The Falcon Ridge Series Book 4: Art of a Girl

(Chapter song ‘Kiss Me’ by Sixpence Non The Richer)

SAMMY

In record time, I walk down the stairs in a little white, flowing dress. I had a quick shower, pinned up half my hair and practically threw on some makeup. I hope what I'm wearing is appropriate.

My cheeks flush when I see Bastian waiting patiently at the bottom of the stairs.

He licks his bottom lip and grins. “You look…”

“I look like a rush job.” I giggle.

He cups my cheek. “You look gorgeous.” He kisses me quick then looks at his watch. “And punctual.” He laughs. I laugh, too, as he offers his arm. “Ready?”

“Yes.” I look him over as he walks me across the foyer. “Jeans and sweater. I like it.”

He side eyes me. “What? You don’t like suits?”

“Not all the time.” I shrug. “This look is nice, too.”

“Hmm… I'll have to keep that in mind.” He opens the door and motions me out. “After you.”

I blush. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise." He smiles.

He helps me into his Lamborghini and he gets in. It's dusk and the sunset casts gorgeous shades of orange, reds, pinks and yellows across the darkening sky. The lights are all just coming on and I watch the light play on his face as he pulls out onto the road.

My admiration is wrecked when he hits the gas, causing me to yelp and grab the seat.

"Must you drive so fast?” I whip my head to him and frown.

"It's a fast car, so yeah." He glances at me.

"Please, slow down.” I request with insistence.

He giggles. "Fine."

I relax as the cars speed reduces to a more comfortable level.

"You don't have a lot of fun, do you?" He arches a brow as he looks my way.

I scowl. "I have fun. I just like to be responsible. Like not breaking speeding laws, for instance."

He laughs. "I don't get speeding tickets."

"Because your Bastian Cole, right?"

"Exactly." He flashes a charming smile.

"You know. You're not as great as you think you are, sir." I cross my arms and give him a smug look.

"Uh, yeah I am." He smirks.

“Sure.” I shake my head. “Alright, tell me. Where are we going?"

"There." He points out the window and I see a wide open grass area with lights all over and decorated sparsely with trees.

"A park?" I turn my head and question.

"Yep." He turns into the parking lot, finds a spot and parks the car. He gets out, runs around and lifts my door.

"Bastian. What are we..." I start as he helps me out.

He pulls a basket out of the back seat. "A picnic in the park." He grins. “You said simple.”

“I did.” I nod with a chuckle.

He grabs my hand and we walk along the park paths. The lights on the poles light our way. The stars twinkle in the sky and the trees gently sway in the breeze. Bastian would have been the last person I would ever see in a park. Who is this man?

We stop at a small, circle duck pond. In the middle is a small fountain. "Perfect." He says. He sets the basket down and pulls out a blanket then spreads it out on the grass.

He gently grabs my hands and invites me to sit.

“Bastian… I don’t know what to say.” I breathe as I look the setting over. Honestly, it really is perfect. The night is calm and clear. The fountain isn’t too loud and everything is just…

After sitting himself down beside me, he rummages through the basket and pulls out a bottle wine and two glasses.

He glances at me as he pours. "What do you think?"

I smile. "It's not what I expected from Bastian Cole." I giggle.

"What did you expect?" I hands me a glass.

"I'm still waiting for the rich and famous treatment." I smile.

"Can I be truthful?" He sips his glass.

“Please do.” I sip mine, too.

He kicks his legs out, crosses his feet and leans back on his hand. He smirks and leans to me. “Being rich…it’s kind of boring.”

“What?” I crinkle my nose and laugh.

His brows shoot up. “It is! You can only go to so many fancy restaurants or clubs. You see the same faces all the time and you can buy whatever you want. It's really distressing.”

“Oh. Poor you.” I laugh.

“Hey.” He bumps my shoulder as he chuckles. “Seriously, the idea of being simple and easy. It’s starting to appeal to me. You inspire me to try to do other things.”

