Heart of Stone (Part III)

III. Chapter 24 | Part 1 - Stone

Stepping into the Brennen household, a lot of little details fell into place regarding Aubree's personality.

The unconscious twitch of her eye when someone entered the pack house with dirt coating their feet. How she'd wash her dishes in the sink immediately after using them. How she swept and mopped the kitchen floor and foyer after everyone had come home in the morning from the nightly hunt, despite the fact that they all took turns cleaning the house. How she'd pick up his and her clothes off the floor of their room every morning and toss the ripped garments in the trash.

Everything at her parents' house was immaculately clean.

The walls were stark white. Not a single smudge marred the surface. The dark-stained hardwood floors, a deep mahogany red, shone in the light. Spotless. Not a speck of dirt or dust anywhere, not even in the corners of the crown molding along the floor.

The vinegary-lavender scent of her mother's cleaning solution peppered his eyes and filled his nose. He tried to take shallow breaths through his mouth, but it was no use.

As he followed Aubree and her father into the living room, he turned his focus to the large window and walked straight toward it. A black leather loveseat stood in front of the window and as he reached for the window, he asked, "Mind if I open the window?"

"Oh, are you warm?" her father asked. "I can turn on the AC—"

"Thank you, but I need fresh air," he said as he opened the window.

[Are you okay?] Aubree asked, coming up behind him as he straightened up.

Closing his eyes, the evening air drifted in and he gulped in breath after breath of it. Car fumes and barbecuing meat from the neighbors met his nose, along with the fresh scent of grass and spice from the bushes on both sides of the pathway against the front of the house.

[It's hard to breathe. Your mother's cleaning solution is so strong.]

He sat down at the end of the loveseat, next to the window and forced a neutral expression on his face. Aubree took the seat next to him. [I'll ask Mom if we can move dinner outside.]

He shook his head. [The dog.]

[Oh... Right.]

He glanced at her and watched her deflate a little, her teeth raking over her bottom lip.

Why was she sitting so far away? There was an inch of space between them.

An involuntary rumble of discontent vibrated in his throat as he draped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. Inhaling her scent would help to block out the overpowering odor of the cleaning chemicals her mother was adamant on using.

Her scent shifted to one of nervousness and her heart skipped a beat.

Fear flashed in her eyes as she looked up to meet his gaze. [Not so close.]

He frowned. [Why?]

Their mental conversation was cut off when her father—Steve—chuckled lightly from the other side of the room.

Aubree's eyes flitted to the source of the sound, while Stone allowed his gaze to drift more slowly in her father's direction.

[Just... Not so tight. Dad's laid-back, but if Mom pops in...]

She trailed off as her father said, "So, tell me a bit about yourself, Stone."

[Very well,] he said, reclining in his seat and resting his arm across the back of the couch behind her.