Enzo (The Wolves Den: New #1)

6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

The knock at his door found Enzo wide awake. Ven was supposed to come back last night. The fact that he didn't meant something had happened.

"Come in," he growled, grabbing a pair of track pants before coming down the stairs.

"You look like you need coffee or the hair of the dog that bit you." Ven gave him a smart salute before going through the entry, angling for the kitchen.

"Nothing bit me last night; that's the problem." A picture of Deja with her teeth in his shoulder as she rode him was enough to make him growl again.

The kitchen was painted a bright yellow with a large table in the middle of the floor, and a coffee maker which was all Ven was interested in at the moment. It still amazed him that this backward planet had coffee and alcohol. If the rest of the universe knew...well, they'd be trying to take the planet over.

He took his cup when it was ready and went to sit at the old scarred wooden table.

"The building she is living in looks like it should be condemned. It looks like the new owners are trying to fix it up. They've ripped up floorboards and are tearing out fixtures from the empty apartments. Hers is the only one still occupied." Ven sat back and took a sip of his coffee. He still didn't know who the man from last night was.

"There was a man in a black car following her last night. She never noticed. I think she was just exhausted by the time she was walking home."

Enzo nodded, tightening his grip on his cup of coffee.

"What happened?"

"He got out of the car to approach her. I intercepted him. He claimed he just wanted to trade names because she was beautiful."

"Did you believe him?"

"No, he was lying. I couldn't pick up much from him; he was working for someone and whoever it was had him scared."

"Do you think she's in trouble?"

"Yeah, boss, I do."

Deja stretched, a smile coming to her face. Last night had been awesome. Okay, maybe it was just great or a little bit good. There was the everybody-about-to-lose-their-cool moment. There was also the moment Enzo kissed her, and he's hot as hell. A quick look at her alarm clock told her she'd slept for ten hours. Now she had some decisions to make, like how to spread her money out so she wouldn't be hungry at work.

There was also the fact that she could only stay here until the end of the month. The end of the month would be here in five days. She looked around, feeling sorry because she wasn't going to be able to take her things. Shelters wouldn't allow her to bring them, besides she couldn't go to a shelter. She'd spoken with someone about moving into the shelter closest to her yesterday.

"Do you have a job?" the voice on the other end of the phone asked.

"I work in a club and don't get out until two in the morning, and then I have to get there."

"Do you have a vehicle to make the trip shorter?"

"Umm, no, I don't have a car right now, so I'll have to walk. It will take me about ninety minutes. You're the closest shelter to where I used to live and now work."

"You do understand we lock the door at ten and allow late arrivals until eleven."

"Right, I know that your doors shut at eleven."

"Maybe this isn't the shelter for you. I'm sorry we can't meet your needs at this time."

"I agree I should probably go to a different shelter."

That about sums up the phone call she made yesterday when looking for a place to live. She was going to be out on the street until she got her first paycheck. She wouldn't worry about it if she had a car to sleep in, but sleeping on the ground was a bit of a downer.

The knock on her door startled her. Who would come into a construction zone to knock on her door? She stood up and then looked down. No sense in scaring the poor person. She went for her robe that was lying on the back of the rocking chair in her room. There wasn't much in here except her bed, which had seen better days. One tall dresser and a rocking chair. Of course, there was the closet and nothing else. The bedroom was tight, but at least it used to be her home.

She looked out the peephole before saying anything. Whoever was out there was tall. All she could see was a chest.

"Who is it?" She shuffled from foot to foot, nervous that someone was knocking on her door.

"It's Ven."

Well, that clears everything up, her sarcastic voice said.

She hissed at it to be quiet.

"I don't know anyone named Ven. Who sent you?"

"The boss sent me." His voice came out so confidently that she almost questioned herself.

"I don't know any boss." How old was this Ven? "Tell him to leave me alone."

"Okay, but I don't think the boss will be happy. Will you at least take the groceries?"

"Your boss sent me food?"

"Yeah. The boss was mumbling about you. He said that damn fool female probably doesn't even have food in her house. How is she going to eat?"

"What's your boss's name?" She was beginning to get a good picture of his boss. Impossibly tall, green eyes and a killer kisser.

