Cole: House of Wilkshire ― Paranormal Dragon Shifter Romance Read online

  “Why, that fucking bitch. Did she tell you why she’d done it?” Dillon nodded at Ryan and told them. “What does that mean, she wasn’t going to have you lose out? Lose out of what? Their bills? I don’t want to sell any of the treasures, but divide it up between the three of us before we sell the rest. Her deciding to take those things made us all think that Mom and Dad had sold them off for cash. Now we know where they’d gone. What else did she take?”

  “Two insurance policies that I have with me. There are some smaller items that I’ve also brought back. Some of their medications as well.” Ryan asked him what he’d said to her. “I never got the chance. She...well, Sandra was pissed off about me saying I was bringing it back with me and attacked me. Then later, when I was asleep, she put me in the hospital. I’ve only just gotten out when Rylie called to say you were hurt. I took that opportunity to get away and hide out for a little while.”

  “Do you think she’ll follow you to Kelly’s home? I have to tell you, there won’t be a better place to be safe than where we are headed.” Rylie asked Cole why he thought that. With a glance at Ryan, he told her that it just was. “Not to mention, there are things you’re going to find out when you get there that are going to be difficult to believe. Trust me when I tell you, we will not ever lie to you about things.”

  “That’s a bold statement.” Rylie knew that everyone lied. She didn’t want either of these men telling them things that were simply untrue. “This trip, Kelly said she hoped that we’d stay. I’m assuming you all have money. Am I correct on that?”

  “You are.” If he was going to say anything more, his phone interrupted him, and he stood up to answer it. When he came back, he laid the phone on the table between them. “Kelly, you’re on speakerphone now. Introduce the others to the people here.”

  “I’m Kelly, as you know. Here with me is Bryce, Nicole, Aisling, and... You know what, it doesn’t matter. I’ll just have them say who they are when they speak. I wanted to tell you a few things that you’re not going to be happy about. Not that I care how unhappy you are with me; I love the three of you very much and want only the best for you.” Ryan asked her what she’d done. “The bills your parents had are all paid off as of this morning. In addition to that, so is their funeral, as well as the cemetery plot they were buried in. Just so you know, that idiot at the funeral home is on my shit list. The house has the taxes caught up as well. My husband—he’s a great guy, by the way—is looking into the accident to see why no one suggested that you sue the driver’s insurance company. Unless, of course, you can tell me.”

  “I actually wondered that as well. We’ve been looking for an attorney that wouldn’t take payment unless we won. It was pretty obvious that the driver ran the stop sign and hit them broadside.” Kelly asked Ryan if she was aware that he was also stoned. “No. Drunk is all we were told. Our mom died on impact, and we were making funeral arrangements for her when Dad took a bad turn. We think it was because someone told him that Mom had died. Three days later, Dad passed away too. Not that his injuries weren’t bad, but he might well have pulled through if he’d had it in his heart to do so.”

  “Devon, my husband, said he’ll work with you on this.” Ryan started to make a no doubt rude comment, but Rylie told her to hush. “I think you’ve just saved me a tongue lashing, Rylie. I so missed you guys.”

  “I’ve also some news on Sandra Cord. Christ, she’s a nightmare.” The woman speaking said that she was Bryce and was sorry. “I mean, you’re going to divorce her, Dillon, so I’m assuming you know what sort of person she is.”

  “I do now. It’s taken so many things going on to make me realize how right my sisters were in telling me not to marry her.” Dillon laughed a little. “I’m assuming she’s not all that thrilled about being in jail. The police officers that arrested her told me they’d never heard some of the words she’d strung together about me. What is it you found out?”

  “Before I get to that, I want you to know that I’ve changed all the locks on your house and put someone there to keep an eye on it—also your home, Rylie. The only place I could find for you, Ryan, is an apartment you’ve not lived in for some time. I can have your place watched too if you want.” Ryan told her she’d just sold her home before Mom and Dad had died. She’d been doing hotels since then. “All right. That explains a great deal. About Sandra. She’s got herself an attorney. Her parents are paying for it. I don’t know if you’re aware of this or not, but they’re as loony as she is.”

