Chapter 3: Chapter Two
Stacey took a deep breath and opened the door to the factory that Patrick ran. Alicia filled her in on everything that had happened so she could react accordingly. Hopefully, she wouldn’t run into Patrick so she wouldn’t have to say anything to him.
She was greeted by a middle-aged man with his glasses hanging about his neck. “Stacey?”
“Mr. Michaels?”
“Call me Jack. We don’t have a desk for you yet. Patrick is working on getting one moved in here today, but he said if you need one you can use the one outside his office.”
So much for not facing him today. “I can work wherever you need me to.”
The man looked her up and down. “What pack are you from?”
“You’ve never heard of us.” She kept her gaze down. “We’re very small. My father is James Sullivan and our pack leader.”
“I have heard of your father. We went to school together.”
That made her look up. “You did?”
“Yes, nice man, very smart. Now I know why Patrick hired you to help me.”
She ducked her head at the compliment. “I’ll have to tell my father about you the next time I speak to him. What would you like me to do first?”
“I’m having an issue getting this to balance. Can you look it over and see if you can find any errors I might have missed?” He held out a thumb drive to her.
“Of course.” She took it and looked around. “I guess I will need to use the desk outside of Patrick’s office after all. Am I to use my laptop or one of your computers?”
“Why don’t you use your laptop?”
She nodded and headed to the desk just outside Patrick’s office. She opened her laptop and pushed the thumb drive into the slot. Once her computer booted up, she opened the only file on the drive and started to work through it. Stacey brushed her thumb against her lips when she hit a set of numbers that didn’t add up. She took that section out and placed it in a separate spreadsheet. Working with it she kept shifting things around until she figured out where the discrepancy was. Fixing the discrepancy, she worked through the rest until she hit another one. Doing the same thing she kept replacing the wrong data with the correct one until she worked her way through the whole file.
“I was able to balance it.” She stepped into the room as she spoke then clammed right up when she realized that the accountant wasn’t alone. Patrick stood beside him.
“You did? How?”
She looked at Patrick. “It can wait.”
“No, please.” The bookkeeper looked at Patrick as well before turning his attention back to her. “I have made Patrick aware of the problem. He’s as interested as I am.”
“Okay.” Stacey set her computer on the new desk that had just appeared in the small room and turned it toward the two men. “Um, I found three sets of numbers that were wrong. If I took them out and plugged in the same set of numbers from the previous month they work perfectly.”
“Really?” Patrick leaned down to look at her data. A soft scent wafted from him, filling her senses. Not what she needed. This man was way above her socially. He wouldn’t see her as anything more than a fling. She wanted a mate. “Are you saying all the numbers but these three here are the same numbers from the previous month?”
“That’s what was reported, they’re off by pennies here and here. Not a lot but enough to throw everything off. The thing I noticed is the invoices look the same, just with different dates.”
“Is it from the same department?”
“I’d like more information but from what I can see I have to say yes. And it won’t take much to pinpoint it down to one person.”
Patrick looked at her. “And you can do this?”
“Um, I think so.”
“You think so?” He only repeated her words but the moment he said them she reacted and he wished he could pull them back into his mouth. She shrunk into herself. Her gaze dropped to the floor and she wrapped her arms around herself. “I have read your resume and I know you can do this.”
She lifted her gaze to his and he was caught. She had beautiful eyes. A deep brown, no, wait. They were almost the color of chocolate with little gold flecks. He bet they changed color depending on what she wore.
Patrick wondered what color they would be if she were void of clothing. He blinked. Where did that thought come from? He could have any woman he wanted because of his ties to Max. Why did she pique his interest? Alicia would kill him if he didn’t show her respect.
“Um, thank you,” Stacey replied as she tucked a piece of brown hair behind her ear.
She needed to have more confidence. He thought working with Alicia would have given her that, but she seemed so out of her element. Perhaps he should speak to Alicia again. She might be able to explain her a little more. If she was too shy to talk to his staff, she wouldn’t be able to help him. She’d be too afraid to point a finger at the culprit.
“Let me know when you have the information. I need to step out of the office for a few hours, but I’ll be back.”
Patrick walked out of the building and headed to his car. He wasn’t sure if Max was going to be there and he knew he was overstepping his boundaries by seeing Alicia without her mate two days in a row, but he had to have answers.
