Chapter 4
The Ex Factor
The food was good and she could eat fish far more often serving it in different ways before she got tired of it. No one seemed to mind and they all ate with a good appetite. Once the meal was done, they cleaned up and sat around on the deck looking at the stars and sipping wine coolers or beer. Ciaro and Mairi were having the best time because they were in love. She had a feeling a young one was on the way and that was why she’d skipped the tubing. The couple would share when they were ready.
Her and Channing were relaxed and having fun too. They just barely knew each other and that made a difference. She supposed they knew each other a little better now. “Hey, what you thinking about?” He asked.
“This is nice. Maybe I need to get a boat too.” She replied.
“I’ve decided I’m going to get one soon. I’ve got a place to dock it.”
“You’re lucky. I have a dock too, but my lake house is a bit rundown.”
“Not lucky, just good.”
“And a bit arrogant.”
“Not conceited, convinced.” She laughed. At least he was amusing.
“We’re going to turn in now.” Mairi said. “Remember we go home after breakfast unless we decide to catch some fish to take home. We’ll vote on that in the morning.”
“Goodnight.” She and Channing said together as they watched the couple go below.
“I guess we should turn in too.” He suggested.
“Where are you planning on sleeping?” She asked.
“The bed is plenty big enough. It’s not like I got sexual with you. We’re adults and we can manage.”
“Of course. You’re right. I’m getting ready for bed.” She said and she headed below. Now she felt stupid. He’d clearly lost any interest he’d felt before. That was a relief. Right?
The shower was nice, but it had to be used sparingly. She got wet, turned it off, lathered up and rinsed. Drying off quickly, she put on her sleep shirt and went to the kitchen sink to brush her teeth. Channing wasn’t down here yet. Maybe he would give her a chance to get to sleep first. Admittedly, this had been a nice trip.
Snuggling her pillow she got to sleep almost right away. Mama had always said fresh air helped bring on sleep better than anything. At some point during the night, she started to wake but felt so warm and safe, she sank back to sleep. When she finally woke at dawn, something hard was pressed against her ass.
She stayed still, unsure what to do now. If she got up, his condition would be obvious as well as the fact she was aware of it. But if she waited, what might he do? He pressed against her harder making a decision even more important to make. Damn it all! “Channing?”
“Yes?”
“Are you awake?”
“I am now. I was having such a beautiful dream.”
“Well you need to move, now.”
“Of course.” He replied and he immediately rolled off the bed.
Now she went to the bathroom and returned quickly to help Mairi make breakfast. Ciaro must be worn out and sleeping in. He went to the deck where he began to get the fishing gear out so it would be easier to access later. There was no doubt they would all want some fish to take home. Once that was done, he went inside and washed his hands. By then breakfast was done and Ciaro joined them. That male looked satisfied and he kissed his mate with passion. Of course it made him jealous. That’s what he wanted too.
The food was good and the cleanup went fast. They all voted to get their limit quickly, clean the fish and head home. No real surprise as far as he was concerned. “Who set the gear out?” Mairi looked at Ciaro.
“Not me.” Her mate admitted.
“I thought it would be helpful.”
“Thank you. Now everyone grab their poles and let’s get it on.” Mairi directed.
It was just like Mairi had ordered the fish to bite too. She counted them and threw one back. “We’ve got them. Let’s clean them and we’ll divide them up. This will be some good eating.” She grinned ear to ear. There was no doubt she was an outdoorswoman. This was where she was happiest.
While Viv seemed to enjoy their trip, he couldn’t say she had the enthusiasm of Mairi. Few would. That might change if Viv changed and had an inner animal too. It just made sense that an animal inside would add to the joy of being out in the wide open spaces or the wooded areas.
Now the fish were cleaned up and divided among them. His cook was on her way, so maybe she could do something good with them. He’d suggested Mairi or Viv take them, but apparently they fished enough to have plenty. The dock was coming up and this fun trip was over. Something had to be figured out or he’d lose anything he’d gained with his mate. The problem was what could he do now?
Mairi pulled up to the dock where Ciaro jumped out and tied the boat to the dock. Apparently Mairi’s family owned this fun little spot to use during the summer. It was nice, but his place would be a blast. Once his people were settled in, he would have a party for all the leaders of his kind that were in place. Hopefully, Viv would be at his side. Was that just a dream? She still seemed out of reach even after spending the weekend at her side. He certainly owed Mairi one.
