Branded

by Cindy Stark

  “Are you not going to forgive me, then?” he asked.

  She dropped her gaze before turning, looking at his feet first before trusting her eyes enough to raise them. “Xander,” she whispered when her gaze met his. Tears sprang to her eyes to see him alive and looking so damn good. “Are you okay?”

  He shrugged. “That depends on you. I can heal from a gunshot wound. Not so sure I can lose you.”

  “Oh God.” She slammed herself against him, earning a groan from him, as she hugged him as tightly as she could. “I can’t lose you, either.”

  They held each other as the dogs barked and danced around them, wanting to join in.

  After a long while, she leaned back, looking at his beautiful eyes. There was no mistaking they had some distance to erase between them. “What are we going to do? Between our two families, there’s been a lot of hurt and deceit, lies and pain.” But she knew they could make it if he would agree.

  “True. I guess it’s up to us to fix it.”

  She nodded. “I’d like that. We can do what they couldn’t. Let’s make what we’ve been through count for something.”

  He kissed her until every inch of her turned to molten love. “Thanks for taking care of Apollo. I knew he was safe with you.”

  “I wanted to see you in the hospital. I tried. Those guys wouldn’t let me.”

  “I know. They’re a little overprotective.”

  “Who are they? Not brothers?” They’d been too close in age and were too dissimilar in looks.

  “Brothers of a sort. I’ll fill you in later. Right now, I’d like to take you home with me. Permanently, if that’s okay with you.”

  She widened her eyes. “Oh, Xander. I’d love that. I didn’t know how I could stay another day in that building where you were shot. If I had a job, I would have left already.”

  “Yeah. I’m not too fond of the place, either.”

  “I still don’t know how you knew I was in danger. Janie called the police.” She narrowed her gaze. “But you’re not an officer. And how did you find out about the offshore account? I didn’t even know about it.” She tilted her head from side to side as though that would help her sort through things. “Although Aunt Claire did.”

  He took her chin, kissing her firmly on the lips. “This is going to take longer than a chat on a street corner. Can you trust me enough to wait? There are some confidential things, things that might take time to explain, and I’d like to get you home first.”

  Impatience pushed at her, but she trusted her man. “Fine. But I can’t wait long. I feel like everyone knows everything except me.”

  “You’ll know soon enough.” He took the leashes in one hand and hers in the other as they started walking back toward her apartment.

  “Wait. I actually do know something you don’t.”

  “Really?” He seemed surprised.

  “I have your money. Your dad’s money. At least most of it. Aunt Claire cooperated and gave the police the information she had on what was put into that account in Singapore. Some of it was from another heist my father pulled off. The rest was from your dad. My aunt spent some of it hiring Riley to look after me and installing a security system at her house. The police suggested I divide it percentage wise and give it back to both parties including you and your brother.”

  He chuckled. “Actually, I already knew that.”

  “What?” she turned to him with a surprised look. “How could you? I’ve only known for a couple of hours.”

  “It’s all part of the story. You’ll have to be patient.” They reached her apartment, and he paused on the front step. “Think we can pack it all tonight?”

  She laughed. “No.”

  “Want to buy new instead? Apparently, we have millions.”

  “Honestly? It doesn’t matter as long as I have you.” She pulled him toward her, pressing her lips to the man who would hold her heart forever. “I love you, Xander. I’ll always love you.”

  He laughed. “You sound so dire. Are you always like that?”

  She smiled, remembering the words she’d said to him. He must have been worried he’d lose her back then. “Just kiss me.”

  “Not until I tell you I love you.”

  She took his face in her hands, letting her gaze soak up the beautiful sight of him. “I believed you the first time you told me, back in Seaside.”

  He widened his eyes. “You weren’t asleep?”

  She shook her head. “But you can say it again and again.”

  He kissed her long and slow. “I love you, Nicole. For now and ever, if you’ll have me.”

  “Forever, Xander.”

  Stormy and Apollo barked, seeming to sense their joy.

  Xander took a moment to ruffle both of their fur. “I think they approve.”

  “You like our little family?” she said to the dogs, making them bark even louder. She turned to him. “This is good, Xander.” Her heart felt like it might explode from happiness.

  He pulled her back into his arms. “So good, Nicole.”