Jacob opened the door just as he got there. “Welcome, Patrick.”
“Are they here?”
“Yes.” Jacob gestured toward the kitchen. “They’re just finishing lunch.”
He nodded his thanks and headed to the kitchen. He bowed to them then cleared his throat. “I wish to speak to Alicia.”
“Patrick?” Alicia looked at him. “Twice in two days? I don’t know if I should be flattered or frightened.”
“I just have a few questions about Stacey. I’ve seen her with you and now I’ve seen her without you and she’s painfully shy. I need to know how to draw her out so she can mingle with my employees.”
“I thought you needed her to help with the bookkeeping?” asked Max.
“I do, but I do want her to be able to talk to anyone who has questions about her work. Right now I don’t think she can do that.”
“You’re right,” said Alicia. “When I first met her she was all business. She made sure I made it to appointments on time, had the files I needed but rarely talked. I kept at her. I’d chatter incessantly, hoping she would come out of her shell. It worked. Now she’s one of my best friends. She trusts me and knows I would never hurt her.”
“You want me to gain her confidence?”
“It wouldn’t hurt.” She took Max’s hand. “You guys are very intimidating to her. She comes from a pack so small there are only three families in it. Her father is the alpha. You would think that would make her strong because she is the daughter of an alpha but when she gets around large crowds she shrinks into the wall. Does her best to become invisible. I don’t know why. That is the one thing I could never get her to tell me. Maybe you can.”
***
“Are you trying to play match maker?” asked Max once Patrick left.
“Not really, but you never know what will happen.” She picked up a cooled cup of coffee. “I think it would be good for both of them. He’s so used to not having to work at his relationships, and Stacey believes she isn’t worthy of any of you.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because she has asked me to think about turning her human.”
“What?” He set his cup down.
“She knows she can’t find a mate at home and the idea of finding one in another pack hasn’t crossed her mind. I offered to see if you could recommend someone and she was dead set against it.” Alicia held up her hands when she noticed that her mate was bursting with questions. “She understands that once she’s changed it is permanent. I reminded her of that when she asked me. Stacey also knows that she has to ask you directly. If she were to ask me to be her intermediary, I’d tell her no. I don’t want to be responsible for something so life changing.”
“And you shouldn’t.” Max stood and pulled her to her feet. “I know people have been pressuring you and I think that is why you can’t come up with a design. You’re distracted by what you should do.”
“How do you feel about it?” She looked up at him.
“Alicia, I love you.” He wrapped his arms around her. “I was willing to become human to make you happy and that is all I want. You need to make the decision that makes you happy.”
“I know.”
“Do you have any questions that might help you decide?”
“No.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “I think it’s everyone wanting to know what I want that is making me hesitate. If it was just you and me I would have already done it.”
“But you start dragging your feet when someone starts to pressure you.” He rubbed his hands up and down her back. “How about we change the subject and talk about your family. You said they wanted to meet me.”
“Yeah. I’m trying for a nice simple brunch first.”
“Why don’t we just invite them to the house?”
“I’m not sure they have figured out you’re the ‘Max of millions’.”
“The what?”
“My mom’s nickname for you. She’d read about something you donated to or saved and she would grin and tell me that ‘Max of millions’ has struck again.”
He laughed. “I have to say I’ve not heard that one yet.”
“That’s my mom.” She shrugged. “If they come here, they will figure out who you are and I want them to like you for you, not your money.”
“How many times will we meet with your family before we can marry?”
“I know I’ve made you promise that we’ll tie the knot in front of my parents before we redo the mating, and that is driving you crazy, but from what everyone tells me it’s a life altering experience.” She gave him a sheepish smile. “I’ve never been serious enough to introduce anyone to my parents. I’m not sure how this is going to go or how long this will take.”
“Sweetheart, you worry too much. I’m quite happy to wait until we marry. It’s the perfect way to make our honeymoon night memorable.” He slipped an arm under her knees and lifted her. “But I have other ways of making our time together memorable.”
“Yes you do.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I thought you had to get back to the office.”
“That’s the perk about being the boss. I don’t have to answer to anyone.” He headed out of the kitchen with her in his arms.
“And why you drove me crazy when we first met. Having you constantly there staring at me unnerved me.”
“Why? You are beautiful and I love looking at you.”
