Georgia was quiet and guilt stabbed at him for the low blow. He hadn’t meant it personally but he wasn’t going to explain right now. Not in front of the princess. “We’re on our way home now,” he said instead.
“You and Del?” Georgia asked sharply.
“Yes. Me and Del. We’ll explain everything when we arrive in a couple of days, so tell Uncle Byron to take a breath and don’t do anything rash.”
Georgia snorted. “Like uncle, like son,” she said and hung up.
This time, Zak did power off the phone and toss it over his shoulder. He listened, satisfied as it hit the seat and then bounced onto the floorboard with a thud. If he never saw or heard the thing go off again, it would be too soon. This job was definitely going to be the death of him.
He looked over and found Del frowning at him. Correction: this woman was going to be the death of him.
“So everyone knows,” she said.
“About what?” Zak asked but his attempt at playing dumb only made her eyes widen and her jaw clench even tighter.
“About our fake marriage,” she said through closed teeth, her temper flaring until he could feel it rolling off her in the small space. He felt himself getting hard at the sight of her so gloriously furious at him. Even his wolf responded, wanting to claim her as his. God, he was an idiot.
Zak shrugged and Del seethed. “Doesn’t it bother you that everyone knows?”
He shrugged. “I’ve been called worse than married.”
“How about actually having to get married?” she demanded.
“What are you—?”
“I didn’t have a chance to tell you before. My mother said not to worry that they missed our ceremony. My sister is putting everything together and the moment we get home, we’ll be all set to walk down the aisle in front of them.”
“Well, obviously, we’ll just explain it was all a ruse to cover our tracks in order to get you home.” But even as he said it, he frowned at the hollow feeling that grew in him just thinking about parting ways. Something told him if he did that, if he told her family it had all been a lie, she’d never agree to see him again.
“Right. That will go over real well. An Armsford lied to the world and possibly stole the virtue of the Santoni heir. And then World War Two breaks out in Fort Jericho.”
Zak’s mouth went dry. “Virtue? Dear God, you aren’t saying you were a virgin…?”
Del’s silence only made Zak’s heart pound faster. Finally, she burst out laughing and he scowled.
“Kidding. Oh, man, you should have seen your face though,” she hooted before dissolving into more laughter.
“That’s it.” Zak yanked the steering wheel to the side and slammed his foot on the brake. The Jeep veered hard for the shoulder, kicking up a mushroom cloud of dust.
Del’s laughter stopped short. “What are you—?”
He parked and got out, slamming his door and stomping around to her side of the car. He yanked her door open and leaned in to unbuckle her amid her protests and weak attempts to brush him away. She could fight all she liked—in fact, he preferred it right now.
“Take your hands off me,” Del complained as he pulled her out of the car to her feet and shoved her against the passenger door.
His breath came hot and fast. So did hers and when he caught her scent, his blood rushed to his cock.
“Your virtue is not my concern. Your life, however, is. And it’s not a joke.”
“Give me a break,” she said, her eyes flashing in the quick anger that he’d come to love from her already. “I’m a job to you, nothing more. When it’s over, you’ll walk away forever and we’ll go back to war.”
“Is that what you think?” he demanded. “Is that what you want? War?”
“Of course not,” she said. “I’m doing everything I can to bring peace. But you—”
“So am I,” he snapped. “Why else would I agree to this mission? Why else would I—” He stopped short and her eyes went wide.
Fury, hotter than before, poured from her. She struggled against him but he held her fast. When escape didn’t work, she poked an accusing finger against his chest. “Sleep with me?” she shrieked. “Is that what you were going to say? You slept with me for world peace?” She spat the words and he tightened his hold on her straining wrists, pinning them above her head so he could lean in.
“No, Princess. My desire for you has nothing to do with peace, trust me on that. If anything, my wanting you is its own constant battle.”
“What does that even mean?” she asked and the slight hitch in her voice, the desperation there, caught him off guard.
