Reborn

Chapter Sixteen

Della ended up at Steve’s cabin. Instead of knocking on the door, she peered into his window. Heart still hurting, she studied him. Looking comfortable, he stretched across his bed. His orange T-shirt lay on the corner of his nightstand. All that golden skin covering his chest and back looked so touchable. The muscles in his shoulders and arms had her remembering what it felt like to lean against him. His faded jeans fit nicely—not tight, tight would have looked gross—but snug enough to showcase the firm body below.

Holy moly, she wanted to pull that window up and crawl into that bed with him. To feel all of him, against all of her. She wanted to forget her problems and just let him make her feel … alive and cared about.

It wasn’t just how much she liked how Steve looked. She liked how he made her feel about herself. He made her feel normal. And sexy. The smile pulled at her lips again as she let herself enjoy the view a little longer.

Instantly, she recalled their conversation when Jessie had knocked on his door and mentioned him being shirtless. The fact that she wasn’t the only one enjoying the half-naked Steve had her chest tightening with jealousy. And that feeling confirmed her fear.

She was too damn close to falling smack-dab in the middle of love with the sweet, hot shape-shifter lying on that bed. Did she really want to go there again? Hadn’t love already let her down once?

Steve glanced up, a sexy bedroom smile spread across his expression. Then he bounced off the mattress and opened the window.

“I was hoping you’d drop by.” He offered her a hand.

She debated telling him to come outside, not wanting to stir up any rumors by getting caught in his bedroom. Then again, he’d already been caught leaving her bedroom. Sure, Derek wasn’t the type to start rumors, but according to Jenny, everyone already knew Della and Steve had a “thing.”

Define “thing,” her heart screamed out as she placed her hand in his. His warm palm came against hers. That touch was all it took to make her whole body zing with electricity. Steve’s touch was like a live wire, and yet despite its intensity, she still wanted more.

Her breath caught. Was she going to let this continue? Or was she going nip this thing in the bud before … before it was too late?

It might already be too late, a voice inside her head whispered.

She let him help her up even though she didn’t need his help.

Her feet weren’t flat on the floor when he pulled her against him and kissed her.

She put her hands on his chest to protest, but nothing inside her wanted to object. So she didn’t. She let it happen, like she’d let all his kisses happen. Had she successfully stopped even one of his kisses? She didn’t think so. When it came to him, she was a weakling. Was it wrong not to hate that?

He tasted a little like mint. He tasted like Steve.

And she loved that taste.

His tongue slowly glided over hers. His warm hands found her waist and pulled her against him. Of all the places in the world, right here, in his arms, was her favorite.

She let herself lean into him, just a little, and only for a moment.

Ever since she’d been turned, she’d sworn she didn’t need anyone. Not her parents, not Lee, not even her friends from her old life. But when Steve held her, she wasn’t so sure it was true anymore.

“I missed you,” he said, pulling back just a bit.

I missed you, too. The words perched on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t say them. Looking up, she saw that his pupils were large. His warm breath brushed across her cheek.

She swallowed and tried to figure out how to tell him she was leaving. Tried to figure out if she had the right to ask him about Jessie.

He moved in to kiss her again and she put her fingers on his lips. “Steve, I … I need … we need to talk.”

“I know.” He smiled. “My mom and dad are coming tomorrow and I wanted you to go out with us for dinner. They want to meet you.”

Meet his parents? They wanted to meet her? Bad feelings started going off like fireworks in her head. Feelings that took her back to her and Lee’s relationship and how his parents hadn’t liked her. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why would your parents want to meet me?”

“Because I’ve mentioned you and they’re curious. Because I think they know you’re important to me.”

Important to him? She shook her head. “That’s not a good idea.”

“Why?”

Because if I meet your parents, it’s official. I’ll officially be your girlfriend. And they may not like me. “Because I’m not going to be here.” It wasn’t a complete lie. She took some comfort in knowing that.

His brow pinched. “This isn’t a parent weekend.”

“I know, but I’m going to Kylie’s house. Miranda and I both. That’s what I came to tell you.”

He frowned. “My parents hardly ever get off on the weekend. Can’t you go to Kylie’s later?”

She shook her head. “No, because I’m … I’m not just going to visit, I’m going to check out the funeral home where my uncle’s funeral services were held. I realized that my cousin Chan’s funeral services were held at the same place. So maybe they can give me something about my uncle and my aunt.”

