“You’re just now telling us about this?” Alex smarted off.
“I didn’t want it to land on your shoulders,” Dominic sighed. “There isn’t too much really to tell either. The people that are doing this are keeping themselves very low key. Hell, one of my friends knows more than any of us, and that’s only because he was taken for a short amount of time.”
“Why short?” Adrian asked.
“Because he’s mean as hell and got away,” Dominic answered. “I had planned after the summer was over to address the Cabinet and give them everything I have. Between this new group trying to overturn our Cabinet and then you have this sex trade—”
“Wait a second, a sex trade?” Alex said.
“The males they keep they use as sex slaves,” Dominic said. “And for the most part, those males are seen again.”
“Shit,” Alex hissed.
“I didn’t want to ruin the summer!” Dominic added quickly.
“I understand that,” Adrian said. “But we needed to know about this new group of males out there. If they’re here, or even a few of them, then others need to be warned. Those killers are following them.”
“Oh, my god, you didn’t!” Darian’s voice broke the tension in the room. Lindsey gasped when Darian yanked her hand from Fox’s arm. “Lindsey!” she squealed. “Mom, look! They’re getting married.”
Skyler came closer, saw the ring, and had Lindsey in her arms, hugging her tight. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks,” Lindsey managed to get out.
“It’s so pretty,” Darian said, still holding Lindsey’s hand and looking at the ring.
“Do you have a date yet?” Skyler asked.
“No,” Lindsey said. “It just happened last night.”
“I would like it to be in two weeks,” Fox added.
“Oh, yes,” Skyler nodded, “before the full moon.” She cocked her head to the side. “It could be done. We can keep it small, which will help with the time. Just family and stuff. Oh, you’ll need to give me a list of who to call, Lindsey, from your side.” Skyler went over to a drawer and brought out some paper and a couple of pens. She sat down at the table and started to write.
“I don’t have anyone,” Lindsey said, which stopped Skyler midstride. “My dad’s in jail, mom’s dead. You all have pretty much been my family,” she said, shrugging her shoulders.
“Well, then, if you don’t mind, I’ll play mother to the bride,” Skyler gave her a wink. “And I’ll make sure you have a wedding you won’t forget.”
Tears came to Lindsey’s eyes as she smiled. She barely got the ‘Thank you’ out before they fell.
“I’ll get my brothers here,” Dominic said to her.
“If we only have two weeks, then we better get to shopping,” Darian said. “Oh, and let’s go tell Jewels. Do you know what colors you want?”
Everyone started talking at once and the room felt like it was spinning by the time Darian pulled her out of the house and into the truck. They headed for Jewels to give her the news. After that, shopping. Lindsey knew it was going to be one busy day.
* * * *
“Now what didn’t you tell us, now that the girls are gone?” Fox asked his father.
Adrian stared at Fox for what felt like hours before sitting back in his chair, arms crossing over his chest. “The scent that was picked up was very faint. He didn’t even think he picked it up, or I should say he questioned his sense of smell. And before you got ape shit nuts on me, remember there isn’t proof yet.”
“I’m listening,” Fox said.
“It might be Fallen,” Adrian finished.
“Son of a bitch!” Fox was out of the chair, his anger boiling over. “Can’t that bastard leave us alone?”
“My brother called me this morning with another name on the list. Fallen is it,” Dominic added. “Seems the word is getting out there and more of the upper class families are joining this new Cabinet. They want things to go back the way they were.”
“Is it Ben or his father?” Fox asked Adrian.
“Don’t know,” Adrian answered. “They’re scents are close and with the one out there being so faint, there is no way of telling.”
“I’m going to put my money on Ben,” Fox said. “He wants Lindsey.”
“You might be right,” Adrian said, “which is why I’m going to suggest you keep her close—always. Don’t let her know it could be Ben. She’s still very shaky when it comes to him, and I can’t blame her. We’re going to keep our eyes open, let the girls plan the wedding, then afterwards, you take her away on the boat for a few days. Call it a human honeymoon. They always go away for what, a week, or so?” He looked at Dominic who only shrugged.
