"I learned to like it," she replied, hoping the other woman wouldn't ask any more questions. There were times when she couldn't afford to buy milk and sugar. It hadn't taken her long to acquire the taste for drinking her coffee black. Now she wouldn't have it any other way.
"I need to go to the store later," Emmy said, and Kenzie sighed with relief. "Do you want to come with me? You haven't met Zayn, Karter, and Jace Strike yet. They run the store."
"As long as my mates are okay with it?" Kenzie answered uncertainly. She had no idea why she was hesitating, because normally she did whatever she wanted without asking anyone and had for a long time. However, just the thought of being away from Jay, Jenson, and Jordan made her uneasy. She wondered if that was because she was connected to them, or because the mating bond wasn't complete yet. She gave a mental shrug. It didn't really matter.
When a frisson of alarm zipped up her spine, she knew she was lying to herself. She was scared. Scared that the pimp and the Triad leader would find her and take her away. She didn't want to leave her mates because they made her feel safe. She knew she was being ridiculous. Ambrose was probably the safest place on earth for her to be. It was full of huge capable soldiers who could shift into animals. So why couldn't she shake the trepidation slowly knotting in her gut?
"Pixie and Dusty are going to meet me across the road in an hour. You could get a few things to supplement your wardrobe. We didn't buy you very many things."
"Are you kidding?" Kenzie gaped at the other woman. "You all bought me enough clothes for a week without having to wash."
"We didn't buy them, Kenzie," Emmy said. "We only picked them out. Your mates paid for all your things."
"Thank you. I'll thank my guys, too. You have no idea how grateful I was to get out of that hospital gown."
"I can imagine." Emmy smiled. "No one likes having their ass hanging out in the breeze for all to see."
Kenzie blushed again, but nodded in agreement. She drained her coffee and rose. She met each of the men's gazes before turning toward Emmy. "Thanks for the coffee. I'd better get a move on before my guys come looking for me."
"I'll poke my head in before I have to meet Pixie and Dusty." Emmy waved just before Kenzie hurried toward the doorway leading to the hall and the kitchen. She really hoped her guys would be okay with her going to the store.
Kenzie was relaxed as she chopped, diced, mixed, and blended ingredients. She even put a large pot roast on to slow cook. Her mates bustled about making other dishes. Talking and joking together. She loved seeing how happy they were and hoped to see it every single day.
"Kenzie, I'm about to go to the store. Did you want to come?" Emmy asked.
She glanced at Jenson, Jordan, and Jay as she tried to decide if she wanted to go or not. She really needed to buy another pair of shoes. Her sneakers weren't going to cut it for the rest of cold weather. She was already wearing two pairs of socks on her feet, which made the fit of her shoes a little too tight. Maybe going to the store was a good idea. Especially if she could find some boots appropriate for the cold.
"You can go, baby," Jordan came up behind her and took the knife from her hand before placing it on the chopping board. "Just make sure you don't go wandering off by yourself, okay?"
She gazed back at him over her shoulder. "Where would I go?"
Jordan shrugged as he wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her. He nuzzled at her temple and then kissed the top of her head before stepping back. He dug his hand into his pocket, clasped her wrist and slapped something onto her palm. "Buy whatever you want, baby."
Kenzie glanced down at her hand and frowned when she saw the wad of cash. She gaped as she met Jordan's eyes again. "I don't want your money, Jordan. I like working and saving up to buy my own things."
Jordan gripped her chin between his finger and thumb. "I understand that, baby, but we're mated now, married, although the human marriage ceremony is weak compared to what we share. Everything we have is yours. We have more than enough money to take care of you."
"But-"
Jordan placed his finger over her lips and shook his head. "Don't argue with me, Kenzie. Go to the store with Emmy and have some fun. Okay?"
She nodded even though she had no intention of spending his money. She went up on tiptoe and kissed his chin. "I won't be too long."
He stroked a finger down her nose. "Take as long as you want, Kenzie. We're fine."
"Call if you need us," Jay ordered. She met his gaze as she walked toward Emmy, who was still standing in the doorway. "Promise me, honey. If you get scared or are worried about anything just shout one of our names and we'll hear you."
She swallowed around the constriction in her throat and nodded. "I will."
"Have a good time, sweetie," Jenson called just as she stepped through the doorway after Emmy moved aside.
"I will. Thanks."
"Do you need anything?" Emmy asked. "I thought you might like this." She held up a purse. "I never use it and since I haven't seen you carry one, I figured you didn't have one."
"Are you sure you don't want it? I can pay you for it." Kenzie blinked quickly trying to dispel the tears of gratitude that were burning her eyes. Everyone in Ambrose was being so nice to her. She felt as if she belonged for the first time in a very, very long time.
"You will not," Emmy said as she handed Kenzie the bag. "It was sitting in the top of my closet collecting dust."
"Thank you, Emmy." Kenzie took the purse and slung the strap over her shoulder.
Emmy hooked her arm through hers. "Let's go shopping."
Dusty and Pixie were already inside the store. Kenzie glanced about and couldn't believe how big it was. From the outside, the size was deceiving. The shopfront was narrow, but the inside was longer and wider than the front showed.
"Hey ladies, do you need any help?"
Kenzie would have stepped back if Emmy hadn't been holding onto her arm. The big guy walking toward her was intimidating because of his size. Her mates were taller and slightly more muscular than him, but his eyes were such a light blue color they didn't look real.
"Hi, Zayn, how are you?" Dusty asked as she smiled up at him.
Zayn grunted as he nodded his head. "I'm okay."
"Where are Jace and Karter?" Pixie asked.
"It was our turn to patrol the border. I didn't want to mix with the humans and decided to man the store instead."
"Man the border?" Kenzie asked and instantly regretted it when those eerie blue eyes locked onto her.
"This is Kenzie, Jayson, Jordan, and Jenson's mate," Emmy introduced.
"Hello, Kenzie. We've met before. Or should I say I've seen you before."
"You have?" she asked in a croaky voice and hoped the big man didn't realize she was scared of him.
"Yeah, I was here when your mates carried you into the clinic. They were real worried about you. I'm glad you've healed."
"Thanks." Kenzie thought she saw sadness in Zayn's eyes and her fear immediately dissipated. She actually felt sympathy for the big man, but had no idea why.
"All the guys in town take turns to patrol the border between Canada and America," Emmy explained. "Apparently that was a stipulation on getting the town of Ambrose so cheaply."
"That it was," Zayn said. "Is there anything I can help you all with?"
Dusty shook her head. "No thanks, Zayn, we're just going to browse for a while."
"Yell out if you need any help." Zayn turned back to the counter.
Kenzie wanted to ask what type of shifter Zayn was but was mindful of their enhanced hearing. She didn't want to piss him off. She wasn't sure she could handle him looking at her angrily.
"This way." Emmy tugged Kenzie toward the back of the store.
She gasped when she saw the shelves along the back wall was lined with boots. She glanced from one end to the other hoping to spot a pair that she liked. She patted the pocket of her jeans where she put her credit card before leaving the house this morning. Kenzie wanted to buy something for her mates, even if she had no idea what. She was hoping she'd see something and just know if it was right for one of her guys. She didn't have much money, but she wanted to be able to show her mates how much they meant to her.
"Ooh," Pixie gasped. "These are gorgeous."
"You don't need any more boots, Pixie." Dusty grinned. "Don't you have a pair for every day of the week?"
"Biatch." Pixie chuckled. "These aren't for me. I thought they'd suit Kenzie perfectly."
Kenzie looked at the boots. They looked as if they were made from leather and while they had a small heel, they were also lined with wool. "What size are they?"