Looking unhappy, he shook his head. “How did you find this out?”

“The obituary. Remember I told you that Derek found it?”

“Yeah, but you didn’t tell me about the funeral home. Or your plans.” His frown tightened and pulled at the corner of his eyes. “Going into a funeral home that fakes people’s deaths could be dangerous. Have you cleared it with Burnett?”

“He’s agreed to me going to Kylie’s,” she answered. “And Kylie’s a protector.” Steve didn’t need to know the approval only came with Holiday’s persuasion. Or that they didn’t know anything about …

Steve paced across the room and then confronted her again. “Della, I don’t like this.”

“I’m going to be fine,” she said, knowing he really cared, but realizing having people care about her came with a price. Like her ex-boyfriend. Like her dad.

She met Steve’s gaze. He looked upset again, his jaw muscles tightening. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

She’d expected him to be upset, but not this much. “Since when do I have to get permission from you to—”

“I didn’t say get permission, I just meant—”

“I know exactly what you mean,” she said. “Look, I…” She tried to stop the swarm of emotions zipping through her brain. But after everything that was happening, the funeral, her father’s little drop-in visit, learning Chan might be involved with a gang, she was on edge. “I probably would have told you when we were talking, but you were summoned by … Jessie and—”

“What? Summoned by Jessie?” he asked, obviously picking up on her pent-up emotion about the big-boobed girl with the big smile.

“We were interrupted on the phone by her,” Della explained, trying not to let her emotions leak out. When you didn’t have your shirt on, by the way, and she made sure to comment about it, too! Right then, Della wondered if Jessie had known that Steve had been talking to Della. Had Jessie made the comment on purpose? Damn it, Della hadn’t even thought about that angle, and now it made it even worse.

Steve stood there with a funny expression on his face as if trying to follow the conversation. “There was a patient,” he said. “It’s not like it was something personal.”

“You’re right. You didn’t do anything wrong.” At least Della hoped not. “It doesn’t matter.” She looked out the window, really wanting to leave before she said something else. Something like: Forget me ever meeting your parents. It’s not happening. Anyway, I’ll bet they’d like the doctor’s daughter better. “Look, the reason I came here was to tell you I was leaving. Kylie’s mom should be here anytime. I should go.”

“Damn it, Della! Why are you acting this way? Are you mad because I’m working with Dr. Whitman? This is my education. It’s important.”

“So is finding my family,” she said.

She turned to leave through the window.

He caught her. “Wait.” She could hear in his voice that he was trying to hold back his frustration.

“Wait for what?” she asked, and his eyes tightened with anger.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me this earlier,” he blurted out, his tone now tighter, deeper.

“Well, if you’d told me about your parents coming, I would have told you a lot sooner that I couldn’t do it.” Wouldn’t have done it even if I hadn’t been leaving.

He let go of her arm and laced his fingers together behind his neck. His soft brown eyes brightened to an amber color. “I’m not just talking about that. I’m talking about the whole uncle thing. And the funeral-home thing. And someone mentioned that you went to that murdered girl’s funeral. And you were already talking to Derek about your uncle, asking him for help, and you hadn’t even told me. You don’t tell me things. Don’t you trust me?”

“I didn’t get a chance to tell you because you were busy.”

“So you are mad that I’m working with Dr. Whitman?”

It’s the doctor’s daughter I have problems with. “I’m just saying you weren’t here.”

“Don’t give me that, Della. I was here all day Sunday and Monday morning. I saw you at the clinic, and we’ve talked on the phone most nights.” He made a low growling sound and stared up at the ceiling. Then he looked back at her. “It’s happening again, just like it always does. Whenever I get a little bit closer to you, you start pulling back. Why the hell is that?”

She felt her throat tighten. She opened her mouth, but no words would form.

Her phone rang. She yanked it out of her pocket, thankful for a reason to look away from the hurt in Steve’s expression. Kylie’s name filled her phone’s screen, and then she saw the time. It was five minutes after four. She was late.

“I have to go,” she said.

“Fine, go!” he snapped.

She got one leg out the window and looked back. “I’m sorry,” she said. Then she took off before he saw the sheen of tears in her eyes.

But what the hell was she apologizing for? Pushing him away? Not wanting to push him away? For going to Kylie’s? For not wanting to meet his parents? For being afraid to love? Damn it! She was so screwed up!