I lift my glass to my lips. “Then you’re welcome.”

He leans to me. “Thank you.” He kisses my cheek with a longing kiss that makes me lean into him and close my eyes.

He leans on his elbow. "So, tell me more about you? What is it I don't know already." He takes a drink.

I look at the stars. "There really isn't much. I like painting and music, as you know. I like helping people."

"Mmm." He says lowering his glass from his lips. "Tell me about that."

I meet his eyes and question if he's ready to hear what I do. But if this revelation of a boring rich life is an indication of him needing to see the whole picture, I need to do this for his own sake.

"I help those less fortunate than me in my spare time. I give back what I can." I roll my glass in my fingers.

He sits up, scrunches his brow and cocks his head. “Less fortunate?”

I nod. "Yes. When I'm not here with you, I volunteer at a mission downtown. I help with food to feed the people and direct them to services to try and make their lives easier." I side eye him and try to gage his reaction.

"What do you mean?" He lifts his knee and rest his arm on it.

I look at him and tilt my head. I didn’t want to believe it, but his reactions are proving what I already knew. "You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" He looks me over. “You… You’re not seriously talking about Black Rock?”

I sigh and turn to face him. "Bastian. Black Rock may look like the shiny beacon of success, but underneath, your people are starving.” I try to speak in a calm, soft manner as to not offend him, but I have to make sure he’s hearing this to understand.

Although, he’s currently looking at me like I have two heads.

I try to save a little face. “I'm sure it’s not your fault.” I lean to him and touch his hand.

“Sam... This can’t be true. I get the reports…” He says with confusion.

I swallow. “Reports or not. The truth is, they can't afford to live. I try to help where I can, but it's not enough." I try not to look hurt, but I can't help it. I don't like the thought of people suffering while I'm here drinking wine in a park.

“The numbers… My pack is perfect…” He tries to chuckle, but I can tell he’s extremely disturbed.

I give him my most caring, sympathetic look. "Bastian, it's not.” I whisper. “When was the last time you walked your own streets?"

He runs his hand down his face. “Never.” He shakes his head and glances at me.

I look to my glass. “I don’t want to ruin this night, but this is important.” I empty the glass and stand up. I hold out my hand. “Let’s go.”

"Where are we going?" He empties his and takes my glass. He packs up the basket and picks it up.

"Hallows Glen." I supply.

“Never heard of it.” He mutters.

“You wouldn’t.” I say low.

****

The car ride was silent and as I watched the side of his face, I could see him trying to figure this out. Or at least, trying to believe it. I hate to pull off this Band-Aid, but it has to be done.

We park in the tiny neighborhood of my favorite people and I begin my tour. "Bastian Cole. This is Hallows Glen. One of many poor neighborhoods in your city."

He looks around as I walk with him down the cracked, quiet sidewalk. He inspects the houses, the streets and the buildings.

“It doesn’t look that bad.” He rubs his nape.

“You don’t see past the care these people put into their homes. Forget what you think a poor person should like, Bastian. There’s a real problem here that can’t be judged by cleanliness and a fresh coat of paint.” I inform.

He turns his head to me and his lips shrink. “Lead the way.” He says gruffly.

I think his mind is open now.

As we stroll closer to the mission, a familiar voice greets me from a set of steps out front of a small duplex.

"Samantha!" Pearl waves and I wave back with a smile.

I walk ahead and climb the two steps she’s sitting above. I give her a warm hug and pull back. "Pearl? What are you doing out here? Your house is on the other side of the neighborhood." I crouch in front of her and hold her hands.

Bastian slowly walks to the bottom of the steps.

She looks Bastian over with a pleasant smile. She fixes her hair and clothes as she leans to me. "Who's your handsome friend?"

I stand up and step down to Bastian. "Pearl. This is Alpha Cole. He's come to see Hallows Glen for himself."

Pearl laughs. "The Alpha? Well, welcome! Hallows Glen isn't much, but we hope you have a lovely visit." She laughs again and breaks into a coughing fit.

