by Cecilia Lane
“And a sloppy kiss while I’m at it?” Gray winked at Meghan.
Leah shrugged. “I’d watch that.”
Gray laughed and pushed his way out of the bar with a final wave and, “Good luck.”
Then Leah turned and Meghan felt like a trapped animal. “So what brings a former child star to this neck of the woods?”
“So you know who I am?”
“It spread around town this morning. Nothing is secret here, believe me. What can I get you?”
All the more reason to hightail it out of Bearden. But, there wasn’t much harm in a last drink and bartender therapy. She’d watched tons of movies with the exact same scenario and she could do with experiencing it herself. “Can I have a strawberry martini? I needed a place to lie low after I walked out on my fiancé.”
“How about I make you a regular martini and we pretend it’s flavored. I’m working for fancy drink heathens.” At Meghan’s nod, Leah set to work and soon shoved a drink across the bar. “What’s his name? I can arrange for some flaming bags of turds to wind up on his doorstep.”
Meghan giggled and took a sip. “Bentley Moore. And if you keep these drinks coming, I’ll even give you the address.”
“Bentley Moore?” Leah yelped. All trace of kidding around faded and she turned serious. “I’d keep that quiet if I were you.”
Meghan’s brows shot together. She knew he wasn’t a fan of the supernatural and she certainly didn’t want to get branded with his attitude, but that seemed like an extreme reaction. “Why does it matter?”
Leah hesitated for a split second, then plucked a crumpled paper out from behind the bar. She grimaced as she smoothed out the sheet and passed it over to Meghan. “This is why. Don’t tell Gray. He doesn’t need to know these popped up this morning.”
Meghan glanced down, then did a double-take. Gray’s face stared back at her from a mug shot photo.
“Your ex is responsible for these things. Links get plastered all over social media, dickholes in the human towns around us print them out and stick them all over the place. They try to frame it as a notice of the dangerous elements in the enclave to warn away tourists. It’s worse for loners in the cities, I hear. They get treated like sex offenders.”
Meghan covered her mouth with a hand. Graham Jennings seemed like such a nice, though a bit wild, man. His rap sheet didn’t disabuse that notion. He had a handful of arrests for public drunkenness, with the most recent listing almost a year ago. The couple property damage charges from his younger years sounded like pranks taken too far.
“How?” She let the paper fall from her fingers. She felt sick. Bentley had gone too far. She was an idiot to not see it.
Leah raised a shoulder in a shrug. “Public records. Enclave records are as open as anywhere else in the country, now. Those link in with registration records. As soon as one of us hits the rolls, these get printed up. Welcome to the surveillance state.”
And now Bentley had a specific name and face to target. He’d been thwarted and she desperately hoped he’d leave her alone. But that was before she knew he was stoking the flames of public opinion and the lengths he’d go to get her home. Gray was just his latest victim and further dragged into being a pawn for his games.
Gray just tried to save her. He didn’t deserve any of this. None of them did.
“Do we need to worry about him escalating?”
“I don’t think so… But I didn’t know he was doing this.” She jabbed a finger on the paper. “I thought he was just pro-human.”
Leah crossed her arms over her chest and fixed her with an appraising stare. “And your thoughts on all that?”
“I left him after he said I was offending his guests at our rehearsal dinner. I said I thought everyone deserved to be who they are without fear.”
Leah’s nostrils flared before she nodded in approval.
Meghan hoped with all her heart she was right. Bentley was so far off her mind. Gray took up too much space. He was brash and rough and she liked his easy honesty. He spoke his mind and didn’t think she was an idiot.
Well, that part wasn’t strictly true. He definitely questioned her decision to have anything to do with Bentley. But he didn’t put her down in a mean way.
She had to find a way to make up for Bentley’s actions. It seemed impossible to fix the situation for everyone, but she could at least try for Gray.
Chapter 7
Gray drummed his fingers against the wheel and tried to get his head and his bear under control. His mind ran a mile a minute and he didn’t know what to do about Meghan or his inner animal.