"The boss's name is Enzo." He said it grumpily like the whole world knew the boss was Enzo.

She opened the door, and not even the voices in her head protested. Ven was tall, about seven feet, with the prettiest blue eyes she had ever seen. There was no doubt in her mind that they would glow under the right circumstances. He reminded her of all the males she met yesterday, but his voice, his attitude didn't say grown up.

"Here," he held up several bags.

"Thanks," she gave him a smile and took the food before saying anything. "Tell your boss thank you, but he didn't have to buy me groceries."

"I'll tell him, but he'll probably mumble again."

"Should you be telling me all of this?" She took a step back, testing him.

"Probably not, but I've never seen him like this before, so I want to enjoy it."

"Did you eat, Ven?"

"I had coffee." He looked so darn proud of himself.

"Do you want to come in and eat some of this food?"

"Really? No, wait, I can't come in."

"Why?"

"Because females are scared of males bigger than them when they don't know who they are. We can't go around scaring them. Enzo wouldn't like it if I scared you, besides you don't know me."

"True, I don't know you, but I know you work for the boss just like me. I know he would get mad at you if I don't show up tonight, so I'm not scared of you, which means you can come in."

He gave her a happy smile as she moved further back before he finally moved forward to come in.

"You're nice." He was standing in the small entryway with the kitchen on his right and the bathroom on his left.

"We're all nice," that lie almost caused her to choke.

He shook his head slowly. "I met a pretty Earthling, but she wasn't nice. She laughed at me because her friends did."

The frown on his face that said he didn't understand touched her heart. She was going to like Ven whether she wanted to or not.

"Follow me." She led him a few short steps into her living room/dining room combo. "Take a seat. Tell me, Ven, how old are you in umm Earth years?"

He stiffened and looked towards the door.

"It's alright. It'll just be our secret."

He nodded, still wary, looking at her to see if she was trustworthy.

"Sixteen?" she threw a number out there, but by the look on his face, she was off, and he was offended.

"Enzo said I'm like nineteen or twenty in Earth years." He looked so proud of himself when he said it. "I was like ten when we first got here, but I've grown since then. Sometimes I miss the fighting and the noise."

"You miss your parents?" She took a seat on the other side of the couch.

"Nah," he shook his head, a sad look coming over his face. "They didn't want me. That's why they sent me to the battalion."

"The battalion? Is that what you meant by missing the fighting?"

He brightened up. "Yes, they were one of the best groups. Declyn and Enzo let me into their battalion. I was way too young, but I would have either been killed by the enemy or starved if they didn't let me in. The other groups just laughed at me and made bets that I wouldn't make it long on my own."

Her eyes were blinking fast because she could see him as a kid trying to be tough as nails after his parents threw him away.

"Here's what's going to happen. I'm going to take a shower and get changed. Then I'm going to make breakfast, and we're going to talk about this girl, okay?"

He gave her a shrug that said knock yourself out. "That would be nice." His eyes, on the other hand, were suspiciously bright like no one ever took the time to mother him.

She gave him a quick smile, got up, and collected her clothes before going to the bathroom.

Do we have time for him?

We can barely take care of ourselves. Now you're trying to mother a whole different species.

I just wanted to hug him and tell him everything would be okay.

The last voice was caring and compassion. It was the last voice Deja expected to speak. They both had been used and abused. C they missed her as much as Deja had.

So yeah, they would be mothering Ven as much as possible. If only to give caring and compassion something to do.

She peeked deep inside like all her voices were doing, but love was still huddled up in a dark corner, refusing to come out. With a sigh, she turned on the shower. It didn't take her long to get ready. Ven sat slumped against the couch with his eyes closed like he hadn't gotten much sleep. She gave him an hour before she started cooking.

"Ven, wake up. It's time to eat."

"Is it?" His voice was groggy. One look at him and she could see his youth as plain as day.

"It is. Come to the table. Why do you look older?"

"We come into maturity at a certain age. Declyn says we're not mature, but our bodies stop aging. Coming into maturity early allows us to fight for our planet and maintain the way of life there. I'm too young for a family, but I'll never have one."

"Why?"

"What Earth female would want one of us?"