Reluctant Heat

by Jaden Sinclair

  “Is it over?” she mumbled the question against his chest, both fists holding onto his shirt.

  Fox closed his eyes and wished like hell he didn’t have to tell her that things were far from over. He knew the Fallens enough to know that Ben wouldn’t let it go, and neither would his father. Thomas Fallen had already been ripped off, in his mind, by the Laswells once. Fox was pretty sure he wouldn’t let it happen again.

  “I don’t think so,” Fox sighed in her hair.

  Lindsey pulled out of his hold, tears covering her bruised cheeks. “Why? What does he want with me?”

  “To hurt me.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense,” she sniffed, wiping the tears away but only fresh ones fell as she walked away. “I’ve been nothing but a friend to you and the rest of your family. How can doing this to me hurt you?” Her fright was being replaced by growing anger.

  Fox didn’t close the distance between them. He stood there, letting her vent as much as she wanted. But then, once more, he wondered about how much to tell her right now. He knew without a doubt that Ben has been the one scaring her with the notes. The same scent he’d picked up around her house was on her when Ben assaulted her. Even now it lingered on her body, making him slightly sick. However he also knew that the truth was what she needed. No more bullshit lies, or protecting crap. She needed the truth if she was going to move forward with him now. She needed to understand that with that mark now upon her shoulder many things were going to changed. Even the things between them.

  “I’m one hundred percent sure that Ben is the one who’s been leaving you the notes.” She hugged herself, all attention fixed on him. “And he’s been the one hanging around your place, in your house and room.”

  “I don’t understand,” she whispered.

  “Ben knows about the kisses, Lindsey. He saw me in your house. Saw me touching you and kissing you. He was outside the house. He knows I have feelings for you.”

  “But you don’t.”

  Fox closed that distance then, pulling her once more into his arms. He sighed against the top of her head. “But I do.”

  Again she pulled away, shaking her head, moving toward the door. “No. we both know the kiss was a mistake.”

  “Maybe the first one, but can you stand there and say the second was?” he asked, turning around to face her. “Because I’m going to tell you it wasn’t. The first might’ve been, but I don’t think it was either. It woke me up inside.”

  “I don’t know what that means.”

  “It means my eyes are open. I don’t see you as a sister, or just some girl. I see a woman standing in front of me, and to be a bit blunt, I see my woman.”

  “You don’t know what you’re saying,” she muttered.

  “I know exactly what I’m saying.”

  “Fox?” Skyler came in and stood in the doorway. “Let’s give her a break. She needs to get some rest.”

  With a bit of difficulty he nodded towards his mother, but before he left he went up to Lindsey, stroked her hair then leaned her down and kissed the top of her head.

  “Don’t worry,” he said low to her. “Things will work out.”

  He left and his mother closed the door behind him. Fox stood outside of it, not moving for a few minutes, letting everything that happened sink in.

  “You okay?” Alex asked.

  “More so than her,” Fox answered. He went down the stairs and toward the front door.

  “Where you going now?” Alex asked again.

  “To get her things from the house.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  Fox nodded and went out the front door. Alex drove.

  The house was just as the group left it. Broken. When he walked into the front room again, memories of it all came back, angering Fox all over. He could still smell Ben in the place.

  “Don’t think about it,” Alex told him. “It’s only going to piss you off all over again.”

  Fox left his brother and headed for her room. He didn’t look at the bed. Instead he went to work at taking all of her clothes and putting them first in her beaten up suitcases, then the rest in bags. After packing the clothes he went to work on other things she had. Pictures, jewelry, other personal items. They all went into the bags. With that room done, he brought it all out to the living room where Alex stood looking over what seemed like bills.

  “She’s losing the house,” Alex said, handing him a paper and reading the next. “Her father mortgaged it then sold it out from under her.”

  “That sounds like him.” Fox read over the paper.

