by Jane Jamison
He drove over the rods in the road making up the cattle break and kept the truck headed for the two-story frame house that had been in their family for generations. The Hardwick family had lived in Fate, Georgia, since the town’s first beginnings in the mid-eighteen-hundreds. He wasn’t sure if all his ancestors had been werewolves, but he was sure they belonged in Fate. He couldn’t think of calling any other place home.
As soon as he parked the vehicle, he slid out of the cab and strode toward the nearby barn. His mind still whirled with questions.
What would they find out about Raven? Was there something in her past that would keep her from mating them? He hesitated to think the next thought. Was there another man, one she still loved? The last thought made his stomach do a sickening flip-flop. If there was, he and his brothers would make damn sure she forgot all about him.
Raven Reynolds was their mate. Fuck any man who got in their way.
* * * *
Raven picked up her pace. She only had a few minutes before she was due back at the store. Her gaze skipped from one side of Main Street to the other. A couple of days had passed since the Hardwick men had shown up at the store to buy a pair of pliers. The next day, they’d dropped in again, but hadn’t stayed. Hell, they’d barely spoken to her, yet she’d sensed their eyes on her whenever she turned her back. Before they could strike up a conversation, though, Old Man Alton had come hobbling into the place, his big voice booming, demanding her attention. By the time the senior citizen had bought what he’d needed, the Hardwick men had gone.
Since then, she hadn’t been able to keep her mind off them. It was even worse than before. Every time she saw a dark-haired man on television, she thought of them. Every time she heard a man’s deep baritone voice, she thought of them. Every time she heard footsteps and the tiny bell hanging over the store’s door ringing, signaling someone coming inside, she thought of them. Her heart would leap to her throat and her pulse would start a quick dance. Yet every time, it had been someone else, and every time, she was disappointed.
Then she’d chastise herself for letting them get to her. She hadn’t left Dallas to find a new man. She’d left intending to live her life without any complications, which meant, of course, any male companionship. After what Robert Scanton had done to her, a vibrator was her new lifelong boyfriend. Who needed all the trouble a man brought when she could push a button and find relief?
Yeah, right.
A vibrator could relieve a little of the stress for a short time, but it didn’t keep her warm at night. It couldn’t listen to her worries and celebrate her joys. Still, it was a damn sight safer. At least a vibrator wouldn’t land her ass in jail again.
And yet, damn it, somehow the Hardwick men had grabbed hold of her thoughts, her body, and her emotions and twisted them all up.
Twisted up. That was what Babs called getting hooked on a man. She’d gotten twisted up good and hard by three very sexy, very manly cowboys. If she hadn’t gone through what she had, she would’ve already laid claim to them.
Get your head on right.
She groaned low in her throat. Keeping her mind on business and her new friends would get her past her obsession with the Hardwick men. At least, she hoped to hell they would. If they didn’t, she was screwed big time.
Screwed. Been there, done that.
Robert had screwed her, all right, putting the blame for his theft on her, and, God help her, she’d actually taken the fall for him.
She’d been a very gullible, very innocent nineteen-year-old when Robert, dark hair and sultry eyes, had come on to her at a club in Dallas. If she’d had half a brain back then, she would’ve pegged him right off the bat as an asshole. Instead, as so many young women did, she’d romanticized his arrogant attitude and believed she’d found the ultimate bad boy. A bad boy that, again, as so many young girls did, she convinced herself she could tame and turn into the perfect boyfriend and future husband.
Damn, but she’d been stupid.
By the time he’d taken advantage of her and stolen the keys to the small print shop where she worked, she was head-over-heels in love and couldn’t believe he’d set her up. He’d slunk into the shop and taken not only all the cash, but anything else of value he could pawn. When she’d come to work the next day and learned that the store had been robbed, she’d finally understood just how foolish she’d been.
