Samantha slowly drifted her gaze to meet his. Instantly, Shane felt the connection. He could hear her heart racing. He could feel her having difficulty breathing. Hell, he could even tell that her palms were perspiring under his touch. He wanted to look away. He really did. He wanted to release her hand as well, but it was impossible. Shane completely forgot there were people around them, watching the entire encounter. It was when he heard Damien clear his throat that Shane snapped out of it.
“It really is a beautiful gift, Shane. Why don’t you share with us where you got it?” Damien insisted, his eyes blazing.
Shane knew he had crossed the line with his brother. He met Damien’s eyes, holding his ground. “If you must know, Damien, I made the bracelet.”
“You made this?” Samantha asked, her eyes wide as she rubbed the bracelet. “Shane! I don’t know what to say.”
“It’s not a big deal, Sammy. Just wanted to congratulate you, that’s all.” Shane shrugged his shoulders, taking a swig of his beer. He could still sense Damien and Kelsey’s eyes on him, but he continued to ignore them.
“Samantha, are you going to sing soon?” her mom asked.
“Yeah, I’m going next.” Samantha then turned to Shane and said, “I better start going up there and get ready. Thank you again. Honestly, I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”
Shane nodded and threw her a quick wink. “Can’t wait to hear you sing.”
As soon as Samantha and Sofia walked away, Damien grabbed Shane’s arm. “We need to talk,” he whispered.
“What’s going on?” Kelsey asked.
“Your husband is overreacting as usual,” Shane answered, shrugging his shoulders.
“I’ll fill you in later, Kelsey,” Damien said, pulling Shane into a corner. “What exactly are you doing, Shane?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Those are stones from our clan. You think I wouldn’t know that?”
Shane clenched his jaw. “So what if they are? What’s the big deal?”
Damien took a deep breath, rolling his hand through his hair. “I am doing everything in my power to stay calm, Shane. I really am. You and I both know what it means to give away one of those stones. You’re basically committing to be her protector for the rest of her life.”
“Those are beliefs from back in the day, Damien. Stop making a big deal out of things.”
Damien grabbed his arm. “I know you, Shane. You wouldn’t give that bracelet to just anyone. What exactly is going on here?”
Shane took a deep breath. He looked toward Samantha as she started to warm up onstage. “Okay, so what? I’ve protected her since I’ve known her. She grew up in front of me for God’s sake. Yeah, I’ll probably continue to protect her.”
Damien sighed. “She’s off limits, Shane. She’s a little girl! Innocent and sweet. Please leave her alone.”
“A little girl? Last time I checked, she’s grown up to be a beautiful woman with a mind of her own,” Shane said, lifting one of his eyebrows at Damien.
“I won’t allow you to hurt her. I see where your mind is going, and I’ll be damned before she becomes one of your preys. I can’t believe you. She has seen you as a big brother all these years.”
“You’re stressing about nothing, dearest brother. I’d never hurt her, trust me.” Shane strolled away and whispered under his breath, “She’s too important.”
Six
“Thank you all for coming! Mom, thanks for this wonderful graduation party. You are my hero, and I can only hope to be half the woman you are.” Samantha was speaking into the mic.
Shane glanced toward Sofia, who was becoming teary-eyed. She blew her daughter a kiss and mouthed, “I love you.”
Samantha smiled down at her mom and turned toward the crowd. They were all cheering and whistling for her. “Okay, so I got suckered into coming up on stage to sing. This song is very special to me…one of my favorites. Hope you enjoy.”
Samantha began to sing, and Shane recognized the song instantly. She was singing Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You by Frankie Valli. When she had the crowd under her spell, Shane wasn’t surprised at all. Her voice was angelic, yet sexy. Her style was that of an innocent girl, yet the confidence of a strong woman. Her hips moved to the beat gracefully, yet seductively. Hell, Samantha Jordan even had him under her spell as soon as she began singing.
