Healing His Soul's Mate (3 page)

“I’m not following.”

Neither did Ashlynn, but she assumed her headache made it hard for her to follow the conversation.

“Rekkus, though he loves Dana, is not what you would call a people person. He would be quite happy to never have a single soul besides Dana and the Rowans set foot on the island.”

The thick mist engulfed the ferry. Jessie had mentioned it, but until Ashlynn saw the wall with her own eyes, she hadn’t grasped how immense a fog wall could be. A small amount of terror ran down her spine. It was something out of a horror film. Almost as if they would never return the same as they left.

The crew worked together without a single word being spoken. A pale woman no more than four and a half feet tall approached Ashlynn and handed her a set of big, obnoxious brown earphones. She pointed to her head. As the pressure in her skull increased so did comprehension. She put the ear protection on, and, for the first time in weeks, all pain receded.

The pressure in her skull eased, and a wave of exhaustion came over her. Fighting the pain had become so draining. She’d believed she would never be without it again. She relished the feeling of nothing and dreaded the return of normal. As the island came in sight, she removed the headset, overcome by the view in front.

“On my.”

“Just you wait. This is nothing.” A middle-aged woman with streaks of silver running through her black hair took a deep breath and smiled. “It gets better every time I come.”

Her dad stood at the port side. “What do you think, Dad?”

“I think I can understand why your sister stayed.” His smiled was edged with apprehension. After all, no one could guess how Dana would react to them. And having always been the golden child, Ashlynn had never bothered to understand the plight of her older sister. In fact, growing up, she would have done anything to remain the golden child. Now her mother did all the things she had done to her sister. She belittled the weight Ashlynn had packed on since the accident, ignoring the basic needs of the daughter she purported to love. Ashlynn had a glimpse of the hell Dana had experienced growing up. “Where’s Mom?”

“Your mother is in a snit. She’s in the dining area and refuses to come out. Perhaps informing her where we were going after the boat had sailed was not a good plan after all.”

Ashlynn didn’t understand her dad’s need to have her mother come along at all, but perhaps if the people on this island could help with her headaches, it could help her mother as well.

A long, well-maintained dock came into view. Ashlynn walked to the bow of the ship and viewed the path leading to the hilltop. Before the enormous Bavarian building stood three forms. “I think that’s Dana there, by the main building.”

Her dad put an arm around her shoulders. “I wasn’t sure they would know who we were. When I made the reservation, the curt woman didn’t ask or allow me a second to say we were related to Dana.”

“Perhaps Dana greets every boat.” She gazed back up toward the three figures. The two men dwarfed her sister, made her look petite. A word no one in her house had ever used to describe Dana.

“Perhaps, or maybe she is meeting her demons head on.”

At the sound of someone clearing their throat behind them, they turned to find one of the crew members. “Dr. Stone, your wife is refusing to disembark when we dock. Shall we ask security to escort her off? We are not heading directly back to the mainland, so she cannot stay on the boat.”

He shook his head. “I will deal with my wife.”

Ashlynn followed her dad into the cabin as the crew brought luggage up on deck in preparation for docking. They didn’t need to deal with the diva woman as well. Although, looking at the well-muscled crew, she doubted they would have any problems dealing with anyone.

Their mother sat by a table. “Nancy, it’s time to get ready. Come up on deck. The island is beautiful,” her father said in a calm voice.

“I will be damned if I set foot on that hippy island.” She stared past them. “They will take me back to the mainland immediately, or I’ll go on every social network and make sure everyone hears how subpar this hotel is.”

“You have two choices. You can move of your own volition or you can have security remove you. You can make a scene and have your daughter’s husband order his men to deal with you.”

“And Jessie said Rekkus would like nothing more than to embarrass you the way you have embarrassed Dana,” finding her voice, Ashlynn added.

“I embarrassed Dana.” Turning on Ashlynn, her mother’s screech echoed through Ashlynn’s head causing her to grab it in pain.

“Nancy, enough. Ash and I will be disembarking. If you don’t, I’ll see to it every person on the ship chats with the press when we return if security has to remove you! I’m here to see if we can’t amend our broken relationship with our daughter while healing the other. I don’t need you to do this, my dear, whether you come on or don’t, I don’t care.”