“Yeah, but when we first met it was a little creepy. I didn’t know you and the only thing I did know was what mom read in the tabloids.”
“Which I allowed to paint me as a recluse.” He stopped in front of their room. “It made the beginning of our relationship a little rocky, but I powered through.”
“You mean over-powered.” She shifted so she could reach the handle to the door and open it.
“Does it matter? We’re together and that’s what counts.” He walked in the room and set her on the bed.
“True, and you were quite tenacious once you knew what you wanted.”
“I didn’t hear any complaints.” He climbed on the bed with her and pressed her back onto the bed with his body. “In fact, I’m pretty sure I heard a few screams of ecstasy.”
She looked up at him with a smile. “And I don’t think you will ever hear a complaint, unless, of course, you try to cut me off.”
“Never!” He captured her lips with his. He took his time, drawing her tongue to dance with his. The soft taste of the coffee she had been drinking still clung to her mouth. He loved the taste, but he loved the taste of her more. He broke the kiss after a few minutes. “That would harm me as well.”
“Heaven forbid we let that happen,” she sighed. That kiss melted everything away but her need for him. But his kisses always did that. “Aren’t we a bit over dressed?”
“Maybe, but we always like to undress each other.”
“True, but you normally don’t let me up once you get me in bed.”
“Who says we have to move off the bed?” Max pressed a kiss against her collarbone. He slipped his fingers under the soft jersey t-shirt she wore and pushed it up as far as he could without her moving. Then using his teeth he released the front clasp on her bra. Once he latched onto one of her breasts one of his hands went down to the yoga pants she had on and slipped inside.
Soft caresses at her core and the pull of his mouth on her breast had her moving beneath him. Her hands worked on his shirt until she had it open and half off his shoulders. Those wonderful hands traced the muscles on his back before they went around front and opened the fly of his trousers.
He felt her release him as he worked the waistband of her pants down with one hand. The moment she realized what he was doing she helped him get her pants down far enough they wouldn’t be in the way.
“Now, Max, please.”
He surged into her, setting a nice strong pace they both liked. He rocked into her, feeling her hands grasp at his back. Max captured her mouth with his, enticing her tongue to dance with his. He must have hit a sensitive spot because she arched up against him as she sighed into his mouth.
“Faster.” Her voice was soft, but his sharp ears picked it up.
He picked up the pace as her muscles rippled against him. Every time was special between them and he loved it. What would their true mating be like? Max couldn’t imagine. This was too good to try to make better.
Alicia sucked in her breath. All her muscles tightened against him giving him an exquisite squeeze and he knew she was close.
Max ground his hips against her and she shattered in his arms as he found his own release.
“Oh, wow.” Alicia was breathing hard.
“Told you we didn’t need to leave the bed.”
Her shirt was bunched up against her collarbone and her pants were dangling from one leg. She looked at him and laughed.
***
Patrick had no idea how to befriend Stacey. They had nothing in common other than Max and Alicia. He’d been thinking about it when his bookkeeper stepped into his office and handed him a tablet.
“Is this what she found?”
“Yes.” The man nodded. “She’s brilliant. It took her two hours when it would have taken me weeks. I’d be jealous if I didn’t know who her father was.”
“And who is that?” He looked at the information.
“James Sullivan. Went to college with him and he was an honor student. We kept in touch for a while but when he left his pack he stopped communicating with me.”
“Why in the world would he leave the safety of his pack?” That explained why Stacey hid in the shadows. The smaller packs were normally forced to merge with bigger ones. If no one noticed her she probably felt safe from that.
“That I don’t know. I’ve heard rumors that their alpha was a bit of a Neanderthal. He’s pissed off a lot of other alphas with his attitude. Also heard he doesn’t treat his people well. Might be why James decided to leave.”
“Do you know the alpha’s name?” He had hired several people from other packs. It was a stretch but maybe someone from another pack was the one sabotaging the books.
“Not off the top of my head but I’m sure your sister would know. She does keep up with that kind of thing.”
He laughed. Catherine loved the gossip she heard. Good thing she never spread it. Of course that was why so many confided in her.
“So now that she’s figured this out, do we know who was doing this?”
“I think so.”
“You think so?”
“I know who signed the paperwork, but it doesn’t mean they’re the ones cooking the books. We need to catch them in the act.”
