Ten
Zion
I didn’t really need more coffee, but I just needed something to do. I often found the process of making coffee more comforting than drinking it. And after what had just happened with Penny, I desperately needed something to soothe my nerves. My bear continued to prowl beneath the surface, unhinged by the events.
The sound of the girl’s crying was something I knew I would never forget as long as I lived. I knew it was for the best that CPS stepped in; the alternative of leaving her in an unsafe environment was completely out of the question. Nevertheless, this kind of thing always killed me. Hell, I could too easily imagine what a child felt like in these circumstances; being taken away by complete strangers typically felt more frightening than staying in an unstable environment.
The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t. That saying could ring all too true.
Distracted, I accidentally burned my hand on the hot coffee mug. Fuck. Agitated, I swore far louder than I meant to right as the door to the on-call room opened. I closed my eyes for a second, hoping that it was no one but Morris. But when I reopened them, I saw that it was Alexis.
With a heavy sigh, I reached for a couple packages of sweetener.
I needed a distraction, but I was pretty sure I didn’t need it to be her.
I immediately thought back to the feel of her skin and practically felt my cock harden on the spot. She had started out as just a pretty distraction, but now, she was already so much more. It scared me how strong of a connection I felt with her even though I’d only known her for just a short time, which was all the more reason I had to concentrate on keeping my distance from this point forward.
I couldn’t get attached. I was a mess, I needed to get my bear sorted out, before I went completely bonkers.
I could feel her staring at me, and I was well aware that she realized I’d been ignoring her the whole day. I just couldn’t face her though—at least not without replaying the previous day in my head.
I attempted to open several packets of sweetener all at once, but with too much force. They spilled all over the counter and I swore again.
“Rough day?” Alexis asked, standing beside me with her own coffee mug.
“You think?” I said, reaching for more sweetener. I opened them carefully this time and poured them into my cup. I searched the table for the coffee creamer, seeing that they were beside Alexis. “Hand me a pack of creamer, will you?”
She silently reached for a packet of cream and held it out to me. I took it from her hand, my fingertips brushing against her palm and reminding me once again how soft and delicious her skin was—stop thinking. Focus on the coffee.
I clenched my jaw and turned away from her, carefully opening the creamer and pouring it into my coffee as well. Grabbing a plastic spoon, I began to stir, watching the black liquid lighten to rich brown.
I set the spoon down and picked up my cup, realizing I suddenly didn’t know what to do or where to go. Alexis was still staring at me, and I so desperately wanted to meet her gaze. But I was afraid of the feelings those bright blue eyes would inspire in me. I was already feeling so down—so broken—that I knew it would be all too easy to seek comfort in her.
I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache forming.
Alexis cleared her throat, the sound startlingly loud in the silence of the room. “Excuse me, Zion.”
Finally, I looked up at her. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a slick ponytail, which intensified her stunning beauty. Her face was makeup-free, but still flawless thanks to her smooth and unblemished skin. And despite the obvious tension in the way she held her mouth, her lips still looked so soft and kissable.
I wanted her.
Every bit of that delicious skin.
She blinked at me, and I realized she had asked me to move over; she wanted to make herself some coffee, but I was blocking the counter.
“Oh, sorry,” I said, stepping aside.
Alexis poured hot water into her cup, and I realized she was actually making tea rather than coffee. I turned away and headed to the bench-seat in the corner of the room.
I took a long, slow sip of the coffee while absentmindedly listening to the sounds of Alexis preparing her tea. In the forefront of my mind though, was Penny. Just the mere thought of her brought a sting to my eyes. I blinked rapidly, threatening the moisture in my eyes to go away just as I had been for hours on end. I wouldn’t dare let those tears fall; I’d shed more than a lifetime’s worth of tears in my childhood already. All I could do was hope I hadn’t condemned Penny to a similar fate.
My parents died when I was in my twenties, but when I was a kid things had been hard. My dad was constantly working, building up our empire. And my mom struggled having shifter kids, even though she was one herself. Three bear cubs is a lot for anyone, but especially someone raising them practically alone.
“I thought I was shaken up, but not nearly as much as you.”
I jumped at the sound of Alexis’s voice, as well as her nearness. I’d been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t even realized she had joined me on the bench. She sat beside me, her legs crossed and holding a steaming hot cup of tea to her chest.
Earlier that day, I had purposely ignored her and easily noted her irritation despite her efforts to hide it. But now, her expression toward me was soft and gentle. She took a sip of her tea and then stared at her lap. “So, what’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“I wish I was back on the night shift, that’s all. It’s easier. ”
Alexis nodded and took another sip of her tea. “Working the night shift prevents you from encountering more cases like Penny’s.”
I gripped my coffee mug tightly, not caring how it burned my hands.
“Why are you so affected?” Alexis asked.
“What do you mean?” I said, feigning ignorance.
“By what happened to Penny,” she said. I could hear the silent ‘duh’ she left out. “I saw the way you looked after she was taken away from her mom.”
I took a sip of my coffee. “I just...have a feeling of what it’s like. Sort of.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Alexis tilting her head. “Do you know someone who was taken away? I mean, in your personal life?” she asked.
“Yeah. I guess you can say that.”
“Who was it?”
Swimming in memories from the past, I was brought back to the present when Alexis touched my knee. “Hey, you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m all right. Don’t worry about it,” I said, grimacing as my parents’ voices echoed through my brain.
“Who was taken away, Zion?”
I cleared my throat. “My parents—they uhm…”
“Your parents were in the system?”
I shook my head. “No, it’s not like that. They’re dead.”
Alexis stared at me with wide eyes.