Pride Before the Fall (12 page)

"I want you to be happy here, V."

"You've given us so much. It's overwhelming."

Kasey took her head in his hands and kissed her forehead, "You're my mate and I will do everything in my power to make sure you have everything you need."

Vivian knew deep down to her core that he would hold true to his word. She was aware of his growing fondness, sensed the unsaid devotion in his mind. Kasey was finally feeling as if his life was whole. He wanted her and the Pride to make this massive house into their own home, a place where they were secure and safe, but also where the Pack could still connect to their alpha families. Vivian would do whatever it took to make that happen.

"Can I confess something?" Vivian played with the collar of his shirt, unable to look him in the eyes. Kasey remained quiet, let her take her time and gather her thoughts. "All of this is really freaking me out."

"What? Why?" he questioned softly.

"It seems one sided. You've done so much, given me more than I can repay. Your sister is acting like we're in-laws already, this gargantuan and opulent home that you are letting us live in, the way you seem ready to go to war over a fight that has nothing to do with you." Vivian shook her head in disbelief. "I'm not sure what I bring to the table other than problems."

"Well, the sex is phenomenal," Kasey joked.
 

Vivian, not in the mood for teasing, slapped his chest. "Such a punk."

It made him laugh and pull her head against him. "Don't think you are the only one feeling out of place. Your family presents a nearly impenetrable front and I'm still trying to figure out how to breech that wall. I swear Conall is looking for any small excuse to lunge for my throat. Things will work themselves out, Vivian. It's not all going to be easy or make sense right now. Not all mates experience love at first sight—or smell in our case." He smiled at her and butterflies took flight in her stomach.

"Kasey, I've never been in love. I've never cared for someone else outside of my family. And there's never been anyone I've loved intimately the way mates are supposed to love. But," she said, shrugging one shoulder, the vulnerability making her uneasy, "I'd like to think we're on the right track."

"Of course we are, kitten." Kasey kissed her soft and sweet. It amazed her that his kiss could make her feel light as a feather when her feet were cased in the cement of her issues.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Melissa and Tyrone followed Bianca to the lower level of the house. Melissa wondered if their room was going to have windows since they were going below ground level. Her inner cat didn't want to be boxed in and being under the ground was like a grave.

"This staircase comes out right by my family's suite, it's here to the left. Over here is the downstairs laundry, and in here is what all the kids call the den." They walked into a large game room that looked like a cave. To the left was a home theatre complete with recliners and huge projection screen. To the right were billiards and poker tables. Straight ahead Bianca led them through a black, white and red themed kitchen. "This is usually the kitchen I use. All the teenagers know that after school I'm in here whipping up snacks and so the invasion starts about three in the afternoon. Of course, you're free to use whichever kitchen you please at any time." The warm glow on Bianca's face let Melissa know she meant the offer.

Melissa smiled up at Ty and he winked in reply, his facial expression remaining stoic. The man hadn't said two words since they had arrived, but love and approval flowed from his mind to hers.

"I can see why the kids hang out here." Melissa peered over a balcony to a half court for basketball. "There are all sorts of activities."

"Kasey and Sam always want the Pack members to feel part of the family. There's no one too young or too old to be welcomed in our home."

"That's how Vivian is about us."

Bianca looked up at Ty, surprised that he had spoken and greatly appreciative of his words. "I can tell. Her scent is strong on you and that only comes from being an attentive alpha. I have great respect for her. And she makes my brother absolutely crazy so I love her even more." Bianca led them around the balcony overlooking the basketball court and into an area that took Melissa's breath away. "This is the stage area. It's not big compared to what you are used to, I'm sure. But the kids do plays and sing karaoke."

In the corner of the compact stage was a baby grand piano. The instrument drew her body to its shiny black lid and gleaming white keys. A trembling hand reached out to touch the ivories.

"Do you play, Melissa?" Bianca asked softly, sensing the overwhelming joy radiating off the woman.

