She thought he wasn’t going to answer. He stood staring intently at her for what seemed like hours, before he suddenly stood up from the desk he was leaning on. “I wanted to see how your first day at school had gone.”
“Couldn’t you have just asked me when you got home?” she asked a little mulishly, and then seemed to remember who she was talking to and blanched.
His eyebrows rose in amusement. “You’re not used to people and the whole art of conversation thing yet, huh?”
“You talk about me like I’ve been locked in a dungeon for the last ten years.” Caia sighed. “I have spoken to people you know. I’ve been known to converse with teachers, delivery men, the mail guy … all manner of folks.”
He chuckled. “Were you rude to those people, too?”
She blushed. “I didn’t mean to be rude. I was just surprised at being dropped off here, that’s all.”
He stared at her again, and Caia felt her blush deepen. Goddess, was the guy trying to make her appear like a bumbling backwoods person?
“I’m finished for the day. I’ll drive you home.”
What? Caia sighed in confusion as he strolled across the store and disappeared into his back room. “Couldn’t Jaeden ha...” her voice trailed off as she glanced around, perplexed. “Never mind.”
5 - Watering Hole
That night Caia experienced her first family dinner in Lucien’s home.
The drive to his house had been interesting to say the least. Like her, he didn’t seem to be much of a talker but it was obvious he was trying to make an effort. He had started by asking her questions about her old school, what were her teachers like, what subjects she enjoyed...
There was a lull of silence and he cleared his throat as if he was thinking of something else to say. Finally, a noise of what she assumed was satisfaction rumbled from under his breath as he apparently thought of a question to ask. “You like music?”
Caia nodded, trying not to smirk in amusement. The guy was pretty adorable, she decided, when he was attempting to be normal.
At that thought he glanced at her frowning, un-amused by her less than helpful response. “I’m trying here,” he growled.
“I know.” She nodded with laughter in her voice. “You don’t have to.”
The look he threw her was almost admonishing and she found herself frowning at the complexity of it. He was so serious, so worried. “Yes I do,” he replied gruffly.
She was caught in his gaze, perhaps would have stayed trapped there if her brain hadn’t suddenly realized that his eyes were on her and not on the road. “The road,” she said pointedly, although her voice was a less controlled, husky version of itself.
Lucien smirked, flashing her a wicked look. Caia sighed inwardly, unsure whether he was mocking her for distrusting his driving or for her girlish response to him. Men, she groaned. How was she to cope with them after a decade without them?
“You OK?” Lucien chuckled.
“Fine.”
“Fine,” she heard him mutter, shaking his head. “Always fine.”
At last, she breathed inwardly as they pulled up to the house. Just as she was about to release that sigh of relief, her eyes fell on the sight of two other cars in the driveway. She looked up at Lucien as they got out of his car.
He shrugged. “It’s just Magnus and Ryder.”
“They’re here for dinner?” Or are they checking up on me?
She bit her lip anxiously as they walked towards the house. Ryder, Jaeden had explained, was the pack’s own true blue hero. He was a Rogue Hunter, which meant he brought justice to any lykan who broke the law (killed humans for pleasure). Was the hunter inspecting her or something? Her thoughts must have betrayed her because Lucien explained to her, apparently amused, “You’ll be seeing a lot of Ryder. He’s a bachelor and can’t cook so he either comes here for dinner, or goes to the diner owned by his mother, Yvana.”
Oh, she let go of the breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding. Her nerves really couldn’t have taken the Spanish inquisition tonight.
As soon as Caia stepped through the front door she was brought to an abrupt halt by Irini who bounded at her, excitement sparkling in her eyes. “So how was school? Was everything OK? Were the others nice to you?”
Caia smiled. It was nice that Irini was still interested in her. She’d half expected that with her new found freedom she would want to forget the person responsible for her ‘imprisonment’.
“Everything was fine. Really. I’m OK.”