She grit her teeth. “How?”
“Return to Vancouver with me willingly as a show of good faith, then I might consider giving your new friend a pass.” Ethan paused dramatically. “Of course, you’d have to do everything I asked once we got there, but that’s only fair considering what you’ve put me through.”
“For how long?” She braced for his answer.
Ethan’s smile widened. “Until I finish closing the deal. Shouldn’t take more than three months, once the papers are signed.”
Three months?
How was she supposed to explain to Aidan that she’d be gone for three months? The separation would destroy their burgeoning relationship before it ever got a chance to start, which was probably the reason Ethan had suggested it. He wanted to see her in pain. He wanted her to lose everything...again.
Jenna’s heart thundered in her chest, threatening cardiac arrest. She knew Ethan well. He’d never honor his word. The fact that he’d even brought Aidan’s name up meant that he’d been doing research into his background.
What had he found? Heaven help Aidan, if he’d already spoken to the people in town.
She thought about the wolves, Aidan’s unusual living arrangements, his odd behavior, and his obsession with privacy.
If Ethan exploited even one of those things, it could destroy Aidan’s reputation.
No doubt he’d pursue them all.
Jenna couldn’t let that happen. It was her fault Ethan was here. It was up to her to stop him. “I’ll do anything you want,” she said. “As long as you leave him alone.”
“I had no idea you’d grown so attached, so quickly. You’ve only been here for what, a week?” Ethan touched one of the loose curls hanging near her face. “Carl had suggested that you were sleeping with the man, but I assured him that you were too frigid to be a whore.” His gaze lingered on Aidan’s love bite, then he looked at the investigator and shrugged. “Guess I was wrong about that too, Carl. She is a slut.”
Jenna jerked her shirt over to cover the spot, then glared at Ethan’s flunky.
Carl sneered. “I call them like I see them.”
Ethan wound her hair around his finger and yanked hard to get her attention. “You know this changes things, don’t you?”
Jenna scowled at her ex. “It changes nothing.”
“Beg to differ,” Ethan said. “When this whole thing started, it was just between you and me. Now that I know you’ve been sleeping with Fortier, it makes me wonder how much you have told him.”
“We never had sex.” Jenna’s body shook with rage as she lied through her teeth. “I haven’t told Aidan anything about you. Not your name. Not where you’re from. Nothing. He has no idea who you are. He doesn’t even know that we dated.” She poured her contempt into the last word. “Hell, he doesn’t even know that you exist.”
Ethan tsked. “I wish I could believe you, but with your history of lying...”
“I never lied,” she ground out. “You on the other hand did nothing but.”
“Let’s agree to disagree.” Ethan led her down the street. Jenna had to jog to keep up with his long strides.
“It’s important for people like you to understand that it’s not okay to screw with people like me. It sets a bad precedence, if these things go unpunished,” he said. “That’s why I think I’m going to have to make an example out of your friend. You leave me no choice.”
“Then I’m not going with you.” Jenna struggled to break free. His punishing grip tightened, leaving finger marks on her arm. She cried out, catching the attention of a few people walking down the sidewalk.
He scowled at her, then smiled at the growing crowd, pouring on the charm. “She’s had a little too much to drink.” Ethan tipped an imaginary bottle to his lips.
The people’s reactions to the news varied. Some still looked concerned, while others appeared disgusted by her behavior.
Ethan lowered his voice. “The more you fight, the worse it’s going to be for him.”
Jenna stopped struggling. What was the use? He’d won. He always won. She thought she could challenge him. Get back what he’d taken. But seeing Ethan today made her realize that she’d been fooling herself. No matter how hard she worked, Jenna would never have enough resources to go toe-to-toe with him.
Ethan looked at Carl. “Let’s finish this conversation on the plane.” He put his arm around Jenna’s shoulders and led her toward a gray SUV. “Come along, darling. We have a lot to discuss.”