  “I thought they were both dead.” Dillon looked at Ryan and her. “I had no idea that they were still alive. Sandra told me they had died when she was younger.”

  “They’re both alive and kicking. Also, she has a brother that isn’t anything like the others. A nice guy by all accounts. Stays away from the other three as much as he can. But back to Sandra. The attorney she has is going to find out that you’re not one to fuck with, Dillon. At least since you became a part of this family.” He asked why he was part of her family. “Once you were healed, as well as the others, you became a part of all of us. There will be more details when you arrive, but you’re not going to have to worry about Sandra winning the suit she’s bringing up toward you. She said that her little slice and dice of your nut sack is something that you did. Blaming her was just, and I’m quoting here, ‘something that that dyke of a sister Ryan would have made you do.’ Also, your wife thinks you’re dumber than the dogs across the street. Which after looking into them, I can attest that they’re nothing you want to be compared to in this.”

  No one said anything more about Dillon’s wound, but Rylie had to wonder why Sandra would do such a thing to him. Rylie realized that another one of the women was talking. Paying attention to what was going on around her, she was sorry she’d missed it.

  “I know that. Don’t you think I’d be fucking aware that the president was looking for me? Christ, is there nothing you don’t look into?” Ryan was all riled up again, and Rylie wondered who had done it this time. “He said that once I come back, he’s going to talk me into taking the job. I am not now, nor have I ever considered being, in charge of a bunch of overpaid testosterone-filled assholes. Even the women, and there a lot of them, are on the take. I’m not going to mess with them. Fuck them. He made the mess. Let him fucking figure it out on his own.”

  “Oh, we’re going to get along just fine, I think.” Whoever was talking was laughing as she continued. “All right, people. Get some rest, and we’ll talk when you arrive. Cole, if you’d pick up the phone now, I have a few things I need to tell you before you arrive.”

  When he picked up the phone and walked away, Rylie looked at her sister. She was glaring at no one in particular. Wondering what she was so upset about, she asked her to explain. Rylie didn’t think she’d answer her, but when she finally did, she was just as shocked as she was to hear that the president’s personal phone number was in Ryan’s phone.

  “One of us could be the mate to Cole.” Rylie looked at the handsome man, then back at her sister. “I don’t want to know right now. I have so much shit going on that having to deal with something more is going to make my head explode.”

  “What if I want to know?” Ryan nodded her head toward the man. “You ask him. Whatever happens, Ryan, at least we’ll all be safe for a while. At least until we go back home. Is that what you’re thinking? That you’ll deal with it when you get home? You know as well as I do that it doesn’t work like that. You know what we were told about shifters and mates.”

  “Don’t you get it, Rylie? He’s going to be into all of our lives. More than they are now.” Rylie thought about that. Then she told her sister that so far, their being in their lives was working out pretty good. “Don’t be an ass. Besides, I’m sure it’s you. I mean, it would be great for you to have a nice handsome man that would be able to take care of you.”

  “You don’t want the same for yourself?” She shook her head. “Why no
t? I mean, it might be nice to be pampered by someone for a change. Not that it matters, but they seem to have more money than sense.”

  She looked at Cole as he closed his phone. Having someone like him to wake up to daily would be nice, she thought. But the more she sat there thinking about it, all the things that she’d heard about mates, she decided it wasn’t worth it. Having a man around would be nice some of the time. But someone around all the time? Well, she wasn’t cut out for sharing her things any more than her sister was. No, it might be better off if neither of them knew who he might be mated to.

  Chapter 2

  Dillon loved being here. Not just because his wife wasn’t—it was more than that. There was a quiet here that he could never obtain in the other place. There were no cars speeding by his home. Sirens blasting just close enough that you’d wonder if it was coming to your street. He’d bet anything that the crime rate here was zero.