It wasn’t the anger that he’d grown used to. The snarky comeback and quick wit. The fight. It was desperation and … hope. His wolf rose up at that and he knew he couldn’t ignore it any longer. Not to her and not to himself.
She belonged to him.
“I want you because I’ve always wanted you. Because my wolf wants you, Del. You’re my Fated Mate.”
“You’re…” She trailed off, her mouth hanging open and he had to grin at how cute she was when speechless.
“Damn. Never thought I’d see the day Del Santoni ran out of words.”
She snapped her jaw shut and eyed him but the gleam was friendly, pouty, and sexy as hell. “I have plenty of words. Like the fact that I might feel the same.”
He raised a brow. “Might?”
“Well, if you want to stop acting like a caveman and let go of my wrists, I could probably clarify that.”
“Hasn’t even professed her feelings and already trying to change me.” He shook his head. “Just like a woman.” He just barely managed to block her knee as it shot up toward his groin. “And this is why I’m holding your wrists. You’re bad for my health.”
That and if he let go of her, who knew where his hands would end up. He wasn’t opposed to taking her right here on the side of the road.
“Say it and I’ll let you go,” he said.
Her lower lip stuck out in a sexy pout and he gave up his attempt at self-control. He dipped his head, closing the distance between them until his mouth was on hers. Her lips were cool on his for a split second and then she heated underneath his kiss and her mouth moved in frenzied need right along with his. Her hands still pinned above her, she pressed her body against him, rubbing, creating a layer of instant friction between them.
He pressed her hard against the car, trapping her with his body and the erection bulging from his pants.
“Say it, princess,” he breathed. “Say it for me just once.”
“You’re my … Fated Mate,” she managed as he nipped along her ear and down her throat. The words sent a thrill through his insides. It was like nothing he’d ever felt. This was what they all talked about. His parents. His aunts and uncles. Finding your mate. The connection, the pull, the high that came from it. He’d always wondered but never took it seriously.
Now, though, he knew he wouldn’t be stupid enough to let it go. Not that he had anything to offer her. But he’d figure something out.
He dipped lower, trailing kisses along her collarbone and the exposed skin above her cleavage. She was ready for him; he could smell it in the air amid the dust.
“Oh. Yes, Zak.” She whimpered into his open mouth and he almost lost it.
He sucked in a shallow breath, fighting for control. Not here. Not on the side of the highway with coyotes in pursuit. They needed to get off the road, find privacy.
“Come on,” he said, pulling away so abruptly her knees buckled. He caught her up in his arms and placed her back in the car, bending low to kiss her one more time. “Let’s get somewhere safe and we’ll finish this,” he said.
“Mmm,” she agreed.
He didn’t add that he had a feeling, when it came to Del Santoni, he’d never be finished.
Chapter Ten
Del couldn’t breathe.
Had Zak Armsford, notorious crime son and town bad boy, just admitted to having feelings for her? Had
he actually used the words Fated Mate? This couldn’t be happening.
Her heart thudded to the beat of the funeral march. Her mother’s prim and nasally voice rang in her ears with reminders of duty and honor and family legacy. Respect for her father’s memory—a man she couldn’t remember anymore and whose life symbolized the very reason why she’d never let herself consider a future with Zak—ate at her. She’d ignored her feelings for Zak for half her life and now, here he was, forcing her to admit them. And her mother was going to let it happen.
The statue she’d dug up yesterday, still hidden under her seat, practically screamed at her over the irony of it all.
She looked over at Zak, the truth on the tip of her tongue. He caught her eye, smiled, and reached for her hand across the emergency break. The contact was an electric shock to her system, yanking her back from the edge of insanity.
Of course she couldn’t tell him about the statue. There was a very good chance he’d be against her idea. Love or not, he wouldn’t want to upset the balance or somehow dishonor his father’s memory. And if he fought her on it…
Well, she wasn’t willing to give him up just yet. God, she was a coward. A horny, lusting coward. She smiled back at Zak and went back to watching the road.