With her heart torn out at Robert’s betrayal as well as the guilt eating at her for what she’d done to Mr. Abraham’s livelihood, she’d walked into the police station and told them everything. By then, however, Robert was long gone. The police and the District Attorney had chosen her to make an example of and to take to trial. Thankfully, she’d gotten lucky and had a decent court-appointed lawyer who’d made the judge see how she’d been tricked. He’d gotten her off with six months of time served in the county jail along with one year of probation.
The next year had been hell, living with friends who supported her emotionally as well as financially. Once her probation had been lifted, she’d gotten out of Dallas and away from the bad memories.
Driving through the beautiful north Georgia mountains, she’d found her way into the cozy, quaint town of Fate with its mom-and-pop shops and friendly citizens. Two days later, Babs had asked her to stay on and help her with the store.
Raven pushed the door open and stepped into Classy Cat. The small clothing boutique was in shambles, but that was to be expected. It wouldn’t be open for business for several days. “Betsy, are you here?”
What a difference a few hundred miles made. No shop in Dallas would ever be left open without someone manning the front. Yet in Fate, she’d noticed that everyone left not only their shop doors unlocked, but their homes unlocked and the keys in their car’s ignition. She’d once asked Babs how she could leave the store unlocked at night and the tiny woman had given her a strange look before replying. “If anyone needs something bad enough to break in and get it, then I’m happy to give it to them.” Raven had been so shocked at Bab’s answer that she hadn’t known what more to say.
But that was the way of Fate. The people were kind and generous with both their time and their possessions. It was only every once in a while that she’d see a harder side to them, usually when they thought one of their own was being mistreated. Although she’d seen several squabbles between different townspeople, as a whole, they were a protective bunch against any outsider. At least until they got to know the person. Then they started warming up fast.
“I’ll be there in a minute. Don’t look at the mess.”
That was Betsy, thinking she had to have all the stock in place before anyone could see the place. She’d even put up brown paper over the store’s windows to hide the mess.
Betsy hurried into the room like a human tornado. Although she was a large woman—“a big, beautiful woman, thank you very much”—she moved with grace and a natural sexiness Raven envied. Her brown hair framed her round face and her big eyes sparkled with a joy that was more than merely for show.
“Hey, Raven, I’m so glad to see you.”
“So can you put me to work?”
“You bet I can. You’ve got it.” Her laughter rang throughout the small room. “I’m only kidding. You’ve got your hands full at the store, but I appreciate the offer.”
“Seriously, Bets, if you want, I can swing by after work and help out. After all, I’m a professional sales person. Just ask Babs.”
Betsy snatched up a pile of colorful blouses and flung them onto the counter. “No, no.” Turning back to Raven, she was ready to do one of her favorite things. Gossip. “So? Got anything new to tell me?”
If anyone knew anything about what was happening in town, it was Betsy. She and Babs were running neck-and-neck as the town’s biggest gossips.
“Nope. Same old, same old.” It was both a lie and the truth. It was the truth because nothing really had changed. Yet it was also a lie, because she couldn’t help but feel like something extraordinary was ab
out to happen. But would it be a good thing or a bad thing?
“Uh-huh. I heard the Hardwick men came back into the store the day after we girls were there for lunch.”
She shouldn’t have been surprised. Even the smallest tidbit of news made it around town fast. She decided to play along. “So you heard about that, huh?”
Betsy took the bait, her eyes growing bigger as she leaned closer. “Ooh. Good deal. What’d they come in for? I mean, other than to see you.”
“Well…” she dropped her gaze and tried to act shy. “They came inside and I just knew the time had come. I couldn’t resist them any longer.”
“Yeah? Wow.” Incredibly, Betsy’s eyes grew even bigger.
“Yeah. It was freaking amazing. Drake picked me up and threw me on top of the counter. Then Dugan and Harrin ripped off my clothes.”
Betsy’s mouth parted in a silent oh. “You’re kidding. Then what?”