  When a shadow moved over his face, he looked up at who had disturbed his time. Smiling, he asked Matt to have a seat. The man was forever smiling. Dillon thought it had a great deal to do with the fact that he was married to a wonderful woman. That could make all the difference in the world.

  “Are you going to be ready for tonight?” Dillon had forgotten about the big dinner. “We’re a bit much when we’re all in one house. I hope you’re going to not be overwhelmed by it all.”

  “I’m sure I’ll be all right. I’ve gotten around the others over the last few days. You’re all a very close bunch, aren’t you?” Matt told him they’d been friends for years. “I can tell. The women, they’re close too. I noticed that they’re trying to get my sisters involved in the things they’re into. I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but one of them is very stubborn. Also, I think Ryan can peel paint off a wall with her temper.”

  “I like them both. They’re outspoken, which I find refreshing. Not to say that the others here aren’t, but they’re trying so hard to hold back that it makes me laugh.” They both laughed at that. “I wanted to come and talk to you about a few things before we all get together. It’s not all bad, so I can give it to you however you want it.”

  “I’d rather not hear it at all, but I know you’ve come all the way out here to tell me something.” Dillon looked at the sea and felt his eyes fill with more tears. “I’ve been out here feeling sorry for myself for the last few hours. Not completely, but I know I’ve screwed up on life. My sisters, as I mentioned before, tried to tell me not to marry Sandra. Neither of them trusted her from the beginning. What has she done? I’m assuming some of the bad is because of her.”

  “It is.” Dillon didn’t rush Matt. He’d noticed that about all the men here—the women too. They weren’t to be rushed into things when they had something to say. “The house you and her shared burned to the ground last night. There was no saving it. I’m so sorry.”

  “Before coming here, or at least before she tried to castrate me, I had moved all of my treasures out. Not that there were many of them. Things that I’d gotten from my family. Things I was given after my parents died. I didn’t know, you see, that she’d do something like that. I only knew that if I left them at home, they’d be gone. Was anyone hurt?” Matt didn’t answer him. “They’re saying arson, aren’t they?”

  “Yes. It was ruled as arson. Two people were killed, I’m afraid. Not by the fire, but they were shot and then put into the house before it was set on fire. Your neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Sandburg.” Dillon let the tears fall. They’d been the nicest people he’d encountered since he’d left home. “I’ve spoken to the people in charge of the area, and they know you’ve been here since before it was started. The insurance company won’t be able to pay out until they have someone arrested. They’re looking for Sandra now.”

  “You said there was some good news too? I do hope that is the last of the bad.” Matt told him there was only one more thing, but he was fixing that for him. “If you’d not mind, I’d like to just sit here a moment and absorb some of what you’ve told me. In the event that you’re not aware of it, my life hasn’t been a bed of roses. Being married to Sandra has been a nightmare from the very beginning. I guess you might say I’ve been ashamed for people to find out what it was like. She is abusive, both physically and mentally. I’m not sure how much you know about all of that.”

  “All of it.” Dillon nodded. “I, as well as the rest of the family, would like to talk to you and your sisters about staying here with us. I have a job for you that I think you’ll like. Rylie said you were an investment broker. I’d like to hire you…well, the family wants to hire you to take over the job of doing that for us.”

  “You have a great deal of money, I’m assuming.” Matt only smiled. “I also think, and don’t be upset with me if I’m wrong, but you’re much older than you look. I don’t know what you are, but you’ve been around for a good long time.”

  “Yes, we have. The men have.” Dillon nodded. “We have a lot of money, Dillon. More than I think you’ve ever worked with. But what we need for you to take over for us is the money that is there for the charities we have. We’d like to be able to not have to keep putting money in if possible. We’d be able to do that, with your help, if you were to take the charity funds and reinvest them into more income for each of them. There are a great many of those as well, but we’d start you out slowly.”

  He thought about being here all the time. Dillon looked around, not just at the waterway this time, but all the other things that made him want to live here. The houses were modest. The yards large enough to have children playing in them. He could, if he wished, walk to town and have lunch, and any number of people would speak to him. It was what he thought of as a home town. Where you were known to everyone, and if you were smart, loved by them as well.

