by Iris Abbott
The silence in the SUV stretched onward until Scarlet broke it. “Mitch,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I didn’t mention any of this before.” He felt her shiver.
“I wanted to put the ordeal behind me and move on. I didn’t think he’d be able to find me in Enigma. I was hoping since he was on the run from the police that he’d be on the other side of the country or something. Guess I should have taken the extra precaution of updating the cottage’s security as soon as I moved in.”
Mitch grunted in response. “At least you didn’t take any chances tonight. I am glad you called us instead of waiting for something bad to happen.” He left it at that. He didn’t want to lecture her after the fright she had, but he wanted to make sure she understood that he was taking the threat to her safety seriously. As far as he was concerned, it was personal. He would find Travis Linden and permanently remove him from Scarlet’s life. He would do whatever it took to guarantee her physical and emotional wellbeing.
Another hush fell over the inside of the vehicle. Soon after Mitch felt the hand he still held go limp. He chanced a peek at Scarlet. She was slumped over in the seat fast asleep. He let out a weary sigh and slowly let go of her hand so as not to disturb her.
He drove the rest of the way shrouded in silence with only his spiraling thoughts to keep him company. He needed a plan of action to ensure Scarlet’s safety, and he needed to implement it right away. He sifted through and discarded ideas until he turned into the long drive that led to the vast, luxury log cabin that served as his home and the central meeting place for the Enigma wolf pack.
He parked the car in the garage and went around to the passenger side. Scarlet still slept, no doubt caused by a depletion of adrenaline after her scare. He opened the door, unfastened her seatbelt, and carefully lifted her into his arms. Using one hand, he unlocked the door and punched the security code into the number pad on the wall. He proceeded up the double staircase to one of the waiting guest rooms.
He and Justin shared a large luxury log cabin complete with two master bedrooms on the main floor and six guest bedrooms in the large second story loft area. He was expected as the alpha to host several meetings and social gatherings every month. Sometimes for various reasons he and Justin housed guests for an extended period of time. He was incredibly grateful that all the upstairs bedrooms were currently empty since Scarlet was going to be in residence.
Scarlet didn’t strike him as the frilly kind. He bypassed the pale pink room with the antique lace trim and canopy bed. The third bedroom on his side of the house was decorated in red and black, and Mitch knew instinctively that the bold and exotic room would perfectly match Scarlet’s personality. He wanted her to enjoy her stay in his house just as much as he was going to enjoy having her there. After all, as far as he was concerned the move was permanent.
He laid her on top of the comforter and pulled off her shoes and socks. She stirred and mumbled a few words, but went back to sleep. Her jeans were next. After that, Mitch decided not to press his luck. She would be comfortable enough in the baggy sweater and underwear she still wore.
He lifted her, flipped back the bedding, and gently placed her in the center of the bed. He gave her a yearning look, taking in the display of long, toned legs on display. She tempted him, and his body burned to possess her. He wasn’t going to let his desire put her in jeopardy. He would call a meeting and get a security team in place immediately. He tucked her in and kissed her forehead.
“Sleep tight, Scarlet, and sweet dreams.”
He knew she might be scared and disoriented if she woke in a strange bedroom, so he turned on the bedside lamp. It emitted a soft and friendly yellow glow of light. He also left the bedroom door cracked instead of shutting it all the way. He wanted her to feel free to explore his home when she was up to it. He took one last look at her and headed downstairs to his home office.
He and Justin had a lot of work to do. He had several phone calls to make, starting with Phillip Saint John. He pulled out his phone and pushed speed dial number four to reach the guardian he considered a friend. He wasn’t surprised to get Phillip’s voicemail. He and his wife Selena were probably cozied up together in bed.
“Saint John, Mitch Gannon here. This is a courtesy call to let you know that my soon to be mate has a stalker who may have followed her from Boston. Someone cut the landline at the Valentine cottage tonight, and Justin found evidence of an attempted breaking and entering. She has a restraining order against this guy, and he’s wanted by the police in Boston for a previous attack. If he’s in Enigma, I want Travis Linden found!” Mitch ended the phone call and walked into his office.