The crowd disappeared as her voice called out to him. The words haunted him, and it was impossible for him to look away from her. As Shane watched her perform, it was just the two of them. He willed her to look at him while she sang, but she continued to keep her eyes closed. It was as if she were in her own world. The words were from her heart; he could feel her emotions. Shane couldn’t remember where he was anymore. All he saw—and heard—was Samantha. He didn’t even notice the rest of the band members on stage with her. As his piercing gaze bore into her, suddenly she opened her eyes, and she looked straight at him as she finished the lyrics. For several seconds, nobody made a sound as the song completed. The applause erupted all at once, and everybody jumped up on their feet, screaming for her.
Shane couldn’t even swallow. He was sure his legs would collapse from under him. Did he imagine that? Did she really look directly at him when she was singing? No, of course she didn’t. He needed to get a grip on reality and himself.
Emptying another bottle of beer, Shane scooted away from the crowd. He decided to distract himself and hang out with his nephew and niece. If anybody could get him out of his funk, it would be them.
“Tell me about school, Ryan. You crushing on any girls?” Shane asked.
“Girls are calling him on his phone,” Tori chimed in.
“Shut up, Tori!” Ryan rolled his eyes.
Shane laughed. “Do tell, Ryan. I’m all ears.”
“They’re nobody, Uncle Shane. She’s just exaggerating.”
“Let me ask you this. How does you mom feel about these phone calls?” Shane asked.
“His mom is not happy,” Kelsey said. She’d found them and apparently had overheard the last bit of the conversation. “He needs to stay away from these crazy girls. He even has girls that are fifteen years old calling him. He’s only ten! Like, go find somebody your own age.”
Shane held back his laugh. He raised his eyebrows toward Ryan and said, “Mothers know best. She knows what she’s talking about. Girls can be out of control these days.”
Damien showed up just then. “The boy knows what’s up. He’s just being a kid. He knows girls are nothing but trouble.” He winked at his wife, who narrowed her eyes at him.
“Looks like this party is winding down,” Kelsey said as she glanced around them. “I’ll help Sofia and Samantha clean up, and then we can head home.”
“Okay, babe,” Damien said. “Anything Shane and I can do to help?”
“I don’t think so. I’ll let you know if we need anything.”
“If you guys don’t need me, maybe I’ll head out now,” Shane said, deciding it was best to leave instead of continuing to torture himself.
“We’re good, Shane,” Kelsey replied. “Thanks for coming. It means a lot to me, and I know it means a lot to Sofia and Samantha as well.”
Shane hugged his sister-in-law. “There’s no way I would have missed it.” He kissed his niece on the forehead and playfully punched Damien and Ryan on their arms.
As Shane was about to head out, Damien followed him. Stopping him, he said, “You gonna be okay?”
Shane frowned. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Just checking. Is it okay to be concerned about my little brother?”
“Sure—when it’s warranted.” Shane laughed before continuing, “No, seriously, I’m good.” Truth was, he had no idea why he wanted to leave. Typically, he’d hang out longer, trying to spend as much time with Samantha as possible. But tonight, he didn’t feel like his cocky self. Instead, he felt defeated and needed to do some soul searching.
Damien nodded and headed back to his family.
With a deep sigh, Shane decided to walk through the yard and away from the house. He wanted to get out of the clothes that were suffocating him and shift into his gargoyle form. When he was a gargoyle, soaring high in the sky, he felt like he had the world at his feet. Nothing made him feel more liberated, and it was exhilarating. He just needed to get far enough away from the house and find a dark corner down the block to shift.
“You’re leaving?” Samantha’s voice startled him. The fact that she was able to sneak up on him without his gargoyle senses detecting her was not a good sign. He was definitely not feeling like himself.
“Oh, hey, Sammy. Yeah, I thought I’d head out. Congrats again! I really am very proud of you.” Shane kept his voice cool.
“Umm, my band is throwing me an after-party to celebrate. Feel like joining us?”
Shane was tempted, but he knew it wasn’t a wise move. “I don’t know. Where is it at?”
