Vow of Surrender

Chapter Twenty-Three

Caedance got to the address and parked behind Koda's Porsche. She hadn't known he would be here, but she couldn't complain since this was his parents' house. She got out and knocked on the door. The house reminded her of her grandparents' house. Small, homey, with an Indian touch.

The door opened and Kai was standing there. He had his hair braided down his back, and he wore a traditional Shawnee moccasins with black pants and a plain white shirt. All the men in this family were gorgeous.

"Daaaaamn," he said. "Are you lost? Are you sure you're at the right place? We don't get any pretty people around here."

"I sure hope I'm not lost! Otherwise I got dressed up for nothing."

"Kai, stop being a hussy and let the poor girl in," a familiar female voice said. His mother shoved him aside and smiled. "Welcome to our home, Miss Marshall!"

"Please, call me Caedance. I brought some wine as Kai requested."

"How kind! Please come in!"

Caedance stepped into the house and the aroma of fresh fry bread filled her nose. She hadn't had it in so long, and it made her mouth water.

"Well, look what the wendigo dragged in," Koda teased.

"So original, Koda . . . whatever your middle name is."

"You two know each other?" Winona asked.

"We're old friends," Caedance explained.

"Right . . ." Koda smirked. "Friends."

"There she is!" An older man came into the dining room. "I've heard so much about you that I feel like I already know you!"

"Oh, really?" she asked. "You must be Mr. Drake."

"The one and only. You must be the fairy godmother who is making my daughter's wedding come true."

"I like to think of it as a team effort. But really I'm here to express my gratitude to your son for saving my life today."

"Oh? We have a hero in our midst it seems."

"alright, why don't you sit at the table. The boys will help me carry the food out."

Caedance sat at the edge of the dining table and admired the decorations. Kai and Koda shared brother banter and their father laughed while the mother scolded. She'd forgotten what it was like to have a family. To share a meal and laugh and make memories.

Kai came back out with a skillet full of something steaming and delicious looking. It had to be succotash. Another dish she hadn't had in ages. He set it in the middle of the table under some hot pads.

"Don't worry, he'll be here," he assured her.

Her cheeks grew hot. "What if he leaves when he sees me?"

"Then he's an idiot and I'll have to take you out myself. "

He winked, making her laugh. She didn't take his flirting seriously. He seemed harmless, and she felt safe around him. He'd saved her from death by knife after all.

Koda came out with a bowl of fried green tomatoes and set it down next to the succotash.

"He should be here soon. If not, you could always roll with me again."

"I swear, its like you two are brothers or something."

Kai and Dakota laughed. Not long after, the front door opened. Caedance's heart skipped a beat with anticipation, but then she saw it was only Nina who appeared to be with her fiance.