Abby's Heart (Bryant Station Curves)

by Rachels, Rayne

  “Hey, Abby girl!” Billy grinned at her as he glanced at his watch. “And you have a few seconds to spare.”

  “Whatever!” Abby wanted to slug his shoulder, but she knew he would hit her back, and even though it was be just in play, she knew he hit hard, and it would cause her body to ache even more than it already was. “What did you find?” She sat down on the bench across from him.

  “I think we have a problem.” Billy pushed a tablet toward her.

  Abby picked it up and tapped the arrow on the picture in the center of it. “What am I supposed to be looking at?”

  “Just keep looking and tell me what you see.” Billy leaned closer to her.

  Abby played the video from where Billy had it paused all the way to the collapse of the wall. She frowned. She played the video a second time, but slower. Her eyes widened and her skin paled. She looked at Billy. “Is that what I think it is?”

  He looked at her. “It looks like we have a skeleton in the basement.”

  Abby sat back. “This is not helping my day.” She rubbed her forehead. “I’ll have to call the police and Mr. Willis. The worst part is I can’t let the police into the building until we have the bracing in place and I can guarantee it is stable.”

  “I’m Joy, and I’m your waitress. What can I get you to drink?”

  Abby looked up at the waitress. “A sweet iced tea for me.”

  “Same here, and can we get an order of fried pickles?” Billy winked at the waitress.

  “Two sweet teas and an order of fried pickles, I’ll be right back with your drinks.” The young woman smiled. She sniffed. “Weren’t you in here this morning?”

  Billy leaned back and grinned. “I knew you would remember me.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Joy is such a pretty name.”

  Abby groaned. “Don’t you dare use any of your lines, because you will get us thrown out of here.”

  Joy stared at Abby. “Honey, it looks like he used more than a line on you. If your boyfriend is that abusive, you need to get away from him.”

  Abby laughed. “He’s not my boyfriend, and he didn’t do this. This was the result of an accident.”

  Joy raised her eyebrow. “Are you okay?”

  “I’ll be okay, as long as my cousin here doesn’t use any of his lines and gets us thrown out of here.”

  “He’s your cousin?” She sniffed the air again. Joy snorted and walked away.

  Billy sniffed the air. “Damn. She’s cute for a bear.”

  “A bear? As in a bear shifter?” Abby kept her voice low. She knew Billy heard her though with his wolf hearing.

  “Yelp. She’s worried that I’m abusing you, especially with you being human. Most shifters are good people, but there are some nasty ones out there who hate humans.” Billy tilted his head as he watched Joy walk away. “I like a woman with soft curves.”

  Abby rubbed her forehead, careful not to hit the cut.

  “Your forehead is bothering you, isn’t it?” Billy pulled his eyes away from the waitress and looked at Abby.

  “I’m fine.” She put the tablet into sleep mode. “I’ll contact the sheriff and dad when I get back to the hotel, and I have to let Mr. Willis know too.” Abby leaned back in the seat. “This will put the project on hold—indefinitely.”

  Billy crossed his arms. “You need to eat and rest.”

  Joy stopped by the table and put down two large glasses of sweet tea. “Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital? Honestly, you don’t look so good.”

  “Really, I’m fine.” Abby tried to assure the woman. She had to be strong, especially being a human surrounded by shifters. She used to wonder how her mom did it, but then she realized her mom got strength from her mate, but Abby didn’t have that connection. She had to dig deep within herself to find the strength to keep going.

  Joy shook her head. “Keep telling yourself you don’t need to go to the hospital.” She pulled out a notepad and pen from her back pocket. “What can I get you to eat?”

  The bell over the front door of the diner jingled. A deep growl quickly followed the bell, causing the few people in the diner to turn in the direction of the growl.

  “Great! I’ll be right back.” Joy turned and all but ran to the front of the diner. “Get a grip on yourself.”

  Skylar looked around the diner. His nose twitched. The sweet scent of honey and vanilla tickled his senses.

  She is here. Our mate is here.

