The Defiant Luna
Chapter 57

Jay-la

It was definitely good to be home back inside the pack, Nathan had gone off to attend a security meeting with his unit and the warriors. She’d seen it was also Alpha Blaine and his unit as well. Shook it off, knew new protocols were being set up because of what had happened to her. She didn’t think something like that would happen here inside the pack, but could see that Nathan wasn’t going to be taking any chances with her safety

She didn’t have to attend training anymore, so she didn’t have to get up for it. That was nice. Had definitely gotten used to sleeping in when not here in the pack. Didn’t like getting up at 5am any more, was more than grumpy about it, wasn’t the only one either. Not even Kora liked waking up that early, was as growly as she was about it. Nathan had learned to leave her be.

They’d been back now for three days and Maya’s scholarship had been approved. The girl was excited and had gone off with her mother this morning to go up to Rochester to look at the university, to buy new books and get ready for when her classes would start, not right away in three weeks, though she wanted to get a head start on the curriculum.

They had been given a pack car to use while they were here and were currently off using it to get Maya ready for the first of her classes to be attended. It was a long commute but she herself was happy with just being accepted. Elena was using the time to look at buildings and had a meeting with a “so-called florist retailer,” to look at investing in her own store. That meeting wasn’t until next week but they had advised her over the phone to go ahead and find a place that would suit the needs of a florist store.

It appeared that everything with the Martinez women was falling into line. Stephen spent quite a bit of time with Suzy, all meals, and then, after her normal knock-off time, they would go and hang out. He’d had to take her to get warmer clothing as well as her sister and mother.

They’d all been introduced to his family and seen that everyone was very welcoming, Stephen’s parents were actually really nice, and they were happy to meet Suzy, thought she was lovely.

The children were currently playing with Halley and Jay-la was sitting with Margaret, Rae-Rea, and Suzy. They were all having coffee and cake as the children ran about playing some made up game amongst themselves. They weren’t the only children up here in the third floor coffee hub, there were half a dozen other kids their age running about with them as well.

Suzy was still amazed at how big this place was, that there was a massive dining room downstairs for anyone and everyone to eat at, that it was all free. Jay-la had reminded her that she was inside Browning Corporation Headquarters and that all employees got to eat there whenever they wanted for free.

It was one of the perks of being here, as was free healthcare. Shed seen the pack hospital already, Maya had slipped down the front stairs of the packhouse on some ice and sprained her ankle, had been taken to the pack hospital for treatment.

Suzy had worried it was going to put a further strain on her mother’s finances. But been informed that no one here paid for medical treatment. It was all covered by the corporation as a way of showing that the boss cared about his employee’s health and wellbeing. That was why they had their very own hospital here on the company grounds.

Maya had not been able to walk there that day. Stephen had picked her up to carry her and found Suzy not so happy about it, more than jealous from what she’d heard.

Maya had smiled up at Stephen all sweetly and batted her lashes at him, and even he didn’t like it, thought himself that she was trying to flirt with him.

Ethan had come along and taken her from Stephen very quickly, but Suzy had been quiet for a full day after that.

Stephen had tried to reassure her he was not at all interested in her younger sister. That he honestly only had eyes for her. It didn’t seem that Suzy believed him. Clearly, something was going on between the sisters that no one knew about.

She herself had seen the way Maya had looked Stephen over when they had first arrived in L.A.. Although he had dismissed it himself, Suzy was concerned about it, that much was clear. She had absolutely nothing to worry about, but she was now different around Stephen, if Maya was there, standoffish and quiet. Perhaps she thought he would choose Maya over her.

Jay-la had tried to speak with her over it but been shut out.

It was a sore point, it seemed. Something had definitely happened between the two sisters and likely over a man at that. Had yet to talk to her about it. Jay-la didn’t even know if Suzy would talk to her about it, and’hoped she would.

Was going to try and do it today. She knew that Halley’s nanny Lidia was off this morning, but back at work this afternoon, and though Suzy was working, Jay-la was going to slip away to her office with her under the pretence of a meeting to try and see what was going on there.

She could see that, since Maya’s sprained ankle, Suzy was different; Stephen could too. Shed said it was nothing, but the quiet and the way she looked at her little sister sometimes spoke volumes and not just to Stephen. He knew she was upset about it, couldn’t use that Gamma Charm on her to get her to talk to him. It would only likely tick her off. So, he’d not tried at all. Was actually making a conscious effort not to be around Maya at any point in time. Though Jay-la felt this was also being noticed by Suzy, it did not help the situation either.

The three women were often together outside of her regular working hours, and that meant that Maya was often around Stephen as well. It was putting a strain on them, it appeared. Not something they had seen back in L.A., Stephen had only spent time with Suzy, on dates with her, not much with her family, but now that Maya was always around him, it was very noticeable and to all.

Walked into her office with Suzy a little while later, and asked her to sit down, she sat “Suzy, are you worried about Stephen being attracted to your sister?” she asked her outright. It was not really her place as her employer, but it was her place as the woman’s future Luna

Saw Suzy look at her questioningly. “I’ve noticed your getting all quiet around Stephen, so has he actually, though you told him it was nothing. He is concerned you think hell like your sister more than you.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.” Suzy sighed after a moment of quiet, likely trying to decide if she wanted to talk about it.

“Stephen is not going to do that to you, Suzy. I’ve known him all my life. The man is a one woman type of man.”

“I’m not his woman.” She stated flatly.

“Yes, you are.” Jay-la chuckled “I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you. He might be taking it slow, Suzy, but that is because this is new, he’s not going to rush you or himself, for that matter, will want you to get to know him properly.”