“I’m listening.”
“I think it’s the young man you hired to do the invoices for the fabrics department a couple of months ago.” Patrick’s bookkeeper sat in the chair in front of his desk. “But, in all fairness, he is a bit overwhelmed right now with the new micro fleece material we’re preparing to create coats from. A lot of invoices to keep track of. He could have made an honest mistake.”
“Then, like you said, we need to catch him in the act.” Patrick dismissed his bookkeeper but kept the tablet. He looked at who signed the paperwork and pulled his file. The young man had been with them about six months. They hired him when they decided to expand their special microfiber material to making garments. He had good credentials and did come from another pack. Patrick didn’t know too much about his pack, but he knew one person who did.
It was close to the end of the day, so he shut down his laptop and packed it away. He looked down at the messenger bag he placed it in. His sister called it his man bag. “If I didn’t need you, I’d burn you.”
“Are you talking to someone?”
“Stacey.” It figured she would be the one who caught him. “No, just my man bag.”
“Man bag?” A hint of a smile softened her features. “I’m assuming that’s what your sister called it?”
“Yeah.” He picked it up and slung it over his shoulder. “Um, I know I hired you to help with the main books, but you found our problem so fast I’m wondering if you would be willing to move to the fabric department and help with their invoices? The young man in charge is overwhelmed and could use some help.”
“Oh, ah, I guess.” She hugged her ever present tablet. “Isn’t that where the errors came from?”
“Yes, it might be why the errors happened. That’s why I want you to help him.” He adjusted his bag. “But if you’re not comfortable doing it I understand.”
***
Stacey’s shyness was an issue once again. Everyone knew about it and they always handled her like a fragile figurine because they didn’t understand her or what happened to her family. She was there when her father fought their old pack leader’s son. His threats frightened her as a child and left her cold to the bone as an adult. She was supposed to be the mate of the pack leader’s son, but her father hated the man’s cruelty. He’d taken his family and left to protect her.
No one knew she was a werewolf until she started to work with Alicia. Her father had kept them away from others of their kind because of their old leader. Now she was dead center in one of the biggest, most influential packs known. Whether or not it was a good thing was still up in the air, but she promised to do this.
“I’d like to help. I still need to earn a bit more to send home.”
“Ok, good.” He smiled at her and her heart did a little flip. “I’ll set up everything tomorrow. Go ahead and go to bookkeeping when you first get here tomorrow, and I’ll escort you to that department in the morning.”
She nodded. He was going to escort her?
Stacey watched him walk away. Nice broad shoulders, and a narrow waist. Those legs though were drool worthy. One time she had been at the mansion and Patrick was there in shorts. She swore her tongue hit the ground at the sight. Too bad he was way out of her league.
***
Patrick walked into his sister’s office. He couldn’t help but smile. The neat-freak professor had books and papers everywhere. “This is new.”
“Pat!” Catherine jumped up out of her chair. “I have a new grad student who got a little overzealous with some research.”
“I thought you did everything electronically.” He stepped into the room, skirting one stack that looked like it wanted to fall.
“I do when I can, but some of the more obscure books haven’t been converted yet.” She gestured at the chaos. “This was a slight misunderstanding.”
“Slight?” he laughed. “I know you, Sis, and you must be cringing inside.”
The door opened again. In came a young woman with a stack of folders. She started talking before she realized that Catherine had company. “I am so sorry, Professor. I never thought to ask them to send this electronically. I’ll take everything back to the library and have them do that. I promise to have it… sorry. I didn’t know you had company.”
The poor girl looked at him like a deer in headlights.
“It’s okay, Sarah. This is my brother.”
“Oh, okay, I’ll have this cleaned up before you come in tomorrow morning and the files will be downloaded onto your tablet by mid-morning.”
“I hope so because this all has to go. Exams start next week, and I don’t want to give you an even heavier workload because this is still here.”
“Yes, ma’am, it will be gone, I promise.” The young girl played with the edge of one of the folders she held.
Patrick found it amazing that the faculty laughed at Catherine’s studies, but the students fought to be her grad students or interns.
His sister smiled as she walked toward him and the door. “Then I’ll see you in the morning. Make sure you lock up once you’ve gotten this cleaned up.”
Patrick followed her out.
