by Ruby Shae
“Liddy,” she said quietly, dropping Zach’s hand and looking back and forth between the two men. “I go by Liddy, not Elizabeth.”
Yet she’d told Aiden her full name, proving how scared she’d been.
Disappointment flooded him, and once again he was grateful for his ability to hide his emotions. As much as he wanted to be the one to make her smile, it was more important that she did smile, and Zach never failed in that department.
Fuck! What if she falls for Zach?
He mentally pushed the thought out of his head.
Even if she did end up liking his cousin better, Zach would never betray him. The thought only eased his mind a little bit, but it was enough.
“Liddy it is,” Zach said, still smiling.
Aiden wanted to rip the man to shreds, but he knew his feelings were absurd. Zach was the fun one, the friendly one, and he was just being himself.
“Thanks Zach,” Aiden said, pointedly. “I’ll see you back at the house later.”
“Well, I gotta run,” Zach laughed. “You kids enjoy your lunch.”
Liddy laughed, and more of Aiden’s jealousy dissolved. Zach had something he didn’t—it was one of the reasons they made such a great team—and he couldn’t fault the man for that.
Even if he really, really wanted to.
Shit! I am so screwed!
They both watched Zach walk across the park, and then disappear down a tiny alley that led to the main street. Aiden knew his cousin wasn’t going home, but he kept that truth to himself.
Aiden opened the bag Zach left, and started pulling out the contents, and when he nodded at Liddy, she did the same.
The large, opened faced sandwiches from Sal’s were packaged in round foil containers with clear lids, and when the bags were empty, the table was topped with two sandwiches, two bags of chips, one soda, and a bottle of water.
“That one is roast beef,” Aiden said, “and I’m pretty sure Zach got turkey. Which one sounds good to you?”
“Both,” she laughed nervously.
“Same here,” he said. “Let’s split them.”
They silently removed the lids to their sandwiches, and then carefully exchanged halves. Satisfaction soothed some of his emotions when Liddy bit into her meal before he did, and his joy spread when he held up both bottled drinks and she chose the soda without hesitation. She did the same for the chips, and he wanted to roar in triumph when she finished her meal.
Aside from his clan, he didn’t know many that could finish the bear-sized sandwiches from the sub shop, and even though he knew she was hungry, the fact that she ate everything filled him with pride.
When she was done eating, Liddy placed all of her garbage back in the bag and tied the handles in a half-knot. She wound one piece of plastic back-and-forth around her finger several times, and then cleared her throat and looked him in the eye.
“That was amazing,” she said. “Thank you.”
Chapter Two
“You’re welcome,” Aiden said, grabbing his nearly empty bottle of water.
Liddy watched as he gulped down the remainder of the clear liquid, and waited for what would happen next. The folded up ten-dollar bill in her pocket felt warm and heavy from guilt, but she knew she couldn’t afford to pay him back.
At least not yet.
Would he let her go? Did he expect another form of payment? And what about his cousin? Did they both expect something from her?
Shit! I should have dropped the food and ran!
Liddy glanced around the park, and fought the urge to cry. The expanse of green was deserted, which gave Aiden the upper hand. Even if she did get the chance to escape, there would be no one to help when he caught up to her.
And he would catch her.
The man was a perfect example of strength and speed.
How could I have been so stupid?
She knew why, but her reasons didn’t negate the facts.
Aiden was different than any other man she’d ever met, but that didn’t make him any less dangerous. In fact, his differences probably made him fatal to her naïve, damaged existence.
It didn’t matter how safe she felt next to him, or that even though he looked both drop dead gorgeous and lethal, he’d shown her patience, generosity and kindness. He was a man, and based on her experience with the opposite sex, it wouldn’t be long before his true colors rose to the surface.
“I’m not going to turn you in, Liddy,” Aiden said, breaking the silence.
“You’re not?” she asked, cautiously.
“No, I’m not,” he said honestly, “but I would like to know why you decided today would be a good day to start stealing.”
She didn’t have to ask how he knew it was her first time.
He was observant to the point of intrusive, and she reminded herself not to think about his thick, bulging muscles, or how safe she’d felt standing next to him in the alley despite the fact that he’d looked angry enough to kill.
Liddy knew if she lied about her circumstances, he would know, but she didn’t want to tell him the truth either. She settled for something in the middle.
“I came to Blackbeary Creek to start over, but it’s been harder than I thought it would be. I can’t find a job, and the little money I had is almost gone. I… I don’t steal—you were right about it being my first time—and I appreciate you sharing your lunch with me, and not turning me in. I promise I will pay you back as soon as possible.”
“You never have to pay me back,” Aiden said, “and I know of a job opening.”
Right! As what? His sex slave?
She knew he was too good to be true, but she’d rather know now than six months from now. She’d already been there, done that, and tossed out all the t-shirts.
Still…she had to ask.
“You know of a job opening?” she asked, refusing to hide her doubt. “What’s the job?”
“Serving—”
She knew it! All men were the same!
Anger swamped her, and she stood, barely containing her tears. She might owe him for the sandwich, but she didn’t owe him her dignity. She pulled the ten-dollar bill out of her pocket, and threw it on the table in front of him.
