“I really do need to take the rest of the day off.”
Gail sneered. “I don’t pay my employees to take time off whenever they want. You leave now, don’t bother coming back. There are plenty of other hair stylists that would be more than happy to take your chair.”
Before Ansley could say anything else, Roan said from behind her, “Then Ansley quits. She doesn’t need this job anymore. We’ll be by tomorrow to pick up her final paycheck.”
Roan would have led her away then, but Ansley refused to budge. “I can’t quit, Roan. I need this job to pay my rent and bills.”
He brushed a quick kiss against her lips. “No, you don’t. I have more than enough money to look after the both of us.”
Shocked speechless, Ansley let him walk her away a few steps before she found her voice again. “Wait, Roan. My stuff. I’m not leaving it behind, or my purse.”
Roan changed direction and headed for her chair. Ansley collected her purse then looked around for something to put her hairdryer, curling iron and the rest of the tools of her trade that she owned in. She turned to find Sherry standing beside her with an empty box in her hands. “Thanks.”
Sherry smiled. “No problem. Just make sure you call me.”
Ansley didn’t have many friends, but she considered Sherry one of her closest. “I’ll do that.”
Roan took the box out of her hands and started shoving her things into it. In a matter of seconds they had put all her belongings in the box and were walking out the door. Ansley looked back one final time and met Sherry’s gaze. Her friend waved then silently mouthed for her to call her. Ansley only had enough time to wave back before Roan pulled her out the door.
Chapter Nine
Ansley sat in Roan’s Lexus as she watched the large privacy gates swing open. Roan had only let her take her car back to her apartment before he ushered her into his. When she asked where they were going, he had only told her he was taking her to see Roxie. Ansley had no idea what the connection between what had happened between Roan and she had to do with Roxie, but she decided to wait and see what Roan had planned. Once the gates opened all the way, Roan drove past them and up the long drive to the large mansion. She hadn’t known where Roxie lived. Even though Roxie had been coming to her for the last couple of years, Ansley really didn’t know much about her. So it came as a bit of a surprise to learn Roxie lived in a large house the same as Roan and his family did. It also made Ansley feel like the odd man out. Roan parked the car at the top of the drive and got out. Ansley got out on her side and came around the front of the car to meet him. He took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze before he led her up to the front door. He rang the doorbell, then stepped back to wait for someone to answer it.
Roxie opened the door a few seconds later. She smiled and waved them inside.
“Come on in. It’s nice to see you again, Ansley.” She closed the door and directed her attention on Roan. “I didn’t expect you today. Jager and Dirk are already here. I thought you and Ansley would be a little busy.”
Roan cleared his throat as if he had suddenly become nervous about something when Roxie led them into her large living room. “I brought Ansley here because I thought you would be able to help her understand when I tell her about me.”
Roxie spun around and stared at Roan crossly with her hands on her hips. “Are you telling me you claimed her without explaining everything to her even after I told you not to do it that way?”
“Well, you see, things got a little out of hand.” Roan then let out a squawk when Roxie reached up and grabbed him by his ear. “Rox, that really hurts. Let go.”
“No. And it’s supposed to hurt you, idiot. Now get over here and let’s see if I can make this right for you.”
Roxie didn’t let go of Roan’s ear. She kept hold of it as she led him over to the large sectional couch and forced him to sit down. Ansley had to cover her mouth with her hand to hide the smile that spread across her lips. It was really quite comical to see Roan, who stood much taller than Roxie, being led about by a woman half his size. Ansley wiped the smile off her face and went to sit down next to Roan who rubbed his abused ear. Sitting on the couch so she faced them, Roxie looked over at Ansley and asked,
“Okay, what exactly has Roan told you about your relationship with him?”
“Not too much really,” Ansley said cautiously. Seeing the serious expressions on both Roan and Roxie’s faces, she started to get a little worried. It didn’t take a genius to guess Roan had kept something from her about himself. “He only said that we’re now a part of each other and that we won’t like to be apart for long periods of time.”
Roxie leveled a hard stare at Roan. “You told her that much, but not the reason behind it?”
Roan sighed. “I had to tell her something. She went to work this morning while I slept. When I woke up, she had already been gone for over an hour.”
Roxie put her head in her hand and shook it. “Yup, you couldn’t have messed things up any worse then you already have.” She looked up. “Roan, tell Ansley the truth.”
“Now? You don’t want to gently ease her into it?”
“No. Sometimes it’s best just to get it all out in the open at once. And it’s not as if she has much choice in the matter, now does she?”
Now really starting to worry, Ansley kept her gaze locked on Roan. He turned to her and picked her hand up in his. She didn’t know if she wanted to hear what he had to say now.
Roan took a deep breath. “Please try not to freak out when I say this, okay? I never meant to take your choice from you. I tried to tell you the other day at your apartment, but you were acting as if you didn’t want anything to do with me and my control snapped.”
“Just spit it out, Roan.”
“All right. Ansley, we’re mated. That’s why we can’t be separated for long without needing to be with one another. The mating bond, the joining of our souls, happened the first time we slept together. I knew you were my mate the first time I met you at the salon. I knew if we made love that would be the end result.”
“Mated? I don’t understand. Only animals take mates. The last time I looked, I wasn’t one.”
Roan’s eyes started to glow mutedly. He then made a very animal-like growl. “I’m not completely human, Ansley. There’s a part of me that is an animal.”
Ansley shot off the couch to stand in front of Roan. No longer could she try to talk herself into believing that his eyes didn’t really glow, or that he didn’t growl like a wild animal would. “That is not possible.”
“It is possible.” Roan reached for Ansley, but she crossed her arms over chest. She narrowed her eyes. “If it’s possible, then what exactly are you?”
Roan stood up, but he kept his distance. “I’m a werewolf, Ansley.”
“A werewolf? There is no such thing as werewolves. Next you’ll tell me vampires, fairies and evil trolls exist too.” Roan gave Roxie a pleading look. Ansley started to chuckle. “Oh, come on, Roxie. Don’t tell me you believe this werewolf nonsense.” She gasped. Roxie’s eyes started to glow just as Roan’s did.
“Sorry, Ansley,” Roxie said. “I’m a werewolf too. Same with Beowulf.”
Ansley’s gaze shot back to Roan. “Your family? Are they werewolves too?”
“Yes.”
“Your eyes, it has to be some kind of trick you’re both playing on me. They aren’t glowing by themselves.”
“It’s no trick. I didn’t want to do it this way, but I can’t think of another way to prove to you that Rox and I are telling you the truth.”