Page 111 of Brandt's Rule
“Because she tried to walk away when I approached her. She tried to dismiss my threats. I took hold of her arm and pulled her into the alley between the two buildings. I boxed her in against the wall so she’d have no choice but to hear me. She put her hand on my chest trying to play me just like she does everybody else. It was nothing. Nothing at all. If I’d have just explained it all to you before, or even risked taking you with me, it would have been better than this.”
“They’re my people, too, aren’t they?”
“Yes! They are!”
“You should have handled it differently.”
“I know. And it’s just gotten blown out of proportion, and so misunderstood. I’m sorry, Tempest. Sorrier than you know. I know we’re still learning about each other, and if we’d had more time to bond, to grow a little before all this, maybe you’d not have felt like you had to run from me and I wouldn’t have felt like I needed to shield you from it. I love you with everything I am. I’ll never give you reason to question me. Never.”
Carnage nudged Tempest’s shoulder to indicate she should say something.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have left like I did without making sure what I saw is what I saw, but you have to admit it was pretty incriminating.”
“It was. If the roles were reversed, I’d probably be looking for somewhere to hide the body. Thankfully, all you did was go home,” Brandt said.
“You should have told me.”
“I would have, had you stayed. I didn’t know why you left at first. It took my aunts and my mother talking to me to make me see it for the way it must have appeared to you. It’s just another reason to despise that woman. I know she’s back to try to cause more crap for our family. I don’t know how I know it, but I do. I wasn’t trying to mislead you, or hide it from you, I was trying to protect you and keep you from having to deal with her, and even give her the opportunity to look at you. She doesn’t deserve to even stand near the same air you’ll breathe.”
Tempest sat for a few seconds, remembering what she’d seen and applying his explanation to the circumstances, and truthfully, she could see how it could be that way. “I’m sorry I didn’t give you an opportunity to defend yourself.”
“If I’d explained what I was going to do, there would have been no room for a misunderstanding. I give you my word that I will never allow that to happen again. You’ll know what I’m doing. You’ll know, because I’ll never leave room for lack of communication between us again. I’m sorry, Tempest.”
“I’m sorry, too. I was wrong. I like to act like things don’t get to me, but they do and being powerful has no bearing on feeling so off balance emotionally. I’m trying, though. My instinct was to go home, to where I knew I’d be safe. I don’t know what else to say.”
“Say you’ll come home with me. Back where we belong, and we’ll pick up where we left off.”
Tempest looked over at her mother and father. “I just got here and Christmas is just a few days away…”
“Go home with your mate, Tempest. We’re going to have the same celebrations we always do. Go experience something different. There will be other Christmases to spend with us,” Lily said.
“Or we can stay here with your family. You choose.”
“Your people, your new clan is waiting and you should be with them at Christmas,” Lily said.
Tempest looked up at her mother, standing nearby. “Are you sure? I’ve never been away at Christmas.”
“It’s time for you to experience Christmas in your own home, with your mate, with your clan, and to start building your own traditions. You can come back home for Christmas next year if you want to,” Carrik said.
“Your father’s right. He’s exactly right,” Lily said.
Tempest smiled shakily at Brandt. “Do you think they’d want me there?”
Brandt laughed. “They won’t let me back in the door without you.”
Tempest laughed. “Okay. Let’s go home.”
“I would like to point out that no one asked me my opinion,” Destroy said from the doorway leading to the living room.
Carnage walked over and slapped Destroy on the shoulder with a grin.
“Noo ask ‘Arnge.”
“And Carnage says no one asked him either. We think you should stay here.”
Tempest got up and went to hug both her grandfather and her uncle. “Next year. We’ll spend Christmas here next year.”
“But only if you wear the red hat Tempest told me about and let me help you deliver Christmas trees,” Brandt said.