“Yeah, I can do that.” Fox nodded. “I’ll get to work on making sure the boat is up for it. Still working on the engine.”
“I’ll give you a hand,” Alex added. “We’ve got things caught up in the shop.”
“Okay then,” Adrian said. “That’s our plan. Dominic will keep his ears open and we’ll do the eye work. Guess we need to get the yard ready for a wedding.”
Chapter Fourteen
“I don’t think I’ve done this much shopping in my whole life.” Lindsey slumped down at the table where the four women ate a quick bite of lunch. They had been shopping none stop since leaving the house.
Renting tables, tents, ordering large amounts of everything, including food, linens, and the list just kept on going. Their first stop, however, was to see Jewels. Once Lindsey showed her the ring, Jewels became just about as excited as Lindsey. And since Jewels and Darian were her only two real close friends, they were going to be in the wedding. That also meant Lindsey had to think about the color she wanted and she had no clue for the dresses.
After lunch was over they returned to shopping and ordering. While Skyler went to work planning the food, Darian took Lindsey to a store that sold very sexy lingerie. Admitting to herself that she did need some new panties, she went without protest. When they found her in the back of the store, Jewels had in her hand a pale blue teddy that you could see right through.
“Something blue,” Jewels shrugged with a bit of a smile on her face.
“You don’t expect me to wear that, do you?” Lindsey half laughed, feeling very uncomfortable at the moment.
“Under the wedding dress, I do,” Jewels said. “Be a special treat when he helps you take the dress off.”
“Can we find the dress first?” Darian said. “Hell, the teddy might not work if Lindsey chooses a backless dress. That’ll show.”
“Stop fighting,” Skyler said. “It’s pretty, and it’s getting late.” She handed a three binder notebook to Lindsey. “The baker told me that if you can pick any one of these cakes then they will be ready for the wedding without any problems.”
“Okay,” Lindsey mumbled, trying to hold onto the books and her small bundle of panties.
“We should try to find a dress, or at least get your measurements,” Skyler went on. She looked at her wristwatch, shaking her head. “Not going to have time to fix dinner. Jewels? Why don’t you take Lindsey down to the store to at least get her measurements, and Darian can go with me to get something for dinner. You’re invited of course.”
“I think I can handle that,” Jewels said with a smile.
“Good.” Skyler again looked at her watch. “Let’s meet back at the truck in an hour. Should give us enough time to load up some food for the guys.”
“It’s a plan.” Jewels saluted Skyler before hooking her arm through Lindsey’s and pulled her up to the counter.
She paid for her things and Jewels went ahead and got the teddy. She said, just in case, and pointed out Lindsey could still wear it on the wedding night.
They headed down to the bridal store. The place wasn’t too busy. A couple others were shopping and trying on dresses. Once more, Lindsey felt out of place. Things were just too expensive and the guilt over someone else paying didn’t sit well with her.
“
Stop it,” Jewels said, tugging her into the store.
“I don’t belong in here,” Lindsey mumbled.
“Yes you do. Now start thinking about what style you might want.”
Lindsey hadn’t really thought about being married or having a wedding since the day her mother died. The dream just sort of went with her, and her father didn’t do much to keep it alive. He took to a bottle, leaving Lindsey to dream and worry about things alone. Left her to grow up much too early.
“See anything?” Jewels asked.
Lindsey shook her head, looking around but really not seeing much of anything. She didn’t feel comfortable in the shop enough to want to really look at dresses. Being treated for so long as white trash kind of set in after a while.
“Maybe we should go,” Lindsey finally said, stopping and facing Jewels.
“What are you so afraid of?” Jewels brushed past her, touching one of the nearest gowns. “You have just as much of a right to be in here as I do, or as anyone in this damn town. White trash like us can still have money.”