Justin was busy on the computer. His brother looked up from the screen when he heard Mitch enter the room. His jaw was clenched, and Mitch could feel the anger radiating off of him in sharp, stabbing waves. “After you left, I tried tracking the intruder, but the strong rain washed away any evidence or scent. I couldn’t find a trail to follow.”
Mitch shrugged. He wasn’t too concerned with the information. It was more or less what he expected. After all, Mitch failed to pick up anything out of the ordinary when he first arrived at the cottage. Of course, all his attention was focused on Scarlet. “I’m not surprised. It’s pretty nasty out there, and the rain really came down hard earlier.”
His brother was still tense. He looked ready to snap at any second. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Justin. You’re the pack’s best tracker. If there were something there to find you’d have found it.”
Justin swallowed hard. Mitch knew he wasn’t gonna like what his brother was getting ready to say. “Mitch, he tried to kill her.”
Mitch causally sat down in the chair behind his desk. “I know. She told me he attacked her right before she left Boston and that the police are looking for him. I also have a name if you want to do the research.”
Justin narrowed his eyes. “Travis Linden, yeah I know. I’ve already hacked into Boston PD’s system to search for information on Scarlet.” He slammed his fist down on the table. “Mitch he didn’t just attack her, he almost killed her. She had two black eyes, a concussion, and a bruised windpipe from where he choked her. He left the imprint of his fingers on her skin. I’ve seen the photos. If the police were five minutes later, she would’ve been strangled to death. She was in the hospital for several days.”
Mitch got up and walked over to Justin’s computer. Seeing the police photos was a compulsion he couldn’t ignore. He glanced over Justin’s shoulder and onto the screen. The bruised and battered woman lying in the hospital bed with a human hand imprint around her throat looked nothing like the spirited and immaculate beauty he’d been getting to know the past couple of months. His hands clenched to form tight fists, and he couldn’t hold back the menacing growl that escaped.
“Travis Linden is a dead man. Make copies of these and forward them to Phillip Saint John immediately. I don’t want any trouble with the council when my wolf rips the abusive son of a bitch apart.”
“Already done,” Justin responded. “How’s Scarlet?”
“She crashed on the drive over and was in a deep sleep when we arrived. I don’t think she’s been sleeping well, but she must feel safe enough with me to let her exhaustion take over. I put her in the red room appropriately enough. I wanted to take her to my bedroom, but scaring her by trying to force the mating issue right now is the last thing she needs.”
“I agree. Scarlet’s been traumatized enough, and on some instinctive level she must recognize the alpha in you, and it intimidates her after being brutalized by her stalker.”
Mitch’s eyes narrowed. “That man’s not an alpha. He’s nothing like me. He’s a coward who attacks innocent women.”
Mitch had been doing a good job keeping his emotions and his wolf under control, but he’d reached his limit. “I need to shift and go for a run. I think Scarlet is probably out for the night, but keep an ear and eye open just in case. I’ll be back soon.” He trusted his brother and beta with his lif
e, but he wouldn’t leave Scarlet out of his sight for too long.
THREE
Scarlet slowly became alert. She stretched, and her fingers curled into the silky bedding under her. She froze. The sheets on her bed weren’t this soft and luxurious.
Her eyes popped open, and she sat straight up against the black wrought iron headboard. She started to breathe fast, and her heart pounded wildly in her chest. “Don’t panic,” she muttered. Scarlet needed to keep her wits about her and stay sharp. She rubbed her face, and the last vestige of sleep faded away.
Memories of the night before rushed back to her. The storm, the loud noises, and Mitch Gannon coming to her rescue. Mitch took her to his house. The last thing she remembered was talking with Mitch on the drive to his home. She must have fallen asleep, and he put her to bed.