The boat bumped the edge of the dock, and Ashlynn grabbed the rail to stay upright.

Ashlynn murmured, “Mother, you coming?”

“I don’t have much choice, do I? But I don’t have to like it, and I certainly don’t have to be polite to your sister. Dana is no daughter of mine. You might remember that as you collude with your father.”

She wanted to say something to her mother about how Dana seemed happy enough without any of the Stones in her life. Ashlynn began to believe perhaps not having her mother in her life would make her happy as well, but she left it unsaid. Whatever she wanted to say wouldn’t make a difference anyway, even if it would’ve left her mother openmouthed with shock. Seeing her mother speechless would’ve given her great joy, but in the end she did what she always did, she lowered her head and walked away. She joined her father, yet neither acknowledged her mother’s presence behind them.

Her father picked up his bags and went to pick up Ashlynn’s as well when a tall dark man stepped forward. The other man boarded as soon as the ramp had been attached to the ferry. His uniform connoisseur of a tight-fitting black T-shirt over what even Ashlynn had to admit was a well-cut body from his broad shoulders to his formfitting black jeans that left nothing to the imagination.

“Miss Stone, we will take your bags up to your room.” He lifted the two bags as if they weighed no more than a feather pillow and threw them over his shoulders before he headed back off the dock, leaving Ashley with a weak smile. She hadn’t packed much but carrying anything more than her purse hurt, and she didn’t want her father having to carry it up for her. From behind, she could hear the sound of another security guard.

“Mrs. Stone must carry her own.” She spun to see another security guard dressed in the same black uniform and combat boots.

Her mother bridled, unused to being ordered about. “I thought this was a top-notch resort. I will not carry my own bags like some peon.”

“Every able-bodied guest carries their own bag. You are able-bodied, thus you can carry your own bag.”

“Eugene, I thought you said this would be an exclusive, top-of-the-line resort.”

“It is, but perhaps it’s long past time you pull your own weight.”

Ashlynn watched the man with her two bags pause partway up the hill to chat with the other men and her sister, who held the hand of a man who stood a good foot taller.

“If that’s Rekkus,” Dr. Stone said, “Jessie wasn’t exaggerating.”

They took the hill at a snail’s pace, stopping face-to-face with a very pregnant Dana. To Ashlynn’s shock, her dad dropped his bags and embraced his elder daughter, tears streaming down his face. Dana stood, arms at her side for a moment then threw them around their father, tears streaming down her face. The big man—must be Rekkus—hovered nearby, brows furrowed. The other man, tall with long blond hair, murmured, “They are tears of joy. Relax, Rekkus.”

Her father pulled back only to re-embrace Dana tighter. “Dad, you need to share,” Ashlynn said with the uncertain smile.

Their father stepped to the side seemingly too choked up to speak a word.

“Can you ever forgive me?” Ashlynn’s words came out in quick succession.

Dana’s brow furrowed. “Oh, Ash, for what?”

“For everything. For never standing up for you. For not stepping forward at the wedding.” After Jessie left, Ash realized how life must have been for Dana. Her sister had never had it easy, and although Ashlynn could cast most of the blame on her mother, she had to bear some of the guilt as well.

Ashlynn found herself pulled into a loving embrace of her big sister, possibly the first time they had ever hugged. Their mother had never allowed any form of affection between the two. As far back as her earliest memories, the sisters had been kept apart. “You aren’t to blame, but if it’s forgiveness you need, you have it.”

Tall, Dark, and Intimidating grunted, giving her a pointed stare.

Dana glared at him. “My forgiveness is mine to give. Your views on it are crystal clear.”

“You are too forgiving,” Rekkus said but, unlike Dana, he didn’t bother to lower his voice.

What defense did she have to a statement of truth? After another brief hug, Ashlynn pulled back. “Dana, you’re gorgeous. You’re glowing.”

Tears welled from deep within her. “I learned of your accident today. I am so sorry. I would’ve come to visit had I been made aware of the accident. Oh, where are my manners?” Dana reached behind her and pulled Rekkus forward. He grunted or maybe growled. It sounded like a growl, almost animalistic. “Rekkus, I want you to meet my father Dr. Eugene Stone….”