The memory of the tattoo she’d seen earlier on the coyote shifter tugged at her as they drove. The shape of the ink had looked suspiciously like the statue she’d only recently dug up. But that wasn’t possible. The statue was only a legend. No one in town even knew what it looked like. She told herself she’d seen wrong. It just couldn’t be true.
At the next town, Zak slowed and pulled into a gas station. Del’s stomach growled and Zak planted a kiss on her mouth before nodding to the faded sign next door advertising fast food. “Why don’t you grab us some burgers for the road,” he said.
He handed her some bills and when she tried to protest he grinned and tucked them into her bra instead, his fingers skimming over the sensitive skin just above her nipple. “Just take it, princess. Let me do something nice for you.”
She snorted. “Burgers and fries aren’t exactly food fit for royalty, you know,” she pointed out.
He laughed. “Well, the next place I see serving Champagne and caviar, I’ll be sure to stop in.”
She scowled. “I’m not actually a princess,” she said.
He winked. “I’m not actually mafia,” he shot back.
She took the money and sauntered off, unwilling to concede the point.
The burger joint had a handful of customers scattered around scarred booths. It smelled of charred meat and salty potatoes. Del decided it could be worse. She ordered half a dozen burgers and fries and scanned the highway leading into town while she waited for them to fill the order. She was sure the coyotes couldn’t possibly have tracked them with the zig-zagging route Zak had them on, but she was paranoid after this morning.
She caught sight of Zak finishing up at the gas pump. When he turned, she spotted the cell phone held to his ear. His mouth was turned into a sexy frown but even from here, she knew better than to simply appreciate his brooding. He was pissed about something. She watched, trying to interpret the problem.
“Order’s up, miss.”
Del turned to take the bag of food already soaking through with a layer of grease that made her stomach growl. “Thanks.” She took the bag and headed back outside.
“Holy hamburger, that man is fine.”
Del spun at the voice close behind her, panic making her movements so jerky she almost dropped the bag of food. When she turned, she found a suspiciously familiar face that didn’t ease her paranoia at all.
“You’re Ashley. The girl who tried to steal my car,” she said.
“Rental,” she corrected.
“What the heck are you doing here?” Del’s eyes widened at the sight of Ashley’s rumpled clothing—the same clothes she’d been wearing outside the Stop & Sleep—and matted hair. “Are you following us?”
“Of course not.” Ashley looked miffed. “I’m traveling with you.”
“With us? What are you even talking about?” She shifted the food bag in her hand, impatient to leave the crazy behind and get back on the road. A glance back told her Zak was still on the phone but he was watching their exchange now.
“Look, I wouldn’t have come out but I am starving. And I felt like you should know before you guys come close to a roadside quickie again. That Armsford has some serious moves. Does he have a brother?” Ashley reached for the bag and managed to extract a French fry before Del twisted away.
“A … what the hell? That’s mine.” Del’s eyes narrowed as Ashley’s words sunk in. “Wait. Have you been in the car this entire time?!” she shrieked.
Vaguely, Del was aware of the other customers’ stares. It was all she could do not to strangle Ashley right in front of the onlookers. Maybe her mother’s lessons on social etiquette had sunk in after all.
A moment later, Zak appeared beside her, his brows drawn in concern. “What’s going on here?” Zak asked. He didn’t look overly worried about short, petite Ashley. Del was considering whether she would even need her shifter strength to snap Ashley’s neck all on her own.
“I’m going to kill this girl and I want you to bury the body where no one can find it,” Del said.
Zak reached over and gingerly took the bag of food out of Del’s arms. His priorities were clear. “Uh, what makes you think I know how to bury a body?” he asked.
“I do,” Ashley said, snagging another fry and popping it into her mouth.
Now, Zak looked pissed. “Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?” he asked, glaring at Ashley while she chewed.
“This is Ashley,” Del said. “We met outside the hotel yesterday.”