“I’m not a whore,” she forced out, trying to keep her voice level, “and you can go fuck yourself.”
Liddy didn’t have time to move before he reached across the table and wrapped his hand around her wrist. His grip was firm, but not painful, and she hated the warmth that raced up her arm, down her spine, and straight to her core.
He’s a loser! What the hell is wrong with me?
“Serving drinks at Club Ryan,” he stated calmly. “It’s a nightclub at the end of Main Street. Zach and I run security there, and the owner is my…one of my best friends. You’d be a waitress. Nothing more.”
Liddy’s cheeks heated, and she stared at his hold on her wrist until their hands blurred into one. As much as she tried to fight it, one lone tear escaped down her cheek, and she used the palm of her free hand to wipe it away.
She desperately wanted his words to be true.
“I can be a waitress,” she said, quietly.
“Yes, you can,” he agreed.
“Why are you helping me?”
“Because, I like you.”
His shoulder moved a miniscule amount, and she looked up but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Though his words were a tad softer, he still wore the same fierce expression he had before, and she briefly wondered if he ever showed any emotion.
“Why?” she questioned.
“Does it matter?”
Did it matter why he liked her? No, not in the grand scheme of things, but she still didn’t understand it. She’d never met a man who would have forgiven her for stealing.
“But…I stole from you.”
“I’m over it,” he said, matter-of-factly.
Could it be that simple?
Maybe it could be.
“Okay,” she said, slowly resuming to her seat. “Than
k you.”
“You’re welcome.”
He placed the money in the palm of her hand, and folded her fingers around the folded-up bill. His large hand covered hers for several moments before he let her go, and Liddy immediately missed his warmth.
“I’ll set up a meeting for tomorrow so you can meet my boss, Tristian. He’s the owner of the club, and as I said before, a good friend of mine. I can pick you up, or you can meet me at the club. Do you have a car?”
“How far away is the club?”
“A couple of miles.”
“I have a car, but…”
She struggled with what to tell him. She didn’t want him to see where she was staying, or know that she was living out of her car. Not that she could drive it anyway; the thing had been out of gas for nearly two weeks.
“Why don’t we meet here?” Aiden suggested. “Is twelve okay?”
The man had mad skills when it came to reading the emotions of others, and Liddy was willing to bet the club had very few security issues. If Zach was anything like Aiden, the two probably took care of trouble before it even happened.
“Twelve is perfect,” she agreed, trying not to visibly show her relief.
“Good,” he agreed. “Do you have a cell-phone?”
She wanted to laugh at his ridiculous question, but instead she just smiled.
“No.”
He nodded in acknowledgement, pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, and retrieved a business card and some cash.
“This is the address and phone number to the club. I don’t have a pen, or I’d write my personal cell on here, but if you need anything—anything at all—call this number. If a machine answers, leave a detailed message, and if a person answers, tell them who you are and ask for me.” He folded up the money, and handed her both the card and the cash.
Liddy shook her head, took the card, and handed him back the money.
“I don’t need this,” she said. “I can make a free call if I need to.”
“Keep it,” he said, pushing her hand back. “Dinner tonight is on me.”
“Aiden…” she sighed.
“Unless you’d rather join me for dinner, you won’t change my mind.”
Holy hell!
She knew he’d never give in, and she wasn’t ready to share another meal with him in public. He was too good for her, and she didn’t want to damage his reputation.
“Fine,” she said, her voice resigned.
“Good,” Aiden said, standing.
Liddy followed his cue, and sorrow crept in. She wasn’t ready for him to leave.
“I have to go now, but I’ll see you here tomorrow at twelve. Deal?”
“Deal,” she agreed. “I’ll be here.”
“Good.”
Without another word, Aiden turned and started walking back across the grass the same way they’d entered the park, and Liddy turned and walked in the opposite direction.
Excitement filled her as she thought about the possibility of a job, and she hoped Aiden was telling the truth. The business card in her hand certainly looked real, but she knew anyone could order the professional looking advertisements online. Hell, one of her exes had done it, and eventually ended up in jail.
Even though she trusted Aiden, she knew she shouldn’t, and that reason alone prompted her to ask around and see if Club Ryan actually existed.
In her experience, it was better to be overly cautious, then to end up on the news for being found dead in a ditch somewhere.
***
Aiden forced one foot in front of the other until he reached the small road that would take him back to Main Street. He knew he didn’t have to let Zach know is mate had moved, but he hated the fact that he couldn’t follow her himself.
Remaining invisible usually wasn’t an issue for him, but the fact that Liddy was his mate changed everything. The urge to take her home and introduce her to Tristian tonight rode him hard, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to remain neutral when he saw her living conditions.
He didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to know they were bad, but forcing her to live on clan land before she was ready would only make her run, and he couldn’t risk it. Liddy needed time to do some investigating, and form her own opinions about the club, and him.
A text message came in from Zach, and Aiden swore. His mate had rented a site at the campground, and was sleeping in her car. His bear roared beneath the surface, but he silenced the animal, and called Graham.