It was disgusting, really. He wasn’t a deep thinker. He acted. Impulsively or on instinct, that was how he lived. He was a doer. It made him comfortable with his lot in the clan. He didn’t want to lead like Callum. He didn’t want to babysit everyone’s emotions like Cole. He took his orders, complained about them from dawn till dusk, and acted.
Meghan was a complication he didn’t need. He didn’t know which way to turn with her, so he twisted the key in the ignition and pulled away from the bar.
She was his mate. That much was clear. He’d come out of his bear’s stupor to make sure she was safe. And every second he’d stayed apart from her since had been pure misery. He hadn’t gotten any sleep even after Callum ran him to exhaustion. His alpha set himself up on his couch to prevent Gray from sneaking out again. While it kept his bear locked inside his human form, it did nothing to soothe the agitation of Gray’s mind.
Keeping apart was a safer misery than knowing that he’d hurt or frighten her. With his bear stealing his skin anytime he shut his eyes, it was only a matter of time before he did both to Meghan.
His bear tore at his insides and pushed for control right then. Gray gritted his teeth and yanked back on the animal. He’d ruined enough of his home with spontaneous shifts. He wasn’t about to ruin the interior of his truck. The asshole under his skin could just deal. He had to stay away from Meghan.
He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he harmed one dark hair on her gorgeous head.
But that was taking his want of her to a conclusion then seemed impossible. She was tied up in some massive bullshit. Even setting aside her connection to Bentley fucking Moore, she was from a world that he didn’t know. She had a huge life compared to tiny Bearden. Hollywood didn’t set foot in his world except when he caught the occasional movie. And he was a firefighter, not some slick and groomed playboy. His idea of fun involved getting dirty or drunk, and usually a combination of the two. She probably spent all her days primping for nights at fancy parties.
Everything about her shouted to proceed with caution. It was a problem at his very core. He didn’t take caution. He didn’t consider. He just did and trusted life would work out in the end.
And what if he tried to act? Ladies liked things to happen at the right moment. They needed time to think and consider. Meghan was supposed to be married. He couldn’t just storm into her life, tell her they were fated to be together, and by the way, he was likely going to be put down by the end of the year or stick claws in her while she slept. That’d woo her, for sure.
Then there was Bentley, that fucker, wanting her back. The man was a ruiner of lives and another reason why Gray couldn’t get involved with Meghan. Could he really accept a woman into his life who’d been remotely comfortable tying herself to a man like Bentley Moore? She was all smiles and delicious scents, but she was an actress. Lying came naturally.
His bear growled and Gray did nothing to quiet the noise. He’d seen the latest rap sheet with his face on it. Which meant something about Tawny was likely being printed up. The clan tried to keep his sheet hidden from him but he saw it anyways. Even thinking about it pissed him off and heated his blood. All the details of his life were boiled down to his mistakes and then plastered up for everyone to see.
All at Bentley fucking Moore’s order.
How much of Meghan’s denial of Bentley were simply lines being fed to him? She co
uld easily be some snooty Hollywood tourist. His bear slashed inside his mind. The animal didn’t like thinking poorly of Meghan. She was their mate, and dangerous because of it. One good taste of her and he’d be hooked forever. He couldn’t handle some quickie layover before she jetted off for a lavish lifestyle as someone’s trophy wife.
His growl turned into a snarl. He wanted to bleed that fucker Bentley for messing with his life, his sister’s life, and making Meghan feel like she had to run away to leave him. His gums ached as his fangs tried to descend. Pain tightened his muscles and his joints throbbed. The blinding agony was enough to curb his bear’s need to push forward. After a moment, Gray was able to breathe normally.
His lack of control was the first and final reason he couldn’t be with Meghan. He’d hurt her. Maybe not the first night, maybe not even in the first month, but at some point, he would lose his mind and she’d be in the way.