“Hi.” Ashley extended her hand, a wide smile stretching across her face and Del had to fight not to scream as Zak smiled and shook her hand.
“You traveling this way too?” Zak asked.
“Yep,” Ashley said brightly.
Del’s cheeks heated. “She stowed away in our car—”
Howls broke out, drowning out Del’s furious explanation.
Zak whipped toward the sound and Del felt a trickle of cold dread work up her spine.
“What was that?” Ashley asked, looking uncertain for the first time.
“Take this. Get in the car,” Zak said, shoving the burgers back into Del’s hands. She fumbled with the bag, already moving toward the Jeep.
“What about—?” she began.
“Now,” he added as several coyotes crested the hill across the road and broke into a loping run toward the parking lot.
“Come on,” Del said, yanking Ashley with her as she ran for the car.
She shoved Ashley into the backseat and thrust the burgers and fries at her. “If you eat all of these, I will definitely break your neck and chuck your body out the window, understand?”
Ashley nodded, eyes wide. Del slammed the door and took off across the road where Zak was already tearing into a couple of coyotes. She shed her clothes as she went, imagining what sort of sick show this must be to all of the humans behind her.
She called up her puma anyway, her only goal to get to Zak, and shifted. By the time she crossed the empty two-lane road, she had paws and fur and a jaw wide open, sharp canines aimed at the nearest coyote.
It came at her, eyes gleaming with anticipation. Del shot forward to meet it and took it down easily. She kept moving, determined to get to her mate. She waded through another two coyotes before she bumped against his flank. Zak hesitated when he spotted her alongside him. She batted a coyote out of the way before he could use the opening to his advantage. Zak snarled and redoubled his efforts.
For every one they took down, another two or three came at them from over the hill. Together, she and Zak fought them back, but her lungs ached and the blood in the air was a heavy stench even to her predator’s nostrils.
Del snarled as she took down one of the last remaining, her puma s
atisfied with its kill. She looked up, searching for Zak, and was surprised when a pair of human arms came around her, clamping tightly around her puma’s muscled shoulders. Another pair of arms clamped a silver collar around her neck and she wriggled but it was too late. Before she could stop it or get away, she shifted and fell in a tangle of arms and legs. The same arms caught her before she could hit the dirt. She caught sight of a bearded man with thick arms before she was tossed over his shoulder and jostled as he began to run away with his stolen cargo.
Del shrieked but it came out strangled from the pressure of his shoulder against her stomach. “Zak!” She managed and tried raising her head to spot him in what was left of the attacking coyotes.
Three of them surrounded him with Zak dead center of a trio of jaws. But he didn’t miss a beat as he whipped his paws and came at them with an open jaw again and again. Finally, the last coyote fell and he looked up, his wolf’s piercing gaze locking on hers from across the distance.
She breathed a sigh of relief as he sprinted for her and took down the man carrying her off. She hit the dirt and kept rolling to break the fall. By the time she sat up, the man had stopped breathing.
Zak shifted back and the moment she did the same, he grabbed her, pressing her against him and hugging her close. “Fuck, princess. You scared the shit out of me. I told you to go to the car.”
Despite Del’s relief at being safe and held by him, she bristled. “I couldn’t just leave you here all by yourself to fight them,” she argued.
He pulled away to look at her, his expression fierce and full of relief. “Yes, that’s exactly what you could do. I’m supposed to be protecting you, remember?”
His fingers reached for her collar and flipped the latch. He tossed it aside as Del said, “And you’re my mate, remember? I could never let you fight alone.” His mouth fell open and he scowled but it lacked the usual fire. She smiled in smug satisfaction. Finally, she’d rendered him speechless. “Besides, I did go to the car. I made sure Ashley was safe and then I came back for you.”
“Ashely?” he blinked down at her in confusion. “The blonde?” He looked behind her toward the car parked across the road. “Does that mean our burgers are safe?”
Guarded By The Alpha Page 6