“Tim’s house. It’s a little get-together. Probably like twenty people will be there.”
“Tim’s? The asshole that assaulted you the other night?” Shane asked, shocked at her response.
“He was drunk then.”
“And he won’t be drunk tonight?”
“Tim is harmless. Besides, he already apologized for his behavior. He’s very embarrassed.” Samantha tried to justify Tim’s behavior, but seemed flustered.
Shane had no intention of letting Samantha go alone at this party. She sometimes tended to believe the good in people, but he didn’t trust Tim. “You know, the more I think about it, the more I think I’ll have fun. Sure, just give me the address, and I’ll stop by.”
Samantha’s face lit up, and she quickly jotted down Tim’s address. “I should be done cleaning up here soon. I’ll be at the party in about an hour,” she said.
“See you there,” Shane replied.
Seven
By the time Shane arrived at the party, it was already past one in the morning. He knew Samantha was still in there, and he was glad he’d decided to attend in order to keep an eye on things. He had ditched his tie, and his hair was tousled from the wind as he flew in his gargoyle form. He didn’t mind, though, because at least he felt more like himself.
When Shane knocked on the door, it was swung open by a redheaded woman. Noticing immediately how gorgeous she was in her little black dress, he forced himself to look away and scan for Samantha. His sense of scent found her before he saw her. She was standing next to the bar, talking to Jon, the guitarist from her band.
“Hello, hot stuff,” his greeter said.
Shane noticed the girl with the red-hair was flirting with him. “Hello to you,” he answered.
“How did I get so lucky tonight?” She grabbed his arm to guide him inside.
Before Shane could answer, he heard Samantha’s voice. “Back off, Tracy.” Samantha had reached them and was already pulling Shane away.
“I thought there would be only twenty people here,” Shane said. “I’d say there’s at least fifty.”
Samantha giggled. “Guess I’m more popular than I realized.”
Shane could tell instantly that she was drunk. She was clinging onto his arm as she dragged him across the room.
“You’ve been drinking, Sammy?” he asked.
“Shh, it’s a secret,” she said, putting her index finger on her lips. “Thanks for coming, Shane. I was afraid you’d changed your mind.”
“Who are all these people, Sammy?” Shane was still trying to feel the place out. Samantha seemed to be really drunk, which worried him because he had no idea how much she had to drink.
“Some are people from college, some are my band members, and some I don’t know so well. Guess they crashed the party.”
“What are you doing here?” Shane recognized Tim’s voice immediately.
“Chill, Tim,” Samantha answered.
“This is my place! He’s not welcome.” Tim pointed to Shane, becoming angry.
“Well it’s my party!” Samantha raised her voice.
“I want him gone, Samantha,” Tim demanded.
“Easy there, big guy,” Shane said. “I wouldn’t miss my girl’s party. I couldn’t care less if this was your place.”
“Your girl’s? Please!” Tim laughed at Shane’s comment.
Shane pulled Sammy closer to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Kissing her forehead, he said, “Yeah, my girl. Now, like I said, back off. We wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened last time, now would we? Especially in front of your friends?”
Tim stared Shane down, but Shane casually looked back, lifting his eyebrow as he waited for Tim’s next move. Finally, Tim shook his head, turned, and stomped off.
Giggling by then, Samantha leaned her head onto Shane’s chest. “Your girl?” she asked, completely shocked.
“Of course! You’ve always been my girl. Even when you were just ten years old,” Shane teased, tapping her nose.
Samantha rolled her eyes and pouted her lips. “Yeah, yeah! Anyway, what do you want to drink? Have a tequila shot with me.”
“Haven’t you had enough to drink? I mean, you’re pretty drunk, Sammy.”
Narrowing her eyes at him, Samantha asked, “Are you here to babysit me? Cuz if that’s the case, you might as well just leave. I’m gonna have fun tonight. I definitely don’t need anybody lecturing me.”