“Aren’t you worried about leaving her alone in your office?” he spoke softly in her ear so the young woman wouldn’t hear him.
Catherine pulled out her phone and showed him a camera in her office which she could check any time with an app on her phone. “Had this installed last year when the school had a problem with vandals.”
“I feel for your intern.”
“Grad student,” she corrected. “Sarah knew what she signed up for. She wants to teach, and she wants to bring my program to another school and other students. I warned her I was hard, and I didn’t put up with laziness, or stupid mistakes. This is her first one. I always allow three. Most make two.”
“Damn, Sis, I’m glad I don’t work for you.”
“Ha,” she led him down a corridor and out into the sunlight. “You are just as bad.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Really?” she looked at him. “Who said they didn’t want to let Max know what was going on but wanted to solve it himself?”
“Ok, fine.” He shrugged. Patrick couldn’t look at his sister. Instead he looked out on the quad. “We have narrowed down the problem. Do you know anything about the Sullivan family?”
“Sullivan? Hmm. Yeah. You’re talking about Stacey’s family. Her father was well known as a younger man. He did well in college and was well respected in his pack, but something happened.”
“Come on, Catty. Don’t leave me in suspense.”
“You know I hate that nickname. Why do you continue to use it?”
“That was your name when we were kids. I work hard to not use it in front of other people. Please don’t ask me to stop altogether because I can’t. It just slips out.”
“Fine, but if you ever say it in front of anyone else I will cause you bodily harm.” She walked away from the building her office was in with her brother right beside her. “I have all the details at the house, but their pack leader died. Not sure if he died of natural causes or due to a challenge but rumor has it the one that took over their pack rules by fear. Sullivan left the pack because of him and took several families with him. How he did it I’m not sure. I did interview a few from the pack when I was working on putting our history in writing and I have my notes if you want to look at them.”
“I do. It might give me a little information on Stacey. She always tries to fade into the background and I’d like to know why.”
“Really?” Catherine looked up at him. “Alicia loves the girl. And as I’ve been around her more and more I find her very sweet. She just finds all of us at one time a bit much for her to handle. She doesn’t think she is worthy.”
“That makes so much sense.” Patrick pointed to his car. “Did she tell you that?”
“No.” Catherine shook her head. “I got that from the way she behaves around us. With Alicia she is open and sweet. When I first started showing up she was reserved but opened up more as she got to know me but when Max gets anywhere near her on a social level she practically bows and scrapes and does her best to just disappear.”
“So you think she’s afraid of us males?” He hit the button on his key fob and watched as the lights blinked on then off.
“That I can’t say.” She pulled her keys out as well. “Thank you for driving me to my car.”
“You would never forgive me if I didn’t. I remember from the last time.” He held the door for her.
“Such a gentleman.” She smiled at him as she climbed in his car.
He closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side. Sliding in, he laughed. “How many people still think we’re a couple?”
“Too many.” She sighed. “I tried to explain you’re my brother, but half thought I was lying. I gave up.”
“Great.” He started his car and backed up. “So your little Sarah is going to think the same thing?”
“Probably. Is that a problem?”
“No, it’s just that she’s kind of cute, but I can’t see her dating her professor’s pseudo-boyfriend.” He rolled slowly through the lot toward the faculty parking.
“You know I wouldn’t let you date her. That would be a disaster just waiting to happen.”
“And you know she isn’t my type anyway. It’s just annoying to know she’d tell me no because of a misunderstanding.” He pulled up behind her car.
“And you hate being told no.” She climbed out. “See you at home.”
“And I’ll get to see your briefs?” he asked loudly.
Catherine went to his window and leaned against it. “See? This is why they never believe me.”
***
Alicia put her phone in her pocket and headed to the kitchen. “Mom just called and said they were down at the Midtown Bistro and wanted to know if we’d like to join them.”
“Let’s go.” Max put down his coffee and stood.
“If you’re sure.” She’d hoped he would say he was too busy, not ‘let’s go’.
“Sweetheart, you’re the one who seems unsure. We’re mated. Your family is my family. The sooner we get to know each other the better it will be.”
She nodded, not sure if this was a smart move or not. Alicia dressed for brunch and followed Max out to the car. He still had that huge Hummer and drove it all the time.
“Why don’t we take the convertible?” Anything but that monster.
“I thought you wanted me to be myself.” He hit the buttons and opened the door for her.
