by Sky Winters
“Read the goddamned contract, Travis. It’s all in there. Anyway, you’re in addition to another set of bodyguards she’s bringing with her, so you’ll have some downtime. You can probably scare up some worthwhile entertainment from some of the wealthy women traveling without their husbands in the hotel bar while you’re not on duty.”
“Right. I need some jealous husband on my ass.”
“You need something on your ass after being behind bars, I’d think.”
“You’re all class,” he joked.
“That, I am. See you in the morning. Be ready to go when I get there,” he said, then adding, “Oh. It’s a breakfast meeting, so no need to eat beforehand.”
“Good to know. Was that in the contract too?”
“No, smart ass, but you’d know that if you read it.”
“Yeah. Yeah. See you in the morning, Carl,” he replied before ending the call.
His thoughts drifted back to Kat. She’d sounded a bit annoyed there at the end, and he puzzled over what he might have said to create such a change in her tone. She’d been pleasant one moment and then seemed to go cold on him. Maybe she was still just a little out of sorts about the way things had ended. It certainly wasn’t his choice. If he’d had his way, things would have gone way differently when he’d taken her home.
Sitting back on the sofa, he let his thoughts wander off to what she might feel like as his hands slipped into the waistband of his pants and massaged his cock through the material of his boxer briefs, picturing her long blonde hair and ample breasts. He wondered how they would feel in his hands, imagined how her nipples would harden against his tongue. He’d not been much interested in women since he got out, feeling like a disgraced Alpha who had to prove himself before he was really fit to date.
He wasn’t sure what he had been looking for on Alpha Meets Omega. Eventually, he’d loved to meet a woman, settle down and start a family, but right now, he didn’t have much to offer. Kat made him forget all about that. He had been so at ease with her, like they’d been meant to meet, and perhaps more. Time would tell.
For now, there was only the physical attraction he’d not been able to act upon. He’d wanted to, had even considered that she might invite him in and show him what he’d been missing while he was locked up. He knew it was shallow to think about her in such coarse terms, but he was an Alpha wolf. He was a sexual creature, and that had been pent up for far too long.
He could find someone to scratch the itch, even considered it, but he found that he wasn’t as interested in that as he would have thought. It was her that interested him. It was her that he found himself wanting.
He closed his eyes and let his hand drift up and down the length of his cock, feeling it surge to life in his hands as he began milking it in slow, even strokes. He envisioned her mouth wrapped around the top of it, licking it as she looked up at him with those big doe-like eyes, her innocence in stark contrast to her sexual expertise at bringing him to a climax.
His stroke increased as he imagined her sucking his cock, her beautiful breasts bouncing as she bobbed up and down the length of him. How wet would she get while she pleasured him? No doubt she’d stop before he orgasmed, begging to be fucked. There was nothing he’d like better than to push her across the bed and slip his hard cock between her lovely legs, plunging into her warm depths and pumping in and out until he exploded inside of her.
The vision of that stayed in his head as he brought himself to orgasm. He was sated, but not completely. The release had been hollow, something physical in place of something so much more meaningful that he now craved. He’d only spent one evening with the woman, and she had somehow vexed him. It was something he’d not felt in a very long time, not since his first love.
The thought of her brought with it the melancholy that her memory always invoked, and he pushed it away. She had haunted his dreams for far too long. When would he ever be able to let her go?
CHAPTER TEN
Kat
“Is he going to be okay, Doc?” Kat asked.
“He’ll be fine as far as the accident goes, nothing but bruises and injured pride,” he replied. “How is the house?”
“Not good. He hit it right in the corner where the kitchen is, destroyed the remodeling Mom and Dad did last year. Needless to say, they’re a bit angry with him.”
“Understandable. Listen, Kat, Mike’s tests aren’t going to come back clean. We both know that. I know that you and your brother are close. Maybe you should talk to him about seeking some help.”
“He won’t listen to me, Doc. He knows he’s out of control, but he doesn’t want any help. I don’t know what he was taking tonight, but I could tell he was zonked out of his mind on something. I can’t believe he drove right into the corner of the folks’ house.”
“Driving impaired is never a clever idea. He’s lucky that it happened on your parents’ property and that neither of them was hurt. A hundred or so more feet and he could have easily hit another car and he’d be looking at some help he couldn’t refuse. I’ll talk to him, as his doctor, but it might be time for a family intervention.”
Kat nodded. She knew he was right. Damn Mike for this. He was supposed to be the big brother. He was supposed to take care of her, not the other way around. Her parents were so mad, they wouldn’t even take him to get checked out once they determined he wasn’t dead or gravely injured. She’d had to haul him into her car and bring him down. No doubt, the doctor was sick of being disrupted by them on a nightly basis by now.
“I’d appreciate that.”
“Alright, well, I had to sedate him to calm him down, so he’ll be sleeping that off for a few hours. Just leave him here with me and I’ll give you a call to pick him up in the morning after he’s fit to leave, and I’ve had a little chat with him.”
“Are you sure?” Kat asked.
Mike had been known to get out of control if he was disoriented, and she knew the doctor was well aware of that from a previous incident.
