Impeached

by Brenda Trim

  The setting was a little too perfect. Nice fire, good wine, and a gorgeous male. What more could she ask for? Oh, perhaps a male that isn’t your boss, she quickly chastised.

  “You know, there was a time Lawson and I weren’t so chummy,” Bart confessed as he fiddled with his glass.

  “He mentioned something along those lines,” Erika replied. “Whatever it was, seems it’s in the past now.”

  Bart turned toward Erika and met her gaze. Of course, her stomach turned over and her heart kicked up a notch at his penetrating stare.

  “Liv and I dated in college,” he divulged, and Erika nearly spit her wine on the male. Liv and Bart? She had no idea, but it certainly explained why he and Lawson had issues.

  “Long story short, I hoped we would rekindle our romance. But, in walked Lawson, and that plan shattered. I blamed him for a long time, but, the truth is, Liv and I are just friends. We didn’t work as a couple for a reason,” he explained.

  “The fact that you put aside your differences and established Smith & Kimbro says a lot. I don’t know how I’d feel about seeing an ex and his new love as often as you do. That’s got to be tough on you,” Erika relayed. She’d never seen such devotion between a couple and couldn’t imagine being in Bart’s shoes, with a front row seat to Liv and Lawson’s love affair.

  “Trust me. I wasn’t always mature about it. A lot of ugly happened before you came along. As for S&K, I’m a silent partner. Liv needed financial backing, and I believe in her. It was an easy decision. At the end of the day, I’m grateful to Lawson. I’ve never seen Liv happier, and that makes me happy. She deserves it,” he admitted as he laid his arm across the back of the sofa.

  The movement brought him closer to Erika, which of course, made her breath hitch. Her body heated from his nearness and she took a deep swig of wine. She needed to change gears, and fast.

  “Well, Liv must be happy for you, too,” she shared.

  “How so?”

  “You and Kelly. She mentioned you two are an item,” she sputtered before she could stop the words from escaping. She quickly cursed her actions as she acknowledged the cat was out of the bag. Hopefully, Bart wouldn’t be upset that she knew he and Kelly were a couple and didn’t say anything before now.

  Bart chuckled. “Did she now? Is that what went down between the two of you yesterday?”

  “Partly. She made it very clear that you’re together, and I best stay away,” Erika relayed then quickly added, “Not that I’m trying to come between the two of you.”

  Bart reached over and placed his hand on top of hers, and gently squeezed. Erika’s heart skipped a beat and those damn butterflies went haywire. Why couldn’t she ignore the feel of his warm, strong hand atop hers?

  His gaze met hers, and held her in place. “There’s nothing for you to come between. Yes, Kelly and I have…dated a few times, but it’s not serious. Bottom line, I’m not in love with her,” he confessed.

  “You’re not?” she replied automatically, hating the relief she felt.

  Erika wondered if Bart picked up on her reaction. Why did she care if he was involved with Kelly, or not? Didn’t make a difference where she was concerned. In fact, it would make it easier to work for the man if he was in a relationship.

  “No, I’m not. In fact, I’m going to end things. She wants more, and I don’t have it to give. It’s not fair to continue seeing her if I don’t feel the same,” he explained.

  Erika realized he wasn’t the playboy politician she’d heard about. Bart was thoughtful and caring which drew her to him even more. Why couldn’t he be a callous, conceited jackass? Then she wouldn’t be so damn attracted to him.

  “She’s going to be crushed. I was under the impression you were madly in love,” Erika croaked, and couldn’t ignore when Bart twined their fingers together. Oh, boy, definitely not good.

  “Not even close. Hell, I thought I’d never feel that way about anyone until––,” he trailed off as he stared into her eyes. Erika’s skin heated under his gaze and her mouth went dry.

  “Until what?” she whispered as she kept her gaze fixated on his.

  Her pounding heart attacked her sensitive ears, and Erika was certain he heard it, too. How could he not? The sound reminded her of the thumping noise rabbits made when they detected her wolf approaching. Erratic and fraught.

  His gaze dropped to her lips, and she couldn’t help but lick them. When his warm, brown eyes returned to hers, Bart murmured, “You,” then lowered his mouth to hers.

