“Holy shit, Livi,” Tommy said as he turned her face gently.
“He’s worse off than I am.”
“Why did you let him do this?” His gaze turned to Peter. “You were supposed to protect her!”
Livi dropped her baggage as she put her other hand against Tommy’s chest when he went toward Peter. “I told them to stay back.” Meeting his gaze, his nostrils flared with anger, she gave him a reassuring nod. She knew her dad and mom stood there waiting for an answer as well. “He thought I was a Dragon and put a charm around my neck. I wanted to see what kind of information I could get from him verbally and from reading his mind. I had to make it look like I had Dragon blood in me and go down without being able to move.”
“And?”
Livi turned to look at her dad. “I need to call for a council meeting.”
“I’ll see to it,” Drake said. “Tommy, can you get her cleaned up for me?”
“Yes sir.”
Livi tried to smile but the wounds to her face stopped her as Tommy led her to the Manor and her room. “You don’t have to.”
“Your father asked me.”
“And you do everything he asks, right Tommy?” she asked as he walked from her bathroom carrying a cloth.
“He is my Alpha, Livi. Of course I’m going to follow his directions.”
“Would you have done it if he didn’t ask?” she asked softly.
“Yes.”
Livi sat on her bed while he tended to her wounds. They both knew that her Lyken and Fae blood would heal most by tomorrow, but it was still nice to have someone care for her enough to clean her as gently as he did. “Tommy?”
“Hmmm?”
“Do…do you like me?”
“Of course I like you, Livi,” he answered, slowly lowering the now cool cloth. “I thought that was obvious.”
“Why have you ignored me all these years?” She glanced up when he sighed and moved away.
“I can’t answer you, not yet anyways. And I know you’re going to be mad as hell with me when you find out, but I think you’ll understand why.”
“I’m not following you.”
“In good time, Livi. In good time.”
“Where are you going?” she asked when he headed for her door. “That’s it? You tell me ‘in good time Livi’ and you’re just going to leave?”
“I need to.”
When he turned, Livi noticed his canines had descended and his eyes glowed. “Tommy?”
“Stay there,” he said when she went to rise. “If you come close I may lose control and I don’t want that, Livi.”
“The full’s coming.”
“I know.”
“But…”
“Do not push me, woman,” he growled.
Livi closed her eyes as the door shut behind him. What the hell, he was shifting just from touching her, tending to her, and her damn body was aching all over. She’d held back shifting to her Fae self but it wasn’t easy. Lying back on her bed all she could think of was Tommy as she drifted to sleep.
* * * *
Livi sat with her aunt and uncle the next day and told them what happened with Tommy the night before. “So tell me what I am supposed to do.” Moving her gaze from her fifteen-year-old cousin who was watching his toddler twin brother and sister playing, to her Uncle Evan and Aunt Kasey, she waited for them to answer.
“I don’t know, Livi,” Evan said.
“It’s like first he likes me, then he can’t stand me, then he likes me again, he’s worried about me, he kisses me, then he starts to shift by just touching me and my stomach aches every time he’s near me.” Livi sighed and almost missed the look they gave each other. “What was that?” Livi asked as she jumped up, staring down at the both of them. “What was that look you just gave each other?”
“Oh Christ, don’t tell me they’re giving each other the look,” her cousin Tarrin snorted. “Next thing you know they’ll be taking off to make two more of these,” he said motioning to the twins.
“Watch your mouth,” Kasey said as she pointed to him.
“No, it’s not that kind of look, Tarrin. They know something and they’re not talking,” Livi said as they did it again. “See, right there!”
Evan sighed. “Livi, you know how much we love you, and if I could, I would tell you everything. However, it’s not my place. You need to go talk to your parents or Mari, and I suggest you do it quickly.”
Livi’s gaze narrowed.
“Don’t even try to mind-read me, young lady,” Evan stated as he rose up, towering over her. “You know better.”