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You Don't Know Me and If You're Not the One
Chapter 4: Spirit Warriors and Shamrocks
Leah POV
"He died in prison." I sat there, stunned by Rich's admission about his birth father. I was sitting with my legs crossed on the floor; Rich was sitting across from me in the same way. I asked him to tell me one fact about his real parents, but I neverexpectedhim to reveal something so shocking. I was utterly speechless.
"What did he do?" I whispered, finally finding my voice.
"Very. Bad. Things," he exhaled, his lips trembling. "Unspeakable acts." Rich lifted his head to look up at me. His eyes were glistening. "I finally got the courage to track down my birth mother when I was eighteen."
"Gramps and Nonna's daughter?"
He nodded.
"She wants nothing to do with me," his voice cracked.
"Why?" Rich was amazing. How could she not want him?
"Because she sees my father in me," he replied sadly, dropping his head. I grabbed a hold of my best friend's face and lifted it. He appeared so lost and shattered. It broke my heart.
"Listen to me, Rich." I looked into his eyes. "You are not your father."
"We share the same DNA, Lee," he murmured dejectedly. "Maybe I'm just like him."
"No," I shook my head rebelliously, "you are not! You're good, Rich."
"How do you know, Leah?" He spoke desperately, staring at me. "How do you know I'm good?" His gaze was so penetrating it almost made me weak. I had to close my eyes for just a brief moment to get my emotions in check.
"Because," I took a deep breath and opened my eyes, "you're good to me Rich. You're good to me." I repeated once more. And I really didn't deserve it.
I was taking more from this friendship than I was giving back. Rich let me into his life, shared his secrets with me, and introduced me to his family, and here I was unable to do the same out of fear of how others would react; specifically Sam. Yes, I truly didn't deserve Rich, but there was no way I could possibly let him go now. He was starting to become the most important person in my life, and that revelation alone scared the shit outta me.
Rich POV
She thought I was good. She had no idea who my father was – what he did. The terror he caused, the lives he took. The easy part was telling Leah my biological father died in prison. The hard part – the part I would never tell her – was that he died by lethal injection for being the most infamous serial killer known to date.
Aden West. His name alone still sent frightful shivers down people's spines to this very day.
The easy part was telling Leah my mother didn't want me. The hard part – the part I would never reveal – was that my mom was Aden's only surviving victim and I was the outcome of her tortuous captivity.
"I have two little sisters," I managed to say.
"What are their names?" Leah eyes piqued with interest.
"I can't, Leah," I croaked, shaking my head. I hadn't spoken Essie or Abby's names out loud since the last time I saw them. Since the last time my real mom told me she didn't trust me around my own little sisters because of who my real father was.
How could she possibly think I would ever hurt them the way Aden West hurt her? The thought alone made me nauseous.
"I think," I could taste the salty saliva increasing in my mouth, "I'm gonna be sick." I stumbled to my feet, ran into the restroom and slammed the door shut.
"Rich! Shit!" I heard Leah curse. I made it to the toilet just in time. If my real mom had taken the time toget toknow me, she'd know I had a really weak stomach. I wasn't even built to do the vile things my real father had been capable of doing. "Rich, I'm so sorry!" She sounded so remorseful and it wasn't even her fault I reacted this way. "I won't push you anymore. I won't ask you any more questions."
"Go away, Leah," I groaned. I didn't want her to see me like this. "Leave me alone." I couldn't face her. I didn't want her pity. I was lying down with my head planted against the cold tile. It helped abate the throbbing headache that was starting to form. Everything was quietfor a moment. I thought for sure she left, but I was wrong. The door slowly creaked open. I heard the faucet turn on,and thensuddenly, I felt a warm wet compress against my right temple.
"I'll never leave you alone," Leah whispered. "Especially not like this."
It felt like this soft gentle side of the woman I loved so deeply was shown rarely. That knowledge alone made me feel good. Like a part of her would always belong to just me and no one else. "What can I do, Rich? How can I make you feel better?" So many thoughts ran through my mind with that one request.
Leave Sam, love me and when you're ready marry me and have MY babies.
"Just keep talking to me, Leah," I responded softly instead. I lifted my head slightly and placed it in her lap. She didn't object to my actions. Was this crossing the line? Were my actions causing that divide to blur from friendship into the unknown? At that very moment, frankly, I didn't give a damn. I needed her more than I needed anyone else. She was my air.
"I don't know what to say," she shakily replied.
"Tell me a story," I murmured.
