In Deeper (9 page)

Drake adjusted the strap of an overnight bag across his shoulder. “Are we ready?”

She tore her gaze from Micah and nodded. “Sure.”

The alpha extended a hand, and she dropped her valet ticket onto his palm. “We’ll go get the car.”

She wanted to linger, but it would be imprudent. “See you later, Max.”

“Bye.” The youngest Randolph brother tugged headphones over his ears and ambled away, leaving her and Micah alone.

She didn’t know what to say. “Well, I guess I’ll see you in a few weeks.”

His gaze heated. “I’ll call you.”

“OK.” She held his gaze, unable to tear hers away no matter how much she wanted to. Who knew how long she would’ve stood there with him if Drake hadn’t returned to tell her the car was ready.

“So…bye.” She hated being a dork around him.

He caught her wrist and tugged. Her natural instinct was to resist, but instead she surged into the embrace. The heat and scent of him wrapped around her, muddled her mind and all her senses. Every inch of his hard length pressed into her, reminding her of how it had been to touch him, feel him deep inside her.

He dipped his head, putting his lips close enough to kiss, but he held back. “Be safe. Don’t do anything stupid.”

She tried to pull away. “I…”

“Don’t argue.” He held tight to her. “Just listen.”

She ceased resisting even though her brain screamed it was a mistake. It was so hard to let someone else control her life, no matter how necessary it was and that she’d asked for the help. Micah stroked her cheek gently. It was a fleeting caress, gone so quickly she convinced herself she’d imagined it.

“I’ll miss you.” With those shocking words, he covered the distance between them and kissed her. Softly and quickly, but a definite kiss, one she feared Drake had seen when she opened her eyes and saw him striding into the lobby.

“Your brother,” she whispered and pulled away from him.

Micah growled low but let go. “Remember what I said.”

Drake’s sharp gaze moved over the two of them. “Ready?” he asked Celeste.

“Let’s go.” She turned to leave, unable to spare another glance at Micah because she feared her emotions would betray her.

“Want to talk about it?” Drake asked.

She shook her head and choked back the unfamiliar burn of tears. “It’s nothing.”

“I know the two of you are very private, but—”

She gave him a pleading look. “Can we not talk about this, Drake? Please.”

He touched her shoulder. “It’ll be OK.”

“Thanks,” she mumbled. She and Drake had never been the type to share their feelings. Marriage had definitely changed him, made him more open to the emotions of others. “I appreciate that.”

Soon she and the married couple were ensconced in her luxury vehicle and heading down the interstate toward Savannah. It was a beautiful day, the perfect morning to ride with the windows down. Despite the unbearable August heat, Drake rolled down the windows and allowed the breeze to waft through the car. Once they were out of the city, car fumes gave way to the smell of freshly mowed grass and the wildflowers that dotted the sides of the roads.

She’d chosen to sit in the back. Resting her head against the leather headrest, she stared out the window and considered what she had to do. Not only did she have a company to save, but she also had the biggest party of her career to plan. She’d hired an event planner, but Celeste would oversee every tiny detail, especially now there was a threat. She rolled her shoulders and grimaced at the pull of tight muscles. She needed to get to the gym, work out a few kinks and excess energy.

“Don’t forget that run you promised me.” She raised her voice to be heard over wind rushing through the car.

Drake caught her gaze in the rear view and winked. “I haven’t.” He gave Emma a one-armed embrace. “Sweetheart, Celeste has this crazy idea she can beat me.”

Emma twisted around in her seat and smiled at Celeste. “Do it. I’m tired of him being so damned good at everything.”

Celeste laughed, grateful she and Emma were able to move past everything. It hadn’t been easy to accept Drake marrying another, but Emma was his perfect match. “Use one of your tricks to slow him down.”

Even though she hadn’t said it, Celeste found Emma’s ability to be marvelous. The human hadn’t known she was the descendant of a mermaid until recently. With the heritage came the gift of water bending, a skill she was getting better at every day.

Emma giggled and nudged Drake. “You’re so going down.”

“Two women against one man?” Drake shook his head. “Lord save me.”

Celeste laughed, enjoying the moment. It had been so long since she’d done nothing. Sitting in the backseat, with the wind whipping her hair, she savored the peaceful moment. Once she got back to Savannah, there would be correspondence to answer, meetings to attend, and deadlines to meet. But for now, she soaked up the sunshine and fine company.

