The Sentinel

chapter 43

Donovan gave me a flat look when I told him, Cole and Nick what Nina wanted. “I don't like it.” He fumed.
“Well I'm not looking forward to it either!” I cried.
Cole clapped his hands together. “She's up to something. Someone needs to follow them, and someone needs to watch Nina tonight for sure.”
“I'll follow Calla.” Donovan said.
Nick shook his head. “Not a good idea. Tommy will see you a mile away. But I know just the person.”
Donovan looked like he wanted to remove Nick’s head. Nick hurried and added, “Whatever Nina is up to, you are better at tracking her.”
Donovan sighed, he knew like I did that Nick was right.
I reached over and touched Donovan’s hand. “I'll make sure we just go eat and come right back. She told us to go out to eat, that is all we have to do.
Donovan grabbed my hand and squeezed it. “Hurry home Sweet Pea.” He said sadly.

I left the guys to talk while I got ready. I would dress nicely, but I wasn't going to go out of my way looking good for this date.
I put on a plain black tank dress with a pair of black heels. I pinned my hair up into a sleek bun and put on some eyeliner and mascara. That was the grand total of my getting ready.
“Hey Princess!” Luke linked me. He at least made me smile a little. I felt like I was dressing for my own funeral.
“Hey my knight.” I answered waiting for Tommy.
“I'll be watching you okay. Well, me and someone else.” He sounded mischievous.
“Who?” I asked.
“My sister. She wants to meet you for real. But she can be, well, a lot like Cole actually. Total killjoy most of the time.”
I smiled and laughed to myself. “I would love to meet her too, but probably be better if we didn't do that tonight.”
“We'll see.” I could imagine the wink and smile I would get from him if he was standing in front of me. The big goofball.
A timid knock on my door pulled me from my link with Luke. “Gotta go. He's here.” I told Luke before letting the link drop.
“Be right there!” I called to the door. I stood and pulled the wrinkles out of my dress. Grabbing my purse on the stand by the door, I made my way out.
“Hey, you umm look nice.” Tommy said as I closed the door behind me. It sounded like a question, but I just let it go.
“Thanks. Ready?” I lifted an eyebrow.
“Yeah, let's go.” Tommy nearly ran down the hall and out to his car.
I struggled to keep up. I thought for just a minute of going in the opposite direction to see what he would do. But decided to just go and get this over with. Besides, maybe Tommy would give me info on Nina. Couldn't hurt to see how much he would say.
He actually opened the car door for me and closed it once I was seated firmly inside.
He rounded the convertible and slid into the drivers seat. “Is Italian okay? Everyone likes it right?” He asked putting the car in drive.
I smiled over to him. “Yeah, I think it's a rule, nobody hates Italian food.”
He nodded. He seemed jittery, not his cocky, spoiled beast self.
“Is everything okay Tommy?” I softly asked.
He blew out a big breath and glanced at me.
“Thanks for coming. I know neither of us wanted to do this. Just my mom you know can be kind of pushy.”
I was pretty sure after talking to Stone that Nina probably treated Tommy horribly. I decided to use some of my psychology training. “It's okay. I know parents can sometimes be controlling. I had a SIM once who wouldn't let me wear pants.” I laughed a little to lighten his mood.
“SIM?” He asked.
“Stand In Mom.” I shrugged. “I went from foster home to foster home so much they were just kind of stand in’s. None of them were really my mom.”
“Oh.” He said. Basically closing the door to conversation.
With the conversation stalled, the car ride was slightly awkward. I drummed my fingers on the door handle trying to figure out a new angle to get Tommy to open up.
“I am sorry I bit you.” Tommy spoke breaking the silence. I turned to look at his face. His jaw as always seemed to be clinched and his eyes didn't leave the road.
I sighed turning back to look at the road also. “It's okay, I guess some things are just fate.”