  When Bart’s mouth pressed against Erika’s, her world tilted. Full lips moved against hers in tender exploration. His kiss was gentle, yet dominant, and she moaned as her lips parted automatically in invitation.

  Without hesitation, Bart took advantage and slid his tongue along hers with purpose. They tangled together harmoniously as if they’d done it a million times before. His masculine scent assaulted her senses, and Erika was lost to the kiss.

  Bart cradled her face, caressing her jaw and cheek, and Erika’s body responded to his gentle exploration. Her nipples hardened and her core clenched with an aching need. Her wolf howled in her head, shouting I told you so, but Erika ignored everything but the feel of his lips against hers. It was titillating and frightening all at the same time, and she wanted it to last forever.

  Suddenly, the front door swung wide, startling Erika, and ending the best kiss of her life.

  Chapter 6

  Two things happened the moment Lawson and Ryan barged through the door. Bart jumped up from the sofa, and Erika spilled her glass of wine all over the hardwood floor. Bart had no idea if Lawson saw them kissing, but if his expression was any indicator, Bart would say no.

  “Time to rock ‘n roll,” Lawson bellowed. “I don’t know if Elaine got wind of us coming, but from what we could see, it looks like she’s packing to leave. We need to act now,” he ordered and pinned them with a glare.

  Lawson was undoubtedly a formidable leader. His presence alone screamed don’t fuck with me. And who would want to?

  The guy was easily six-and-a-half feet tall and wide as a linebacker wearing shoulder pads. But what intimidated Bart most about the shifter was his steel-gray eyes. If ever a pair of orbs could be called a weapon, it was Lawson’s. They sliced through a person and shredded their soul from the inside out. He was that damn scary. And, Bart was a politician that swam with figurative sharks, so intimidating him was no easy task.

  “Let me clean this mess first,” Erika stammered then rushed from the room.

  Bart’s mind scattered in a thousand directions. He desperately wanted to talk to Erika about what happened between them. Hell, he wanted to drag her to one of the bedrooms and make love to her all night. But the look on Lawson’s face told Bart catching Elaine superseded all else, and Bart agreed. The woman couldn’t escape again.

  Erika dashed back into the room, a roll of paper towels under her arm, and began cleaning the spilled wine. Bart crouched by her side. “Let me help,” he offered and placed his hand over hers.

  She quickly shoved his hand away. “I’ve got it. Don’t worry,” she snapped without meeting his gaze. Was she upset because he kissed her? She certainly didn’t seem to mind two minutes ago when his tongue was inside her mouth.

  After Erika cleaned the mess and threw the soiled towels in the trash, Lawson went alpha again, barking orders. “Here’s the deal. Ryan and I will go through the front door and find Elaine while you two head around to the back door and cover it. She was in the bedroom when we were there, so we’ll check that area first. I want the two of you to wait at the back door just in case she slips free. There’s only two ways in or out of the cabin, so, either way, we’ve got her. Whatever you do, don’t leave your post. Everybody understand?” he growled.

  Bart nodded as Erika grabbed her jacket then bee-lined for the front door. “Let’s do this,” she called enthusiastically and bolted outside without looking his way. Now wasn’t the time to push the issue, but they were going to discuss
what happened. Whether Erika wanted to, or not.

  Bart followed the others as they made their way to the adjoining property. On the outskirts, Elaine’s cabin looked much like the one they rented. Lawson motioned Bart and Erika toward the rear of the house while he and Ryan prepared to force their way inside.

  On swift feet, Erika dashed ahead, leaving Bart to push himself to keep up with her. She was clearly in her element while Bart felt like a salmon fighting its way upstream. Damn, he envied shifters’ speed and agility.

  As Bart rounded the corner, he spotted Erika pressed against the wall near the back door. She lifted a finger to her lips, and Bart softened his footsteps as he made his way to her side.

  “You sound like an elephant charging through the jungle,” she whispered when he came to a halt.

  “We can’t all be gazelles, Lightfoot,” he replied. Relief swamped Bart when Erika covered her mouth, stifling her laughter.

  At least she wasn’t glaring daggers his way. Maybe she wasn’t angry with him, after all. It was highly possible her initial reaction was out of shock and embarrassment because Lawson walked in on them. That was Bart’s hope, anyway.

