Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 155

Carter

Briar’s eyes found mine.

“We need to get that key,” she said. I nodded and pushed back from the table. 

“I need to take care of something. Do you mind if Briar stays here with you? It’s not safe for her to go back to Jake’s right now.”

“Absolutely, we have a lot of catching up to do,” Nellie said as she reached across and gripped Briar’s hand. 

“Thank you for the tea, Nellie,” I said. Mazzie set her cup down on the table and went to follow me out.

“Mazzie,” Nellie called, and Mazzie didn’t even acknowledge her, but Nellie went on anyway, knowing she would hear her. “It’s time for her to find her peace.” Mazzie's steps faltered only a moment before she followed me out without commenting.

“You ok?” I asked, she just nodded and pretended to brush a bit of hair out of her face as she wiped a tear away.

“Yeah, crazy old lady is just getting to me. You want me to come with you?” she asked hopefully. Mazzie didn’t like Nellie’s truths.

“No, I got it, in and out, can you stay here until I get back?”

“Alright, but I’m not going back in there, I’ll keep an eye on things from out here.”

“Thanks Maz, it means a lot,” I told her pulling my truck door open and sliding in.

When I got to Jake’s place the smell hit me first, I needed to come over and clean up this carnage later, but right now the key, I pushed open the door and surveyed the scene, It was as bad as I remembered the stink of other males here in her space caused my canines to elongate I moved from the doorway stepping over shit strewn across the floor, boots crunching on broken dishes and glassware as I made my way into the kitchen, I pulled out the drawer turning it over, letting it’s contents fall to the floor with the rest of the mess and there it was taped to the bottom, Just as Jake had said with a piece of duck tape. I ripped it off and looked at the key, pocketing it for later. I was calmer this time, more aware of the devastation they had left and not just the threat to my mate. I shook my head, everything broken or defiled here could be replaced. What couldn’t be was my mate and that is what mattered most. As I walked towards the door I noticed Jake’s jacket hung next to the door and grabbed it. She would want that and I was thankful it was untouched.

When I got back, Mazzie seemed relieved she would be dismissed from her post.

“Thanks again Maz,” I told her as I gave her shoulder a squeeze and headed to the front door. When I knocked and nobody answered, I walked around the side of the house to the back

Briar

Nellie and I had stepped into the now bare garden, and I inhaled deeply, I started scratching at my arms as the presence pushed at my skin.

“You haven’t shifted yet?” Nellie asked, and I just shook my head.

“You will when it matters most,” Nellie promised, giving my arm a squeeze.

“How will I know it's about to happen?”

“If your wolf was ready, she would have surfaced already. She has her own secrets, she's just not ready to share just yet. Trust me, child, you will feel the pull. When it does happen, though, just surrender to it; fighting just makes things more painful for you.”

“What about the baby? Is that safe?” The old woman took in a deep inhale.

“You don’t have to worry about that, things only become…more complicated if you are farther along,” she tried to ease my concerns. From the house to the garden, it was more of the same. There were no neat rows, just tangles of vegetation that a few months ago were abundant with fruits, vegetables, and hearty herbs. Now they were growing brown as winter approached.

“I’ve almost done it twice already, once my life was in danger, and the other, my mind was reliving that danger,” I confessed.

Nellie squeezed my arm. “I can feel it in you, there is a strength there and I believe you will overcome whatever it is your not telling me. I see the best of your mother in you. I know you didn’t know her and you just met me so who am I to say…Jake helped raise you, I can tell, its like a part of him and Alice, even Evie live on in you. The people stolen from you, by your own father, but Clyde even though he's a devil gave you something of his too. Don’t be afraid of it. I think you know what you need to do. Theres only one way to end the cycle of loss and suffering you have already endured.”

End the Devil

“One devil at a time,” was all I said as Carter came around the side of the house. I wonder how much he heard of that conversation with that sensitive hearing of his. He pulled me into his side and kissed my forehead.

“I see you two are getting along swimmingly,” He said as I snuggled into his side and inhaled deeply. Nellie cocked her head and watched us for a long moment a contented smile on her face.

“Your middle name is Briar?”

“I changed it to my first name. Why?”

“Because I think I know why she called you that,”

“My aunt told me it was a name my father chose, but now I know better then that,” I said.

“She wasn’t wrong, a Briar is a thorny bush, he made your mom have to leave for the safety of you both, I think she hoped you would be the thorn in his side that put him in his place one day.”

I snorted she had a point.

Carter and I bade Nellie goodbye with the excuse that Carter needed to feed me, however when we got home there was still no salvageable food, he busted out the take out menus again setting them in front of me while he dragged the trash can over to the fridge.

“We are going to need some groceries,” I pointed out.

“I’ll have Mazzie and Lana come over tonight, and I don’t want you to be alone but I also don’t want to take you into town right now. Creedon is bound to be making a move and I am not taking any chances on what's important to me he said walking over to me. I turned in my seat to face him, and he crowded into me between my legs, his hands brushed the hair out of my face as he looked down at me from the stool I was perched on.

“You are the most important thing I will ever have in my life and over my dead body will he get anywhere near you.”

I tugged on his shirt, pulling him closer, “No dying, we need you,” I scolded and his hands snaked down to my waist as his eyes bored into mine. His eyes softened, and his lips crushed to mine. The kiss was searing but soft and reverant and I fell into it before he pulled away resting his forehead to mine.

“I love you Briar, and I promise to fight tooth and claw to stay breathing but if your and our child’s life is in jeopardy, I will do whatever it takes,” he said with finality ending that discussion. That vow made my panties wet but also throttled me with concern. I handed him a menu and told him what I wanted. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and ordered before he went back to dumping so much spoiled food into the trash can. The sight made me have to walk away. I went upstairs and looked around for whatever remaining clothes I had left and put them in my drawer in his room, collecting the laundry he had tossed aimlessly on the floor and tossing it all in the hamper. I was scrolling through an online store, adding to cart some clothes as I walked back down the stairs, when the doorbell ran and I froze on the landing retracing my steps upward.

Carter answered the door as my heart beat wildly in my chest.

“Thanks, Joe!” I heard him say as whoever was on the other side of the door passed him a bag. I took a few deep breaths, letting my erratic heartbeat even out before I went down again.

After we ate, Carter brought Ole Betty in and took the gun apart, cleaning and oiling it before he snapped it back together. A few hours later, Mazzie and Lana showed up.