Gray was no closer to accepting his lonely fate when he finally pulled to a stop behind the firehouse. He kicked open the door and slammed it hard enough to make the truck rock. He panted hard, angry breaths and clenched and unclenched his fists as he stormed back into the building.
His alpha eyed him sharply from where he read over some paperwork at the far end of their mess table, but didn’t say a word. The others of his clan weren’t as smart.
“Where the fuck did you disappear?” Sawyer demanded. “We were supposed to polish up the rest of the windows before lunch.”
The few remains of the meal were being scraped into the trash under Nolan’s supervision. That was how the meals worked. Nolan cooked and everyone else was responsible for cleaning up. Not only did Gray miss lunch by dealing with Bentley’s bullshit, but there were no leftovers to be had. Such a small thing, but it made an already terrible day worse.
“Something came up,” Gray said as an apology. He ground his teeth together. It wasn’t much of one but Sawyer had his back up with the questioning as soon as he was through the door. Didn’t these fuckers ever use their noses? He reeked of frustration and fury.
“Could you give me some warning next time?”
“Yeah, sure. You want me to let you know the next time I go pump one off too?” Gray jerked off the air in front of his crotch and grimaced in Sawyer’s direction.
Sawyer made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat and motioned toward the engine bay. “Load up. We got groceries to get for the week.”
That was his out. He could fall back in line, load up into the engine, and go about the day. But his bear stole away much-needed sleep, Meghan’s attackers pushed him to fight, and Bentley fucking Moore made him want to bleed something. He didn’t have sweet, loving arms to smooth down his rough edges at the end of the day. All he had was more of the same.
Gray wanted to fight.
He crossed his arms over his chest and grabbed a few apples from the bowl Rylee had placed in their kitchen. Cole’s shy little mate insisted they all eat a bit healthier. When that plan didn’t happen, she finagled promises of one piece of fruit per day.
Meghan likely had a whole host of people telling her what to eat and when. She wouldn’t put up with a diet of barbecue and beer. She probably liked ridiculous things like Tofurky or sham-hams.
He threw the first apple into the air, followed quickly by the other two. He kept his eyes on the pattern, catching and tossing faster and faster. “You go ahead,” he told Sawyer. “I’ve got shit to do here.”
An irritated growl reached his ears. He took perverse pleasure in making the quietest of them snap. Sawyer was easy-going and never questioned anyone. Never provoked a fight. Not like the others who were down to brawl if the wind blew funny.
“Gray…,” Callum warned.
Even Nolan, his closest friend since high school, ducked his head and didn’t meet his eyes. Nolan had been the easiest one to needle but that changed once he mated Becca. Now he found reasons not to fight, probably because he didn’t want to leave his mate a widow before his cubs were born.
“Yeah, I think I’m going to do this for a little while. When I get bored, maybe I’ll take a nap. Had a real rough night, you see. Then, of course, I’ll need to shower, shave, and get ready to pick up your mother for our night out on the town.”
Sawyer charged across the kitchen and caught him in his middle with his shoulder. They went down in a heap and then three apples crashed on to them. They snarled and lashed out with fists, trying to land blows and force the other to submit.
His bear pushed forward. His gums ached. He wanted to bite and rip and tear. He wanted to taste blood on his tongue and feel bone crunch between his jaws.
Sawyer’s snarled curses and his own pounding blood were loud in his ears. So loud, he didn’t hear Callum’s command to stop fighting until they were hauled away from each other.
“Stop!” Callum roared.
Gray wiped away the blood from his busted lip. His lungs heaved as he tried to suck in calming air. He brushed hair out of his eyes and found everyone staring at him. His alpha’s eyes glowed gold and disapproval set his jaw.
Fuck. Too far. Too fucking far.
Callum pointed a finger at Sawyer and Hudson. “Grocery run. Now.” Then he rounded on Gray. “Out of my firehouse. Go get your head on straight.”
Gray said nothing, offered no words of defense. He stalked out of the firehouse, ripping his shirt over his head in the process. He threw his clothes and boots into the back of his truck and let his bear take his skin.