“I do, but you know I always feel tiny in this thing.”
“And you don’t want to feel that way around your parents.” He helped her into the SUV before walking to his door and opening it.
“It’s that obvious?” Alicia snapped on her seatbelt.
“Yes. You should have the confidence that the mate of an alpha male would have but you second-guess yourself all the time. You want your parents to like me.”
“I know they’ll like you, but I want it to be because of you not your money.”
“You said that before, why?” He backed the Hummer out of the garage and onto the road.
“When I was younger I had a boyfriend in college. Brought him home to meet Mom and Dad but after a while I found him a bit, I don’t know, not right. I told my mom I was going to break it off, but she tried to talk me out of it. Mom made comments like he’d take good care of me and would make good money.”
“And you’re afraid your mom will push us together because I’m ‘Max of millions’?”
“Yeah.” She brushed a piece of hair behind her ear. “I love you and I want them to love you, not your money.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I don’t care how they see me as long as you’re happy.”
“Accepting you as a regular person will make me happy.”
“Then I shall strive to be very regular.”
“Not sure that’s possible.” She laughed. “I want you to be yourself. That’s what I fell in love with and my parents will too. We’re just going to try to keep who you are out of the equation.”
“I think you’re worrying a little too much.” He spotted a parking space near the restaurant and pulled into it.
“Probably, but I really want them to like you.”
“And they will.” He turned the vehicle off. “If this is too much we can cancel.”
“No.” She gave him her best smile. “I’m just nervous because I want it to go well.”
“Relax.” He pulled the keys out of the ignition. “Everything will be fine.”
“Says the man who needs to make a good impression.” She released her seatbelt and climbed out.
“I believe I have already impressed the one that counts.” Max climbed out as well. He caught up with his mate and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Everything else is gravy.”
Alicia looked up at him. “You haven’t met my family yet.”
They talked on the way into the restaurant and everything moved too quickly for Alicia. Her mom jumped up and called them over. Max with his killer smile shook hands and kissed cheeks before she could draw a breath.
After she said her hellos Max pulled out a chair for her and waited until she sat before taking his. Let the fun begin.
“Darling, so happy you could meet with us.” Her mom smiled as she stole a glance at Max.
“Me too, Mom.” Alicia reached for Max’s hand. “This is Max.”
“Nice to meet you, Max.” Her mom gave him her best smile. “Alicia has told us so much about you.”
“All good, I hope.”
“It depends on the day,” said Alicia.
“You mean time of day,” said Max.
Her mom laughed. “Alicia, he has a good sense of humor.”
“I sure hope so, Mom, he does put up with me.”
Max put an arm around her. “And she puts up with me.”
Alicia made it through the small talk as well as some of the more overt questions. Overall she was happy with the way everything went. They made it back to the Hummer with smiles on their faces.
“That went well.” Max started the Hummer up and merged into traffic.
“I think so too,” she said. “Mom didn’t give you the twenty questions which kind of surprised me, but at the same time makes me very happy.”
“So, what should I expect next?”
“I’m not sure. The next move is up to my mom. If she calls you first that means she knows who you are.”
“And if she calls you first?”
“Then we’ll see where it goes.”
***
Stacey sat at her desk, waiting for Patrick. He promised to escort her to her new assignment and her nerves were jumping at every little sound. Not knowing what to expect unsettled her. She hadn’t really spent a lot of time with other werewolves. Her family kept her out of any limelight.
Patrick hired werewolves more than humans. They did understand each other and didn’t have to hide their true nature while working for him. She found it quite liberating, having the same thing with Alicia now.
The door opened and his scent filled the area before his broad shoulders filled the doorway.
“You ready?” He stayed in the doorway.
She nodded. Standing, she gathered her things and followed him to her new assignment.
“Jim?” Patrick stepped into the room then gestured toward her. “This is Stacey. She’s going to work with you on the invoices. Help you get caught up.”
“I’ve actually made some headway this week.” He glanced at Stacey for a moment before focusing on Patrick. “I know I let this new department get the best of me, but I promise I’ll get it fixed. You don’t have to replace me.”
“He’s not replacing you,” Stacey spoke softly, but it forced them to look at her. “I’m only here temporarily. Once everything is under control, I’ll be either helping in another department or moving on to another company.”
