Page 47 of Redemption in the Dark (The Righteous 5)
He wanted her. There was no point in denying it, and the anger that came over him when he heard Maeve’s upset voice and then seeing Unole treat her like trash was enough to make him murderous. His body was still shaking, and the level of anger he felt genuinely scared him. Wolf turned to look at himself in the mirror, and he looked the same, but he felt different. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was exactly, but he knew it had to do with Maeve and the emotions that were continuing to build like a volcano between them.
He splashed some cold water on his face. “There’s no point in hiding in here all day,” he said to his reflection.
Heading out of the kitchen, he sat down across from Maeve and chose a stack of pancakes. “Thanks for cooking these. I was thinking…we could get out for part of the day, maybe go for a hike if you’re interested?”
Maeve’s mouth was hanging open, the fork full of pancake halfway to her mouth. “Are we not going to talk about what just happened?”
“I’d prefer we didn’t, at least for now.” He ran his hand through his hair as he scooped up the first mouthful onto his fork.
“So you’re not upset about the video or potentially the many other videos out there?”
Surprisingly, it wasn’t the video that bothered him. Did he like seeing her give another guy a blow job? No, but that was her past and not her present. You can’t do anything about things that have already happened. He’d certainly learned that the hard way.
“No, I’m not angry about the videos, only how disrespectful Unole was to you. Now can we please just enjoy these?” With any luck, the situation would be forgotten, and he wouldn’t have to talk about his actions again.
Maeve nodded, and they fell into a comfortable silence. As soon as breakfast was over and Maeve went to get into something hike-worthy, Wolf began packing a lunch and was ready to go by the time Maeve re-emerged from the bedroom. It didn’t seem to matter what she wore. She always looked sexy, adorable, vulnerable, and as tough as nails all at the same time.
“You ready,” he asked, holding out a small pack for her to carry and then flung a second pack onto his back.
“Yeah, where are we going?”
“Nowhere. There is a lot of forest and other trails on the property. You could hike for days and not make it all the way around.”
As they walked, Duke would run ahead and scout, his nose sniffing the ground and making sure there was no danger. Wolf loved seeing the dog act a little more like his old self. Maeve was bringing out the best in Duke, making him smile to see the subtle changes in his behavior.
Wolf kept stealing looks at Maeve’s profile, and he was completely amazed by her. He loved how she held out her hand and let a falling leaf from the tall canopy land in her palm. She would twist her head and cock her ear the way Duke would as she tried to pick out the different bird sounds, making him laugh. Maybe it was because she’d always been in the city for most of her life, and this was all new, or maybe it was just her, but she took in the world in a way that had taken him far too many years to appreciate.
Wolf watched as she wandered off to the side of the trail and asked if she could pick a few flowers. After a while, she had an entire bouquet of wildflowers that were as lovely and rare as the woman holding them.
“Dad,I don’t understand. Why do I have to sit on this log and stay here?” Wolf complained as he stared at the damp-looking log. He had no interest in sitting on the thing all night long, all alone.
“Because this is how you become a man.”
Wolf stared at his Dad and wished for a normal family. Why couldn’t he have one whole weekend just to be a kid? He could do things like try out his skateboard at the park or go riding with his cousin and hang out with Jimmy, but no, his Dad wanted him to become a man.
“Dad, you do know you no longer become a man by staying in the woods all night alone?” He crossed his arms over his narrow chest. “Like seriously, this is not like a hundred years ago.”
He rolled his eyes as his father laughed. Of course, he’d find his uncomfortableness with this ridiculous situation amusing. He was tall for his age, but he was still scrawny, and the idea of sitting blindfolded in the middle of the woods to become a man was not his idea of a good time. You grew up no matter what. That was how real life worked.
“It is tradition.” His Dad laid a hand on his shoulder. “These are our traditions, and so many have been lost or stolen from us. This is a time for you to grow strong in your mind and your heart. Find your true self.”
It was always the same argument. ‘It’s tradition’ had become the constant phrase for both him and Awinita to hear over and over again every time they questioned something.
“Can’t I just learn to drive a car in a couple of years and go drinking at nineteen, or how about I get a job? Why can’t any of those be my right of passage?”
My Dad looked off into the distance, a shadow of sadness crossing his face. Right on cue, the guilt rose inside of him.
“Waya, you may not understand all the whys, but one day you will. One day you will understand that to be different is not a curse. To be you is a gift. A gift that your ancestors gave their lives to protect so that you could pass along the stories and traditions to your children.” His Dad’s eyes found his own. “Trust in me, Waya. One day you too will be concerned about where we came from, our people’s rights, and why it’s so important to hang on to everything we can with both hands.” His father clenched his hands into fists.
The sun washigh in the sky, both of them damp from the heat when he’d found the very same log he’d sat on all night so many years ago. It was now old, and the wood was rotting away from weather and time, but like with everything in life, another log had fallen and sat beside the old one, waiting for history to be passed along. Sitting, he gestured to the spot beside him.
“Why don’t we rest here, and then we can turn back,” he offered.
Maeve took his lead and pulled off the pack before sitting beside him. He couldn’t help loving the fact that even though the log was long enough to hold ten men, she chose to sit so that their knees would touch.
“I can’t get over how pretty it is here. I mean, everything seems brighter and smells better. Even the air has a different feel to it.”
Maeve sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes. The sun was shining through the leaves and bathing her in its warm light. She was stunning, and he was in awe. Everything in him screamed to grab her, wrap her up in his arms, and continue what he’d started earlier.