* * * * *
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Robert LaBeouf could not believe what he was seeing. A horn beeped and he jerked the wheel, narrowly avoiding a collision. He’d come to town to confront Jenna, but before he got the chance, he’d accidentally uncovered her treacherous secret.
He watched the man pull Jenna into his arms and hold her close. She didn’t try to get away. Instead, Jenna smiled and hugged him back, stopping only long enough to chat with a friend.
Once the woman departed, the man put his arm around Jenna’s shoulder and led her down the street. Robert seethed on the Moonlight Kin pack’s behalf. Aidan had been duped just like he’d suspected.
By a human no less.
Robert turned the car around and cruised by the loving couple once more. He watched Jenna and the men climb into a gray SUV and head out of town. On the way back to the estate, he spotted her car sitting near a coffee shop.
Why hadn’t she taken it?
Maybe she was coming back for it? Or maybe she’d gotten everything she wanted from Aidan and the pack and didn’t need it anymore. The thought filled him with righteous fury.
The Alpha had insisted that the vehicle be repaired for her. The pack had dropped what they were working on to accommodate his wishes. Josh had even made a special trip into the city to get the parts. And this was how she showed her gratitude.
The only thing that cooled Robert’s anger and kept it from becoming a murderous rage was the knowledge that he’d personally get to inform Aidan that his little human pet had run off with another man. He grinned.
Robert couldn’t wait to see the look on the Alpha’s face when he found out that he’d been deceived.
* * * * *
“Are you certain?” Aidan asked. “Two men, not one?”
His body trembled with barely contained rage. How could Jenna do this to him after what they’d shared last night? After everything he’d done for her?
His wolf couldn’t have been wrong about her, could he?
Thank Freki, he hadn’t told the pack yet that he’d marked her as his bondmate. Aidan had planned to do so this weekend. Now it was the last thing they needed to hear, especially if she’d run off with two men like Robert said.
What was he going to do? Aidan didn’t think he could live without her.
His wolf demanded that he go after her. Find her. Kill the men that she was with and bring her back.
It was tempting, but not the smartest plan, especially if Jenna chose to go with them. The idea that she’d picked another male over him wounded Aidan in a way he’d never experienced before.
The pain seared his soul, leaving him in agony. It was the kind of open wound that wouldn’t heal easily...if ever. She’d rejected him. His claws extended. With sheer force of will, Aidan forced them back inside. This situation called for logic, not emotion.
What if the men were the ones Jenna was frightened of? The ones she’d been running from? Fear replaced some of his anger.
But why would she go with them, if that were the case? There’d been people out. Enough witnesses around that she could’ve escaped had she wanted to. And why would she embrace one of them? It didn’t make sense.
“Tell me again exactly what you saw,” Aidan said.
Robert started from the beginning, repeating the story verbatim. “If you don’t believe me, you could ask the woman she was talking to.”
“Woman?” Aidan asked. “What woman? Why didn’t you mention her before?”
“I
didn’t think about it until now. Seeing Ms. Dane in another man’s arms made me forget everything else.”
Aidan winced. He couldn’t get the picture of Jenna being held by another man out of his mind. His wolf struggled to break the tenuous grip he had on it.
Like a good little wolf, Robert kept his gaze trained on the floor. “I believe the woman works at the paper with Ms. Dane. They had a short conversation, then I saw her go into the building.”
Aidan had hoped that Robert was wrong. He knew the wolf wasn’t lying. That had been the first thing he’d checked, when he’d reported the news. He wouldn’t have put it past him since Robert hated all humans, but in this instance he was telling the truth.
He ran a hand through his hair and scrubbed it over his face. Aidan shouldn’t have let her out of his bed. He should’ve found a way to keep her in his room, until they got a chance to talk.
Jenna was his mate. Was his period. His mark proved it. Didn’t matter whether a human male could recognize such a thing. He knew the truth. Soon Jenna would, too.
“What do you want me to do?” Robert asked.