  “Yeah, well all the money he made from the sale of it is going to court costs.” Alex looked up then with another paper toward Fox. “He’s in a Mexican jail for smuggling drugs this time. I don’t think he’s going to be getting out any time soon.”

  “Shit.” Fox took that paper, scanning over it quickly. “I doubt she was going to tell us about this either.”

  “I called Ash and Dominic to come help us,” Alex said. “Pack it all up. You can put her furniture on the boat, and the dishes. Why don’t you take her clothes and stuff back to the house? We’ve got the rest.” Fox opened his mouth to protest, but Alex cut him off. “You need to be back at the house, Fox. Being here and seeing what Ben’s done is only going to piss you off again. I can handle this.”

  Alex was right and Fox knew it. Just standing in the living room had him wanting to drop it all and go back to Fallen’s place and kick the shit out of Ben again. So in agreement, he picked up her things from the bedroom and loaded them up in the truck. By the time he finished Dominic and Ash showed up in a truck and long trailer.

  He drove back home in a daze. Pulling up his father stood outside waiting for him.

  “More trouble?” Fox asked.

  “Sort of,” Adrian answered. “Thomas Fallen made a call to the Cabinet demanding they step in on the claim.”

  “Shit.”

  “I think they would’ve, if I hadn’t also called and pointed out she had been marked by you.”

  “There’s a but in this, right?”

  “Yeah, they were going to side with Ben on grounds you stole her. So I sent them a few photos I took of the beating. I explained to them that you walked in just as Ben was getting ready to rape a human. They’re not too happy with that. Your claim stands, so you don’t have any trouble with the Cabinet on this matter. With Ben however, I’m not so sure.”

  “You think he’s going to start trouble?”

  “He’s a Fallen. Trouble comes with him. Let’s take a walk.” Adrian came down from the porch and strolled in a lazy manner towards the water. Fox followed. “I never really told you all what happened between me and Thomas Fallen. Not something I really want my kids to do or follow in my steps.” He slipped his hands into the front of his jean pockets and looked to the left where Fox followed. “And yet I think couple of you might.”

  “So you’re going to tell me now?”

  Adrian nodded. “It’s time,” he sighed. “I’m not sure what’s the worst way to claim a mate. Have her summoned to a Gathering, like Dominic did, take as your Uncle Stefan did, or my way which was going behind everyone’s’ back and just telling the Cabinet that this female is my mate and give me my claim.” Adrian stopped and turned to Fox. “I put my claim on your mother without telling anyone in her family, even my best friends.”

  “Dad, we know this. Uncle Stefan and Uncle Dedrick told us already.”

  “But did they tell you that your mother was also dating Thomas Fallen at the time?” One eyebrow went up. “Didn’t think so.”

  “That’s the history?” Fox gasped.

  Adrian turned and began his walk again. “Some, yet, I played dirtier than Fox. I did all the wrong things when it came to your mother and it almost cost me it all, even though I did end up putting my mark on her.” Onto the small dock he went, stopping at the edge, staring out at the water as if remembering the past.

  “Wow.”

  “Yeah, well
the Fallens play dirty also.” Again Adrian turned to face Fox. “Thomas shot me with the hopes that I’d die and he could have your mother then. He took her and I had to go get her, wounded, because that sneaky bastard used copper. I’m telling you this son because you need to watch your back. Ben is crueler than his father. He’s not going to let this go.”

  “What do I do then?”

  Adrian put his hand upon Fox’s shoulder. “You protect what is yours. Protect her at all cost and keep your eyes open. It also wouldn’t hurt for you to take her away from here for a few days. I’ll get Alex to help you with the boat. She needs time to heal also and you need to get your head together.”

  Together they stayed at the dock a bit longer, then headed back to the house. Adrian helped unload the truck of Lindsey’s clothes. Darian and Lyssa took some up to the room and Fox sat down finally at the table, tired. His stomach started growling, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten a thing yet.

  “How’s she doing?” he asked the second his mother walked into the kitchen.