  Yes, she is, but there’s another scent here.

  Skylar looked around the room. He sniffed again.

  His bear pulled itself to its full height. Wolf scent is strong. Must find mate and protect from wolf.

  Skylar let out a deep growl.

  “What have I said about the crap you’re pulling right know.” Joy poked her finger into Skylar’s chest. “Not in my diner!”

  “Move.” Skylar’s voice was deeper. His bear was too close to the surface. “Mate in danger.” He growled. Abby was sitting across from the wolf.

  Joy’s eyes widened. “You’re mate is here?”

  Skylar pushed his younger sister out of the way. Several chairs flew out of his path as he made his way directly to Abby.

  Billy looked from Skylar to Abby. “What’s wrong?”

  Abby was several shades paler. Her hands shook. Her eyes widen.

  Billy looked back at Skylar. “Oh, shit!” He slid out of the booth and put himself between Abby and the male coming at them.

  Billy’s wolf growled. Bear!

  “Get away from my mate!” Skylar stopped about three feet from Billy. “Get your mangy butt away from my mate!” He hands balled into fists.

  “Abby, is there something I should know?” Billy didn’t dare take his eyes off of the angry bear.

  Abby ignored the question. Her heart pounded. She licked her lip, not realizing the effect it had on Skylar.

  “Get away from my mate, wolf.”

  “Abby, do you know this guy?” Billy let his wolf come closer to the surface.

  “Skylar, go home.” Abby whispered.

  “You’re going with me.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you. You don’t want me. You made that very clear, so leave me alone.”

  The scent of Abby’s pain hit Skylar hard. “You are mine. I will take care of you.”

  Abby shook her head. “No, I’m not yours.”

  “Mine!”

  “Hey, I think you need to leave Abby alone.” Billy’s eyes went gold.

  Skylar felt his bear’s fur press against his skin, causing it to itch. “Get away from my mate, wolf.” His eyes took on a silver glow.

  Abby gasped.

  “This is the guy who hurt you in college.” Billy’s wolf snarled. His hands started shifting into claws. He would rip out the bear’s heart for making Abby suffer all these years—for keeping her from finding a mate who would love her and take care of her and the pups she should have.

  “You shouldn’t have touched my mate.” Skylar’s face twisted as he started shifting from human to bear.

  “Will both of you stop!” Abby slid out of the booth and moved between the two men.

  “Abby, get out of the way.” Billy put his hand on her shoulder.

  Skylar roared. He grabbed Abby, jerking her away from the wolf. “She’s mine.”

  “I. Am. Not. Yours.” Abby jerked her arm out of Skylar’s grip. “You made your choice a long time ago, and I wasn’t it.”

  “You are my mate.”

  Abby sadly shook her head. She felt the tears forming in her eyes. She didn’t want Skylar or Billy to see her tears.

  Skylar sniffed. “I smell his scent on you. I will rip his arms off for touching you. You belong to me. You are my mate and I’m not letting you go.”

  “Is this the guy who messed up your life?”

  Abby stepped away from the men. “You made a choice, and you let me go.”

  Skylar stared at her. “Abby.”

  She shook her head.

 
“Abby, please?”

  She couldn’t stop the tears.

  Her heart was broken.

  She would never have a mate. She would never have children. She was destined to be alone.

  Abby turned and ran out of the diner.

  Chapter 5

  Abby didn’t remember the drive back to her hotel room. She only remembered locking the door and sitting down on the bed.

  He body hurt.

  Her heart hurt.

  Abby kicked off her shoes and crawled into the middle of the bed. She pulled the cover over her head, blocking out what little light there was in the room.

  The pillow she tucked under her head collected the tears rolling down her cheek. Part of her wanted to reach out to Skylar. She wanted to be his mate, but she was afraid to open her heart. Skylar had stomped on her heart once before. She had to protect what little was still there.

  Abby sighed and cried herself to sleep.

  Abby tried to breathe, but the air was too thick and heavy. She coughed and gasped for air. The pop and crackle of fire broke through her sleepy haze. She rolled onto her back and pushed the covers off of her.