“Stacey is on loan to help us get caught up.” Patrick gave her a quick smile.
One she felt to her toes.
“Oh.” He glanced away for a moment. “Then thank you. I could use the help. I just got a huge stack of invoices to work through.”
“Good. Then I’ll leave you to it.” Patrick gave her shoulder a squeeze as he passed her.
“What would you like me to do?” she asked Jim.
***
Patrick walked into his office with a smile. Jim was about to argue with him when Stacey came up with the perfect excuse. He wanted to kiss her in that moment. Thank goodness they had company, or he just might have and then he would have to explain himself.
Stacey was a unique person. He did read his sister’s files and found out once her father left his pack they kept Stacey isolated. The only other werewolves she had been around were family to her. He bet Max and his very alpha ways was a total shock. Then add his loud friends that were like family and her reaction to them made perfect sense. They had grown up in the safety of a large pack. Had been allowed to grow up knowing they were privileged and would be the pack rulers.
She didn’t have any of that.
It did give him a better perspective of her and allowed him to know how to handle her a little better. The first thing he needed to do was get her to have a little more confidence and that would start with lunch.
***
Max sat in his office. One place he hadn’t spent a lot of time in since he met Alicia. He could work from anywhere, but he had spent a lot of time here before he met her. The board was happy he found someone even though they were from the pack and kept pressuring him about Alicia’s decision. One of the reasons he didn’t want to spend too much time behind his desk now. There had been too many arguments over it.
He wasn’t going to pressure his mate and they didn’t understand why.
His assistant popped his head in his office. “Sir, you have a visitor.”
“Who?”
“Alicia’s father.”
“Really?” He stood. “Send him in.”
The young man escorted his future father-in-law into his office.
“This is nice.” Alicia’s dad looked around the room, taking in his mahogany desk and plush carpet. “My wife’s nickname for you fits, doesn’t it?”
“And what nickname is that?”
“Come now, if you and my daughter are as close as she says you should know it.”
“Max of millions.” He sat back down and gestured for Alicia’s dad to take a seat as well. “What brings you here?”
“Does she know?”
That put him on the defense. “Know what?”
“Where your money comes from. What you are. About the pack.”
“The real question is how do you know?” Max stood and placed his hands on his desk. It wouldn’t look good for him to harm Alicia’s father, but the man knew too much for a human. He wouldn’t deny it. Max could tell the man knew the truth. There was no fear in his eyes and the scent he gave off held total confidence.
“My mother.” He leaned back in the leather chair he sat in. “There are a few families out there that know the truth. My mom worked for a family that was like you. They hired her as a nanny, but in order to care for the children she had to know the truth. She never said anything to me, but when she passed I inherited her diary. She talked about how they trusted her with their truth and a Tear. She had a copy of the poem in her diary.”
“If you had this why didn’t Alicia know? It took a lot to get her to believe me.”
“When her grandma died she was broken-hearted. It hit her hard and she didn’t want the diary. She was supposed to get it not me.”
“She told me how they would make a big deal of closing the curtain and blinds before her grandma would use an antique hand mirror and comb to comb her hair.”
“Yeah,” he laughed. “My mom and my daughter had a beautiful and unique bond. She would comb her hair and tell her the legend of the Tears. Those two would put their heads together and whisper to each other when they weren’t alone.”
“Alicia loved her very much,” Max murmured.
“She did.” He sighed, then straightened up in the chair. “And I love my daughter.”
“And you want to know what my intentions are.” Max smiled. He had wanted to speak to him about marrying Alicia.
Max crossed to a small closet and came back with a small velvet box. Without saying a word he snapped open the lid and handed it to her father. “I love your daughter very much and I want to marry her. I know it would make her happy if I had your permission.”
“And if I don’t give it?” he asked as he took the box from Max.
“We both know we can’t control your daughter. I will still ask her to marry me and I believe she’s going to say yes.”
“That rock is massive. How much did you pay for this thing?”
“That was my mother’s ring.”
He looked up at Max’s face. “You really love her.”
“I do.”
“One more question. Are you going to take our daughter away from us?”
“Never.” Max shook his head. “Our pack is a close-knit group who understands that everyone needs their family. You just might suddenly find you have an exceptionally large extended family.”
“When do you want to pop the question?”
“That’s where I need your help.”