  “I’ll take it.” Matt laughed and said he had thought he’d have to convince him. “I believe you might have some months ago. But I’ve had enough of rat races, getting to work on time, when all you want to do is rest. However, it’s not only that. It’s here. Being here the last few days has shown me that there isn’t any reason to get all worked up about things that you have no control over. That’s what I was doing with Sandra and my job. I was carrying around the stress of trying to keep my job, one I hated and making sure my wife didn’t murder me.”

  “She would have.” Dillon looked at the man. “Some of us can see bits and pieces into the future. You would have been dead by this time next week. It would have been a combination of an infection, as well as the strychnine she has been feeding you for the last year. It’s out of your system as well, Dillon. When you were healed back at the hospital, that was taken from your body.”

  He cried. Dillon hated that he was so emotional right now. But these people had been nicer to him in the last several hours than his own wife had been their entire married life. Thinking about how she’d cut him, he decided to share it with this man. Even if he’d already found out what had happened, Dillon wanted to be able to voice it just this one time.

  “I came home from work two weeks ago, exhausted and ready to just fall into bed. But Sandra had been wanting to go out that night. It didn’t matter that I don’t dance, not even a slow dance. But she wanted it, and either I took her, or she’d just go on her own. That was the first time I’d ever just had enough. I told her to go then. After she left, I took a shower then went to bed.” He thought about waking up in such pain. “I must have been more tired than I thought. Sandra had not only been able to gag me and tie my arms to the bed, but she’d also stripped me of my clothing. The stab to my inner thigh had me coming up from the bed and lashing out at her with my feet. I was only able to knock her back enough that I could move. Then she leaped on me—leaped on me like a fucking cat taking down prey. She managed to knife me in my scrotum twice before I was able to kick her in the head and knock her across the room.”

  “The police said you were able to get the gag off. Had she been
only a quarter of an inch more to the right, you would have bled out.” Dillon said he’d been screaming around it for a while, and it finally moved off his mouth. The doctors had told him several times how lucky he’d been. “I’ll say. I don’t know how you were able to get up to call for an ambulance. The police, they’ve arrested her for attempted murder. Our women are working on other crimes they believe she was a part of to make the case against her stick. Ryan is also calling in favors to have her not get bail.”

  “What are you?” He looked away and then back. “I know you’re not human, as I said before. I’m really curious as to what sort of person you are. And are you all the same?”

  “I’m a dragon.” Dillon thought he was joking and asked him if he was. “No. I’m a dragon, as are the other men you’ve met. Devon, he and Kelly are the king and queen of all of us.”

  “Seriously?” Matt laughed and nodded. “I have to be honest with you. I thought you were something I’d have a hard time believing. However, I never in my life thought of a dragon. I bet it’s wonderful to soar through the sky without a care in the world. Are you…? I’m not sure how to ask this, but how large are you? I’m assuming you’re about the size of a small SUV.”

  “Much larger. A great deal larger. Devon is bigger than any of us, as you can well imagine, being the king and all.” Matt turned to the castle behind him. “If I were to shift and stand next to the castle, I’d be a little taller. About twenty feet taller.”

  “Christ.” They both laughed. “You said that Devon is larger? My goodness, it must be a sight to see you six in the sky.”

  “Kelly is a dragon as well. Would you like a rundown of what the women are? It’s pretty awesome that we have all this power.” Dillon told him to tell him. “Kelly, as I said, is a dragon. Bryce is a witch. Not just a witch, but the grand witch of all. Her familiar is, of course, her husband, Noah. Not too many people mess with her in the first place, but with Noah there, she’s never been bothered. Nicole is a wonderful cook, as well as the protector of all of us. She and Jackson will also assist Devon when he has to deal with one of the others. Let me think. Connor and Roxanna are necromancers. To be honest with you, I thought them all gone. People would kill them not for what they could do but for the trouble they could cause if they were to bring up someone they knew. But they do an amazing job, even just helping the dead with some issues they might well have.”