“I need your pendant.” Kenya’s simple statement answered one question and begged a dozen more. Bronx knew there was a lot more to the story, so he waited. She pulled in a deep breath and sighed. Damned if he didn’t almost feel sorry for her. Whatever she was going to say was a secret she desperately wanted to protect, but compelling magic made it impossible for her to keep the information to herself. “When my mom first gave the pendant to me, she told me the magic would be exponentially stronger when the two halves were reunited.”
“How did you know I had the other half?” His mother hadn’t given him much information before she died, but once he dug himself out of the overwhelming grief, Bronx started researching the origins of the strange symbol and the fables surrounding it.
“I didn’t. I spent months reading my mother’s old journals. Unfortunately, I started reading the most recent ones, those she’d been writing in before she died. Reading the books in reverse order meant it took me a long time to get to her college days.” Kenya rolled her eyes, and he wondered if she was more frustrated with herself or her mother. “The first time I visited your dealership, I knew I was in the right place. You were busy filming a commercial and didn’t notice me. I picked up a clipboard, and everyone assumed I was part of the crew.”
“How did you cover your scent? It would have been impossible for me to overlook you if you’d ever been close enough for me to recognize you as my mate.”
“I stayed upwind. My mom and I encountered shifters as we moved around the country, so I knew enough to minimize the risk. I didn’t want you to be able to recognize me when I… stole the pendant.”
The words were whispered so quietly, Bronx wouldn’t have heard her without the enhanced hearing of a shifter. Bronx forced back his frustration. Knowing she’d intended to steal the pendant was frustrating, but it was also pathetically lame.
“Please don’t be angry. I only wanted the enhanced magic to get a place to live and to fix my hearing… and maybe pay my tuition for a couple of semesters.”
“Don’t worry about a place to live, Cheŕ. I know you aren’t convinced, but you are my mate, and I take care of what’s mine. Seeing to your safety became my number one priority the moment I recognized you.” He gave her several long seconds to process what he’d said before addressing the next issue. Shifting her slight frame, so their cheeks were pressed together, he smiled when she gasped. With his lips brushing over the shell of her ear, Bronx asked, “How much do you know about the mating process, Kenya?” He felt the shiver move through her—was it a reaction to the question or the feel of his warm breath moving over the sensitive skin behind her ear? Pressing his tongue flat against her soft skin, he was gratified to feel her pulse kick up.
“Not much, really. I was too young at the time to be included in those conversations.”
This close, he was beginning to pick up echoes of her thoughts, smiling to himself when she expressed frustration about her failure to read about shifters. He could save her the annoyance, but he wasn’t ready to give away the perk of their growing connection. He listened as she bemoaned neglecting to do more research into the world of shifters. Romance novels might not be the best source of information, but from the way her body was responding, they probably weren’t the worst either. Bronx pulled back until they were once again face to face.
“Thank you for your honesty. I know that wasn’t easy for you to admit.” He didn’t see any reason to mention it would be nearly impossible to resist the compelling magic he’d used. This conversation was necessary for informational purposes only since she didn’t have a snowball’s chance in the Texas summer sun, stealing the medallion from around his neck—with or without his knowledge.
“Has your half been… ummm… reacting? I mean… well, have you noticed any difference since we met?”
He wanted to smile at the simple question. The truth was the pendant had been vibrating on and off for weeks. Now, he suspected the reaction was linked to the times she’d been nearby. He was astonished she’d managed to fly under his radar for so long when the first faint hint of the unique scent of his mate hit him like a ton of bricks earlier this evening. When the wind fully shifted, her scent had been so powerful, it was impossible to move away.
“Yes. I’ve never known it to react at all. It pulsed until my mother was out of sight after she gave it to me—after that, nothing. I’d always assumed it was because its energy was linked to her magic. She was a powerful witch, though most people underestimated her power.”
His parents had rarely been apart for more than a few hours. It wasn’t until he was in his late teens that Bronx finally understood the significance of their strong bond. Carrington Adler was descended from a long line of shifters, but his power as a magical was fed by his wife’s greater gift.
“My mother’s journals were filled with stories about your parents. It seems your parents and mine were friends while they were in college.”
He was surprised when he felt her relax marginally when he admitted the necklace had been acting out of the ordinary. Had she thought hers was malfunctioning? Shit, stop thinking like a damned gearhead and think like a magical, Bronx. Tuning in to her emotions was getting easier, but after they were mated, he’d be able to get a much better read, eventually being able to hear her thoughts.
“There is one more small thing I should probably mention.”
Bronx froze, his tongue pressed against the sensitive skin behind her ear as her heart rate accelerated, telling him she was afraid. Whether her fear was related to whatever she needed to share or concern about his reaction, he wasn’t sure. When a shudder moved up her spine, Bronx pulled back to look into her light green eyes.