The distance between them and Rekkus she had no intention of crossing. He intimidated her, and she could sense his mistrust of them. In a formal, almost military voice, he greeted them. “Dr. Stone, welcome to the island.”

“Please call me Eugene. Thank you for taking such good care of my daughter. I have great amends to make, and I hope we can get to know each other better while we are here.”

“Dana would like that.” Rekkus leaned back as another man came to whisper into his ear. He nodded in the direction of the boat. Following his line of sight, Ashlynn realized their mother hadn’t followed.

“Dana, I think I should warn you….” Ashlynn began, but she wasn’t really sure how or what to say. She was silently thankful when Dana reached out and touched her arm.

“It’s about our mother. You don’t need to warn me about anything. Some things will never change in this world. She is one of those things.”

As much as she hated the way her mother treated the situation and Dana, she had to be thankful she didn’t have to explain the nastiness. Even after all this time, her mother couldn’t show a degree of motherhood toward Dana. Dana did what she always did. Showing compassion, she reached forward, grabbed Ashlynn’s hand, and gave an understanding squeeze.

“Two out of three family members isn’t bad, right?” Even though through the bravado, Ashlynn could see her emotions brimming. Her husband must’ve detected it because the gigantic man’s arms wrapped around her.

“We can deal with her if you like,” Rekkus said.

Dana looked over her shoulder at her husband. “Deal with her how?”

“I can either have someone cater to her demands or she can be treated like a regular guest.” To Ashlynn’s surprise, Rekkus’ voice softened.

“And who would you have cater to her every need?”

“Oh, I think Telly would be the perfect choice, don’t you?”

The man in the sunglasses and gloves groaned, but his lips switched. “Poor boy. One mistake will forever be his doom.”

“Telly?” Ashlynn asked.

“He is a teenager who comes to the island once a month.” Dana nudged the man in sunglasses. “Cyrus, please meet my father and my sister, Ashlynn. Dad, Ash, this is Cyrus Rowan and his brother Cemil. The Rowans own the Wiccan Haus.”

Cemil, light and friendly, welcomed them both with open arms. He had an air of happiness from within, very carefree, but also exuded strength. Cyrus extended gloved hands for her father. His darkness relayed a deep sadness. Despite their differences, identical ice-blue eyes stared back at her.

“I say let her carry her own bags like a normal guest,” Ashlynn mumbled, casting a glance back to the dock where their mother sat on her bags, refusing to move.

“The second group of arrivals are due here, and we need to get her settled. I got this,” Cemil said, patting Rekkus on the shoulder. “She can’t be as bad as Sarka.”

“I could debate you there,” Dana said, but her voice lacked conviction. “Let’s get you into your room. There are some rules you need to familiarize yourself with but I’m sure….” Dana sucked in a breath, her hands reached for support. Both men were quick to assist. Although Dana reached for Rekkus, she squeezed Cyrus’ gloved hand until her knuckles turned white. Her husband lifted her chin, forcing his wife to focus on him.

Concern etched every inch of his stern face. Rekkus asked in a voice far softer than she thought possible of this man, “What is it, what’s wrong?”

“Your son kicked me hard.” Dana’s voice held even, but Ashlynn could hear the struggle underneath.

“When are the babies due?” her father asked. “I assume there’s more than one.”

“How did he know? How do you know?” Cyrus threw up his arms in frustration. “Am I the only one not to know?”

Dr. Stone patted his shoulder and chuckled. “I’m an OB/GYN. Years of working with pregnant women gives you a good inkling of such things.”

“Dana?” Ashlynn watched her sister force a smile then let out a cry of pain as her lips began to tremble.

“That’s it. I am taking you back to our cabin to rest.” Rekkus lifted his wife into his arms as if she was a child instead of a size-eighteen-on-her-skinny-days, pregnant with two babies woman.

“Do I have a say?” Dana laid her head on his shoulder.

Rekkus stopped for a moment and nodded. “The Haus or our home.”

“I can walk, Rekkus,” she mumbled but, as she closed her eyes, it became obvious she wouldn’t make it far. Perhaps the burden of carrying multiples so close to term or maybe the emotional strain of her family dropping by had become too much to bear.

“I’m well aware you can walk, but why do so when I can carry our whole streak. Let me do this for you.” Rekkus left the group without so much as a “by your leave.”