Page 82 of Annika's Aurora

“Mr. Rayne,” Annika began after he’d put down the boxes. “While you will always be welcome in my house because of your generosity for my students, I have to ask, what are you doing here?”

“Sorry to just barge in here like this. I was looking for Graham and the team. Emma told me you’d all be here. I hope you don’t mind,” he stated.

“Not at all. Like I said, you are always welcome. Here, let me take your coat. Can I get either of you a drink?”

Graham entered then. “Annika, Logan asked me to ask you …” he broke off when he spotted the only other male in the kitchen. “Marcus?”

“I know … What the hell am I doing here?” he supplied. “I needed to talk to you.”

“Ever hear of a phone,” groused Graham.

“Graham!” Natalie admonished. “Don’t be rude.”

“Sorry,” Graham mumbled.

“I know I should have called. It’s just …” he broke off and sighed. “I had such a nice time with you all last month at Jolene’s. I had some time to myself for a change, so I just thought …”

“Well, if that’s not the sweetest thing ever,” Jolene exclaimed. “Bless your heart.”

“Come on, Mr. Rayne. Let’s get you something to drink.” Annika decided to accept the movie star as a friend.

“No need to go to any fuss. And call me Marcus.”

“All right.” She grabbed a beer and held it up for him to see, he nodded, accepting the bottle after she’d popped the top. “Seriously though, Marcus, I’m glad I can thank you in person for everything you’ve done for Suzanna and my students. It was … remarkable.”

“Nah,” he replied. “What you did in that classroom was remarkable.”

“You think that was incredible; you should have seen her two weeks ago,” Natalie muttered.

“I heard about that too,” he informed them. “Shit, Graham. Are all the women you know such amazing warriors?”

Graham smiled and placed an arm around Natalie’s waist. “Absolutely!”

“Okay, so Natalie and Annika I know. And Miss Jolene of the heavenly burgers, of course.”

“She’s a master chef,” Emma praised, then caught Jolene’s glare. “What? You are.”

“Not anymore,” Jolene mumbled.

Natalie interjected then, pulling Maddie closer to her. “This is my sister Maddie.”

He shook her hand. “Maddie. Let me guess; you can swim across Lake Michigan in one breath.”

She laughed. “Not unless I can change this out for some kind of bionic flipper,” she said, lifting her pant leg slightly to reveal her prosthetic.

“Fascinating. Titanium?”

“Yup,” Maddie replied.

“Lose a fight with a shark?” he teased.

“Nope. Tornado.”

“No shit!” he exclaimed. “Wait, tornado?” He looked at Graham and Natalie. “Your tornado?” They nodded. “Wow, the story gets deeper.” Graham looked like he was about to protest Marcus revealing Maddie’s story to the world, but Natalie held him back. “So, you’re the warrior princess of the group,” he said to Maddie, making her blush.

“And, Emma, my knight in shining armor who saved me from an exceedingly long, lonely night. What’s your story?”

“Emma’s the newest Nighthawk,” Natalie answered.

---