“Tell me, Cheŕ.” The simple command was spoken more as a Dom than a magical, and damned if he wasn’t overjoyed when she responded immediately. Suspecting his mate was a sexual submissive when he’d first pulled her against him, Bronx was happy to find out his original assessment was accurate.
“My mother’s journals were stolen.” The simple statement was loaded with unspoken fear.
Bronx didn’t need to ask why someone would have taken what he suspected was filled with treasured memories, as well as confidential information about members of the magical community. Information was power, and in the wrong hands, it could be deadly. His brother, Cleveland, was married to a woman whose recent exposure to the dark side’s power was a wake-up call for not only the Adlers but many other magicals as well. Vienna’s family harbored dark secrets that included the best and worst of the magical world.
Kenya’s defeated sigh brought Bronx back to the moment. The reluctance to share information he’d felt from her a few seconds ago had been shoved aside, replaced with something closer to grief.
“Did the thief take anything else, Cheŕ?” He watched her eyes fill with tears again, but this time she blinked them back as a surge of rage he hadn’t expected rolled over him. If Bronx found the person responsible for his mate’s anguish, they would pay dearly for what they’d done.
“No. I didn’t really have anything else of value aside from the pendant.” A thief intent on locating the two halves of the pendant would already have guessed Kenya always wore the one her mother gave her. They probably hadn’t felt confident enough they could take it from her, so they’d opted to steal the journals instead.
“You’re on the right track. The rumor mill in the magical community is cranked a couple of notches above frantic.”
Kenya gasped at the sound of Israel’s voice coming from the darkened doorway behind them. When she tried to scramble off his lap, Bronx tightened his arm around her waist, holding her tight.
“Stay where I put you, Cheŕ.” Turning to his brother, Bronx rolled his eyes. “You could have knocked.”
“I could have, but this was more fun. If I have to drive all the way out here, my first day back from my honeymoon, I’m going to be a pain in the ass—that’s just the way it works.”
“Let me guess, your wife is working and told you to keep out of trouble.” Shifting his attention to Kenya, Bronx added, “My new sister-in-law is Dr. Bristol Banks. She is the most popular OB/GYN in the state and absolutely brilliant—except for her taste in men.”
“Fuck you. I drove over here to tell you three of your dealerships were hit tonight. It doesn’t look like anyone made it past the first level of security before they heard sirens. Once I had a chance to review the tapes, I was worried.” Israel cast a fleeting look at Kenya, his gaze reflecting a deep uncertainty and protectiveness, Bronx knew was coming from a place of love and loyalty rather than belief Bronx couldn’t take care of himself.
Bronx’s dream of having a day or two alone with Kenya before he had to expose her to the rest of his boisterous family evaporated like a gentle summer rain on a Texas sidewalk in July. Damn it all to hell and back. Standing, he set Kenya on her feet and straightened the front of the shirt she wore, buttoning all but the top button. He kissed the tip of her upturned nose before turning her to face his brother, anchoring her back to his front with an arm banded around her upper torso. No doubt, the move lifted the front hem of the shirt, but as a Dom, it was a pose Israel would recognize.
“Kenya Star, my brother, Israel. It’s his security systems you’ve been treating as if they were little more than child’s play.” Israel glared at him before he schooled his expression and returned his attention to Kenya. Bronx didn’t give either of them a chance to speak before continuing. “Israel, I’m pleased to introduce you to my mate.” As good as his brother was at reading people and listening in on the thoughts of those he cared about, odds were he already knew, so the introduction was more for Kenya’s sake than his brother’s. Israel’s eyes widened for a moment before a slow smile spread over this face.
“It’s about fucking time you showed up.” Israel tempered his harsh words with a welcoming smile. “We were starting to think the Universe couldn’t find anyone to put up with him.” Israel moved to stand in front of her, and Bronx felt her stiffen against him. Israel must have picked up on her fight-or-flight response because he went completely still with several feet still separating them. “Kenya, you have nothing to fear from me. If I had an issue with you, I wouldn’t have shown up alone.” Now it was Bronx’s turn to wonder what his damned brother was thinking; fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long to find out.
“I already knew who you were before I walked in.” He gave a negligent shrug, grinning when he added, “I didn’t know you were my brother’s mate. I’m going to give Luke a ration of shit. His facial recognition software needs a serious upgrade. It should identify future mates. All I got was your name, genealogy back a couple of generations, educational status, blood type, and shoe size.” Bronx was relieved when Kenya giggled, obviously believing Israel was teasing. Unless Bronx missed his guess, his brother had indeed been given most, if not all, of the stats he’d listed.
Israel hadn’t been kidding when he said he wouldn’t have come alone if he’d been concerned. Hell, there were enough people in their immediate family to form a small posse. If you added in their friends and the members of Israel’s security team, they could overthrow a small nation. So… the question was, why was his brother here? What could have been so damned important, he’d driven out to the lake this late? The look Israel gave him let Bronx know his brother was tuned in to his thoughts.