“What’s up, Buttercup?”
Graham Roth not only knew his way around a computer, but he could find information faster than anyone. Before joining the Ryan Clan, Aiden and his cousin would search for their own information when needed, but Graham blew their skills out of the water. The man was a genius.
“Hey Graham,” Aiden said. “I need some info, and I need it fast. How soon can you get to a computer?”
“Ten minutes,” Graham said. “I’m leaving Delilah’s now, and I’m going straight home.”
Aiden should have known. All bear shifters loved sweets, but Graham had the worst sweet tooth of them all. Delilah’s Bakery was less than a block away, and Graham visited the establishment often.
“Great,” Aiden said. “I need to know everything I can about Elizabeth Reed—she goes by Liddy—and I need to know it as soon as possible. I have a car make, model, and plate, but unfortunately, not much else. I’ll text you what I know.”
“Sounds good,” Graham said. “I’ll find you when I’m done.”
“Thanks man,” Aiden said. “See you soon.”
After Graham said goodbye, Aiden ended the call, climbed into his SUV still parked at Sal’s, and drove to the ice cream shop to pick up Zach. The quaint little shop was an unspoken rendezvous point the cousins used whenever they were separated.
Zach climbed into the front seat and set the bag of homemade ice cream on the floor between his legs.
“I got Rocky Road, and Coffee Chip,” Zach said. “You pick which one you want.”
“Rocky Road,” Aiden grunted as he maneuvered the SUV back into traffic.
The men stayed silent until they left the center of the city, and turned onto the road that would lead them home.
“You okay?” Zach asked, his voice serious.
“I will be,” Aiden answered solemnly.
“She’s in a secluded spot,” Zach said, immediately understanding his intentions. “There is a light pole every twenty-five feet on the gravel road, but she’s in between two poles, and the restroom is a few poles away. Her car is facing a sparse crop of trees, but it will create a few shadows, and the creek is about a half-mile to the east.”
Aiden nodded, and turned onto a paved driveway nearly hidden from the main road. Dense trees lined each side of the drive, but the large house sitting in the clearing at the end of the road soothed him, and soon, the other four houses surrounding the majestic beacon came into view.
Aiden’s house stood to the immediate right, followed by Zach’s house, and Ethan and Tegan lived on the left, followed by Graham. The homes were spaced far enough apart to allow for privacy when needed, but they were close enough to allow for a strong, tight-knit clan.
Aiden parked his SUV in front of his own home, and walked the short distance to the main house with Zach following him dutifully. His cousin’s silence, while rare, didn’t alarm him. Silence meant Zach was plotting, and Aiden appreciated the man’s unspoken support.
Aiden took the stairs to the main house two at a time, walked into the grand home, and found Tristian in his office with his new mate Scarlett, and his best friend Ethan. Ethan was the clan’s second-in-command, the manager of the club, and the mate of Tristian’s sister, Tegan. The two men had been together since birth, and their alliance to each other was stronger than blood.
Silence filled the room when he and Zach entered, and the two alpha males stood, automatically on alert. Aiden saw Ethan glance out the window toward his home, looking for the unknown threat, and he understood t
he man’s distress.
His mate was his everything.
“What’s going on?” Tristian asked.
“I need a favor,” Aiden said. “Well, actually, two.”
“Okay,” Tristian nodded. “What do you need?”
“I found my mate—”
“Congrats, man,” Ethan said, clapping him on the back. “That’s awesome!”
“That’s wonderful, Aiden,” Scarlett chimed in. “I can’t wait to meet her.”
“That’s great,” Tristian said, glancing between him and Zach, “but what aren’t you telling us? Why does Zach look like he’s in mourning?”
“She’s new in town,” Aiden said, “but whatever brought her here didn’t work out, and she’s nearly penniless and living in her car at the campground. She stole my lunch—that’s how I found her—but she admitted it was her first time, and I believe her. Graham is doing a background check for me so we can find out more, but she needs a job and a place to stay. I’d offer her my place in a heartbeat, but she’s skittish, and I think she could use a friend.”
“Makes sense,” Tristian nodded. “She can definitely have a job, and as long as everything checks out with Graham, she can stay in your old room.”
Aiden heard footsteps behind him, and turned to see Graham sliding in the room behind Zach. He held a few papers in his hand, and when he silently held them out, Aiden took them.
Everyone waited quietly as he scanned through the information, and by the time he reached the last page, Aiden wanted vengeance. After losing her father, his mate had been in several bad relationships, and the last one was the reason she’d relocated to Blackbeary Creek.
Fuck!
He didn’t want to tell the others about her past, but he knew he had to give them something, even if it was for no other reason than to keep her ex out of the club.
“She’s not dangerous,” he said, breaking the silence, “she’s just…unlucky. She cleaned out her bank account and moved here to get married. Unfortunately, her ex had other plans, and she’s been struggling to get by a little over two weeks.”
“Here’s his photo,” he said, handing the picture to Zach. The paper moved around the room, and each man memorized the loser’s face. “Unless, Liddy says otherwise, I want him gone if he comes into the club.”