Shane took a deep breath. Truth be told, he really was there to keep an eye on her and make sure nothing happened to her. He was not going to leave her in this state, that was for sure. “No, ma’am. Not trying to babysit anybody—especially a grown woman such as you. Now, what were you saying about that shot?”
Samantha interlocked her fingers with his and led him to the bar. She asked the bartender for two tequila shots and handed one to Shane.
“Bottoms up,” he said, raising his shot glass.
“Cheers.” Samantha smiled, clinking her glass against his.
Samantha reached for his other hand that had the salt and licked it. Shane almost dropped his glass, his body reacting instantly. He was shocked by her behavior and realized how drunk she truly must be. The Samantha he knew was shy—at least around him. He also recognized if she kept this up, he was in real trouble.
Without saying a word, he downed his shot. For once, he wished alcohol affected him. But, as a gargoyle, his system was too strong. No matter how much he had drunk in the past, alcohol never had any effect on him whatsoever.
Samantha had already chugged her shot and was asking the bartender for another for both of them. Shane was worried about her, but he simply smiled and joined her. At least he was glad she was drinking this much around him and not anyone else.
“Let’s go dance! I love this song!” Samantha said, grabbing his hand. Arms by Christina Perri had come on.
Shane allowed her to lead him to the middle of the room, where several other couples were dancing. Samantha wrapped her arms around him and began humming to the song.
“You know what’s strange?” she suddenly asked.
“What’s up?” Shane was having difficulty concentrating with Samantha dancing in his arms. Sure, they’d danced before, but she was much younger. A child really. They used to clown around, and he’d teach her how to dance. That was when they were much more comfortable with one another.
“It’s been almost eleven years since we’ve known one another, right?” When Shane nodded, she continued, “How come you and your brother look like you’ve barely aged? You look just couple of years older than me. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“It’s the genes, baby.” Shane winked while flashing his signature smirk.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. I know something’s up with you guys. One of these days, I’m gonna find out.” Having difficulty staying on her feet, she leaned against his chest to keep her balance.
Shane held her tighter, holding her up. This girl was going to be the death of him.
When he noticed she could barely keep her eyes open, he said, “I think
it’s time to get you safe and sound to your place, little Sammy.”
Pouting, she said, “No, not yet. I wanna stay longer.”
“Sammy, you’re falling asleep. Come on, I’ll take you home. Are you going to your apartment or your mom’s?”
“Going to my apartment. You’ll go with me?” Samantha’s eyes suddenly widened with excitement.
“I’m going with you to make sure you get home safely,” Shane clarified. He wasn’t sure if the stern voice was for her sake or his.
Throwing him a sweet smile, she grabbed his hand and began to head toward the door. She turned to the guests and said, “Bye! Thanks for coming, guys! Gotta go!”
“Where are you going? This is your party!” Tim yelled.
“You’re leaving already?” Another voice from the crowd asked.
“Wow! If I had him in my arms, I’d leave, too.” They heard a female voice, and people busted out laughing.
While Samantha giggled, Shane guided her out the door. All he wanted was to get her away from the party and the alcohol. Once downstairs, he waved down a cab and escorted her in. Samantha was so drunk that she immediately wrapped her arms around him and leaned into his chest.
“Mmm, you feel good,” she mumbled as her eyes began to close.
Shane clenched his jaw, trying to keep his cool. He had no idea how he’d managed to find himself in this predicament. All he knew was he had to hurry and take Samantha back home. Then, he needed to get the hell out of there.
Before long, he was basically carrying her to the elevator and into her apartment. Somehow, he managed to get her to bed, and it was no surprise when she collapsed as soon as he helped her lie down. He had no idea if she should be sleeping in her dress, but he certainly wasn’t going to do anything about that. He was happy that she seemed to be already asleep. It was time for him to slip out.
“I gotta pee!”
He practically jumped when Samantha yelled. She leaped out of her bed and staggered to the bathroom. Once the toilet flushed, he heard her shuffling around in the bathroom. He contemplated whether he should leave while she was in there, but decided against it. He was worried she might pass out, so he waited patiently.