Now everyone got their gear together and unloaded. Their SUVs were all parked nearby and he put the fish in the back first. Going back, he got his bags and he said goodbye. He hated to leave, but Viv was already pulling away and onto the highway. Following her for a short distance, he turned when his road came up.
He hoped things had went well and all his employees, furniture and other things were in place. A brother and a sister were on their way if not already there and he hoped and prayed they would get their own places soon. That was often the way of their kind once they hit adulthood. Their own space was a valuable thing and he and his siblings had spread like dust in the wind. Now they were beginning to come back together but they were basically strangers.
The way many of the big cats had spread out was odd considering all shifters were social creatures to some extent. They had gone against their instincts and lived as loners or small unaffiliated groups for many years. It was time to come together under one leader, him. Now they would return to the old ways and reclaim their former glory.
Hierarchy would be reestablished and the welfare of all his people seen to. That was happening even now as families and singles made their way here. This getting to know his people again would feel odd at times and was just something to get used to. For now he would go home and settle into his new office and see what he had missed in the two days he’d been gone. Hopefully his brother and his secretary had caught most of the emails and taken care of any problems that had come up.
As he pulled in the driveway, nothing was going on and he assumed all the moving had been finished. That was just the way he liked things, when everything was presented to him finished. His opinion changed quickly as he entered to see things piled up with a path between them. Making his way to his office, he saw once again nothing had been done.
Finding his laptop, he quickly pulled up his emails finding one after another that forecast trouble he hadn’t been online to see. First his secretary had been called upon to deal with the new people and sent an email that she couldn’t get to anything else because she was tied up. His cook changed her mind about moving and gave him her resignation. His housekeeper was staying out back, she had no idea what to do and no help to do it.
Samuel too had some problems with the business and would be tied up a few days straightening things out. Now he had a mess, no one to cook food, and not even a bed set up to sleep in. He called Viv.
“Hello?”
“Viv? This is Channing. I need some help at my new house. Everything went to hell while we were on the lake. I need some guys to move my furniture in place and a cook, mine decided to stay in Los Angeles at the last minute.”
“Okay. I can help with that.” She said and he could hear the amusement in her voice. “Just stay calm and help should be there in an hour.”
“Thank you.” Once he hung up, he thought it odd he would call her before anyone else. Even if she was his mate, she refused to accept it.
Now he continued with his emails seeing that two days away had left him with a complete mess. He did however have an email from a female looking for a job as a PA. She’d had a similar job but was giving it up to move here.
Replying, he told her to come. The need for office help was too much to not give her a shot. Another female was a secretary and one was a cook. Finally, the goddess was providing. All of them were told to come. He’d give them rooms upstairs for a while if he had to. The emails were sorted by the time a crowd descended on him.
Viv had come and brought Caro and her friend Lucia. They went to the kitchen while the four males he knew lived in her barn began to move the furniture where he directed it. Not the kind of work he liked to do, but it was necessary. It wasn’t long before the aroma of Italian food made its way through the house.
His bedroom, dining room and living room were set up and the kitchen had already been ready except for the chairs they were putting in place now. The other bedrooms would be set up as needed he supposed. What did he know about things like that? Maybe he could sweet talk Viv into seeing the rooms dealt with for him?
All the furniture was new. He’d kept his mansion in Los Angeles and one of his managers was renting it furnished. That was probably where his cook was working. That female could cook but she wasn’t the friendliest person he knew. Maybe the next cook would be easier to get along with. They all sat now that the food was done. Viv was an exceptional cook and she’d made spaghetti with meatballs and garlic bread. A salad and cheesy broccoli were the sides.
Everyone fell over their food. The other guys carried their dishes to the sink and helped clean up a little so he did the same. Viv was doing him a favor after all and he appreciated it. Once everything was cleaned up, he handed Viv five hundred dollars to divide up among everyone.
“Thank you.” She said slipping the money in her pocket and they started to leave. “There are leftovers for you to eat later.”
He’d hoped she would stay a while but they all loaded and took off down the road as he watched them go. That’s when he’d remembered the other rooms and that he’d forgotten to ask for her help. People would start arriving in two days and it would be crazy around here. Tomorrow was when he’d ask her.
Now that he was home alone, he headed into his office where he answered emails, added people to lists, and ordered those things he knew he needed. Once he was through with that, he checked out more houses and land then sent Roger a request for more places within a thirty minute drive in any direction. These were places he would rent out personally. They were investment properties some of which needed work and others that didn’t.
What he really needed was a real estate specialist to deal with his investment properties and handle any rentals. They would still buy through Roger, he needed help with what happened after that. Sending a list of job requirements to both secretaries, the one back home and the one here, he was hopeful for results.