“If he gets out of hand, I’ll call you and let you know he’ll be sleeping it off a bit longer,” he laughed.
Kat nodded. She should have known not to question the doctor’s ability to contain Mike. He was an Alpha, and superior in strength, plus armed with sedatives. If one thing didn’t calm Mike back down, the other would. Though it hopefully wouldn’t come to that.
She stopped by her parents’ house on her way back home. Her father already had one of the builders from their pack out looking at the damage and getting some plastic up to cover it until he could get a crew out to repair it.
“How is your brother?” her mother asked.
“He’s going to be fine. Some cracked ribs and cuts, bruises. That’s all.”
“He should be able to shift and shake that off by morning,” she replied.
“No. Doc had to sedate him. He’ll have to old school the healing until he sleeps off that and whatever else he was taking. Doc is going to have a chat with him about rehab, but suggests we have an intervention.”
“Like that has ever worked,” her father growled from nearby.
Her parents had written Mike off after one too many incidents involving his bad habits. They loved him but just weren’t down for letting him lead them around by the nose while he put his health and safety at risk.
“I’m going to go home and get some sleep. Doc said he’ll call me when he’s ready for Mike to get picked up.”
“Don’t bring him here. I’ve pulled his truck out back; he can deal with that himself. I can’t be assed.”
“Okay, Dad,” she sighed, not wanting to end up in the middle of the war between Mike and their parents. She hugged her mom and went home, not even bothering to undress before climbing into bed and laying her phone on the nightstand beside her.
It seemed like she had barely drifted off when it began to buzz heavily and then launched into the generic ringtone she had set for calls other than friends and family, something called “Majestic Melody.”
“Hello?” she mumbled into the speaker.
“Kat? It’s Doc. Mike’s gone.”
Now she was awake. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.
“Gone? What do you mean, gone?”
“I got up to check on him and he wasn’t here. He must have come to and snuck out during the night. I went out to look for him, but all I found were his clothes, shredded. Looks like he shifted and took off, so maybe he’s headed your way.”
“Alright, thanks, Doc. I’ll keep an eye out for him.”
“Yep. We’ll talk some more later. Bye.”
“Sure. Bye, Doc,” she replied and ended the call.
Damn Mike. What was he up to? She waited for a while, more than enough time for him to come by, but there was no sign of him. He might have gone to their parents’, but she doubted it. If he was clear enough to know what he did, he would know how pissed they are with him. His place was miles away, but his wolf form could run that with no problem on a good day. He might be slower with cracked ribs, though.
She called his apartment and got voicemail, realizing that his phone was likely with his shredded clothes or in his vehicle. She thought about calling her parents, but it wasn’t even daylight out yet. Though she was worried about him, this was also typical Mike. Frustrated, she lay back down and went back to sleep. Let him do whatever he was doing, and she’d go check on him when a decent hour to be alive rolled around.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Travis
“Vivian Demonte,” she said, extending her hand toward his.
Travis took it and shook it lightly, feeling like he was handling a delicate object. She looked nothing like she did on the big screen. The woman in movies was all sex and sass, with long dark lashes and fresh red lipstick. She was tall and curvy, with dark hair that spilled over her naked shoulders during love scenes.
The woman he was looking at today had short, spikey brown hair and the body of a fourteen-year-old boy. In fact, she looked a bit like one with her diminutive stature lost in an oversized gray hoodie. At least she wouldn’t stand out in a crowd like he’d been afraid she might.
“Travis Porter,” he told her before being cut off by Carl.
“Carl Metcalf,” he said, extending his hand. “I spoke to you on the phone.”
“Yes, of course, but you aren’t a part of my bodyguard team, are you? That is what Mr. Porter is here for, right?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Great. Then you can be on your way and I’ll call you if there’s a problem. Otherwise, my guys will get Mr. Porter up to speed; he can handle it from here on out,” she said dismissively.
Travis wanted to laugh. As much as he liked Carl. Being sent away like a sidekick by some fancy Hollywood type wasn’t going to sit well with him. He muttered a quick goodbye and fucked off as requested, though.
“So, Mr. Porter. Do you have a lot of experience as a bodyguard?”
“Travis will be fine, and no, not formally, but I do know how to protect someone who needs it.”
“Okay, Travis,” she replied, looking him up and down in a way that made him feel more uncomfortable than anything. “Let’s sit down and have some breakfast. We’ll talk.”
Travis followed her to a table in the hotel restaurant. Three large men in suits trailed them, close enough to act, if necessary, but far enough away that they weren’t overly intrusive. They seated themselves at a nearby table. Travis ordered a large breakfast and then felt awkward when she ordered only half a grapefruit and dry wheat toast.
“Can you substitute the items on his breakfast with vegan options?” she told the waiter.
The thought of eating vegan food disgusted Travis. He was a wolf, not a Brahma bull grazing in the pasture. Still, he didn’t object. This was good money. He could use it.
“I understand you aren’t vegan, but if you are eating on my tab, you’ll need to follow my rules. I won’t pay for animal flesh.”
“Understood,” he told her, already determining that he’d be paying for his own meals and eating whatever he damn well pleased.