  He took a deep breath and decided to go for broke. He’d dismissed his desires for the sexy shifter long enough. It was impossible to ignore them any longer, and Bart acknowledged he was crazy about Erika. It didn’t matter to him that she was his employee. Hell, he’d have Lawson assign someone else to the position if that’s what it took to be with her. Granted, she was the best choice for the job, but he wanted more than a platonic friendship. He hadn’t felt this way about a woman ever, and he needed her to know. Now wasn’t the ideal time to confess his feelings, but he might not get the nerve again.

  “Erika, about earlier,” Bart began, but she immediately held up her hand, stopping him.

  “Don’t say anything. It never should’ve happened, Bart. Look, it’s not you. You’re great. That kiss was…wow. But Hollow Rock is the first place I’ve felt like I belong. It’s imperative that I show Lawson I’m an asset to the pack. I need this job, which means you and I can’t happen. I’m sorry, but that’s my final decision. The kiss was a one-time thing. It can’t happen again. I hope you understand,” she muttered in a rush.

  A pang shot through Bart’s heart at hearing her words. Kissing Erika wasn’t a mistake. He’d never felt more certain of anything. Surely, she felt it, too. How could she walk away from that kind of connection? He’d waited his entire life to feel such burning passion. Now, he was supposed to act like it never happened? How the fuck was he going to do that?

  Yet, as he stared into her beautiful blue eyes, Bart knew she meant every word. She was loyal to her core and wanted more than anything to prove herself to Lawson, and the pack. How could he deny her that? If he did, Erika would resent him for it.

  So, instead of pouring out his heart, Bart took a deep breath and lied through his teeth. “Actually, I was going to say the same thing,” he gritted and didn’t miss her shocked expression. Why the surprise? Wasn’t this what she wanted? “I was out of line earlier, and wanted to apologize. Truth is, I need your assistance regarding the shifter community, and I can’t risk sabotaging any progress we make. I promise it won’t happen again,” he continued, all the while, his heart shattered into tiny pieces.

  “Oh, I-I-I see,” Erika stuttered. “Well, I guess we’re on the same page. That’s good.”

  “Yep,” he replied and looked away before she saw through his pretense.

  Erika was lost for words. Yes, she told Bart they couldn’t be together but the last thing she expected was his agreement. He didn’t even flinch when she said their kiss was a one-time thing. He wasn’t fazed in the least by her statement. How could he be so callous?

  Did he not feel the same explosion? Their kiss rocked Erika to her core. Hell, she even described it as wow. He said nothing except he was sorry about it. Was she wrong about him? Was he a player, after all?

  Erika fought the building emotion. She refused to shed one tear for a heartless male. Besides, she wasn’t lying when she said she needed to prove her worth to Lawson and the pack. That meant way more than any stupid kiss, she concluded. Her wolf growled in her mind, disagreeing. Yeah, what do you know? You fell for his charm, too, she mentally chastised her animal.

  A loud crash inside the cabin brought Erika out of her musings. It was hard to tell if the sound was close by or deeper inside the home. She placed her ear against the wood, trying to determine what was happening on the other side of the wall.

  Muffled voices tickled Erika’s sensitive ears, telling her the sounds were farther away. If the cabin’s layout was similar to theirs, the bedrooms were toward the front of the home which made sense if Lawson saw Elaine packing.

  Another crash followed by shouts had Erika reaching for the doorknob. Lawson needed her help.

  “Stop!” Bart blurted. “Lawson specifically said to wait here. Don’t do anything rash. He can handle Elaine,” he instructed.

  Erika released the knob. Bart had a point. If she ventured inside and Elaine escaped, Lawson would never forgive her. As badly as she wanted to rush in and save the day, she needed to patiently wait at her station. It wasn’t easy as every instinct screamed that she should help her alpha.

  “You’re right. I just hope Elaine is alone. I’d hate to think Lawson and Ryan are being ambushed,” Erika murmured as she pressed her ear to the wall again. What the hell was taking them so long? It wasn’t as if Elaine could overpower two strong shifters.