  For a minute, Abby thought she was at home, lying in front of the huge fireplace in den of the pack house. She took a deep breathe, but it only started another cough spell.

  Smoke!

  The air was filled with smoke.

  Abby forced her eyes open. Her heart pounded against her chest. She heard each beat clearly. She tried to breathe.

  This isn’t happening! I’m dreaming.

  Fire filled the space between the door and the bed. The heat was unbearable. She tried to scream, but the smoke prevented her from getting enough oxygen into her lungs. Abby rolled across the bed, away from the flames. She dropped to the floor where the air wasn’t as thick with smoke.

  She pulled her shirt up over her mouth and nose. It helped some, but the room was too thick with smoke. Abby knew she had to get out of there, but the flames were between her and the only ways out of the room.

  She was trapped.

  The flames inched closer and closer. They grew as they sucked the oxygen out of the room.

  Black spots drifted through Abby’s vision. She felt dizzy and sick at her stomach. She crouched lower to the carpet, desperately searching for oxygen, and afraid she would pass out before she found it.

  An angry roar came from somewhere on the other side of the flames. Three seconds later, something crashed into the door, causing it to rattle.

  Abby’s eyes widened. She gasped. It caused another round of coughing.

  “Abby!”

  “I’m here!” Abby wasn’t sure if she actually said the words or not. Blackness caused her vision to narrow. I don’t want to die! The thought flickered through her brain as the blackness claimed her.

  Something crashed into the door again, causing it to fall forward across the flames creating a temporary bridge.

  Skylar appeared in the doorway. Panic and relief gripped him when he saw Abby lying on the floor on the other side of the room. In the distance, a fire truck siren screamed. Skylar knew it wouldn’t get there in time to save Abby. He had to get his mate out of the room.

  Skylar took a running leap through the flames, landing just inches from Abby. He rolled her over to her back. Fear gripped his heart.

  She wasn’t breathing.

  Mate hurt.

  We’ve got to get her out of here.

  Skylar’s bear growled. Do you smell it?

  A distantly familiar scent tickled his noise. Yeah, but we will have to worry about it later. Our mate comes first.

  Getting oxygen into Abby’s lungs was priority, but he had to get her out of the fire first. He ran into the bathroom, and grabbed the towels off the rack by the door. He threw them into the sink and turned on the faucet. Skylar grabbed the wet towels and moved quickly back to Abby. Unfolding the towels, he covered her head and body as best he could.

  He scooped her up in his arms, and cradled her tight against his chest. A quick glance around the room told him it was a complete loss. “I’ve got you, and I’ll protect you.” He kissed her forehead through the towel. “I swear I will.”

  Skylar took a deep breath and ran through the flames. He felt the flames touch his arms, but he didn’t have time to worry about the damage, at least not until he knew Abby was breathing and safe.

  People yelled and screamed as he went down the stairs with Abby, but no one stopped him. The fire truck was closer.

  He put Abby down on the sidewalk by the hotel’s office. Pulling the towel off her head, he felt for a pulse. He put his ear down closed to her heart. It wasn’t beating.

  Skylar took off his shirt, rolled it up and carefully put it under her neck so her head would tilt backwards.

  “Abby!” Billy slid to a stop next to Abby and Skylar. “What are you doing to her?”

  “She’s not breathing.”

  “Shit!” Billy ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll do the compressions. You breathe for her.”

  Skylar nodded. He moved to Abby’s head and carefully tilted it back a little more. He watched the other male do the compressions on her chest.

  What if this does work? His bear grunted.

  It will work.

  She could die.

  She will not die. Our mate is tough. She ran from you all these years.

  Skylar prayed to the Great Mother Bear that his bear was right.

  “Breathe!” Billy looked at Skylar.

  Skylar pinched Abby’s nose closed. He drew in a deep breath, and placed his lips over hers. Her chest rose when he pushed the air into her lungs. He paused, and then repeated the process again.