The good mood lasted until Drake took the turn toward her gated community, the opposite direction from Tybee Island. She straightened in the seat. “I can drop you off. There’s no need for you to call a cab.”

Drake kept his gaze on the road before him. “You’re coming with us. We’re just stopping for you to pack.”

“Bullshit.” She leaned forward and glared at him. “I’m not a child, Drake. I can stay at my house like a big girl.”

“Celeste.” The tone in his voice went all alpha male on her. “We think it’s best if you stay with us until this is all sorted out.”

“Who?” Anger made her voice shake. “You and Micah? I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can.” Drake cajoled her. “But I’d rest better if you stay with us. You typically vacation with us, anyway.”

“That was before…” Her voice trailed away. Before her plans to marry Drake had been ruined. “I don’t need a keeper.”

Emma turned to face her. The kindness in the woman’s big blue eyes eased some of Celeste’s concerns. “We’d be happy for you to join us. It’s been lonely in that big house with just the two of us, and Drake is always so busy. To be honest, I could use the company.” Emma’s cheeks turned pink. “Especially now.”

The truth hit Celeste like a slap to the face. “You’re pregnant!”

Emma nodded. Happiness shone from her like a beacon of light. “Almost two months. We haven’t told anyone, though.”

Celeste wondered why she shared the news with her now. With any other woman, she’d consider it to be a tactic to tell her “hands off my man,” but Emma had never been that sort of person. “Alyssa doesn’t know?”

Alyssa was Drake’s sister and Emma’s best friend. Celeste found it hard to believe that she hadn’t been told.

Emma shook her head. “We didn’t want to tell anyone until we were sure. I took a test yesterday morning and now we are. We had to go to a specialist in Atlanta since…well, since this will be an unusual pregnancy.”

The repercussions of a shifter and descendant of a mermaid mating were unimaginable. Realizing she had yet to respond, she jerked to attention. “Congratulations.”

A baby. Drake and Emma were having a baby.

Emma grinned. “Thank you. We’re excited about the baby. We wanted to wait until after the tour and tell everyone during our Labor Day celebration. I trust you’ll keep it a secret until then.”

“Of course. What do you think the Society will say?”

Drake shrugged. “I hope they’ll be happy for us. It’s taken a while, but they’re finally starting to warm up to Emma.”

Emma chuckled. “Might have something to do with my fountain trick.”

Even Celeste laughed at the memory of Emma soaking one of Drake’s fiercest haters. “I’m sure they will be happy for you as well.”

Drake rolled down the window and spoke to the guard at the gate. The elegant wrought iron opened on soundless hinges, and he drove through. Within minutes, they pulled into her driveway. “I’ll come with you to carry your bags.”

“No need.” Celeste bounded out of the door before he could stop her. “You can take the car. I’ll send someone to pick it up later.”

Drake opened the door and climbed out. “Celeste, don’t be stubborn. You need to come with us.”

She slammed her door shut. “Really? I have a high-tech security system, and I live in a gated community. I couldn’t be safer.”

“You’d be safer with me,” Drake insisted.

That was probably true, but she refused to be coddled. “Thank you for the offer. I really do appreciate it. But my life is here. I’ve got so much to do. I can’t pack up and leave everything behind to join you on Tybee.”

“No one is going to stop you from working. I’ll personally make sure you get to and from work whenever you need it.”

“That’s ridiculous! You’re as busy as I am. You don’t have time to play babysitter to me.”

Drake sighed. “I’m not going to force you, but I do wish you’d reconsider.”

She relented, softening her voice and stance. “I promise I’ll call you if anything happens. But I really need to be alone right now, Drake.”

He hesitated but finally nodded. “I’ll call you tonight. Keep your cell with you.”

“Don’t I always?” she quipped. “Thanks for worrying about me, though.”

He placed his hand on her shoulder. “You’re still my friend and beta. Of course I’m going to worry about you. I’ll come get you tomorrow morning. We’ll go for that run I promised.”

“I’ll look forward to it.” Surprisingly, she meant it.