“I feel like any moment I’m going to wake up back at that house and this will be nothing but one damn dream.”
Jewels stopped messing with the gown, took Lindsey’s hand, pulled her over to a seating area, and sat down. “What’s really bothering you, girl?”
Lindsey looked around, making sure they were alone. “I have this nagging feeling like something bad is going to happen. Like I’m not supposed to be marrying anyone. That I shouldn’t be shopping in stores like this. I can’t really explain it. Things just don’t feel right.”
“Well, that makes all the sense in the world.”
“Really?”
“Not!” Jewels answered so loud that Lindsey saw the other shoppers stopping to stare at them.
“Shhh!”
“Look, you’ve got something real good here. Don’t ask those stupid questions like, “why me”? Just pisses me off.”
“But what happens when it all just stops?” Lindsey slumped back in the seat. “One day his sudden passion for me cools off and he’ll see that it’s all a mistake.” Jewels started laughing then. “What’s so funny?”
“Passion? You really had to go with that word?”
“Forget it. Sorry I said anything.” She made to get up only to have Jewels once more grab her by the wrist, stopping her.
“I’m sorry.” Lindsey slumped again and Jewels put her arm around her shoulders. “Look, there are many things about those people that we will never understand until, or I should say if we are ever lucky to get claimed by one of them. But I’ve seen things myself and this passion thing you’re so damn worried about is all in your head. If you don’t believe me, then look at Adrian and Skyler. Sure, they’ve been together for a very long time, but have you seen how he still looks at her?” She whistled, once more getting everyone’s attention. “He still has it bad for her. They do this shit for life. If you’ve been marked there is no unmarking or divorce here. You’re stuck with your own personal animal.”
“How’d you know so much?”
Jewels shrugged, “Let me just say I’ve had my own encounter with a shifter once.”
Lindsey didn’t hide her shock. “When?”
“Before I met you. And I will admit one thing, one thing that I can already see in your eyes. The sex with them is addicting as hell.”
Lindsey felt her face heat up again. “Yeah, I do kind of like that part with him.”
“So see,” Jewels gave her a small nudge with a smile. “Things aren’t that bad.”
“May I help you two?” A store clerk came up to them.
“Bout damn time,” Jewels said, bouncing back up to her feet. “She needs a wedding dress.”
Surprising enough, they found a dress and Lindsey was more than ready to call it a day and so were the rest of them. She would need to come back for a fitting in about a week, making it all far too real than just a dream she had as a child.
Skyler loaded up on buckets of fried chicken for everyone. At the last moment Jewels got a call and backed out of dinner. It didn’t really surprise Lindsey much. The woman was after all very busy with running the club right and cleaning it up.
“Have fun shopping?” Fox asked her as they all sat down at the dining room table to eat.
Lindsey sighed, “I swear I always thought I’d love to just go shopping but it wears you out. I’m so tired and my feet are killing me.”
He eyes seemed to sparkle then. “Well I’ll just have to rub them then.”
She elbowed him right before taking one of the buckets of chicken. The talk around the table was nothing but wedding plans. Lindsey only half heard it. She felt like she might drop any moment and Fox must’ve seen it. He pushed away from the table, took her hand, and tugged her to her own feet.
“I think we’re going to call it a night,” Fox said.
“Oh man, it’s getting late,” Skyler said, also getting up.
“I’ll help you clean up,” Lindsey offered.
“Oh no you won’t. You look like you’re about to drop. You go home and get some rest. This week is going to be extra busy for us all with the planning on stuff.”
“But—” Lindsey started to protest.
“Hush!” Skyler snapped. “Fox, take her home before you have to carry her.”
“I’m on it,” and in front of them all he scooped her up in his arms.
“Fox!” Lindsey cried out, the heat coming to her face quickly with the others watched.
“You heard my mother,” he said. “Hush.”
Out of the dining room and through the back door he carried her. With a big smile on his face he finally let her down and gave her a quick kiss before taking her hand and started the walk back to the house boat.