It was good that he was getting people with building skills that would be here soon. Viv had a floor in the last apartment house ready for those arriving soon. It was the top floor, but so what? There was an elevator and the place looked good. He was tired now and his neck hurt. Stretching, he glanced at the clock. Damn! It was late.
Right away he prepared to turn in for the night. Things would go better in the morning. Once he was clean he got into his bed and he fell asleep quicker than usual. He woke up faster in the morning too. Sitting up quick with a sense of worry.
That was just crazy. Once he dressed, he hurried downstairs where he made a quick cup of coffee and fixed the leftovers Viv had left for him. Not his usual breakfast food, but it was good anyway. Now he packed up to head to Blue Eye were most of the action was.
Using his hands free system, he called Viv as he drove in that direction, “Hello?” An upset female said.
“Is Viv there?”
“No, she’s been taken.” He was sure it was Caro.
“Do you know by who?”
“I’m not sure. I’m afraid it was my dad.”
“Tell me how to get where you are.” She gave him the address and he spoke it into his GPS. “I’ll be there soon.”
Now he was panicking. What would an ex-husband want with his ex-wife? None of it could be good. Driving as fast as he dared, he made it in fifteen minutes. Rushing to the door, the room was full of people when he opened the door and stepped in.
“What’s going on?” He asked.
Caro looked at him. “We have trackers and Cage is a warden. They are getting organized. Two guys took her through the woods and one of them is a wolf. I think it’s my father’s boyfriend. We need to get to them before something happens. My dad is a pig but I never thought he was violent. Now I’m not so sure.”
“We need to send out a tracker now.”
“We did. We’re waiting for a report. I’m sure they can’t have gone far carrying her.” Cage replied.
He was upset and his cat was prowling back and forth. If something happened to her he would go crazy. His cat was already halfway there. Cage’s phone rang and he spoke quietly. “They know where she’s at. It’s a barn about a mile from here. Come on Caro. Let’s go.”
“I’m going too.” Channing said.
“Only if you do what I say.” Cage demanded. He nodded and the three of them headed to Cage’s SUV.
They drove on the road so it took longer and they stopped before they arrived at the barn but they could see it. “Now Caro is going in and we’ll wait at the door. We don’t want to set this guy off. He’s not acting normal.”
The two of them walked to the barn with Caro, but stood back while she entered. It didn’t sit right with him letting Caro take this risk. Just because he was her dad, didn’t mean he wouldn’t hurt her. He listened closely as Caro called out.
“Dad? Where are you?”
“Stay back Caro. You shouldn’t be here.” Her dad declared.
“Why did you take Mom?”
“Why do you think I have your mom?”
“You were seen with a guy that was carrying her. The cops will be here soon. You should just leave now. Mom won’t press charges.”
“You don’t know that. Besides, I need the insurance to pay off to keep the business.”
“What? Are you crazy? They won’t pay if you hurt her. You’ll go to jail if you even make it that far. Didn’t you hear what I said? Everyone knows you abducted her.”
“Oh my God. Gordon, what do I do?” He asked as his friend stepped out of pen in the barn.
“I told you, Baby. You can’t do stuff like this. Maybe if you talked to her she would help you?” Gordon mentioned.
“Why didn’t you ask her?” Caro wondered.
“You know how I treated her. She’s not very happy with me right now. I’m sure my plan to kill her and collect the insurance won’t go over well either.” Caro’s dad said.
Channing wondered how such a wonderful woman could attract such a worthless man. While he wasn’t sure the weak man would have had the strength to kill her that he’d even considered it was terrible.
“She might help you for us, but you have to stop making stupid decisions. Think about Grams. She needs you to look out for her not rot in jail. Now where did you put Mom?” Caro asked.
“We knocked her out and put her in here.” Gordon volunteered.
“You knocked her out?” Caro asked.
“Yeah, she was busy fighting with your dad and I snuck up on her. I tried not to hurt her. Your dad wouldn’t have killed her. He’s just desperate. The business is going down the drain.” Gordon explained.
“That’s no reason to hurt someone like this.” Caro was in the pen they’d said her mom was in.
His eyes met Cage’s and they both had a hard time believing what was going on. “Let’s wait until she’s free.” Cage whispered.
“Fine, but we need to keep a close eye on that nut.” He declared.
“No argument here, but you know Viv won’t press charges, right?”
“You know her?”