  Billy started the compressions again. “Come on, Abby. This isn’t funny.”

  As soon as Billy stopped, Skylar breathed oxygen into her lungs and watched.

  Abby’s chest went up and down. Both men waited anxiously, but her chest didn’t move again.

  “Abby! This isn’t funny. How am I going to explain this to the Alpha?” He started to do more compression.

  “Wait!” Skylar got down eye level with Abby’s chess.

  Abby took a deep breath of air, and coughed as it came out.

  Billy leaned back on his heels and let his head hang down.

  Skylar growled as he scooped Abby into his arms and against his chest. “Mine!”

  Billy put his hands up in the air. “Yeah man, I know. You had just better treat her right this time, otherwise, the entire pack will rip you to shreds. You hurt her once, but you won’t live if you do it again.”

  “I won’t.” Skylar cradled his mate against him. He wanted the wolf away from her, even though he now knew the wolf was part of Abby’s family—a human living with a pack of wolves. Skylar knew his mate was unique. It was going to make for an interesting holiday this year. Bears, mountain lions, and now wolves in the same family. What was the Great Mother Bear thinking?

  Skylar saw his cousin, Harrison walk around the side of the ambulance. “Harrison, I need you over here.”

  Seconds later, Harrison knelt down next to Abby. “What happened?”

  “The smoke caused her to pass out. After I got her out of the room, we started CPR.” Reluctantly, Skylar put Abby back down on the sidewalk.

  Harrison knelt down. He pulled out his stethoscope and checked her lungs. “How long was she not breathing?”

  “Two. Three minutes at most.”

  Abby started coughing. She rolled over on her side.

  “Don’t move.” Harrison tried rolling her onto her back.

  “Leave me alone.” Abby’s voice was raspy. She pushed his hands away from her.

  “Abby, let the paramedic look at you. You weren’t breathing. We had to do CPR on you.” Billy put his face down close to Abby’s so she could see easily see him.

  “Breathing now.”

  “You are going to let Harrison check you out, and you’re going to the hospital.” Skylar gently but firmly pulled Abby back onto her
back.

  “In your dreams.” Abby tried to say something else, but she started coughing again.

  “Stubborn woman!”

  Beautiful mate.

  Stubborn mate. Skylar shook his head.

  “She’s not going to listen to any us.” Billy looked from Skylar to Harrison.

  Harrison stood up. “Bring her to the ambulance. I’ll put her on some oxygen for a few minutes and then I’ll reevaluate her.”

  Skylar nodded his head, and before Abby could say anything, he scooped her up in his arms.

  Billy chuckled.

  Abby looked stunned. She tried to wiggle her way out of Skylar’s arms, but he just tightened his hold on her. “Put me down.” She liked the feel of his arms around her. She liked it a little too much and was afraid she was going to do something to embarrass herself.

  “You aren’t going anywhere.”

  Abby felt the vibration in his chest that his growl caused. She licked her bottom lip.

  “She just looks calm.” Billy laughed. “Just wait. She’s going to get you.”

  Skylar growled at the man, before he turned his attention back to his mate. He placed her on the gurney and watched Harrison put a clear mask over her nose and mouth. “Hold that.”

  Skylar put his hand on the mask. The icy glares he was getting from Abby told him she would yank it off before they even got it on her good. “The mask stays.” He growled at her.

  “Just you wait.” Abby crossed her arms. She was angry and scared. Someone had set her room on fire. Someone had tried to kill her, and she had no idea who it was.

  “And what are you going to do?” Skylar raised an eyebrow at her.

  Abby snorted and tried turning her head away from him.

  “That’s what I though.” Skylar leaned close to Abby. His lips almost touched her ear. “When I get you home, I’m going to lick every inch of you, and when I’m done, you are going to be extremely wet and begging me to take you. I’m going to plunge my cock deep inside that sweet, wet pussy.”

  Abby’s eyes widened. Moisture leaked out of quivering pussy. He wouldn’t need to lick her to make her wet. His whispered words were doing it.