They were almost there when he stopped, the smile slowly leaving his face and his head cocking to the side. The way he just stopped still as stone had her instantly on edge.
“What’s wrong?”
“Someone’s watching us,” he said, pulling her closer to his side.
“Who?” Fear hit her and she grabbed hold of his shirt, fisting both hands in the fabric. She couldn’t stop shaking or looking around, waiting for some monster to jump out of the trees or shadows.
“Not sure yet. He isn’t close enough for me to really pick up his scent.”
“Is it Ben?” Lindsey barely got the question out. The manner of her voice shaking had Fox looking down at her.
“Come on, let’s get home.”
He carried her the rest of the way to the boat. Once inside, Lindsey felt a little bit safer but not much. She saw first-hand what could happen to doors if one of them wanted in bad enough. She stood in the middle of the living room, watching Fox lock the door and check the windows, then stand still and sniff.
“He’s gone,” he told her. “Could’ve been that cop that was here a few days ago checking things in the woods again.”
“I hope you’re right.” She hugged herself, rubbing a chill that creeped into her arms.
“Don’t start freaking out on me. Everything’s fine.” She only nodded. “Why don’t you go soak in the tub and I’ll get things ready for your foot massage.”
Just the mention of the massage had her grinning and her face heating up again. “Why do you always make me blush? I never used to blush around you.” She turned and started for the bedroom.
“It’s because you know I’ve seen you naked and want to again very much.”
“Not happening until the wedding night,” she sang back to him.
“You know I play dirty, right?”
Lindsey smiled, shaking her head all the way to the bedroom and into the bathroom.
To say he played dirty was an understatement. When Lindsey came out of the bathroom to do her normal routine she stopped dead in her tracks to see a bedroom lit up by candles only.
“Ready for that massage?” Fox strolled out of the shadows, her bottle of lotion in hand and eyes sparkling with mischief.
She hadn’t even put her night shirt on yet, leaving her with wet hair wrapped up in a towel. Not good with the look in his eyes. Lindsey didn’t move when he took her hand and brought her over to the chair she usually sat in while applying lotion. She sat down and watched him put the bottle down and pick up her hair dryer.
“Can’t get the massage started with the hair still wet,” he said.
She kept her mouth shut, holding onto the knotted towel while he started the dryer and began working on her hair. Her mouth went dry while she watched. Fox had taken a shower the same time she did and he stood in only a pair of cut off shorts that did nothing to hide the stiff erection pressing against the front of them. Lindsey did everything she could to keep herself from staring at him as he moved around her, brushing the long locks of her hair dry. His bare chest even started to bother her now. Before when she saw him without a shirt it did nothing to her. Not even the couple of times since they’d had sex. But something about him standing close now, bare chested, smelling clean—Lindsey held tighter to her towel. If she didn’t she might reach out and touch him and that would void the deal they sort of made.
When did things change for her? Lindsey asked herself the question as he finished up. When did she all of a sudden want to touch him? She couldn’t answer it, but she did know that her feelings for Fox were quickly changing and it scared her to death. She didn’t know how he really felt for her. Sure she knew that he felt like he had to protect her, but could he have real feelings for her one day? In her heart she hoped so.
“Done,” he said, turning the dryer off. “Now on to the rest.”
Lindsey said nothing. Once more he took her hand and had her up on her feet, still in nothing but the towel. Over to the bed they went and she sank down on the edge. He went down to his knees.
Once more, she watched him pour lotion in his hand, take her foot, and rub the creamy solution over the arch of her foot.
Damn it felt like heaven. Her feet hurt from all the walking and shopping and he found every aching spot. When he finished with one foot his hands moved up her leg and started to massage it. More muscles she didn’t even realize were tense began to relax at his touch. She didn’t even notice that she’d closed her eyes or that he was finished with both until he took hold of both of her hands and had her back on her feet once more.
Reluctant Heat Page 14