“They took me.” She fanned herself, playing up the role of ravished woman. “They got all over me. I swear there wasn’t a spot on my body they didn’t touch. God, Betsy, what these men can do with their hands and their tongues is nothing short of magical.”
“Tell me. Don’t leave any details out.”
“Then”—Raven paused for dramatic effect—“Old Man Alton came and joined in.”
Betsy jerked back. “What the hell? Eew.” Her eyes narrowed as she finally figured out what was going on. “Damn it. You really had me going.”
Raven laughed. She loved kidding Betsy, maybe a little too much at times. “Do you really think I’d let them tear off my clothes and take me right there in the store?”
Yet even as she denied it, an image of them doing exactly that played in her imagination. What if they actually wanted to? Would she let them? Her first answer was no, but the answer her suddenly throbbing pussy gave was a solid yes.
“Okay, maybe not, although it would be hard to resist giving in. I sure as hell wouldn’t blame you.”
“I told you. I’m not interested in having a relationship. Not with one man, much less three.”
“Uh-huh.” Betsy searched her as though she could already tell what was in Raven’s heart. “Haven’t you noticed? It’s not unusual for the women around here to have more than one man. So why not go for it?”
She had to go on the offensive before Betsy got her squirming. “Okay, Miss Thang. What about you?”
“What about me?” Betsy pivoted around and busied herself with the pile of blouses.
“Oh, bullshit. You know what I’m talking about, Betsy Cramer. What about your guys?”
“I don’t have any guys.”
“Here I go again. I’m calling bullshit on you twice now.” As much as Betsy wanted to deny it, she’d had a thing for a trio of hot cowboys of her own from the first day she’d set foot in town. “What about Scott Branton, Foster Rittenhouse, and their friend Billy Johnson?”
“Me? With them? There’s nothing going on between us.”
“But you’d like there to be.” Raven eased her way to the other side of the display table. “You know you want them. Why don’t you go after them?”
“Oh, really?” Betsy shot her a hard look. “I should go after them, but you’re not going to get your claws into your men?”
Claws? It was a strange way to put it, but the people in Fate often used odd phrases. She guessed Betsy and the rest of the new girls were picking up some of the local flavor.
“Again, I don’t want any men in my life. You’re the one who’s always talking about men. You’re the one who wants men in her life.”
“Maybe I do and maybe I don’t.”
“Betsy Cramer, one of the first things you told me when we met was how much you wanted to find real men. You wanted the opposite of the metrosexual types you’d met while living in New York City. Well, here’s your chance.”
Her friend let out a quick breath. “Okay, fine. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if we got together, but obviously, I’m not their type or they would’ve made a move by now.” She ran her hands along the sides of her curvaceous body. “I’m a niche product. It takes a special kind of man to handle all this.”
Although she laughed, Betsy suddenly looked down as though having to concentrate really hard to fold a blouse, but Raven knew better. Betsy acted like a proud larger woman, but she still felt insecure about her weight. It was sad, considering how gorgeous she was.
“I think you’re wrong. Maybe they’re just shy.”
“Now I’m calling bullshit on you.”
She doubted they were shy, too. “Okay, so how about this? How about we girls go to the Wolf’s Den and whoop it up? We could all use a girl’s night out, right? No thinking about men or work or anything except kicking up our heels and having some fun. How’s that sound?”
“Yeah. That’d be a lot of fun. I could use a break.”
“Great. We’ll get it set up. Until then, call me if you want some extra hands.” She hugged her friend. “I’d better get back before Babs docks my pay for taking too long.”
“Okay. Talk to you soon.”
She was at the door when Betsy added her own bit of advice.
“Raven?”
“Yes?”
“If your men do come into the store and throw you on top of the counter, you’d better damn well fuck their brains out, you hear?”
She smiled, knowing Betsy was joking. Or was she? “Yes, ma’am, I will.”
Closing the door behind her, she stopped as another rush of lust whipped into her. She dragged in a steadying breath. How could the Hardwick men turn her on without even being near her?
