Page 5 of Forbidden Daddy Mate
Something like relief flickered across her delicate features. “You do?”
I nodded, fingers gripping the steering wheel tighter than was strictly necessary. “Not just what happened with you and Jenn, though wondering about what might have happened if Klyte hadn’t come running back when he did still keeps me up at night. And I still wish I’d gotten to tear out the son of a bitch’s throat, or at least take a swipe at him before Klyte did. But I understand what it’s like, struggling to move on from something.”
She snorted. “You? Really?”
I raised an eyebrow at her, one side of my mouth quirking upward. “Thirty years of spec ops, and you don’t think I wish I could put some of that history behind me?” I teased.
She snorted. “Yeah, I guess that’s fair.”
“Point is, there are plenty of things in my past life that I’ve tried to put behind me,” I said. “It isn’t easy, and sometimes I fail miserably. But I know how it feels. If you ever need to talk about it, you’re more than welcome to come talk to me.”
“Thanks…I’ll…”
For a moment, I thought she was going to say, “I’ll be fine.” Instead, she said, “I’ll let you know if I ever need it. It’d be nice to have someone who isn’t Jenn to talk to about it. I don’t like bringing that up to her because I know it upsets her.”
“Can’t say I blame you there,” I said. “You’re a good friend to her, by the way. I’m glad she has you.”
Freya smiled warmly. She had the type of smile that seemed to make everything a bit brighter.
“I’m lucky to have her,” she said. “She’s a great friend.”
“You helped her a lot,” I continued. “Klyte’s a great guy and a good mate to her, but you were the reason she had such an easy time those first few weeks. I hope we’ve been able to do the same.”
“You have,” Freya promised, giving a hesitant smile. “I think it would be a lot worse without you or her.”
We kept driving, that uneasy silence dissipating, turning into something more manageable, more companionable. After another couple of hours, while we chatted intermittently and the snow continued to fall, we finally turned onto a snow-covered road. The trees cleared to reveal a massive mansion that looked more like a ski lodge than a house.
“Whoa.” Freya craned her neck as she tried to take in the entire house from her spot in the car. “This place is huge. It’s bigger than the mansion.”
“With how many people we’ve got coming to this thing, it needs to be,” I said, pulling up to the front. “Over fifteen shifters and over half a dozen kids? I have a funny feeling this place is going to seem cramped by the end of the week.”
A thick dusting of snow covered the driveway. I could still see the pavement beneath, but only just. I parked and stepped out.
“Let’s get things unpacked before the snow comes down any harder,” I said, glancing up at the dark gray sky.
“Don’t need to tell me twice.” Freya hopped out and stretched. The way her back arched pushed her breasts out, making them even more noticeable and appealing than normal. I looked away hurriedly, not willing to entertain that train of thought. Still, it was impossible not to admire her figure. It wasn’t the first time I’d noticed it. Her large breasts, tiny waist, and round butt suited her, and the clothes she wore made it difficult not to notice those attributes.
It had been an understatement when Rand had said Freya was pretty, but that didn’t mean I was going to do anything about it. She was Jenn’s best friend, and something like twenty years younger than me.
I turned away, opening the trunk and grabbing both my and Freya’s suitcases before heading toward the front door. I punched in the access code Jenn had given me, then pushed open the door.
The smell of cedar and pine filled the large open space as I walked inside. High ceilings let in natural light as large windows looked out on the landscape. A large living room held an already decorated Christmas tree beside a large fireplace.
“Whoa.” Freya stepped inside, carrying two heavy bags. “This place is gorgeous.”
I nodded, my head sweeping the area. It was perfect for the large group we were going to have. Still, something felt off. My skin prickled, and I remembered Tannen mentioning just how secluded the cabin was. It was a surprise Jenn had found it at all, given how out of the way it was.
Frowning, I put all my senses on alert, listening for anything unusual, checking for any strange scents or anything out of the ordinary. But nothing screamed danger. I was getting paranoid. Too many years of spec ops. It was an occupational hazard.
Freya must have noticed something was off because she turned to me and scrutinized me. Something like alarm or unease flickered across her features.
“Is everything all right?” she asked a little hesitantly.
I gave her a reassuring smile. There was no need for me to worry her over nothing. It was all going to be fine. It was better if I kept my thoughts to myself.
“Everything’s fine,” I said. “Let’s go grab everything out of the car and start a fire.”
Chapter 4 - Freya