“Nothing,” Aidan growled. The last thing he needed was for Robert to involve himself any further. Jenna was his responsibility. He’d have to be the one to ferret out the truth. Even if that truth turned out to be something Aidan didn’t want to hear.
* * * * *
“Father, I was using the plane,” Ethan whined and gave the phone a petulant pout.
They’d driven to the small airport where Ethan had parked the jet, but it was gone by the time they got there. It was everything Jenna could do not to laugh at his first world problems.
“I realize it’s not mine, but I needed it to get back to Vancouver,” he said. “I have very important business to attend to. No, it’s not more important than yours. I didn’t say that.”
Jenna watched Ethan pace back and forth like a caged hyena. The dingy room he and Carl had brought her to didn’t strike Jenna as the kind of place Ethan would frequent, much less spend the night in. Its faded mauve comforters, cheap worn out furniture, and tissue thin towels did however suit Carl to a ‘T’.
“Fly commercial? Are you serious? Why would I do that, when there’s a perfectly good corporate jet available?” Ethan stopped walking. “Yes. I understand. When can I have it back?” He squeezed his cell phone until his knuckles cracked. “No chance of getting the plane any sooner?” He paused. “I see.”
Carl sat at the table, flipping through a Breakbend visitor’s guide. It appeared like he wasn’t paying any attention to Ethan, but Jenna knew better. The beefy investigator was like a sponge. He absorbed everything, noted every detail.
“I’ll expect it here Saturday morning.” Ethan pressed a button to disconnect the call. “I can’t believe this. You’re sure this is the last room available.”
“Yep,” Carl said. “There’s a fishing tournament in town. We were lucky that I hadn’t checked out yet.”
Ethan looked around the room and scowled.
What were they going to do until Saturday? Jenna wondered. She didn’t relish the idea of staying in this motel room with them for two nights.
“Why didn’t you just bring the paperwork with you?” Jenna asked. “It would’ve saved us both a lot of time and trouble.”
Ethan shoved his phone in his pocket and walked over to where she sat on the edge of the bed. “I’m not buying a fast food restaurant from you. This type of land deal requires several attorneys to be present. I can’t just pull random people off the street to be witnesses,” he snapped.
“I’m surprised you didn’t forge my signature,” she said.
He looked at her, his expression inscrutable. “I thought about, but again, it wasn’t feasible.”
She stood and stretched. “What’s going to happen now?”
Ethan glared at her. “Now we wait.” His gaze swept the room and his lip curled in disgust. “Carl, go out and get us a pizza. Bring back a bottle of disinfectant while you’re at it. Jenna and I need some alone time.”
Fear slithered down her spine. What did Ethan mean? Surely he wasn’t referring to... She shuddered at the thought. If he touched her, she’d kill him. Jenna couldn’t imagine having any man’s hands on her other than Aidan’s.
It didn’t make sense given the short time they’d known each other, but it was the truth.
Carl grunted and left the motel.
“Take a seat.” Ethan pointed to the chair Carl had vacated.
Jenna walked across the room and sat down.
“I looked up your friend before I left,” he said. “Fortier is an interesting man. His resources are comparable to my own. Is that why you slept with him?”
Jenna blanched. “I never said anything about sleeping with him. You’re the one with sex on the brain.”
“Perhaps, but I’m not the one with the giant hickey.” Ethan stared pointedly at the love bite on her neck.
She reached up and covered the spot with her hand. “That’s not from Aidan,” Jenna said.
Ethan arched a brow. “Carl hasn’t seen you with anyone else.”
“Yeah, well, Carl wasn’t with me 24/7,” she said.
“He didn’t need to be.” Ethan walked over to his briefcase and pulled out a folder. He tossed the contents onto the table.
The photos were of her and Aidan at the restaurant.
“Is that you?” Ethan asked.
Jenna’s jaw clenched. “You know it is.”
“Good,” he said. “We’re in agreement. So if that’s you, then who is that?” Ethan pointed at Aidan.
Jenna didn’t respond.