Yeah, yeah, I’m getting to it. Keep your damned shirt on. Pun intended since your lovely mate is almost dressed in one of your tailormade pieces. All kidding aside, Bronx, she’s beautiful, but she doesn’t know how much danger she’s in. Israel’s use of telepathic communication wasn’t uncommon, but it was damned unusual for an outsider to pick up on the unspoken dialogue.
“I can’t hear what you’re saying, but I can feel the energy exchange, so I know you are speaking telepathically. It’s the equivalent of whispering secrets behind your hand, so the nerdy kid on the playground can’t tag along because no one is going to tell them where you’re going.” Bronx heard the underlying thread of pain in her voice and wondered how often she’d been excluded for it to be the first example she cited.
“Sorry, Kenya. Old habits and all. You have to remember, we’re brothers, and we’ve been doing this our entire lives.” The apology was short and sincere—classic Israel. “Bronx is annoyed with my intrusion, and I was assuring him I wouldn’t have shown up unless it was urgent. He is demanding I get on with an explanation because he wants to be alone with you—something I totally understand.”
“Now, he is stalling just to be a pain in the ass.” Bronx was getting more pissed by the minute. Israel was pushing his patience past its limit. “You said Kenya is in danger. Explain. And I know you wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t already started working on a solution, so update us while you’re at it.”
This time when Israel smiled, it reached his eyes. His brother nodded his head in the direction of the bar, and Bronx fought to keep from rolling his eyes as he led Kenya to the antique monstrosity taking up one whole wall of the informal living space.
Before he’d learned how dangerous it was to interfere while time traveling, Bronx had enjoyed stashing collectibles in a warehouse. The huge brick structure was built during the early years of unprecedented industrial growth in New York. One of their ancestors built the dockside warehouse, and it remained in the family until Austin decided to move all their real estate investments to Texas. Luckily, Bronx had already been finishing up his home and was ready to move everything he’d collected out of storage. He’d found the bar in an abandoned bar in South Dakota after the onset of the California Gold Rush. The damned thing weighed over two tons, but it was a masterpiece.
“This looks like something from a movie set. I have no idea how I overlooked it… holy Henry Abbott, it’s amazing.” Kenya ran her hand along the edge of the walnut bar, pausing over the dents and gouges. Bronx spent hours cleaning and polishing the wood, but he’d refused to erase the history by sanding away all the character.
“I’m sure my brother did a great job of distracting you when you first arrived.” Israel moved behind the bar, pulling three bottles of beer from the specially made fridge and setting them on coasters. Another one of his favorite antique finds was an old soda machine with sliding top doors he’d taken to a restoration specialist in Las Vegas. His family teased him about finding the man on The Discovery Channel, but they’d changed their tune when they saw the spectacular result.
Bronx sensed the shift in Israel, so he wasn’t surprised when his brother cut straight to the chase.
“Kenya, I know our mothers were friends, and I know you’ve been looking for the other half a magical totem—a piece everyone expects will give the owner more power than they could ever hope to accumulate any other way.”
“Israel, I just learned all this. How the hell did you get it all?”
“I listened in. I’m telepathic, you know.” Israel rolled his eyes, making Kenya giggle. “I also did some checking. Luke and Mitch Grayson have been tapping into every source on the damned planet, and the Council of Magic sent me a cryptic message, outlining how they wanted this handled. Since the journals were stolen, it’s only a matter of time before the men who have been following Kenya piece together our mother’s connection. From there, they’ll work their way through the siblings until they find what they’re looking for.”
“Oh, what have I done? By stalling, I’ve not only endangered Bronx, but everyone else in his family, as well.” Kenya paled as she whispered the words to no one in particular. When he started to reach for her, she slid off the barstool to pace along the floor-to-ceiling windows facing his back yard. Bronx opened his mouth to reassure her, but a quick shake of Israel’s head made him pause. “Why did I think I could pull this off? All this for hearing aids, a damned apartment, and a few college hours? What was I thinking? Fudge, I bet my mom is dancing around on the other side of the veil, happy as a clam, not at all worried about how badly I’ve mucked this up. And now the Council is involved? They’ll probably lock me up in some damned dungeon and throw away the key. Of course, I guess there’s a bright side… I won’t need an apartment, and there won’t be anything to hear but the moans and groans of people being tortured, so not having hearing aids might be a blessing.”
I like her. She’s going to fit in perfectly. Israel’s words shifted Bronx’s attention away from Kenya.
At the same time, a series of pings sounded against the windows. Both men launched themselves in Kenya’s direction, but she’d already dropped to the floor by the time they made their way across the room where she’d been pacing.