  The End

  Excerpt from Relentless

  Chapter One

  From the corner of her eye, Lily Chandler caught a blur of black as it dashed into the road. She slammed on the brakes. The tires on her little white Honda screamed as she swung off the pavement and onto the grassy area at the side of the road, narrowly missing a ditch.

  When the car had come to a standstill, she plastered a hand against her chest, trying to slow her racing heart. "What the hell was that?"

  Hannah eyed her as though she'd lost her mind. "I was going to ask you the same thing. Are you trying to kill us?"

  "No." Lily glanced across the isolated two-lane highway, searching for the critter that almost lost its life. "There was something in the road. Didn't you see it?"

  "Uh…no." Her friend looked around. "It was probably a skunk or raccoon. We have those out here, you know," she said with a tinge of sarcasm.

  Lily narrowed her eyes. "I know that." Actually, she had no idea what she'd find in the small town of Aspen, Utah, but she wasn't about to admit it. She scanned the surrounding green pastures one more time for the little beast who'd stolen a year of her life.

  "Can we go now?"

  Lily sighed as she pulled out onto the never-ending stretch of blacktop. Her bug-spattered windshield showcased nothing but farmland alive with early summer grass. Occasionally, a house had popped up on the horizon, but not often enough for Lily's comfort. Somewhere up ahead was Hannah's brother hauling a good portion of their possessions in Hannah's truck. Everything else had been left in a storage shed in Salt Lake with the hopes that she and Hannah would be returning soon. "I'm starting to wonder if this was a good idea."

  "Are you kidding?" Her friend tilted her head, the action making her auburn ponytail shake. "Don't second guess this now. When I left home seven years ago, I swore I'd never move back. I'm only going now because you begged."

  "I didn't beg." She hadn't. But moving in with Hannah's family seemed preferable to being homeless. Two weeks ago, they'd both been fired from their respective jobs at a local newspaper in Salt Lake City, all because their boss hadn't been able to keep his zipper zipped. His wife had found out, and now the paper was slowly disintegrating from all the bad press and soon to be split assets. If it hadn't cost her a job, Lily would have been happy the jerk had been found out. She could totally commiserate with her boss's wife. She'd dealt with similar humiliation and pain when she'd caught her fiancé cheating with her sister.

  Hannah folded her arms. "This was your idea. No complaining. I warned you my family lived in a rural area."

  "Rural?" Lily let go a nervous laugh. "To an L.A. girl, rural is like…subdivisions. Like the outskirts of Salt Lake. Places where people still live. Not this…vast emptiness." She gestured to the hills that didn't stop until they touched the sky. "If a person got lost out here, they may never be found."

  "Ain't that the truth," Hannah said with a laugh. "Let me rephrase then. My pa
rents live in a backward, podunk, God-forsaken town." Her friend pretended to shudder. "And look. We're here." Hannah pointed to a sign stating, Aspen, population: 250. "Welcome to my version of hell."

  Only two-hundred fifty people? There had to be that many living on their block in downtown SLC. Lily forced a smile and slowed as the speed limit dropped considerably. What if the people here didn't like her or couldn't relate to her? She was a city girl through and through.

  The little town was cute, though. Baskets of pink and purple petunias swung from streetlamps, and all of the buildings were in good repair. It was like going back in time fifty years.

  "Sorry to postpone our arrival. Mom asked if I could pick up a couple of things before we head out to their place." Hannah nodded toward a building with Andersen's Grocery painted on the side. "Do you mind if we stop?"

  "Not at all." Lily cruised into the small parking lot, grateful to have arrived. "I'd like to look around the place I'm going to be calling home anyway."

  Hannah snorted. "Don't get too excited."

  Her friend seemed really down on her hometown, but Lily hoped it wouldn't be that bad. More than that, she hoped they'd both have new jobs before long and be headed back to civilized Salt Lake. Lily shouldered her purse and headed down the short street as Hannah went inside the store. The air was fresh, if a bit cooler than it had been in the city. She inhaled again. Like really fresh. Like it almost had a sweet taste to it. That was certainly a nice change her lungs would appreciate during her morning runs.

  In the same parking lot as the grocery store, stood a small strip mall with a pizza parlor, a beauty salon, and Betty Johnson Real Estate. A small "help wanted" sign tucked into the corner of a window near the door of the real estate office snagged her attention. She'd be headed there first thing after they got settled in.