"Fresh out of nursery rhymes," she laughed sadly, running her hand through my hair. This was heaven. "I know Quileute legends though." her pinky playfully grazed my ear and sent shivers down my entire spine. Damn, this woman! She had no idea how something so innocent to her could feel so sensual to me. Leah just didn't realize she possessed my entire being.
"Tell me one." I squeezed her legs.
"Not really supposed to tell anyone," Leah sighed. "It's a tribe thing."
"No one knows I exist, Leah." Who could I possibly tell? She wouldn't even tell me her brother's name. "They'll never know." It still hurt to say it, even though I knew it was true.
Leah seemed hesitant for a moment, but finally gavein. "Okay," she exhaled noisily. "Well, there's this old legend among our tribe that claims we actually descended from wolves." I could tell by Leah's tone that she didn't believe a word of what she was saying, but I found it intriguing nonetheless. "See, theQuileutes – my people – are a pretty small tribe,but we have never disappeared. This is because there has always been magic in our blood.The ability to change from human form to wolves."
"You mean like shape-shifting?" I didn't mean to interrupt, but this was way better than any story I ever heard growing up. I had the listen to Mother Goose and Leah got to hear about turning into wolves? That's badass.
"That's right," Leah confirmed with a laugh.
"So according to this legend, members of your tribe can turn into wolves, like, anytime theywant?"
"Not exactly," Leah answered slowly. "The wolf gene; it has to be triggered by our enemy." I heard Leah let out a hearty laugh. "Can you believe that shit? I mean, come on! There's no way this stuff could possibly be true."
"Get back to the legend, Leah." She was getting off topic.
"Right. Anyway, at some point during the early 20th century, this family moved to Forks near our rez. This caused the wolf to be triggered."
"Wait a minute, Leah." I sat up and looked at her. "Who's the enemy?" Leah shook her head and laughed again.
"Cold ones," she smirked. "Beings that look like men, but are hard as stone and cold as ice." Leah tried to sound as ominous as possible, but it wasn't working. "They feed on the blood of humans." The wheels in my head began to spin. Beings that are cold as ice, and feed on the blood of humans…my eyes grew wide with shock.
"Vampires!" I exclaimed. My headache had all but disappeared.
"Hush!" Leah warned loudly. "Or I won't tell you the rest of the story." I pretended to zip my mouth shut and throw away the key.
"Okay, now where was I?" Leah tapped her chin. "Oh, yeah. This family moved to Forks near our rez. This caused the wolftobe triggered in three members of the Quileute tribe, who phased into wolves and prepared to attack these cold ones to defend the humans in the area. However, the coven leader was able to pacify the wolves by telling them that they only fed on the blood of animals." Leah took a deep breath before continuing. "A treaty was agreed upon between the two groups: This clan of cold ones were not to bite humans or trespass on the Quileutes' land, and the Quileutes would not reveal the vampires' existence to the humans."
"Wow," I muttered after a long silence. "Thank you, Leah. You always know how to make me feel better."
"Don't mention it, that's what friends are for." Leah elbowed me. I was really startingto loathe that damn word.
I shook my head and rose. After brushing my teeth, I extended my hand out to Leah. She was still sitting on the bathroom floor. She took it without hesitation. "You know I'm only one eighth Jewish, right?"
"Yes, I remember, you telling me that." Leah nodded, following me out of the bathroom. "You're one eighth from Nonna's father." She sat down on my bed. I walked over to my closet and pulled out my old shoebox. It had several little trinkets inside. Things I collected over the years; ones that may appear seemingly insignificant to others, but were extremely important to me.
"Both of Gramps parents are from Ireland," I explained, sitting down beside her.
"I know, you spent two weeks there with some cousins before coming here," Leah grumbled. "The beginning of summer really sucked without you" She had no idea how much I'dmissed her, too.
"I brought you a souvenir." I wanted to wait until the end of summer, but after Leah shared something so sacred with me, I felt compelled to share something sacred with her. "Here." I handedher the three-leaf clover.
Leah's lips curled up slowly. "A shamrock."
"It's one of the best known symbols of Ireland," I began to say.
"It's also a marshmallow in Lucky Charms," Leah replied, twirling the plant in her hand. "I love that cereal." I couldn't help but laugh. This is why I love this woman.
"The shamrock," I finally recovered, "is believed to possess magical properties, and in ancient times they were used by Druids to ward off evil spirits. I want you to have it."
"Rich, this is better than the Chuck Taylor's." Leah grinned at me, and as if it were a second nature, she rested her head on my shoulder. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, and for the next twenty minutes while we sat in silence, I pretended Leah was mine.