Melissa looked up at her, her eyes ringed in red. "When I was a little girl, my aunt taught me to play. She didn't live on the Pride lands so I would have to ride the bus to her house during the week. She had a solid white piano more beautiful sounding than angels singing in Heaven. She could play that thing like an angel too." Melissa ran her hands over the piano lovingly. "Tyrone bought me a keyboard as soon as we moved off the Pride lands. I still have it. But it's been a long time since I have had the chance to play a piano as elegant as this one."

"Play me something, blue eyes?" Ty lifted her chin with his hand, coaxing a radiant smile from his mate.

Bianca stood back as Melissa sat down on the bench and put her fingers gingerly on the keys. Tyrone sat down on the bench as her fingers worked magic over the keys to create his favorite melody. It brought a great sense of pride to Bianca's heart that she could give this precious young couple the chance to share a moment such as this. Hope swelled in her chest that they would be able to have many more. She leaned back against the wall and listened, sending a wave of love to her own mate.

Melissa played the song for Ty, who sang softly in her ear. She hadn't had such a romantic moment in a long while. When the song was over, Ty kissed her and took her hands. "Come, my angel. You'll have many more opportunities to play. Let's not forget our hostess." Melissa nodded, kissed him once again and they went with Bianca to their suite. She graciously accepted compliments for her playing.

The suite was much larger than the one bedroom apartment they were currently renting, even without a kitchen. The living area was comfortably furnished with deep eggplant colored couches and light-colored walls. Melissa's fears of living underground were put to rest. At this end of the property, there was a slope away from the house providing plenty of windows. There was also recessed lighting in every niche to take away any shadows or feelings of darkness.

"Kasey said that you two would really love this." Bianca waved her hand at the bedroom.

Melissa and Ty went in. There was a round bed with more than ample space for two leopards to cuddle. Across the room were tall windows overlooking the hills and trees below. It gave them the feeling of being on high ground.

"Oh!" Melissa covered her mouth with her hand. Ty rubbed her shoulders to let her know he felt the same way. It was just perfect for them.

"The great thing about this suite is that we can expand and build on if you ever need extra rooms, say... for children?"
 

The young couple exchanged a loving embrace. It was the first time Tyrone had smiled during the whole tour.

Bianca couldn't help but notice how Tyrone and Melissa were two fingers on the same hand. Their movements mirrored the other; their bodies always touched. Where he looked, so did she. What she touched, he did also. She had never seen a couple so in sync. Melissa was a dainty little butterfly of a woman and Tyrone was strikingly dangerous. Yet they fit together better than any other couple she had ever seen. Two halves of the same whole, pieces of a puzzle or the inner workings of a clock—one not moving right without the other. It was the way mates should be, the way God intended their kind to love and be loved.

"I adore it." Melissa turned to Bianca and gathered her up in a tight hug. "I'm going give that brother of yours a big fat kiss for this."

Bianca giggled and stroked Melissa's hair. "I bet that would scare the crap out of him. Please do." Giving Tyrone a wink over Mel's shoulder, she suggested they go find Kasey and Vivian.

* * * * *

"So how old are you, Amilynn?" Nathaniel asked as they rounded the corner to her room.

Amilynn was seriously
not
into her tour guides. Two mirror-image teenage boys staring down at her breasts and one overgrown adolescent watching her ass—she would kill V and Kasey for this.

It was a shame the oldest was being so silently hostile. Ami had to admit that he was pretty damn hot for a younger guy. He was nineteen or twenty, over six feet tall, and muscled up like a wrestler. Plump lips had her mind spinning in naughty directions. And those bluish-gray eyes ringed in thick black lashes: holy fuck. They screamed power and desire. Amilynn had jokingly asked Kasey if he had a twin brother, but she didn't think to ask if he had a nephew who was as gorgeous as he was.

"You're what, fourteen?" she asked dryly. The boys might be young, but damn they were tall.

"Yeah," the Mirrors answered in unison, puffing out their highly
under
developed chests.

"Then I've got more than a decade on you. Sorry, gents." She reached up to pat their heads condescendingly.

"Here's your room." The older one seemed as enthusiastic about the tour as she did. He leaned up against the wall, hands in his pockets and nodded with his head to a short hallway.

