The Baynes Legacy - Book 4 - Ebb of the Night

Ebb of the Night (Chapter 15)

15.

Doyle haled a cab sliding in the second the car came to a stop. Giving the address to the driver, the car sped off back towards the hotel. The driver tried to start an conversation numerous times but eventually caught on that Doyle wasn't in the mood to make small talk. As the car pulled up to the curb, he leaned forward passing the fare to the driver before ducking out of the car quickly. Standing in front of the towering building, Doyle began patting his pockets for his key, but quickly remember he had left it his other pants. This problem only gave him two choices, sit in the lobby and wait a couple hours until his family returned or make his way up to Ashling and Ali's suite to sit with the kids.

Taking a deep breath, he glanced down at his wrist watch to see that it was half past nine, hopefully the kids were in fact asleep. As much as he loved his nieces and nephews, Doyle craved some silence. Once in the elevator Doyle pressed the floor number and waited until it came to a stop once again. Please be asleep, please be asleep, Doyle thought to himself as he quietly knocked on the door. Normally the door would flash open but there was bit of delay. For a moment he thought maybe Kerra fell asleep with the kids, but that thought was quickly squashed as he heard the tinkering of locks being undone and the door quietly clicking open.

'Doyle?' She thought towards him as she examined his tall frame standing in the door way. 'Everything okay?'

He glanced over her shoulder to see the kids draped all over the living room, sleeping peacefully. 'Forgot my key, so I thought I'd wait until everyone returns here. Do you mind?' He smiled weakly as he entered the room quickly removing his dress shoes so they wouldn't wake the children.

'It's fine with me. Want anything? We've got some left over pizza.' Kerra's voice asked in Doyle's head as she crept by him heading towards the kitchenette. 'Beer?'

'YES! Please.' He nearly called out but quickly caught himself and relayed the messaged into her head earning him a genuine smile. Kerra nodded pulling out a beer and a diet soda, yet again. She placed it on the table beside him and took the seat across from him at the small dining table where her laptop was set up. 'Whatcha doing?'

'Homework.' She glanced over the top lip of the screen and smiled. 'Want to help?'

Doyle chuckled, 'I have my own homework to eventually do, but I'm taking a break from it at the moment.'

'I thought the same thing but it's the only thing to do while they are sleeping. So what are you in school for?'

'Business, you?' Doyle asked as he sipped at his beer glancing around the room he quickly removed his suit coat and unbuttoned the top two buttons and his sleeves making himself as comfortable as possible.

'Business.' She smiled. 'I want to get away from my packs lands if I can, and that seems to be the only way out.' Doyle glanced over at her gave her a curious glance.

'I have this odd feeling we have met before, have we?' Kerra smirked and nodded slightly before returning her gaze to the computer in front of her. 'Where?'

'The gym, a few years ago. You and Ashling came in to ensure we were safe. It was just before my first shift. I was one of the teens with a gun. I think I may of saved your life at one point in time.'

Doyle's mouth dropped in amazement, as he stared at the young girl, 'Well thank you.'

'You were doing the same for me, so I had to do my part.' Kerra grinned as she slowly shut her computer. 'How old are you, Doyle?"

'Twenty two. You?'

'Nineteen. Well I just turned nineteen.'

Just as they were settling a casual conversation, the suite door flew open quietly to reveal a not so happy Ashling. Doyle quickly rolled his eyes as he waved by to Kerra, flashing her a smile before snagging his coat and making his way to the door.

"Doyle!" Ashling hissed quietly.

"You want to talk to me, come next door. But don't wake up those kids that Kerra spent a lot time putting to sleep." Doyle whispered before glancing back at Kerra, who was blushing wildly as she opened her computer back up. Ashling put her attitude on pause for a second as she glanced back and forth between her brother and the babysitter, causing Keiran to do the same thing. "I'm out." Doyle said as he pushed his way out the door and over to his room.

Once inside his room he could feel the confusing rolling off Ashling through their connection, he wondered what she was so confused over. He quickly put the thought in the back of his mind as he stripped out of his dress clothes and dressed in only sweat pants. With waking up earlier than he wanted to, and all the events of the day, Doyle wanted nothing more than to close is eyes and sleep until mid-morning of the next day. Ashling on the other had different plans for him.

"Doyle, open up!" She called from the other side of his door.

"Seriously, Ashling? I told you I didn't want to go to the damn ballet. I went, I stayed for the first half. You should be so damn lucky you got that out of me." He boomed as he flung the door open to see his sister standing there with her hands on her hips, clearly pissed. "What do you want?"

"First off, why did you just bolt like that. Couldn't you just turn around and tell me or communicate other ways!" She stood her ground clearly waiting for some answer.

"Last time I checked I don't have to explain my actions to you, if father has a problem he'll speak to me about it. Now, what else is your problem?" Doyle asked as he proceeded toward the refrigerator, no doubt to snag another beer.

"What was going on when we returned?" Ashling asked calmly only slightly tapping her foot.

"What do you mean, 'what was going on'?" Doyle asked with a completely puzzled look on his face. "We were talking with our head," he tapped lightly on the side of his temple, "so we wouldn't wake the kids up. Why what the hell did it look like?"

"Nothing." Ashling said quickly, but suddenly there was a small rapping at the door and whimpering coming from behind it. Doyle rushed over and answered it to see Kerra standing thee with a crying Carlin in her arms.

"Uhh... D-Doyle, is A-Ashling here?" She stuttered as her eyes widened at the sight of his naked torso.

"Yeah, " He grinned slightly at her response but it quickly disappeared as he turned back around to face his sister. "Ash, looks like Carlin wants his mommy."

"Oh baby, come on let's get you in bed." She cooed to the little boy taking him gingerly in her arm. Ashling quickly made her way towards the door only to stop and glance back at them carefully. "Kerra, don't be long." She demanded then walked away.

"God, I'm glad she isn't always around me while she's pregnant. She's crazy sometimes." Doyle huffed as he brought the bottle back to his lips. Kerra remain silent for a few seconds causing Doyle to glance back at her. Her eyes were pasted on him, a goofy look glued on her lips. "You okay, Kerra?"

"Huh?" She shook her head, finally bringing her gaze to meet his. "I'm sorry, I zoned out for a bit."

"Yeah, sure." Doyle chuckled as he walked over to the couch. "Want to watch some television? I'm sure there are some good movies on."

"Okay." Kerra quickly rushed to the couch taking the opposite end from Doyle, stealing quick glances when she thought he wasn't looking.

Once she forgot how long she had been staring when Doyle finally broke the silence and said, "Take a picture, Kerra. It'll last you longer."

'I doubt that.' She thought to herself, or at least she thought so.

"What was that?" Doyle asked, both his eye brows raised, he eyed her carefully waiting patiently for an answer.

"I-I've g-got to go!" She said quick as she jumped from the couch and out the door before Doyle could stop her. As the door slammed behind her she leaned back against it falling to the floor. That was close, she thought to herself, only making her giggle at her reaction when he some how heard her thoughts she didn't intend on him hearing.

Kerra's mind kept reeling over the vision of Doyle half naked sitting only a few feet from her, she swore she could feel the heat radiating from his body. She yearned to get closer but couldn't push herself to be so brave after she had heard what he just went through months before with his previous mate. Breathing deeply, Kerra got to her feet and made her way back to the other suite where she desperately needed to talk to Keiran about her latest revelation.