She threw back the covers and as quietly as possible got out of the bed. The curtains were firmly closed, but it felt like night. Scarlet didn’t think she slept for long. She glanced around, taking in her surroundings.
The room was gorgeous. The walls were painted in a bold shade of red with black trim. The bedding matched the walls, and the furniture was made of very sturdy black wrought iron.
Scarlet noticed the bedroom door was slightly ajar. She could see into the hall beyond and what looked like a huge open loft with lots of windows. Her intuition proved correct. It was still dark outside. The house was quiet, but now that she was awake Scarlet was too keyed up to go back to sleep.
She spotted another open door at the back of the bedroom. It led to a bathroom. She walked into the bathroom and looked inside a couple of cabinets until she found fresh towels. Scarlet washed her face, looking into the mirror as she did so. Her hair was a mess of tangled curls.
She went back into the bedroom, searching for her suitcase. She was happy to find it resting in front of another door that probably concealed a closet. She thought about putting her clothes away, but first things first. Her throat was dry, and she was thirsty. She found her brush and dragged it through her hair a couple of times. She stepped into her jeans and headed out of the bedroom and down the stairs.
She guessed that the kitchen would be on the first floor. She looked around as she descended the stairs. Mitch’s house was gorgeous, but it was huge. She’d stayed in resorts smaller than his place. She couldn’t help but wonder why a single man needed so much space? She found the kitchen and snagged a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
A few background noises penetrated her senses. She walked toward the sound and noticed a light coming from one of the rooms to her right. She heard low voices engaged in conversation as she neared the door. When she was close enough, Scarlet picked out the deep timber of Mitch’s voice. It soothed her churning nerves but caused her heart to beat faster.
She paused at the door when she noticed there were five other men in the room with Mitch. Justin was the only one she recognized. She turned on her tiptoes, hoping to sneak away before anyone realized she was there. Scarlet took three steps when Mitch called her name. She froze and turned back to face the men in the room. Mitch held out his hand to her, and without thinking twice, she walked to his side.
****
Mitch was almost done with the planning session. He pulled his four best personal bodyguards from other jobs to help him. Scarlet took priority above all others. She was more than a job. She was the future mate of the pack’s alpha. The men in this room knew that and would act accordingly.
He sensed the woman of his desire just before she came into view. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her turn and try to sneak away without being seen. Too late, he knew she was there, and he wanted her by his side where she belonged.
“Scarlet!” He called her name in the commanding voice of an alpha leader. He held out his hand, expecting her to come straight to his side, and she did.
Mitch wrapped a possessive arm around her waist and moved her closer. “Gentlemen, this is Scarlet Valentine. Remember, she is your top priority until her stalker is stopped cold. I want to show her around. I’ll leave everyone to make any arrangements they need to get the job done.”
The men all gave Scarlet a friendly nod as Mitch escorted her from the room.
He turned his full attention to the beautiful woman on his arm once they were alone. “You’re looking well rested after a much-needed nap.” He gave her a reproachful look. “Wish I noticed you weren’t getting enough sleep earlier.”
He could kick himself for not noticing how preoccupied and tired she was when they met about the website. “I assumed your fatigue and preoccupation was due to work. I won’t make a mistake like that again.” He gave her his sternest look. “You should have told me earlier that you needed help.”
“I’m not your responsibility Mitch,” she explained. “Besides, I thought the jumpiness and sleeplessness would go away with time. I really didn’t think he’d actually follow me here.” She shuddered.
Mitch moved closer to Scarlet and cupped her face between his hands. “I don’t consider you a responsibility, but I do want you in my life. There’s a strong attraction simmering between us. It’s been there ever since we met. We’ve been inching closer and closer to exploring the attraction.”
Her pupil’s dilated, and her breathing hitched. A human might not have noticed the changes, but Mitch did.