Leah POV
By the time I made it to the shop, Quil was almost done fixing Ester's car. After putting my food away in the break room, I headed towards my office, only to hear that my cousin and Collin were already inside…talking about me. The nerve!
"So how did she take the news?" Collin asked.
"Seth says she handled it better than expected," I heard Brady answer back. "Even after he told her about Embry, she seemed alright." Didn't these two jackasses have anything better to do than talk about me? I flung open the door just in time to see Brady nearly falling out of my chair. Collin was leaning against the wall.
"Hey, Leah!" They both greeted me with excitement.
"What the hell are you two doing in here?" I flung my keys on my desk.
"Can't I just check and see how my cousin is doing?" Brady replied innocently as he stood up. "How are you?"
"I'm doing just peachy," I retorted sarcastically, glaring at Brady before cutting my eyes in Collin's direction. The excitement was gone and a look of nervousness spread across his face as he stared back at me. "And you're here because…?"
"I…um…" he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "I'm with Brady."
"You're with Brady?" I repeated. Collin nodded his head. "Well, shit," I laughed. "You should let Bree know. Don't want the poor girl waiting around if you two are playing hide the salami with one another." Collin's mouth dropped open, just as his eyes widened. "Perhaps Riley and Diego could give you two some pointers." I winked at him. Bree's adoptive brother had been dating Diego for years now.
"Damn it, Leah!" He trembled. "Why do you have to be so, so…"
I could tell he was struggling for the words to convey how awesome I am, so I decided to help him.
"So amazingly beautiful and magnificent?" I grinned sweetly. "So in-tune with my feminine side its unbelievable?" I added, batting my eyes.
"So fucking mean!" he snarled back. "That's the last time I'll ever spend my time worrying about you." He marched past me.
"That's fine by me!" I yelled after him. "Why don't you spend your time worrying about turning sixteen so you can have a better hobby – like screwing your nineteen year-old girlfriend?!" I whipped my head around to see Brady's stunned expression.
"Get out!" I growled at my cousin. He started to open his mouth. "Not another word, just leave me alone." After Brady quickly made a mad dash out of my office, I finally took a seat and exhaled. I should not have come in today.
Just when I thought I could get some peace, I heard my name coming from a female voice I'd never heard before.
"That's Sue's daughter, right?" There her voice goes again. In most instances any stranger I overheard talking about me would annoy me, and upon meeting them I'd be a total bitch, but there was something in this young girl's voice that made me pause.
Pain. No matter how hard she tried to camouflage it, I could still hear it, feel it, and that alone made me feel kindred to her already.
"Ah-huh. She works in the back office. Lee handles the books, work orders, and our employee schedules." That was Embry. "She used to work the front desk, but Bells does now. She and a customer had a slight misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?" The girl repeated just as they finally appeared in front of me.
"I kneed a pervy client in the balls for trying to grab my ass," I explained, making my way over from around my desk. "So, you're Ester Moonflower." I tilted my head to the side and folded my arms across my chest. Just like I expected, she was very beautiful, but I wasn't gonna let on I thought so. "Seth said your sister looks nothing like you." Ester moved closer towards me and folded her arms across her chest.
"Abby takes after our mom and I'm surprised you've spoken to your little bro at all," she snorted menacingly, "considering the fact that he's practically moved into Tiffany's house," she added. Girl's got some guts; I'll give her that.
"Actually, he came by the house to shower and change before heading back over there." That's when I noticed the work order to Ester's car in Embry's hand. I took it from him. "He also told me you threatened him. Just so you know, the same rules apply to your little sis." I cut my eyes at her.
"If you touch my sister, I will fuck you up!" Ester snarled, getting directly in my face. Well, damn, this chick was pretty tough. I was impressed and couldn't help but smile at the protective sister standing in front of me.
"You know, I think I might grow to like, instead of just tolerating, your ass." I moved back over to my desk. "I hate spineless bitches. You're definitely not one. If your sister acts anything like you, I may even grow to love her." Considering the fact that she'll be my sister in law someday.
"She's worse," Ester remarked, placing her hand on her hip.
"Even better," I smirked. "Can't wait to meet her."
I watched Embry heave a long sigh of relief. I couldn't really understand why, but for some reason, I genuinely believed I could like Ester. I just had a good feeling about her.
The next few hours flew by quickly, but I was having trouble concentrating. Pretty much the entire pack was spoken for. Imprinted. Dating. Engaged. Suddenly, I found myself thinking back to my own engagement. Not when it happened, but when I had to tell Rich the news…
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