  A gunshot echoed followed by footsteps pounding against wood floors. Erika reached for the doorknob again, and, before she could yank it open, the door flew wide and slammed against her face, knocking Erika to the ground.

  Erika rolled to her side and watched Elaine sprint past. It was the first time she’d seen the vile female since she was held prisoner in the Nashville laboratory. Her stomach revolted when she recalled her suffering. Being forced to shift, and her wolf chained and strapped to a table. It was awful. Her animal tried to escape the shackles, and was beaten for it. Erika knew in her heart if Lawson hadn’t rescued her, she would’ve died in that lab because of Elaine Jensen. All the fear, rage, and panic returned, and Erika had to shove aside her emotions so she could concentrate. Elaine couldn’t get away, and it was up to her to stop the wretched female.

  Erika swallowed the bile in her throat and focused. She glanced to Elaine, and noted she was carrying a laptop under one arm and a gun in the other hand. For a moment, Erika was confused as to why Elaine was running away from the house, and her parked car. Shouldn’t she be trying to reach her vehicle instead of running toward, what? The woods?

  She glanced in the distance and spotted a lake then realization dawned. The computer must hold incriminating evidence and Elaine intended on destroying it by tossing it into the water. Oh, hell no. Not if Erika had anything to say about it.

  In the next breath, Erika was on her feet and chasing after Elaine. She heard Bart yell for her to stop but she didn’t have time to reason with him. She only hoped the gunshot she heard wasn’t aimed at Lawson or Ryan. She would have to get those answers later. Right now, she needed to get her hands on that laptop.

  She increased her speed, closing the gap between her and Elaine. The female must’ve heard her footsteps because she turned and pointed the gun at Erika and fired. The loud pop startled her, but the bullet missed by a longshot. Thankfully, Elaine’s pause shortened the distance between them.

  Erika considered shifting to her wolf form but decided against it. She needed to grab the computer and her wolf couldn’t perform such tasks, so Erika pushed harder and forged ahead. Elaine was almost to the lake and Erika couldn’t allow that.

  Putting forth an extra burst of speed, it didn’t take long for her to catch up to Elaine. Erika lunged, landing on Elaine’s back. She wrapped her arms around the female’s torso, and forced her to the ground. The gun flew out of Elaine’s hand, but Erika didn’t have time to see where it landed.


  The two rolled over several times before they came to a halt. Erika quickly jumped on top of Elaine, pinning her to the ground. “You stupid bitch! Give me that,” she shouted as she pried the computer from Elaine’s grasp.

  “Get off me, Wolfie! Or, maybe you’d like another round of electroshock therapy,” Elaine sneered as she tightened her hold on the laptop.

  Erika pulled her arm back, clenched her fist, and swung. Her aim found purchase on Elaine’s nose, and Erika relished the feel of punching the despicable female. She deserved that, and so much more. Blood spurted from the female’s nostrils, while at the same time, Elaine cried out in pain and grabbed her face. Erika yanked the laptop free and jumped to her feet. She had the proof they needed. Now, to return to the cabin and check on Lawson and Ryan.

  She turned and spotted Bart up ahead. She held the computer over her head in triumph then jogged toward him. He raised his arm and waved wide, shouting something, but Erika couldn’t decipher it.

  Suddenly, another pop echoed, and Erika felt a burning sensation in her back right before she crumpled to her knees. She glanced down and watched blood seep through her sweater. She looked back to Bart and saw horror splayed across his face. She tried to stand but her legs gave way, and Erika collapsed to the ground. The white snow turned crimson beneath her body as she struggled for consciousness.

  Elaine appeared above her and jerked the laptop from her grasp. She took off and Erika’s gaze followed the female. Elaine sprinted toward the lake and flung the laptop into the water. Erika screamed but no sound escaped her throat.

  What was happening? She’d been shot but didn’t understand why her body wasn’t responding to her commands. Was she dying? Is this what happened when someone lost a significant amount of blood? Erika had no way of knowing. Surprisingly, she wasn’t in much pain. Another question joined the others rattling around in her head. Did this mean the bullet hadn’t done much damage? Before her thought fully formed, confusion assailed, and her vision blurred as she laid there trying to assess her injuries.