  A gas station took up space on the other side of the strip mall, and a bit farther down was a bigger building with the words Swallow's Bar and Grill. The other side of the street housed a cute little bakery and coffee shop. The town's version of Starbucks, perhaps? She'd definitely check it out later. Ahead of her was Randall's Western Outfitters that apparently carried clothing, tools and more. Everything a girl could want, all in a few short steps. It would certainly provide a different shopping experience than Rodeo Drive.

  The door to the western outfitters store swung open in front of her, and she had to stop short to avoid running into it.

  "So sorry, Miss," said the older guy in a worn cowboy hat when he realized he'd almost plowed the door into her face. He totally looked the rancher part with short, gristled whiskers, accompanying denim jacket, and carrying a large bag of something over his shoulder.

  Lily shook her head. "It's fine. You couldn't have known I was here."

  The wrinkles around his grass green eyes creased when he smiled. "Still, I apologize."

  She was about to respond when another man came out right behind him, carrying two identical bags.

  "Dad—"

  The younger guy stopped short when he saw Lily. "Well, hello."

  He was a taller version of his father, with the same beautiful green eyes. His biceps bulged beneath his dark blue T-shirt from holding the weight of the two bags, and an interesting tattoo peeked out from beneath one of his sleeves. A hint of short brown hair hung below a khaki-colored ballcap, and she was surprised to find he wore small, thick silver hoops in his ears. Apparently, the small towns of the world were finally catching up with everyone else.

  "Um…hi." She felt silly now, impeding him and his dad.

  "Did you want something, Luke?" his father asked.

  He hesitated. "I'll tell you in the truck." He nodded toward a big black pickup, and Lily couldn't help but feel he'd just dismissed his dad.

  The older man seemed to pick up his cue as well. He winked at Lily, nodded and headed toward the vehicle.

  "You're new in town." The younger guy smiled, making Lily feel slightly giddy inside. She wasn't quite sure what to make of him. Hannah had been dead wrong in her assessment of the men in this town if this guy was any indication of who she'd find here.

  "I just arrived. I'm going to be staying with my friend's family for a while." A soft breeze blew several blond curls into her face, making them stick to her lip gloss. She tried several times to remove them, but kept missing some. He reached out, holding the weight of his load with one hand, and pulled the last hairs away from her lips.

  "Thanks." She tugged her long tresses to one side, away from the breeze, to keep them under control. The attraction she felt for this guy was awkward, surprising, and a little exhilarating.

  "What's your name?" He continued to stand there as though the heavy weight he carried meant nothing to him.

  "Lily. Lily Chandler."

  "I'm Luke Winchester. It's nice to meet you." His lips tilted into a grin, and she couldn't stop herself from mirroring the gesture. "Who are the friends you're staying with?"

  "The Morgan family. Do you know them?"

  "Of course."

  At her puzzled expression, he continued. "You're obviously not from a small town, 'cause here everybody knows everybody."

  "Lily?" Hannah yelled from down the street. "Let's go."

  Luke turned his gaze to her friend, his demeanor cooling. "Hey, Hannah. Welcome back," he called out.

  Hannah sent him a heated look and then got in the car, slamming her door.

  Lily raised her brows. "Ouch. You and Hannah have some sort of history?"

  He shook his head, a disappointed look hovering in his eyes. "A slight misunderstanding. She'll get over it one of these days. In the meantime, promise me you won't believe everything she tells you."

  Interesting. She couldn't wait to hear Hannah's side of the story. "Okay." She would give Luke the benefit of the doubt. For now.

  "It was a pleasure to meet you, Lily Chandler. I'm sure I'll run into you again."

  He held out a hand, and she took it. His fingers were strong and warm, and they sent a fascinating spike of energy coursing through her. "Nice to meet you, too."

  She let go of his hand and turned, walking toward her Honda. She desperately wanted to look back at him, but she was certain he still watched her. She could feel the almost physical touch of his gaze. When she reached down to open the car door, she dared a glance in his direction. A swift current whipped through her when their gazes connected. He nodded as though affirming they'd meet again and turned.

  Lily blew out a slow breath and slipped into her car, trying to pretend Luke Winchester hadn't shoved her pulse into overdrive.

  About the Author

  Cindy Stark lives with her family and a sweet Border Collie named Boo in a small town shadowed by the Rocky Mountains. She currently writes romantic suspense and contemporary romances.

  To find other books by Cindy, visit her website at www.cindystark.com