Would they ever make a real move? And if they did, would she toss her resolution to stay man-less out the door, or would she tear their clothes off, too?
* * * *
Raven stretched, loving the fact that she’d finally made it home to her rental house and had changed into a pair of loose shorts and her favorite old T-shirt. It had been a long day, running well past closing time since Babs had decided to do a “quick” inventory of the store’s stock. “Quick” turned out to take more than two hours past closing time.
The house was small, less than a thousand square feet, with a fold-down bed, tiny kitchenette, and a bathroom big enough to turn around in and not much else. Yet after spending time in a county jail sharing a cell with two other women, the place was heaven. Would she ever forget doing time, especially since she’d been tricked into becoming an accomplice? No. Would she ever forgive Robert for setting her up? No again, but she wasn’t about to let it affect her future. If only she could stop thinking about it and really put it in her past.
She cupped her hands around her iced tea. The wall unit air conditioner failed to keep the place cool, so she did her best not to eat or drink anything hot. She’d never liked tea much until she’d moved to Fate. Then Babs had shown her how to make real Southern-style sweet tea and she’d gotten hooked.
The scene outside her front window was beautiful. Although the house was located close to town, it was surrounded by trees, giving it the illusion of being deep in the woods. At first, the feeling of isolation had unnerved her. Now she loved it.
Something dark-colored moved between the trees. She wasn’t disturbed. Deer, rabbits, and even coyotes often came close to the house. They weren’t a threat to her and she wasn’t a threat to them.
Again, she saw the movement, noticing the splashes of dark gray. She squinted, studying the area as she placed her glass down on the tiled counter. If a different kind of animal had decided to pay her a visit, she wanted to see it. She loved nature and all its creatures.
Grabbing her camera she always left sitting on the kitchen table for times like these, she lifted it to her face and closed one eye. The scene from the viewfinder came into sharper focus as she adjusted the lens, using its telescopic feature.
Where are you? Don’t worry. I only want a photo.
She slid her view to the side, searching a little farther along the tre
e line. When she finally saw what was there, she almost dropped the camera.
Is that a wolf?
Although she knew there were a lot of wolves in the area, she’d yet to see one. She lowered the camera and blinked a couple of times, then brought it back for another look.
It was definitely a wolf, but not just any wolf. The wolf was larger than any wolf she’d ever seen. Gray fur mixed with black. She could picture herself standing beside it and having the top of its back reach as high as her ribcage. Judging by her height of five feet seven, the animal had to stand at least four feet tall.
“Holy shit. That’s one hell of a big wolf.”
Amber eyes stared at the house. Why was it staring at her home? She frowned, then looked harder. Why was it staring at her?
Unnerved, she put the camera down. Going to the pantry, she reached inside and got out the .22 rifle that had come with the rental house. She’d let Gardner Watson, the owner of the property, explain how to use the rifle and had practiced shooting paper targets to prove she could handle the weapon. Nonetheless, she’d never actually thought she’d ever use it.
She’d shoot a warning shot over its head and scare it off. After all, she wouldn’t want it eating any of the rabbits or deer that brightened her days. Making sure the gun was loaded and the safety was off, she eased out of her house and went to the end of the small wooden porch. The setting sun was heading down fast.
“Get out of here, wolf,” she shouted.
The wolf cocked his head to the side as though trying to understand her.
“Go on. Leave.” She lifted the rifle, though she had no intention of shooting directly at it, unless it came toward her, growling or snarling. Then she’d get back inside the house fast. Only if it cornered her would she allow herself to take its life.
She gazed down the barrel of the rifle and into the amber eyes. For a moment, she imagined she saw more in its eyes than simple animalism. She saw intelligence, an intelligence that seemed more human than wolf. Thrown, she squinted and looked harder. Why did she feel as though she’d seen that look before? The idea was ridiculous, but one she couldn’t shake.