“I did when we were kids. I was raised around here and she was as well. Ariel wouldn’t file charges either. She’s a lot like her. It’s not just Caro, they have three other kids and some grandkids together. I don’t know what she’ll do. This is one hell of a mess.” Cage described.
“Can’t disagree with your assessment.”
“Here we go.” Cage said.
Now Viv was completely free and talking to her ex. Cage and he moved in where they could be seen. Poor Caro looked upset still. She’d not been given much of a father that was for sure. At least she’d gotten a good mother.
“Is your mom really going to help him?” He asked.
“Yup. She would have anyway. The business has been in my father’s family for a hundred years.” She admitted.
“What is the business?”
“They sell plumbing supplies. Everything needed to set up a kitchen or bathroom.” Caro explained.
“She’ll have an easy time helping him.” He admitted.
“It wouldn’t have mattered. Mom’s like that and she doesn’t hold a grudge for long. Thanks Cage. We all appreciate you helping.” Caro said. It sounded a bit like a dismissal.
For some reason she didn’t say anything to him. As she turned to go back to where her mother was, he followed her. He was aware Cage had left and they would have no way back. That made him assume Caro had called someone.
It was hard to hold her outlook as far as this situation went against her. The man was her father and fate gave you what it desired. “Are you sure he’ll be alright?”
She didn’t try to misunderstand him. “You’re here so he’ll not try anything. Not that I think he would anyway. He’s not strong or brave. That is why I believe he’d never do what he said he had planned.”
They were talking about the business. “Did you call someone Caro to pick us all up? Why are you still here, Channing?” Viv asked.
“You know why.” He replied. The silly woman knew his claim regardless of how she pretended not to. She was his and he was about to show her that was true.
It was time to work out a plan to make her see they were mates and they should always be together. The man that had been her husband looked at him but couldn’t meet his eyes. Not even his wolf boyfriend could do that. That was because he was an alpha. He breathed deeply trying not to be upset. His mate would do as she wished and he knew better than to try to influence her.
“Someone’s here.” He told them. Hopefully they were getting picked up. This was no place to carry on business.
Soon, he planned on claiming his mate as the other cat leaders had done. Showing he could give her room to make decisions and do what she wished at least part of the time should make it easier, right?
It was Maddie waiting in the SUV. He took shotgun as the ex and his male sat all the way in the back and Caro and Viv sat in the second seat. He was surprised Maddie didn’t look as angry as he expected.
“You’re not angry?” He asked softly.
“No point. The guy is just weak. He doesn’t cause this pain on purpose. I’d say he needs a keeper but the boyfriend isn’t strong enough to do the job. More the pity, you know?” Maddie responded. “Viv will get him on the right track.”
“You hope or you know?”
Maddie grinned. It made her look like a kid. “Oh, I know.”
He supposed that was one less worry. “Will I get Viv on the right track?”
“Just keep working at it.” Maddie chuckled.
Being laughed at wasn’t much fun, but he knew she and her mate had been through a lot and he would let it go. Besides, he needed an ally, more than one if he could find them. To him it seemed each cat leader mating was harder than the one before it. He’d also heard white wolf matings were always hard. Viv, even if she didn’t seem like it to him was a white wolf. Now he needed a plan.
“Any suggestions on how?”
“Why don’t any of you cats seem to know how to woo a woman?”
“Honestly?” He asked. She nodded. “They fall all over us and once the relationship is over, they rarely want to leave. Several of us have had stalkers and all of us have had those who clinged like vines.”
“That’s sad. I can’t imagine doing that.” Maddie said.
“The issue is most of us males only want our fated mate. Females often want what they perceive as the strongest which is the leader.”
“Because they are in touch with their primitive side?”
“That is the only explanation I can find. Some change their mind when they find their fated one and are glad the males refused them.”
“How many?” She asked.
“Find their fated one? Few.”
“That’s about to change.” Maddie declared.
“I hope so. That was part of the reason for this move.”
“Wasn’t it the main reason?”
“Yes, but we are also social animals. We crave to be around others of our kind and have the feeling of community. Most of us have lacked that. The only exceptions are those rare large families that stuck together.”
“This move will be good for your kind.”
“It would be already if not for the challenge over housing. I feel sorry for the last cats that come.”
“Don’t. They may have it easier than you. At least as far as housing goes.”
“How is that possible?”
“Many people are building apartments and two new subdivisions are going in. That’s not including yours. Even Ariel has one going in because her pack is swelling in numbers from rogues and others joining. It’s a remarkable time for the supernatural world. The alliance between the witches, shifters, and vampires has also brought a sense of peace. This is a good time to be alive.”