Chapter 8
Meghan hummed to herself as she stepped out of her car and made her way toward the rental office. Leah had called ahead to make sure somebody would be there. The Rough Wood Cabins were newly opened and in need of guinea pigs for their accommodations. Or, as Leah put it, they were quiet and private for somebody looking to get away from it all.
It was a little nerve-wracking, to be honest. She hadn’t been alone in the woods when someone attempted to grab her. Leah offered assurances that somebody would be watching. Meghan quashed the hope that her protector would be in the form of an irreverent man with a sexy smile. As much as she wanted to make up for Bentley’s actions, she thought it best to keep her distance from Gray Jennings. She could help without interacting or getting attached. Her mood faltered and her humming ceased. She rubbed her hand over her heart, unsure of why it ached so suddenly.
The office looked like a smaller version of the cabins she could see winding up the road. Inside was quiet and empty. Meghan cleared her throat but even that didn’t summon someone to the desk. She peered into the back room and started to worry she’d been led astray.
Bentley would have thrown a hissy fit over the wait. Meghan decided to stick it out. “Hello?” she called.
There was a small curse and what sounded like a mug hitting the bottom of a sink. A woman looking slightly younger than her own twenty-four years rushed out, tucking her cell phone in her back pocket. “Sorry, so sorry. Was just trying to get a quick bite. Are you our guest?”
“That’s me. I need a short-term rental for the week.” It wasn’t the full length of her stay, but it was all Leah could get her to compromise. If she wasn’t snatched from her bedroom or driven out of town through her association with Bentley, she would consider staying longer.
The girl hefted Meghan’s credit card in her hands and her eyes went a little wide. “Whoa. Are you, like, famous or something?”
Meghan pressed her lips together and tried not to laugh. She’d been recognized more times in Bearden than she had on the street or on campus in the last five years. “Oh, I haven’t acted in a few years.”
“I knew it! You were on some show, weren’t you? I used to watch it with my sister.” She slid the card through her machine and handed it back. “Plus, no one around here has one of these fancy metal cards.”
Meghan made a polite noise and tucked the card away. The girl disappeared into the back for a second more and returned with a set of keys.
“Now, we’re planning on havi
ng breakfast and some tours of the mountainside, but you dropped in before we were ready for all that.”
“That’s fine,” Meghan said. “I have groceries. Looking forward to some quiet, too.”
“Well, if you need anything, ask for me. Rainie. You’re in the last cabin up the road.”
Meghan took her keys and beat a fast path out the door. The first thing she did after she set the few bags of groceries on the kitchen counter and dropped her luggage near the bedroom door was throw open the curtains leading to the deck.
Meghan gasped. The cabins were on the west side of a mountain and perfectly positioned to see the sunset. The sky was a mix of purples and pinks with long, fluffy clouds adding to the picturesque transition from day to night.
She pushed out onto her deck and felt a sense of serenity descend over her. Other than the girl running the check-in counter, no other people were around. The only sounds she heard came from the trees surrounding the cabin. It was so peaceful compared to the rush of traffic and dull hum of voices that seemed a constant in the city.
She spent all afternoon spilling her guts to Leah. After two drinks, her bartender and newly minted life coach convinced her to give Bearden a try. Looking at that sunset and listening to the rustling of leaves, Meghan was glad she agreed.
Not wanting to lock herself inside, she quickly unpacked her meager groceries and poured herself a glass of wine to take back onto the porch. She pulled up one of the provided deck chairs and propped her feet up on the railing. She felt like a million bucks. All the pressure and weight that came from the wedding and imploding relationship drifted away. She could even forget her narrow brush with abduction if she worked at it.
Just under a month and her life would be entirely her own. She had her new career and trust divestment to look forward to. Both would give her the independence she sorely needed. And, if she was honest with herself, she wanted to prove her success and stick it in her mother’s and Bentley’s faces.