“Are you okay?” Kylie asked Della thirty minutes into their drive.

“Yeah,” Della lied. Later, she might tell her and Miranda the truth. Though she wasn’t sure what the truth really was, except that she and Steve had their first fight. Sure, they’d bickered before, but this felt different. It felt … it felt like it could be the end.

“Are you still upset about your dad? Or is it about you and Steve?” Kylie asked.

“I’m okay,” she insisted, thinking Miranda’s pushiness was rubbing off on Kylie. Couldn’t she just drop it? Couldn’t she see it hurt too much to talk about?

The pain sitting like a lump of dough in her chest was a not-so-subtle reminder of why she shouldn’t have let her and Steve’s little “thing” go this far. Why she shouldn’t let it go any farther.

Maybe it was best that it ended. Her chest gripped and a big “hell no” seemed to come from her heart. She didn’t want it to end. But she didn’t want it to go further either, did she? She didn’t want to meet his parents, or let herself completely start relying on him.

She tightened her hands in her lap. Confusion bounced around her sore heart and aching head.

Swallowing the tears before they crawled up her nose and filled her eyes, she glanced forward at Miranda, sitting shotgun in the front seat, jabbering away with Kylie’s mom about being a witch. Kylie’s mom had just learned about Kylie’s supernatural talents—about supernaturals in general—and it was clear the woman was still processing the details of her daughter’s life.

“We don’t actually fly around on brooms,” Miranda said to Ms. Galen, “that is such an old wives’ tale. And the first rule we learn is to do no harm. Not that all witches follow that rule. But if they get caught … well, let’s just say it’s not pretty. And if you screw up really bad, the death angels will torch your butt.”

Kylie’s mom looked into the rearview mirror and her green eyes locked on Della. This was like the sixth time Della had caught the woman gaping at her with … suspicion or mistrust. What was up with that?

A possible reason for those wary looks slammed against Della’s brain.

She leaned into Kylie and whispered, “Does your mom know I’m vampire now?”

The chameleon’s expression answered the question before she did. “She came right out and asked me. I had to tell her. I hope that’s okay.”

“Great,” Della said. “She’s freaking afraid of me.”

“No, she’s not,” Kylie whispered. “She’s just … trying to deal with it. I personally think she’s doing really well. I was afraid she’d rescind the invitation.” Kylie flinched as if realizing she’d said the wrong thing. “It’ll be fine, I promise. Remember, I was leery of you at first, too.”

Because I’m a monster. Because my kind go around feeding on people.

“Give my mom a chance, please,” Kylie whispered.

Della let go of a deep emotional sigh. “You sure she’s not going to run a stake through my heart while I’m sleeping?”

Kylie chuckled. “No, but she might take a bath in garlic.” When Della didn’t find the comment humorous, Kylie asked, “Did you and Steve have a fight?”

Della decided denying it wouldn’t do any good. She’d end up telling them, she always did. “Yeah.”

“Was he mad because you were coming here?”

“He was mad about a bunch of stuff.” Della stared out the window at the trees passing by, her heart heavy.

“What kind of stuff?” Kylie asked.

Della glanced up and spotted Kylie’s mom staring at her. Again. “We’ll talk later, okay?”

“Okay.” Kylie squeezed Della hand. The chameleon must have turned herself into a fae, because her touch was extra warm and comforting.

Della felt the ache in her chest lessen, but no sooner had she relaxed than another chest-tensing thought hit. Chan. Was he involved with a gang? If so, was Chase involved? She needed to figure things out. And quickly.

“Crap,” Kylie muttered under her breath.

“Crap what?” Della muttered back.

Kylie reached up in Della’s hair and pulled something out. It took her a second to realize what it was. Another feather.

Oh, fracking hell! The ghost was back.

Della swallowed a lump of panic down her throat. “I still think it’s here for you or Holiday,” she whispered to Kylie. “It showed up when Holiday and I were at the funeral.”

“Yeah, but you were there,” Kylie whispered back. “And I’ve only seen it hanging out by your room, and I don’t think Holiday has seen it unless you’re around. So I still think it’s your uncle, or maybe your aunt.”

Almost as if the ghost heard her, two more tiny white feathers spiraled past Della’s nose and landed on her lap—her lap and not Kylie’s.

Della knocked them on the floorboard. Didn’t she have enough to deal with already?