“The more time we spend together, the more I want you. I’m not letting a deranged stalker from your past interfere with our future.” He caressed her cheek. “I hope you feel the same way.”
He leaned into her and lightly brushed his lips across Scarlet’s open mouth. He didn’t want to spook her. He most certainly didn’t want to do anything to remind her of the stalker chasing her. Mitch was as gentle as he could be. He took his time and savored the feel and taste of her.
Her lips softened and opened under the persuasive touch of his mouth. Her body relaxed and melted into his hardened muscles. Still, it wasn’t close enough for Mitch. He slid his hands down her back and brought them to rest on her hips.
His sex hardened, pushing against his jeans. The unmistakable bulge of his erection nudged against her belly. He knew she had to feel it. Her pebbled nipples poked his chest. It was a heady experience to have undeniable proof that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.
His senses reeled from the intensity of the passion that sizzled between them. Things were going to get out of control fast if he didn’t put on the breaks. He broke off the kiss and stepped away from her. She uttered a protest and stepped closer.
“Don’t stop, need you,” she rushed out.
Mitch tried to temper his ardor for Scarlet’s sake, but she was responsive enough to make him burn. Instinctively he knew she needed him just as much as he needed her. He scooped her into his arms and hurried through the shared living area to his suite of rooms.
“This side of the house contains my private living area. It includes a master bedroom and bathroom and a secluded patio and outdoor area. Justin’s private rooms are on the other side. Even though we share the house, you never have to worry about being interrupted or disturbed. This has always been the home base for the Gannon family that’s why it’s so large.”
Mitch reached the door to his bedroom. He twisted the knob with one hand and pushed it open with his knee. Once they were safely inside, he slammed it shut in his eagerness to further their lovemaking. Mitch reached the large king-sized bed which dominated the center of the room.
“You look so right in this room like you belong.” He placed her in the center of the bed and stepped back to toe off his shoes. He did it without taking his eyes off of Scarlet.
“Nothing feels closer to the truth. I need you, Mitch.” She shivered. Goosebumps spread all over her body.
His wolf sensed her anticipation. Scarlet raised up and perched on her knees. She stared at him as he continued to undress. He watched her slide to the edge of the bed. She beckoned him closer.
“I want to touch you. Let me help.”
&n
bsp; Mitch complied and stepped up to the edge of the bed. Scarlet wrapped her arms around his neck and claimed his lips for a quick kiss. It only lasted a couple of seconds. He was anxious to cover every inch of her flesh with his own.
She unbuttoned his dress shirt with clumsy fingers. He clenched his fists at his side in a desperate attempt to keep from batting her hands away and ripping off the shirt himself. Finally, she got the job done.
Scarlet reached for the button on his slacks. Her movements were much more confident this time. She got the button undone in record time. His zipper quickly followed. The noise of metal sliding against metal sounded unusually loud in the room.
Mitch pushed down and kicked his way out of the loosened pants. Scarlet’s delicate hand caressed his abdomen, and he sucked in a quick breath of air. Every inch of his body tingled from her touch. His wolf howled inside, demanding that he move faster.
“Your turn!” Mitch managed to get out without growling. He hadn’t told Scarlet about the Gannon legacy of wolf shifters. She had enough scary things to deal with, and he couldn’t add to it, at least not yet. He could, however, make her his because he knew without a doubt she was his destined mate.
She yanked her shirt over her head and carelessly threw it on the floor. It joined Mitch’s pile of discarded clothing. His hands shot out to the top of her pants. He had them unfastened and shoved down to her knees before either of them blinked. Mitch pushed her onto her back. Once she was lying flat, he impatiently pulled the jeans from her body.
Scarlet unfastened the clasp of her bra and slowly revealed her swollen mounds to Mitch’s avid gaze. His eyes feasted on the sight of her luscious body. His gaze landed on her nipples, and they noticeably swelled. Mitch stepped away from the bed and slid his black briefs to the floor. His erection sprang free and jutted toward her.