Ezekiel watched her. Yeah, the cat could appreciate his sex appeal. But the woman was focused more on the veiled contempt in those eyes.

Amilynn gave him a syrupy sweet smile and passed him by. "Thanks, puppy dog." If she'd been in leopard form, she would have flicked her tail at him as a taunt.

She walked into the spacious sanctuary and her body relaxed. On the back and side walls were tall picture windows that afforded a magnificent view of the lake and the countryside. The room resembled a high-end spa with warm tan colored walls, modern furniture and an Asian style beaded duvet piled high with fancy, overstuffed pillows.

Had the Mirrors not been standing there, she might have thrown herself on the bed and purred. As it were, she tried to look impressed enough to please her audience, but not overly impressed to seem desperate. It was the nicest room she had ever had. She stood slightly humbled at the luxury. Damned if she didn't appreciate Kasey a bit more now.

"You've got one of the biggest showers in the house." Thomas motioned to the bathroom.

"Yeah?" Amilynn was unable to hide her happiness. For the last six months, she had been sharing a fart-sized bathroom with Conall and Vivian. She walked into the bathroom and just stopped at the door. "Oh, I am
so
loving this."

Lining one entire wall of the bathroom was a tiled shower big enough to throw a party in. Ami found her fingers tracing the marble of the sink. An ache settled in her chest. Was it guilt for being such a pest to these people who were opening their home to her? Guilt implied having a conscience. Naw, that couldn't be it. Maybe she didn't belong here, didn't deserve such luxuries.

Before she let those emotional thoughts take her places she didn't want to go, she turned her attention back to the boy who was showing her the amenities of the shower.

"Check it out, Amilynn, there's, like, four showerheads."

"It's pretty awesome."

Amilynn noticed Ezekiel had joined them, still standing back like he couldn't care less. She was no novice when it came to reading people. He could pretend all he wanted; he was watching Amilynn for weaknesses he could pounce on.

"I tried to tell Uncle Kasey to put a litter box in here, but he said you would just have to adjust," he said snidely.

"It's out in the car. Be a nice dog and go fetch it, will ya?" Amilynn walked out in front of him and patted him on the head as she left. "Good boy." She walked away before she could think too much about how delicious he smelled, all clean male and sexy cologne. Her cat wanted to rub it all over her.

Yeah, that's
so
not going to happen
, Amilynn thought.

Nathaniel and Thomas laughed and Ezekiel hit them both on the back of the head. "Shut up, brats."

Feeling a little more pleased to be here, Amilynn smiled and put her hands through the arms of the boys, sending them both into a mental panic. "So what's next, Mirrors?"

"Mirrors?" they asked in unison.

Ezekiel smirked and shook his head. He turned his back so Ami didn't see it. "Come on."

They walked around the upper level of the house and then the Mirrors took her downstairs to the 'fun level', past the billiards tables and red and black kitchen. The two boys were actually pretty funny when they relaxed. They were both overly inquisitive. Nathaniel and Thomas went back and forth with the questions.

"Do you play pool?"

"You like action movies, Amilynn?"

"I'm really good at poker, do you play poker?"

"What's your favorite sport?"

They led Ami to a balcony that overlooked a basketball court and gym complete with weights and all variations of machinery.

"No fuc—" she caught herself, "uh, flippin' way. This is sweet." Amilynn jumped over the railing and landed twelve feet below in a crouch, not making a sound except the click of her heels as they hit the polished wooden floor. Two teenage boys gasped. She cringed and looked back up over her shoulder where all three boys stood, eyebrows touching their hairlines. "I bet your parents don't let you do that, do they?"

Nathaniel and Thomas shook their heads with smitten eyes and jaws hanging open. Ezekiel had his arms crossed over his massive chest making his black tee-shirt stretch over wide arm muscles. Clearly he utilized the gym. And damn did it show nicely.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"Way to be a good role model," Z said, shaking his head with an eye roll. His brothers got ready to follow her over the edge. "Don't even think about it. You'd just break a leg. Take the stairs like a
normal
person."