"What kind of ice cream do you like?" Reed asked as we waited in line to order. The little shop was white and pink, little tables and chairs spread out across the floor and a large menu above the counter giving the assorted flavors of ice cream.
I looked them over, fascinated by all the combinations and variety. "How many scoops can I have?" I asked him.
He squinted at the menu and said, "Three max."
I pouted then chose. "Reece's, cookie dough, and...Oreo."
He smiled down at me. "Good choices!" We got up to the counter and he gave the order. The small woman nodded and smiled, scooping one after another before adding it up. Reed paid and handed me the bowl, then led me over to a table. We sat down and I took my first taste of ice cream in a long time. "You look like a kid in a candy store," Reed chuckled.
I smiled and shrugged. "I don't get ice cream very often. It's something that wasn't bought for the pack."
"And you didn't go out like the others, either." I shook my head and pushed a bite of Oreo towards him. He took it and smiled. "What did you do for your birthdays?" he asked.
"Jerom would do something for me. Depending on either his wants or my needs, we'd either throw a party in my bedroom with a stash of snacks and soda, or he'd give me a gift of something small but special."
"What about your mother?"
I hesitate but shrug again. "She was never around, always busy and told me we had to be careful."
"Careful? Of what?"
"I don't know. She never specified. I assumed it was money, but Roniston seems to have had a lot stashed for us in his office."
"Was that your own money or money he was giving you?"
"I don't know."
I give him another bite of ice cream. Reed seemed to daze off for a moment before saying, "When is your birthday?"
"A few weeks."
"Really?" I nod. He puts his chin in the palm of his hand and smiles at me. "What do you want?"
"Nothing," I say honestly.
"Nothing?"
I look into his eyes and say, "I can't have what I want. There is no way to give me what I want when it's been taken away." I pause, seeing his furrowed brows and saddened face. "But, I don't anything physical either. What I have wanted all my life is something I have now."
"What's that?"
"A family," I whisper. He blinks and straightens. I feel tears but blink them away. "I have a mate who Jerom spoke of. I have my dreams of being free come true. I am genuinely happy, even if I don't show it."
Reed stared at me, then moved closer and pulled me into an embrace. I wrapped my arms around his neck and breathed him in, glad to be here with him. "I'm happy to help, Beautiful."
Resting my head on his shoulder, I grab the spoon with a blob of ice cream and hold it up to him. He takes the spoon from my hand and lowers it to my mouth. Smiling, I open my mouth and let him put it in.
By the time we're finished at the ice cream shop, it is sun set and I feel like Reed has given me the best day of my life. I am walking hand in hand with him towards his car, talking casually and feeling at ease when a woman comes up to me with a note. I hesitate, but she insists, shoving it harshly into my hands and walking away. Reed wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me close as I stare at the cream-colored envelope.
"You don't have to open it," he whispers. "There's a garbage right over there."
"What do you think it is?" I ask, turning it over.
"A prank? Maybe some stupid invitation."
Biting my lip, I shrug and throw it away, ignoring it. Taking Reed's hand, we walk the rest of the way to the car and drive home.
We're laughing as we pull up to the house about some joke Reed heard and I nearly fall out of the car, stumbling up to the door. He comes up behind me and unlocks the door but doesn't open it. I turn and smile up at him, then he leans down and gently brushes his lips against mine. I'm surprised and yet unafraid as he wraps an arm around my back and cups the back of my neck with the other hand. I put both hands on his chest, closing my eyes and letting warmth spread through me.
When he pulls away, I open to see he's smiling. "I had a good time with you, Simone."
"Me too."
Reed opens the door and ushers me inside, then we go upstairs and to the bedroom. We're halfway down the hall when the phone from his office goes off. He hesitates, glancing at the door and back at me. I bite my lip and smile, nodding for him to get it. "I'll be right in, okay?" he says.
"Okay."
Letting me go, he walks into his office to catch the phone on its last ring. "Hello?"
Not wanting to eavesdrop, I go to the bedroom and to the closet, pulling out some pajamas, then go to the bathroom and shower. I hear the bathroom door open and close and ignore it, believing Reed came in to grab something and continued washing my hair, humming to myself.