He pulled into a small parking lot and parked the car close to the door that read ‘Bice’. Tommy shut off the car, but didn't immediately pull the keys from the ignition. He seemed to be mentally deciding what to do or say next. He let out a huge sigh and pulled the keys.
“Are we gonna go eat?” I asked hesitantly. “Or would you like to just go somewhere else or home?”
He very subtly shook his head. “Let's eat.” He pulled the keys from the ignition and opened his door.
I followed his lead and walked with him up the stairs to the restaurant.
The restaurant was nice. Very upscale. The hostess led us to a table that was next to the window overlooking a small lake. There wasn't very many people here. Just a few tables had people at them.
I picked up the menu and immediately put it back down and whispered over to Tommy. “Jesus Christ, the prices here are outrageous. We could just go to like Olive Garden and spend like a fifth of these prices.”
Tommy laughed a little. “You don't have to worry, i'm paying. I've got plenty of money to eat here.”
I looked at the menu again and realized the whole menu was in Italian. I couldn't even read the descriptions of the meals.”Tommy why don't you just order for me?’ I learned not to be too picky growing up like I did.
“You sure? I can read the menu to you if you want?” He seemed unsure of making the decision for me.
“No really. Just pick me something.” I smiled hoping to encourage him.
He nodded.”Yeah okay. I can do that. Do you want an appetizer or just the bread?”
I didn't want him to spend more money. “Just the bread.”
The waiter came with glasses of water and took our order. The waiter promised to be back quickly with our bread and drinks.
We sat in an awkward silence as we waited. Finally I couldn't take it anymore and asked a question. “So I hear you are in line to be Alpha, that must be exciting for you?”
Tommy snorted. “I wasn't raised to be an Alpha. I'm the third son. The forgotten child, until now. I don't think I want to be an Alpha. Not that it matters anyway. I'll be challenged the second my dad passes me the title.”
I looked into Tommy's eyes and saw his true feelings. He was letting me see the real him.
“If you didn't have any responsibilities what would you do? Where would you go?” I asked.
He shook his head. “My mother has decided everything for me. One way or another she always gets her way. I have to do whatever she says.”
“But if she wasn't a factor then what?” I persisted.
“It doesn't matter. What I want to do holds no value in our world.”
The waiter came and set out a board with breads and oil and seasonings along with two glasses of wine.
We both grabbed for the bread. I think it was a way to break the seriousness of the conversation.
“Mmm, so good. Love bread.” I mumbled through a bite.
“Right. Love it, but eating wild is pretty good too.” He joked back.
“Seriously though, what do you think holds no value?” I tried to keep my voice light and airy.
He pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped the screen a couple of times. He slid the phone across the table to me. “I draw, and paint.” He shrugged.
I scrolled through his gallery of photos. His art was amazing. I could feel every emotion in each picture. I stopped when I got to one of his mother. The picture was dark and foreboding. It didn't look like a picture someone would draw about someone they were supposed to love.
“These are incredible. You could open a gallery, or sell them. Do commissions.” I praised him and his work.
He grabbed the phone back and slid it back into his pocket. “I'll never get that chance. I know how I end up. I'll be killed trying to defend the title I never wanted.” He looked sad but resigned to his fate.
“Why don't you just leave like your brothers did?” I asked as the waiter came with our meals and refilled our glasses.
Tommy took his time eating his first bite. Like me I think he was savoring the flavors that invaded the mouth from the wonderful food.
I felt a link coming in from Luke. I didn't think it would be proper to answer sitting at the table and eating. That would be like answering a phone call in the middle of an important conversation. The link increased with several trying to get through all at once. I thought my head was going to explode. I dropped my fork and grabbed my head.
“Are you okay?” Tommy asked jumping up from his chair and coming to kneel next to me.
I tried to answer but before I could get a word out dirty booted feet stopped next to Tommy.
The links calmed down to just two. Luke and Donovan.
“hold on. Fuck y'all too many at once.”  I linked to them both.
“Ah, my nephew. The future Alpha.” Skins pulled out the chair next to mine. “Mind if I join?’