CHAPTER SEVEN

After the concert in Birmingham, security escorted Micah to the tour bus where they would begin the long journey toward Texas. Luckily they wouldn’t be on the bus the entire time. Only long enough to get dropped off at the airport and catch a ride on Drake’s private jet. The label had been more than happy to allow the use of Drake’s jet for the longer stretches of the travel.

Max was already on board, a beer and the remote control in his hands. “Wanna finish watching
Animal House
? Apparently there’s a traffic jam.”

Micah toed off his boots and collapsed onto the custom-made leather couch. “Whatever you want.”

Max eyed him for several seconds before lifting the beer and taking a swallow.

“What?” Micah asked in exasperation.

Max lowered the bottle. “I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to. I am your twin after all.”

“Unfortunately,” Max answered. He tossed the remote aside and stretched his arms along the back of the couch. “Spill the beans. What’s going on between you and Celeste?”

“Why do you assume anything is going on?” The thought of her sent a jolt of lust down Micah’s veins.

“Come on, bro. Really? We shared the same womb. I know when you have a crush on someone, and you’ve had one on Celeste for years.”

Micah scrubbed at his forehead. The beginnings of a headache throbbed behind his eyes. “You’re full of shit.”

“No, you are.” Max saluted him with the beer bottle before taking another swallow. “I’m not blind. If you suppose I missed the mark on her shoulder, you’re dead wrong. Did you give it to her? Or is the reason you’re in such a pissy mood because you didn’t?”

“None of your business.”

Max arched an eyebrow. “I would say it’s completely my business. If I’m getting another sister-in-law, I deserve to be told.”

Micah snatched the beer from Max’s hand and finished it. “No one is getting married.”

“Then what’s with the mark?”

Micah stood and snagged another beer out of the mini-fridge. He twisted off the cap and tossed it at Max’s head. “Contrary to popular belief, a mark doesn’t mean insta-marriage.”

Max propped his heels up and grinned. “Sure it does.”

“You’re so old school,” Micah sneered. Leave it to his traditionalist brother to believe in silly things like fated mates and true marked couples. “When are you going to find a she-wolf of your own and stay out of my love life?”

“When it suits me.” Max shrugged. “I’m in no rush to settle down.”

“Neither am I.” Drake tossed his brother an unopened beer and slammed the fridge shut. He made his way back to the couch and sank into the comfortable cushions. “It’s complicated.”

“Everything is complicated with you.” Max pointed at him with the bottle. “Don’t deny it. Celeste isn’t as hands-off as you like to pretend. I’ve seen how you are around her. You can deny it, but it’s obvious to anyone who ever took more than a moment to notice the two of you together. Shit, even Drake and Emma have commented on it.”

“The hell they did!” Micah hated his family’s discovery of his obsession. “You’re making that up.”

“If it makes you sleep better at night, go ahead and believe it. All I’m saying is she won’t be free forever. A wolf who looks like she does? With all that money? The wolves will come knocking on her door now that Drake is out of the picture. It was a smart thing you did by marking her.”

No, it wasn’t. It had been unbelievably stupid. Had he done it subconsciously, thinking a mark would hold the other males at bay? Even among the members of the Society, he’d noticed solitary wolves sniffing around her. His brother was right about one thing. She wouldn’t stay single long, especially if she was on the hunt for a mate.

Max lifted his bottle in a salute. “Hell, maybe I’ll go after her.”

Micah growled a warning. Damn it all to hell and back. “You’ll stay the fuck away from her.” Celeste’s nonchalant statement about turning to Max for help still stung. “She’s not available.”

“I rest my case.” Max set his beer down and smiled like he’d solved all the world’s problems. “You want her.”

“Who wouldn’t?” He stuck to a blasé response. “Like you said, she’s hot and rich.”

“I didn’t say hot per se, but she’s definitely attractive.” Max continued, seeming to be unaware of how close Micah was to snarling. “But you hate her.”

“I don’t hate her.” He’d once thought he did but not anymore. Jealousy and desire had always tied up his feelings for Celeste. It was difficult to untangle his present and past emotions. “We just don’t see eye to eye.”

“On anything.” Max chuckled. “Complete and total opposites. But there’s potential there. I can’t lie. You two would be perfect together. She needs you to loosen the stick in her ass. You need her to keep your head on straight.”