They went over a few more of her odd requirements while he politely ate the breakfast he was brought. It wasn’t as horrible as he’d anticipated, but it certainly didn’t have the full flavor of meat. She would be filming during the week and flying home on weekends. He’d have a room for the duration of his employment but wasn’t required to stay there when she was gone. It was a pretty sweet deal.
“Alright, ready to get started, then?”
“Sure.”
“Hey, Bob,” she called toward one of the men sitting nearby. He stood and walked over but didn’t sit.
“Get Travis here checked into his room and go over whatever your rules are with him. I’m going back upstairs to meditate and attend to some personal things. I’ll have lunch in my room, so I’ve no need for anyone before my meeting on set this afternoon.”
“Got it, Vivianne.”
Travis noted how Bob watched until she was out of sight, but whether it was longing or reciprocated affection, he couldn’t tell. It was obvious that there was something more than just a boss-and-client relationship there, though. Even as a professional, Travis knew that was a bad recipe, but so was not minding your own business. If they were fucking, she was fucking with him to maintain loyalty, or was oblivious to his desires was none of Travis’s concern.
“Alright, let’s get you rolling then,” Bob said finally. “Come on and I’ll introduce you to them.”
They walked toward the table of men, disrupting their conversation. Travis expected there to be some friction with him coming into their fold as an outsider, but they were all friendly and made nothing of it. The others were called Reaper and Trout, one from an old army nickname and the other because he was a fly fishing enthusiast.
“Just stay close, but out of her way, and you’ll do fine,” Bob told him.
“I don’t get it. Why does she need a local just to stand around and not bother her? She’s already got three of you guys doing that. Is she really in that much danger?”
“She’s not in any danger, really. Sure, there are a few overzealous fans, but not that many crazies we’ve come across. It’s mostly just for appearances and to keep the paparazzi off of her. She always hires a local just for the purpose of showing us around during our downtime.”
“So, I’m a tour guide?” Travis laughed.
“Pretty much. Why do you think you didn’t need full credentials? I mean, don’t get me wrong. If something were to actually happen, we want someone prepared to deal with that, but it’s unlikely you’ll see any real trouble, at least not from outside sources.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, she’s a handful to deal with,” he scoffed.
“A real ball-buster, huh?”
“Well, as long as she’s paying me, I’ll go pick up her dry cleaning for her. I’m not picky.”
“That’s the spirit. Oh, one more thing. Always try to eat separately from her.”
“Because of the vegan thing?”
“Yeah. Like this morning, we got up and ate early while she was still sleeping. We had steak for breakfast.”
“Doesn’t she see that on the receipts?”
“Nope. You just gotta know how to talk to the staff. Give them a little side money, and they’ll put down you had her vegan bullshit on the ticket. We split the cost of that and get to expense the meals.”
Travis laughed. This sounded like it was going to be a pretty decent gig, after all.
“Come on. I’ll get you checked into a room. We’re in the adjoining suites to hers, but one of them is small, so we’ve got you on the opposite side of the hall from her.”
Travis didn’t miss the glance the other two exchanged with one another. He was guessing that his assessment of the relationship between Bob and Vivianne was accurate, to some extent. The other two men excused themselves while he and Bob got him sorted out at the front desk, but he was barely able to examine th
e room before it was time to go.
As they stepped out onto the front sidewalk, he noted the difference in Vivianne from this morning and the one standing beside him. Whereas she’d been unrecognizable earlier, now she was flawless, looking every bit like the movie star image she projected on screen.
“You can ride with me,” she purred as a dark sedan, followed by another, pulled up to the curb. He saw Bob’s jaws tense a bit, but he said nothing as she stepped into the car and slid across the seat to make room for him. He glanced to his side as he began to get in and found himself looking at Kat coming down the sidewalk toward him.
He smiled, but only for a moment as she met his gaze and started to smile back, but quickly stopped as Vivianne called out to him again.
“Come on, big boy. I need to get fitted for some lingerie that will knock your socks off.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Kat
Kat hadn’t seen who was in the car. She hadn’t even noticed Travis until the last minute and had been caught off guard. He looked absolutely perfect in his navy blue suit, very different than the casual bar attire he’d been wearing when they had drinks.
For a moment, she had puzzled over the expensive-looking car he was about to get into, but then she had heard the woman’s voice. So, that explained everything. Perhaps it wasn’t the fact that she might have some genetic disorder, or maybe that was part of it, but either way, he was obviously more interested in whoever the woman with money might be.
Why it bothered her, she didn’t know. She hardly knew the guy and, as he said, they hadn’t even been out on a real date. Besides, she had bigger fish to fry today. Mike was still missing, and she’d spent much of the morning looking for him in some very seedy places, talking with people she’d describe as unsavory, at best.
Now, she was headed to one final stop, a local dealer named Paco. Her father had cautioned her against involving herself with anyone Mike had been associating with lately and let the pack take care of it, but she knew the pack didn’t care about Mike. He was a bad seed, as far as they were concerned. They were happy enough to let him get himself out of the mess he had gotten himself into.
