The Wolf Box Set by Penelope Sky
Arwen
Just when Ihit rock bottom, I fell a little further.
Now everything was numb, ice-cold, and fragile. My fingers were frozen to the bone, my heart stopped beating with the same vitality, and my legs weren’t strong enough to hold my weight. The idea of marrying Maverick killed me…but this was so much worse.
So much fucking worse.
I couldn’t show my tears, not when my father was the one who had to die. My job was to be there for him, to help him through this difficult time and make him as comfortable as possible. He only had weeks left, so I put aside our issues and was the daughter he needed.
I stayed at the house, cooked all of his meals, watched TV with him, and helped him with anything he needed. We watched his favorite movies, looked through old photographs, and tried to remember happier times.
But when he was asleep, I let myself cry.
Let myself sob into my darkest night.
I sat at the dining table with a cup of hot tea in front of me, watching my tears splash into the steam. When my father left this world, I would be the last of my line, the last of my kind. With no brothers or sisters, I was completely alone in this world.
Maverick would be my only family…by name.
I still didn’t want to marry him, but my father’s demise made me understand how alone I truly was. He wouldn’t be there for advice. He wouldn’t be there for guidance. I would be completely on my own—with vultures following me.
Perhaps Maverick was my savior after all.
My phone rang, and Dante’s name popped up on the screen.
I answered it, tears audible in my voice. “Hey…”
He sighed when he heard my sadness. “I’m so sorry…”
“I know.” I wiped my tears with the back of my thumb and willed myself to stop crying. Crying wouldn’t change anything—but I was so devastated.
“Is there anything I can do?” His deep voice came over the line, carrying the weight of his sorrow.
“No. But I’m going to stay with him until…it’s time.”
“I understand. If there’s anything I can do, just let me know.”
“Okay…” I stared into the hot tea in front of me, wishing this were a nightmare I would wake up from. I wished this were just a bump in the road. But the harsh truth was my reality…and it was unbearable.
“So, it’s still happening on Saturday?”
“Yeah…” I really had no choice now. There was no going back…but there was nowhere for me to go. Dante certainly couldn’t keep me safe. He would be murdered with me. “You told me how you feel about it, so I understand if you want to stop seeing each other…” The last thing I needed was to lose the only comfort that I had, but I knew he couldn’t fix this for me. No one could.
“No…I’m not ready for that.”
“Good.” I needed a man to get through the dark nights I was about to face. “Me neither.”
* * *
When I openedthe large mahogany door, I looked up into the face of Maverick.
With his dark hair, coffee-colored eyes, and the shadow of hair along his structured jawline, he stared at me with that stony expression, as if he had no grasp of what a smile was. The bright sunshine of the summer behind him brought a darkness over the front of his body, matching the dark blazer he wore and his dark jeans.
I kept my hold on the door handle and stared him down, matching his stoniness with my coldness.
He shifted his weight slightly, straightening his shoulders as if I were an opponent rather than his fiancée. Whenever this man was near me, his posture was always hostile. Maybe that was directed at me—or maybe that was just how he was.
“Are you going to invite me inside, or should I just barge in like usual?”
My hand gripped the handle because I was tempted to slam the door in his face. “Why are you here?”
“Your father told me you were looking after him.” Instead of waiting for my invitation, he stepped inside and pushed past me.
I stared at the landscape through the door, the red geraniums blooming out of the pots along the walkway. It was a beautiful day, but I was in no mood to enjoy it. I shut the door and turned around. “You knew the entire time.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Yes.” At over six feet, he made a dent in the enormous room. His muscled shoulders stretched out his blazer, and his veined hands peeked out from the ends of his sleeves. His jeans were snug, showing the definition of his muscular legs in some places. He was a beautiful man with a beautiful body—but an ugly soul.
“And you didn’t think you should mention that to me?”
“It’s not my place.”
Hearing that my father was dying was horrifying—no matter who said it. “He’s sleeping right now.”
“I’m not here for him.”
“I hope you aren’t here for me—because I’m not yours yet.”
The corner of his mouth rose in a smile, like he found my attitude comical rather than intimidating. Sometimes, Dante was put off by my brashness, and other men didn’t appreciate it either. They said I was too much to handle. But Maverick clearly thought I was a joke. “I have something for you.” He pulled out a small black box from his pocket then stepped toward me. He snapped open the top and revealed a princess cut diamond ring with diamonds along the band. The diamonds were clearly flawless—because they were practically blinding.
I stared it, shocked that Maverick was capable of picking out something so elegant and stunning. It was exactly the ring I’d always dreamed of getting. It was so simple but so sleek. I yanked my gaze away from the brilliant diamonds and looked at him again.
“You like it.”
“I never said that.”
He pulled the ring out of the box then grabbed my left hand. “You don’t need to.” In something akin to a romantic gesture, he slipped the ring onto my finger. Except it wasn’t romantic at all, just a formality. He kept his eyes glued to mine as he released my hand.
It was a perfect fit. Just to be stubborn, I didn’t raise my hand to admire it, even though I would the second he was gone.
He slipped the box back into his pocket. “I’ll be back tomorrow. Your father and I have business to discuss.”
“I’ll let you know how he’s feeling. He’s getting worse by the day.”
“Then we can’t put this off.”
“Thanks for being so sensitive about it…”
He stepped closer to me and lowered his voice. “I’m sorry your father is dying. But my mother is already dead. Don’t expect me to cry a river for you.”
“At least you still have a parent…” This man was evil—right down to the bone.
His eyes shifted back and forth slightly as he looked into mine. He could command soldiers with that look, lead countries with that stare. He was strong and ominous, every bit as unnerving as my father described. If there had to be someone looking out for me, it seemed like there was no one better. “The grass is always greener on the other side…”