Ethan sighed. “You might as well answer me. I already know who it is.”
“It’s Aidan,” she said quietly. “But it’s not what it looks like,” Jenna added quickly.
“Really?” He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “It looks like a romantic dinner for two.”
Jenna shook her head. “It wasn’t.” She pointed to the small notepad on the table in one of the photos. “That was the night he gave me an exclusive interview for the paper.”
Ethan’s brows rose to his hairline. “I didn’t realize wine was a necessary part of the interview process.”
Jenna’s mouth snapped shut.
He laughed mirthlessly. “So how long have you been fucking him? And don’t lie to me. You never could lie worth a damn.”
Jenna shot to her feet. “It’s none of your business.”
Ethan rose from his seat. He stood so close that they nearly touched noses. “Anything that could possibly jeopardize this land deal is my business.” He pointed to the photos. “I didn’t bring Fortier into this mess. You did. Whatever happens to him is all on you.”
Tears prickled Jenna’s eyes, but she refused to let Ethan see her cry. She’d already wasted too many tears on the bastard. He was right though. If anything happened to Aidan, it would be her fault.
“I need something to drink.” She turned away from his knowing gaze.
“There’s water in the tap,” he said.
Jenna pulled a face. “I was thinking more like a soda. I’m pretty sure that I saw a vending machine tucked between the buildings.”
Ethan stared at her. “You run and I’ll make it my personal mission in life to destroy him. You understand?”
She nodded, then walked to the door.
“You have five minutes,” he said. “If you’re not back by then, I’ll make a phone call.”
Jenna put her hand on the doorknob.
“And Jenna,” he said.
She froze.
“Pick me up a Coke while you’re at it.” Ethan grinned and tossed her some change.
Jenna picked the change up off the carpet and slipped out the room. He was going to try to destroy Aidan no matter what she said or did. She could see the intent in his eyes. All she’d done was delay the inevitable. She just needed to figure out how to delay it a little longer, so she could warn Aidan.
> The motel was laid out in a typical V-shape with all the doors facing the parking lot. There were several cars parked in the lot, mostly pickups that held fishing rods in their back windows.
Light blue paint covered the walls, but did little to hide the age of the building. Jenna wasn’t thirsty. She’d just needed to get away from Ethan, so she could think. Warning Aidan was priority number one. Nothing else mattered.
She reached the vending machine and dug into her pocket to retrieve the change Ethan had given her. Jenna bought a couple of sodas, then slowly walked back toward the room. A door opened to her right and an elderly man stepped in front of her, wearing a fishing hat.
“Excuse me,” he said. “I didn’t see you there.”
Jenna smiled. “No problem.” She started to walk off, then stopped abruptly. “Sir, could I use your phone?”
His bushy white brows rose and fell like caterpillars inching across a cracked sidewalk. “What’s wrong with the phone in your room?”
“It’s out of order,” she said. “I don’t own one of those fancy cell phones.”
He snorted. “Me neither. Though the wife keeps badgering me to pick one up.” He swept his hat off and scratched his head. “I suppose it would be okay, but don’t stay on long. It’s a local call, isn’t it?”
Jenna nodded.
“Okay, then.” He stepped aside.
Jenna hurried into the room and fished out the card Bernie had given her. She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for the call to connect. She didn’t have much time. Two minutes at the most. “Pick up. Pick up. Come on Aidan.”
“Fortier residence,” a voice said.
She recognized Robert’s nasal tone immediately. “May I please speak with Aidan?”
“May I ask who’s calling?” he asked.
Jenna growled in frustration. He knew who it was. He was just messing with her. “I don’t have time for games, Robert,” she hissed. “I need to talk to Aidan. It’s important.”
Silence greeted her.
“Are you still there?” What if he’d hung up on her? What would she do then?
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Fortier is unavailable. He’s made it clear that he has nothing more to say to you,” he said.
Moonlight Kin 2: Aidan's Mate (Mid-Length Novel) Page 13