  “I gave her something to help her sleep and for any pain,” Skyler answered. “She should be better in the morning once she’s had some good rest.” His stomach rumbled again. “Let me get you something to eat.”

  She warmed up the leftovers and he ate, and instead of going up and checking on her or heading to his boat, he crashed on the sofa.

  * * * *

  Ben paced back and forth in his father’s office, half listening to what was being said over the phone over the Laswells fucking him over with whom he wanted to mate.

  He had to get even. Those fuckers have no right treating his family like this. They may have screwed over his father years ago, but Ben will be damned if they do it to him. No way! He was not going to just go away. No, payback was coming in the worst way possible.

  First he would deal with Laswell. That son of a bitch would heel like the dog he was before Ben’s feet and, right before Ben finished him off, he’d make sure that Fox Laswell saw just what kind of things Ben could do to that bitch.

  “The Cabinet won’t step in,” Thomas Fallen said, slamming the phone down, snapping Ben out of his thoughts. “Spineless bastards.”

  “Don’t worry, Father,” Ben said. For some strange reason he felt very calm right then. In control of himself and his animal. “I’ll take care of Laswell this time.”

  “And just how do you plan on doing that?” Thomas snapped.

  “My way this time,” Ben answered. “All my way.”

  “Is that so?” Thomas advanced on him, and surprisingly enough Ben stayed calm. He felt like a different male right then. “And who the hell do you think—”

  Ben didn’t give his father a chance to finish his statement. He grabbed his father by his throat turned and slammed him up against the wall with a snarl. “This is my fight!” he said low and deadly. “I’ll fight it and you will stay the hell out of it. You had your chance, now it’s mine. I’ll bring Laswell to his knees. That whole fucking family will feel my wrath!” With a jerk he tossed his father away behind him.

  Thomas held onto his throat, gasping for air. Ben turned and walked away but came to a dead halt when he heard his father laughing.

  “Now you become a man,” his father rasped out, stumbling as he got back to his feet. “My son!”

  Ben turned with a frown, not understanding why his father would be smiling after his son just attacked him.

  “Only when the son turns on the father will he truly be the son. Now you are ready.”

  “For?”

  “For the true animal to come out.” He reached for the phone, picked it up, and dialed a number. Ben stood there, not understanding what the hell was going on. “He’s ready.”

  Chapter Eight

  Lindsey stood by the window watching the sun rise, hugging herself, trying to understand what happened in the past twenty-four hours. Everything changed so fast for her she couldn’t decide if it was for the better or worse yet.

  When the sun touched her arm, she turned from the window and left the room as quietly as she could. Lyssa still slept and from the looks of the girl she hadn’t come to bed until very late. Probably because Lindsey was in her bed.

  The house was quiet as she left the room, closing the door behind her. She spotted Fox below on the sofa, sleeping deeply with a cover draped over him. Maybe Skyler did that, before she herself called it a night.

  As she walked down the steps, she wondered where she should go. She didn’t belong here, not really. She sort of had a home, at least for a few more days. Maybe she could take what little money she had, get a bus ticket, and just go away.

  Lindsey stopped when she looked into the kitchen and saw Dominic sitting at the kitchen table, reading the paper.

  “Morning,” he said, not looking up from his paper.

  She had to clear her throat to speak up. “Morning.”

  “Coffee?” he asked, finally snapping the paper closed, smiling up at her. Before she could answer, Dominic was up and moving to the pot brewing on the counter. “I know you’re more than likely going to say no, so I’m going to fix you a special one I do for Darian.” He winked over his shoulder at her. “She doesn’t like the stuff either. Sit down.”

  Lindsey stumbled a moment then sat down at the table. Dominic finished what he was doing and put a cup before her, taking his seat once more and picking up the paper.

  “You’re up early,” she said, keeping an eye on him.

  He nodded. “Um-huh.”

  “Do you always get up this early?”

  “Sometimes. Try it. Promise you’ll like it.”