Suzy just stared at her for a long time, didn’t really say anything at all.

Jay-la sighed and sank down next to her, “What is it, Suzy?

I’m your friend, you know, not just your employer. Let me in.

Perhaps I can help on some level.”

“She’s educated and I’m not, is getting her university degree and I’m just a nanny. Why would he want me, when she’s younger and prettier, getting an education, is clearly smarter as well.”

Jay-la stared right at her a little surprised by her statement

“Has Maya ever stolen a boyfriend from you before?”

“Yes, more than one.” She nodded, “Is out to get Stephen, I can see it.” she murmured softly.

“Stephen is not interested in Maya, Suzy. He is loyal, fiercely so.”

“You say that,” she sighed. “But that doesn’t mean anything. They all say they are loyal and trustworthy. In the end, she gets them…don’t get me wrong, I love my sister, but sometimes I just wish she would never lay eyes on anyone I’m interested in.”

Jay-la frowned “Your last boyfriend?”

“Yes, she was the one I found him with. I thought Stephen would be different, but now they are actively avoiding each other. That’s the first thing I’ve always seen before I find maya with one of them or one of my friends with one of them. I’m not so smart Jay-la. I barely finished high school with a passing mark. Maya, on the other hand, is beautiful and smart, like really smart, can have anyone she wants.

“Right, I see. Stephen came to me, Suzy, he has concerns about you, not Maya. Perhaps you should tell him this, your fears or the past history you have with Maya. So, he himself can clarify to you what he wants. He is only avoiding Maya to try and make you more comfortable, not because they are sneaking around together.”

“You say that, but she disappears at times, wanders off for hours to who knows where.”

“Not with Stephen, I can assure you of that. Stephen actually holds a strong position here, and when he’s not with you he is either with me or Nathan, or out doing work He is a busy man, but if you said to him at any given time, day or night, you wanted to see him, he would drop everything and come right to you.”

“Any given time?”

“Yes.” Jay-la nodded, “why don’t you try it?”

“You’ll tell him too now”

“No, I won’t. He doesn’t even know I’m with you. Supposed to be with Darla and my mother planning my wedding, but to be honest with you Suzy, its all crazy and stressful and being here with you, lets me get away from it all. Do not tell them that, I’ll get many lectures and Nathan will be in here wanting to know what is wrong as well.” Shook her head ” Clingy he is.”

“Don’t you want to get married?”

“It’s not that Suzy. I, as you know, have lived in L.A. for a long time, on my own. Now I am here and never alone, that door there,” she pointed to the connecting door to Nathan’s office “goes right to Nathan’s office. My mother and his mother.” She shook her head “are insane about the planning, I just need a minute or two to myself sometimes.

They don’t really get it. I might belong here, but I’m not at all used to the constant attention of everyone.”

“Oh, kind of feel smothered. Like my mother does to me, huh?”

“Yes.” Jay-la nodded, it didn’t help that wherever she went now, she saw two roaming guards patrolling along with her, at a distance. She didn’t think Nathan knew she knew about them, but she was not so dumb, round the clock protection since shed gotten home The man was paranoid, even here inside their pack, that someone was going to come and take her away from him.

“Why don’t you call him, or text him and see what happens.

I know he’s in a security meeting downstairs right this minute.” She did their war room was in the basement of the packhouse, away from prying eyes, away from humans who came to visit, preventing them from ever finding it

Watched her think about it, “Perhaps I should wait on that till Maya comes back.”

“Alright. I’ll not say anything to him, give you my word on that.”

“Thanks, I guess I have trust issues.”

“I didn’t really trust Nathan either when I got here, it took weeks to do that, but now I know he loves me, just sometimes it takes time. Stephen, I know, will give you all the time in the world. But if you wanted to pick up the pace yourself, he’d let you. It’s on your terms, Suzy, not his.”

“What?”

“He won’t make a move on you until you ask him too, or at least that is my impression. It’s a bit weird but he wants you to be comfortable. This is his home and he is comfortable here. If you want to kick it up a notch, you might want to let him know. He’s likely happy to just sit and hold hands till you make the next move.”

“Oh, I thought he just…”

“No, it’s all on you. If you want to move to the next step,

just tell him. Holding hands is fun,” Jay-la chuckled, “but so is kissing.” She smiled right at Suzy, knew Stephen had kissed the hell out of her back in L.A., “he’s a bit old fashioned, from what I can tell.”

“Seems it.” Suzy nodded,

“So this meeting we’re supposed

to be having?”

“No meeting, just us hanging out and having a chat, because I could see you weren’t comfortable.”

“Oh,”

“You want to go watch a movie, we’ll both ditch everyone.”

She chuckled

“Sure I’m not doing anything else.”

Jay-la grinned right at her, “You and I, Suzy, were going to cause some mischief around here.”

“I’m not really the mischief type. Brought up too strict for that.”

“Ah, you’ll learn it’s fun. Come on.” Jay-la stood up. “We have to ditch my guard detail.”

“You’re what?”

Jay-la chuckled “My guard detail, I’ve had one ever since we got back, Nathan is over protective at that moment.” She headed to the window in her office and popped it open,

“Come on.” She chuckled “Let’s cause some mischief.” She knew he was busy in the war room, like his whole unit was, and with her having a guard detail, he wasn’t likely to be actively tracking her with that pack tether either.

Smiled to herself as she encouraged Suzy to climb out the window, it was only a few feet down to the ground. Made sure to close the window before they made their escape They walked all the way along the outside of the packhouse and slipped inside via the mud room. She mind-linked both Rae Rae and Margaret with the plan and got giggles from both of them. They were in, it seemed. and the four of them met up at the movie theatre.