life was around the cabin. Instead, Dimitri spent the day clearing out the shrub around her place, cleaning the inside, and making sure everything sparkled for when she first arrived. He even put a rocking chair on her porch. At least Bull Creek would have a good first impression for her. Of course, with the way things had been lately, that impression could go downhill fast.
Dimitri gave up his pacing and moved to the front porch and the rocker he had purchased for his sister. He had just sat down when he heard the rumbling of cars on the gravel streets. He groaned as he remembered how bad the roads were in Bull Creek. So much for first impressions. He shoved himself out of the rocker just as headlights turned into the drive and Alanna’s car pulled up followed by Lainie’s. It surprised Dimitri that Josh was alone in the first vehicle, but thankful that Lainie didn’t have to make the entire trip alone.
As he took the three steps down from the porch to the front yard, he watched as Lainie’s dark head appeared out of her car door. “Are you kidding me with these roads?” she called out. “What the hell happened here? A war on gravel?”
Dimitri just laughed as he rushed to where she slid out of her car and took her in his arms, lifting her as he hugged the stuffing out of her. “God, it’s so good to see you,” he said as he set her back down on the ground. Only then did he glance over at Alanna who had already exited her side of the vehicle. “Hey, Alanna. Thank you for this.”
Alanna just grinned at him as she gave Lainie a wink. “Oh, it was my pleasure,” she said, and Dimitri heard the secret meaning in her tone. “It definitely had its perks.”
Dimitri just arched an eyebrow at his sister who merely shrugged in return, doing her best to look confused and innocent. He decided not to inquire further.
“Hey, what about me?” Josh called out as he shut his car door. “Shouldn’t I be getting a thank you as well?”
From the way Alanna and Lainie looked at each other, Dimitri had a suspicious feeling they already thanked Josh well enough. Shaking the thought from his mind, Dimitri just glanced over at Josh with a confused look on his face. “When did you leave?”
The girls laughed as Josh rolled his eyes, moving around to the trunk to start the unpacking process. “No respect,” he mumbled. “I get no respect.”
“I hear you, Rodney,” Dimitri said with a chuckle. He then turned to his sister. “How was the trip? Any problems getting out of there?”
She shook her head as she moved around to the backseat and some of her luggage. “No more visits from Dad after he threatened me, and I haven’t seen Miles since I confronted him at Town Circle.”
“Wait,” Dimitri grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaning into the backseat. “Dad threatened you?” He glanced over at Josh. “Did you know about this?”
Josh shook his head as he leaned on the roof of Alanna’s car, hands clasped. “First I’m hearing of it.” He then glanced at Lainie. “Although, that explains her sullen mood Friday.”
Dimitri glanced at Alanna, but the redhead just stood there staring, so he turned back to his sister. “What did dear old Dad say?”
She shrugged before continuing to reach into the backseat for her things. “Just that if I left town, he wouldn’t be able to help me with the consequences of my decisions.” She stood back up, a bag in each hand. “He said if I left town, I left our family’s protection. He didn’t even blink when I told him Miles had been stalking me. He actually defended him, saying I should admire his tenacity and that he was a man who went after what he wanted.” She shook her head as she blew out a breath. “Our father is still a pompous, selfish ass. I’m glad I’m out of there. Now, are you going to help me unpack or stand there asking questions?” She winked at him, but her tone told Dimitri she had finished talking about their father.
Dimitri watched as she walked past him, moving toward the front porch and her new home. He worried over his father’s words to her, trying to determine if Daniel Everest was somehow warning his daughter about what waited ahead of her. Does he know Miles is dangerous and chooses to keep it from Lainie? Dimitri wouldn’t put it past their father, especially since Lainie refused to give him what he wanted. He would see this as a proper punishment. Dimitri shook his head as he started to move to the trunk to gather more of Lainie’s possessions.
“Your father sounds like a real peach,” Alanna said as she walked around the car to join him.
Dimitri sighed as he reached in the trunk to grab a box. “Definitely not father of the year material. I’m just glad she’s out of Draven Falls and somewhere where I can keep an eye on her.”
Alanna gave a mocking laugh. “Yeah, away from stalkers and in the midst of bullies.” She shook her head. “She may still have some fight ahead of her.”
“At least this one won’t come from family,” Dimitri said with another shake of his head. “Sometimes, family just sucks.”
“Tell me about it,” Alanna said as she lifted a couple of bags and headed for the cabin.
Dimitri stood there staring at her a moment before glancing over to Josh who merely shrugged. Obviously, his friend failed to get any more of Alanna Bradbury’s story while on the road. Something dark had happened to her, and while Dimitri wished he knew what so he could best help her heal, he would not pry into her personal life. That became one of his founding rules for Bull Creek—no one digs into other people’s lives without that person’s permission. He thought it a great rule since most were there to avoid something dark or attempted to hide from someone bad. Everyone in the town had a past and the right to keep it to themselves. Of course, that didn’t mean he didn’t want to know those secrets.
It only took a few minutes to empty the cars, but another two hours for Lainie to put everything away. Luckily, Dimitri thought ahead enough to bring a six-pack and some cold cuts for nibbling. It wasn’t exactly like they could order pizza way out there. By the time his sister seemed at least slightly content with the way things were settled in her cabin, he convinced her to clean up so he could take her to Everglades. “It’s not Shades, but the people there are great and the booze cheap.”
Alanna cocked an eyebrow at him. “I’m sure Wes will love that description.”
Dimitri just laughed. “I didn’t mean cheap as in low-shelf; I meant cheap as in my wallet likes it.”
“I’m up for a beer,” Josh said, rubbing his hands together. The others looked over at him, and he just shrugged. “What? I am.”
Dimitri just chuckled as he turned to Alanna. “Want to call some of the others? Might as well make a night of it.”
“Sounds good,” she said. “I’ll make kitty cat here take me to my cabin so I can clean up, and then, we’ll meet you at Everglades.”
“Kitty cat?” Josh repeated, but Dimitri noticed he still stood and followed her out the door.
After the door shut, Lainie said, “It’s nice to see him happy.” She glanced over at Dimitri. “I think he’s found his perfect match.”
Dimitri nodded as he turned to stare at the door. “I agree, but I’m not sure if Alanna is ready for that.”
“Oh, she’s ready for him, just not the rest of everything that goes with the mating.” Lainie started to pick up the trash leftover from emptying boxes and unwrapping plates. “She’s going to keep him on his toes, but he needs it. He finally has someone he can take care of and who will take care of him. He deserves this.”
Dimitri noticed how she stared at the door, a mistiness in her eyes. “You sure about that? You’re not still holding a torch for him, are you?”
She gave her brother a lopsided grin. “Nah, I’m truly happy for him. Besides, we already know we’re not each other’s destined mates, and that’s what I want. I want that fairy tale and happy-ever-after. I want what fate holds for me.”
Dimitri nodded. “So do I.” Then he gave her a crooked smile. “And I want a whiskey. Now, go get ready.”
She rolled her eyes. “I have not missed your bossiness.”
Dimitri just grinned as he watched her walk to the back of the cabin. Lainie was in Bull Creek. He had his family around him again. This move may actually work now.