  Lindsey picked up the cup and took a small sip. Vanilla mixed with cinnamon touched her tongue and she couldn’t help but smile.

  “Told you so,” he said, with the paper still covering his face.

  They sat in silence, him reading the paper, her drinking the special coffee. Only when she finished did he put the paper down and face her. “Get any sleep at all?”

  Lindsey shrugged her shoulder, “Mrs. Laswell gave me something to help me sleep, but it didn’t last.”

  “You know they’re here for you.”

  She couldn’t look at him. Fear of him being able to see the thought of her running away prevented it. No one had ever been here for her. Not even her father after her mother died. He’d turned to a bottle forgetting that there was another hurting just like him.

  Dominic reached out and took her hand, giving it a little squeeze before letting it go and standing back up. He took his and her cup, filled hers, and set it down again in front of her.

  “Well, you should at least know by now how stubborn us males can be,” he went on. “Fox is just as stubborn.”

  “I know.”

  “Do you?” He stopped what he was doing and turned around, cup in hand. “We don’t mate or mark for the hell of it.” That had her looking up at him. “He cares for you, or he wouldn’t have put his mark on you. Trust me when I tell you this.”

  “No one’s cared about me before, Dominic,” she said low. “I don’t know how to let anyone either.”

  “Well, how about just starting with the small stuff.”

  “Huh?”

  He gave a nod in the direction of the front room where Fox slept. “Sometimes just a small touch or a little comfort goes a long way. It’s hard for us to stay away from our mates when they’re hurting.”

  It took a few seconds for what he said to sink it and once it did Lindsey stood up, moved away from the table, and found herself standing next to the sofa. It wasn’t a small sofa either, but one of those wide ones that, if you had to two, could easily lay down on it. Lindsey stared down at Fox for some time before pulling the cover that was draped over him back a bit, and then she lay down next to him, curling up on his side. Instantly, Fox’s arm went around her as he snuggled his tugged her against his side, settling his head onto the top of her head. He sighed, and she found herself also sighing, eyes drifting closed, body relaxing against his. S
trange how she felt safe in his arms. How it all felt right just then. When she turned to her side towards him she snuggled closer to his chest, to the warmth of his body. Both arms went around him and she drifted off into the sleep that had refused to come.

  How long she slept, she didn’t know. When next she opened her eyes, Lindsey sat up on the sofa with the disoriented feeling, panic gripping her hard. It took several minutes for things to come back to her and when she touched the side of her face she flinched at the tenderness.

  “I was starting to think you’d never wake up.” Darian stood there with a smile on her face and the smell of food hit her stomach. It growled. “You’re hungry. Come on.”

  Lindsey tossed the blanket off and got up. She went into the kitchen where Lyssa and Skyler were fixing something.

  “What time is it?” Lindsey asked.

  “After noon,” Skyler answered.

  Lindsey sighed. “Man. I’ve slept most of the day away.”

  “You needed it,” Skyler said with a kind smile. “Just like you need food in your stomach,” she added as she put a plate down in front of her, filled with a roasted chicken breast, new potatoes, mixed vegetables and a roll.

  “I’m not sure I can eat,” Lindsey said, staring down at the plate.

  “Eat some,” Skyler said. “You need something in your stomach or you’re going to make yourself sick.”

  Lindsey nodded, picked up her knife and fork, and cut into the chicken. With the first bite her stomach didn’t roll but growled for more. She ate almost half of the chicken before stopping and looking up at them.

  “Where’s everyone at?” she asked.

  “Dominic is with Dad,” Darian answered. “They still have a few more boats to put up until bills are paid, and I think Fallen is coming to pick his up.” Darian looked over at her mother who nodded.

  “He paid the bill this morning,” Skyler said. “Shocked us all.”

  “And the other two?” Lindsey asked.

  “Alex and Fox are installing the kitchen on the boat,” Skyler answered her. “It’s our gift to you both.”