Her words made him feel better. These challenges he’d undertaken would be well worth the time, effort, and problems he was undergoing. Thank the goddess for all her guidance. Now he was ready to take on the world, or his new world at any rate. They arrived at Viv’s house where she would develop a plan to help her ex-husband.
This whole situation was hard to believe. The male might be considered alright looking. When he was younger he might even have been considered pretty with his curly shoulder length hair and sky blue eyes. He suspected Viv had looked for a male she could manage and make decisions for rather than one to stand at her side and support her.
Maybe he was even the male version of the female he’d once thought he’d wanted. Someone biddable who let him make all the decisions. Now he was certain they would never have made him happy. He would have been bored to tears in no time. Now he pulled himself into the present and listened as Viv and Jerry discussed his problems with the business.
“You can’t be the president of the company. The day to day business moves you to tears of boredom. Jessica can do that and you can divide your time between running the family charity and helping out with the advertising. Why did you want to try something you hate?” Viv asked.
“I wanted to show my mom I could do it.” Jerry, the ex, said.
“She never even wanted you to try. No one is good at everything. You know that. Just be you and don’t try to do things you don’t like and aren’t good at.” Viv insisted.
“Okay. If I do what you want, how will that get the company back on track?” He asked.
“We have a building boom down here. The family will help by buying all their kitchen and bathroom supplies from the company until you’re on track. Luckily there’s still time before the end of the year to get things back in the black. I’ll get with Jessica and see what we can do.”
“Thank you, Viv. I know I should have come to you, but I didn’t expect you to help.”
“I know. I’ll get everything written up and you can sign the papers. Don’t worry, Jessica and I will get it taken care of.” Viv said before she prepared to escort Jerry and Gordon to the door.
He could see the guy relax as if the weight of the world had slid off his shoulders. Who was this Jessica? Turning his attention back to Caro, he waited to see what she had to say.
“She’s my oldest sister. The company has been her interest since she went to work with dad as a tween. Her degree is in business and she’s smart like Mom.” Caro explained.
“Did I ask that out loud?” He asked.
“No, Channing. I read your confused expression. Don’t worry. Everything will fall into place and Jessica will do most of the work. I always knew someday she would run the company.” Caro admitted.
“Why would she be running Jerry’s company?” he asked.
“I thought you would understand being a business man. Dad took over the company, one that’s been in our family hundreds of years, for about a month and he’s in the red so far even he knows he’ll lose it if he continues to be in charge. Mom will only help if he lets Jessica take over. Had Gramps lived long enough to retire, Jessica would have been put in charge then. Dad has no head for business. It never mattered before. He did certain things that required a family representative more than business ability.”
“What about you and the other siblings?”
“We all own shares in the company. She’s the only one that wants to work in it. It’ll be back in top shape in no time.”
“That’s good because your mom has plenty to do.”
“And a lot of it’s for you.”
“That’s her business and I appreciate it.” His cell phone beeped. It was a text message.
When he read it, he cursed. “Sorry. My brother and sister just arrived at my house and none of the bedrooms are furnished. You wouldn’t want to help a guy out, would you?”
“What do you need?”
“I need someone to pick out nice furnishings for six upstairs bedrooms. Things that a male or female would like well enough. We can order it on line and see if they’ll deliver today.”
“Sure. I like to shop. Want to use my computer?”
“Sounds good.”
“Follow me.” Caro said. Her computer was set up in the family room.
Once she had it up, she went to the local furniture store site. First she checked for sales and they had a big one going on. Caro was fast and decisive. She picked beds, two dressers, and two night stands. A small desk went in half the rooms and a chair went with it. The other three rooms had a bench. The total was much less than he expected and she put it on his credit card with a special request for delivery today. Once it all went through, she called them and discussed the delivery and they agreed to get it there as quickly as possible.
He was extremely appreciative and handed her a hundred dollars. “You’re quickly becoming one of my favorites.” She said as she slid the hundred dollars into her pocket.
“I hate to, but I need to get home now.”
“I’ll tell Mom you had to go when she’s done with Dad. It’ll be okay. There’s only past memories between them. She hasn’t had romantic feelings for him in years.”
“Why did she stay?”
“I think it was for us. Once I was grown, she was going to leave. Their relationship had gone cold, but she would never have hurt any of us. She thought leaving before I was grown would be wrong. Dad was the one that didn’t care.” Caro explained.
That was something he could understand. No matter who she’d settled with, it wouldn’t have worked. She was always meant to be his.