I crouch down to her again and help her through it. "Pearl, you need to get home out of the night air."

"I am home Samantha." She forces a smile.

"What do you mean?"

"I lost my house last week. Couldn't pay the rent. So, here I sit." She tilted her head.

"Pearl." I swallow. "What about Eva? Surely the mission has room."

Pearl shakes her head. "It's full tonight."

I cup her pale white cheek. "Pearl. I'm so sorry. Maybe I can put you up in a room tonight."

"No. I won't hear of it. You two don't worry about me." She says as she gets her back up. Pearl was never one for handouts.

Bastian steps up. "There must be somewhere you can go. Friends or family you can stay with."

"Alpha, my family is long dead and my friends are all in the same boat. Samantha, I'll be fine for tonight. You just go have fun with the Alpha."

Bastian looks at her. "Have you eaten?"

"A little."

He pulls out some money and crouches down to her level. He holds her hand and places the money in it. "Go get a warm meal. Sit as long as you want. If they give you a problem, call Samantha. I'll take care of it."

I place my hands in a prayer pose in front of my nose. I have a huge smile behind them as I watch him, the egotistical Alpha, being thoughtful and caring to a homeless woman. I knew he wasn’t what people said he was. I just knew it.

"I knew you weren't an evil man." She places her weak hand on his cheek. "You take care of our Samantha."

"I will." He looks up at me and smiles. “I promise.” He turns back to Pearl and helps her to her feet.

"Pearl. Go get food." I grab her cane and hand it to her.

She straightens herself up and waves me off "Ok, Samantha. Ok." She leans to Bastian. “She’s so bossy.” She pats Bastian’s cheek.

"Yes, she is." He chuckles.

We watch as Pearl walks away to a small diner that's on the corner of the street by the mission.

Bastian wraps his arm around my neck. "I had no idea." His face softens as he watches her cross the street.

"Is Bastian Cole admitting that his pack isn't perfect after all?" I study his face.

He watches as Pearl walked into the diner. "Apparently not." He lowers his head to the ground and turns around.

As we walk to the car, I look up at him. "Did I just destroy our date?"

"No. Far from it. Sam. In fact. I want to thank you.” He stops us and faces me.

“For what?” I tilt my head.

“For showing me the truth. I wouldn’t have known anything about this had you not been brave enough to tell me. You showed me a big problem in Black Rock, and you were honest with me. I love that. I love you, Samantha.”

I feel my eyes sting. “Bastian. I love you, too.”

He looks into my eyes, bends down and places his lips on mine. My mouth parts and I grant him entrance. He glides his fingers up into my hair, and holds the back of my head.

Under the glow of a street light, he holds me close as his gentle lips caress mine. He deepens the kiss and wraps his arms around my head. I feel my heart swell because, not only do I love Bastian, but he showed me how much he cared for something very close to my heart. And he wasn’t doing it for me. He’s doing it for his people. I wasn’t expecting to see this side of him at all. There’s a real hope for him and I'm here for all of it.

My mind and heart swim in his scent as he breaks the kiss. He pulls back just a little and gazes into my eyes as he rubs my cheek. “I promise you. I'll make this right. All of it. No one should live like this in my pack.”

I give a soft smile. “All I can ask is that you try to understand. If you do more, that’s even more wonderful.”

“I do. I do understand, Sammy. I understand that I have the most loving, caring women in the world who’s not afraid to tell me when I’m being a complete asshat.” He grins.

“Well, I wouldn’t say a complete asshat.” I place a hand on his cheek. “You did make a picnic date in under an hour.”

He ticks his head. “Technically, Anton did." He smiles as he lifts his hand between us. “I had to get my nails done.” He inspects them smugly, then flicks his eyes to mine with a smirk.

I break out in laughter as we start to walk to the car and I smack his chest.

“Ow. Watch the silk!” He growls which only makes me laugh more.