I got out, dried myself and dressed. I was brushing my hair when I saw it: a cream-colored envelope stashed behind the mirror, barely hidden. My heart starts to pound, and my hands shake. I feel exposed somehow and am afraid of going out into the bedroom. Something tells me it wasn't Reed who had come into the bathroom. But I really didn't want to be stuck in here with the note glaring at me.
A knock on the door makes me jump. "Simone?" Reed says. "Are you okay?"
Slowly, I move to the door and open it, seeing him standing there. Feeling safer, I relax and wrap my arms around him. "I'm okay."
"You were taking a while, I just wasn't sure if you had slipped or something," he whispered. My arms tightened of their own accord and I feel him tense. "Simone? You're shaking!"
Reed lifts me into his arms and carries me to the bed, sitting me on his lap. I hide my face, my body, my emotions from anyone who might still be watching.
"Shit, Simone!" Reed hissed into my ear. "What's wrong?"
"I thought it was you!" I managed to get out. "I thought it was you in the bathroom!"
He tenses. "Someone was in the bathroom?" I nod. "How do you know? Did you see them?"
I shake my head but tighten my grip on him. "They-they left a note like earlier in town."
Setting me beside him on the bed, he stands and strides to the bathroom. I watch from my curled position to see him finding the note and opening it. Reed takes a few moments to read it before throwing it away and walking back. "Come here," he whispers with a sigh.
I crawl over to him and he pulls me against him.
"Everything is going to be fine, Simone. You'll be fine."
Somehow, I knew he didn't honestly believe it because I heard the slight tremble in his voice. "Reed, if someone's after me, maybe I should go."
"No. You're not going to be able to handle enemies on your own. I don't want you to die on your own and so young. We'll get through this, I promise."
"What if you get hurt?" I ask.
"I don't care. It's you I'm worried about." He pauses, then sighs. "Come on, let's sleep. I need to get up early to talk to Thrain and Corey about this." We lie down and Reed holds me close, his arms tightly banded around me. "Just don't run away from me," he finally whispers.
I wake alone in bed and with the feeling of being watched. I look around, but don't see anything or anyone. I wonder if Reed has hidden cameras but immediately dismiss it. Curling deeper into the blankets and sheets, I close my eyes and try to fall back asleep, unwilling to get up. My eyes close and my brain goes fuzzy until I hear the door open.
Instead of my body going relaxed and calm, the hair on the back of my neck raises and I have the urge to run. I don't know why this would be, don't know why my body is reacting so different than how it has been yesterday. I don't feel like I should be worried about Reed anymore. I don't feel scared around him, just nervous and shy.
The bed dips and I feel a hand skate up my bare arm. Shivers run down my back, making my heart stop. The sensation was familiar...terrifyingly familiar. Opening my eyes, I turn and open my mouth to scream, but the male is faster. Clamping my mouth shut with one hand, he comes up onto the bed and straddles me. "Hello, Simone," he sneers.
I give a small whimper as he moves his other hand down my body. Trying to get my mouth free so I could scream for help, I squirm, but he's too heavy and his hand clamps harder.
"Don't move, Sweetheart!"
I feel his free hand in my pants and my eyes go wide with fear. No! No, no, no! This can't be happening to me! His fingers trail my underwear then push them away and touch my skin. My wolf takes over and bites hard on his hand, making him grunt in pain and lift it away.
"REED!"
The male backhands me and I struggle to get out from beneath him. "You're going to pay for that!" he snarls.
"Reed!"
The male stands and goes to the door, locking it, then stalks back, pulling out a ball of rope. I cry out and try to go to the window, but he catches my ankle, making me scream. Hitting me again, he sticks a gag in my mouth and ties my hands together then to the headboard. "Where's your friend to save you now, Sweetheart?" he hissed.
I try to kick out at him, but he catches my legs and spreads them, putting himself in between with a satisfied smirk. My brain goes on a standstill, unable to take what is happening to us and process it. Before I could begin to feel anything more, I black out.