Madie walked over to where he sat and dropped the plate on the counter in front of him. “Here’s your pie.”
Damon laughed even harder.
It wasn’t that funny. “Coffee?” Madie asked through gritted teeth.
“Please.” He gave her an innocent grin that on anyone else might have been convincing.
She grabbed a clean cup, filled it to the brim, and handed it to him. “Would you like cream with your coffee?”
He snorted. “Why not?”
Madie glared, then reached for the cream. Damon stopped her. He lifted her captured hand to his lips and proceeded to lick off a spot of whip cream that she hadn’t noticed dangling from her fingers.
Madie’s breathing stuttered and her senses locked onto the velvety rough texture of his tongue. Moisture fled from her mouth and headed south between her thighs. If he could do that just by licking her hand, what he could to the rest of her?
She bit back a groan and closed her eyes as her thoughts shifted to where else he could use that tongue.
Damon released her fingers and Madie’s eyes flew open in time to see him wink.
“Tease,” she muttered under her breath.
He laughed again. “Never.”
Damon finished his pie and paid Madie, leaving her a generous tip. He walked toward the door, stopping short before opening it. He looked over his shoulder at her, holding her gaze for what felt like hours, but was only a few seconds.
The world seemed to stop.
Damon smiled. “See you later,” he said, then glided out the door.
Chapter Twelve
Madie walked around for the next few hours in a haze. Berta greeted her with a smile, when she came in. The grin slipped off the woman’s face the second she got a good look at Madie.
“Only one thing puts that kind of expression on a woman’s face, and that’s a man. Come over here honey and tell Berta all about it.” The woman took Madie under the arm and led her to a booth in the back. “Charles,” she shouted to her husband, “you take care of the customers for a few minutes. I’ve got a crisis to solve.”
Madie let Berta seat her. Berta then wobbled over to the counter and picked up two cups. She filled them with coffee and ambled back. She placed one in front of Madie and the other across the table. She returned to the counter for a couple of forks, and then swiped the chocolate cake from the mini-fridge. She placed the confection between them and sat down.
“I’ve got a feeling this talk is going to need chocolate.” She nodded her head knowingly and shoved a fork in the side of the cake, producing what passed for a bite in Berta’s book. “You know Berta don’t work well, when she’s hungry.”
Madie laughed despite herself. She picked up her fork and dug into the chocolate cake. It was moist, sweet and decadent. Just what the doctor ordered. She took a sip of coffee, and then looked into Berta’s big brown eyes.
“Tell all child, I’m dying of curiosity. Who is this man that’s got your panties so wound up?”
Madie sighed. “You don’t know him.”
Berta brow furrowed. “I know everybody. Now spill.”
“His name is Damon Laroche.”
Berta whistled between the gap in her teeth. “Mmm-mmm, he’s a fine looking man. Could put the giddy-up in any girl’s drawers.” She giggled and took another bite of cake.
Madie played with the crumbs on the table.
“You’ll feel better once you get it all out.” Berta took another bite. “Lordy that’s good.”
“I really like him, but I’m worried he’s way out of my league,” Madie said. “He’s really worldly.”
“Girl, whatchu mean by worldly? Is he foreign or something?” Berta asked.
Madie shook her head and heat flooded her face.
Berta stared at her as she licked the frosting off her fork. “Now I understand.” Her brown eyes softened and she lowered her voice. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about. If Damon is as worldly as you say, he’s going to know patience. He’ll be understanding when it comes to…you know what. Just don’t let him rush you, if you’re not ready.”
“You probably think a twenty-four year old is stupid for worrying about something like this,” Madie said.
Berta jabbed her fork into the cake and shoveled out another hunk. “Nothing stupid about it. Sometimes I wish I would’ve waited for the ‘one’, but I am not a patient woman.” She chuckled, causing the extra layer of love around her stomach to jiggle.
Madie felt better after talking to Berta. If nothing else, it helped calm her nerves.
The woman smiled and patted Madie’s hand. “You think about what I’ve said, child. I have to get Charles out of here and to bed. All this talk of sexy men has got me itchin’, if you know what I mean?”
Berta rose from the table. “You still okay with closing by yourself?”
“Sure.” Madie nodded. “It’ll give my mind something else to think about.”
“Don’t think too hard. Men like Damon Laroche don’t come around often.” Berta laughed, and then hollered for Charles.
Madie watched the older couple exit the diner hand in hand. She picked up the cake, took it to the back, and placed it in the refrigerator. The last of the customers wandered out five minutes before closing. Madie wiped down the stove area and workspace. She dropped the used rags into the laundry bag and brushed her hands on her apron.
She was about to leave the kitchen when she heard the bell clang on the door. Madie looked at her watch. It was eight-thirty, well past closing. She’d already turned off the ‘open’ sign and was pretty sure she’d locked the door. Maybe it was Damon. She’d hoped to have a few minutes to get ready before he arrived, but didn’t mind that he was early.
“Hey,” Madie yelled out.
No answer came.
It was probably just Sarah messing with her again. Madie walked through the kitchen. She was headed toward the counter, when the lights went out. She stopped in her tracks.
“Sarah?” she called out tentatively. “This is so not funny. Now turn the lights back on.”
Nothing.
Something wasn’t right. Madie crouched down on her knees and crawled forward until she could peek out from behind the counter. In the doorway stood a man. From the streetlight, she could see that he wore a mask.
Blood roared in her ears. She could taste her own fear as bile rose in her throat. She ducked back behind the counter and searched for another way out.
The man took a step forward. His boots scraped over the tile floor like there was a pebble caught in the tread. He walked past the cash register, not even breaking stride. If he was there to rob the place, why didn’t he stop to check it?
Madie couldn’t seem to slow her breathing. She looked around the counter again. The man now stood ten feet away from where she was hiding. Up close he was big—really big.
Where was Damon? He should’ve been here by now.
Madie crawled back into the kitchen as silently as possible. Her ears strained to hear telltale footsteps that would let her know that the man had followed. She made it across the kitchen floor to the back storage area, which had an outer door that was used for delivering fresh produce.
The outer door stuck and had always been hard to open. It also screeched loud enough to wake the dead. Berta had planned on replacing it eventually, but she hadn’t gotten around to it yet. The second Madie went for the door the man would hear her. She had to slow him down somehow.
Madie turned the knob and slipped inside the storage room as quietly as she could. It was impossible to see in the darkness. By feel, she went around the room, searching for anything that could be propped against the door. She needed something to buy her a few precious minutes, while she pried open the other door. She found a couple of crates full of what felt like cabbages off to the side. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do.
Pots and pans hit the floor.
She used the clatter to cover the sound of her dragging the cra
tes across the floor. Madie stacked them against the door as quietly as she could, then made her way to the back entrance. The alley lay on the other side. Madie’s fingers trembled as she tried to open the door. As per usual, it wouldn’t budge.
She heard the doorknob to the kitchen rattle.
Madie yanked hard, putting all her weight behind it.
The door leading into the kitchen clicked, then hit the crates with a bang.
Madie started screaming and banging on the outer door, trying to get out. The crates she’d placed as an obstacle fell over and were quickly pushed aside. Madie wheeled around and hit the light switch. She scanned the room for a weapon. Any kind of weapon. There was nothing, only produce. “What do you want?”
The masked man stepped through the door, holding one of Berta’s kitchen knives.
Madie let out another bloodcurdling scream and wrenched the door with all her strength. The door came off its hinges.
She dashed through the opening, still clutching the doorknob. She looked back over her shoulder as she ran down the alley to the side street. The man shoved the door out of the way and loped behind her, as if he was enjoying the chase.
She made a quick right and headed for the main road. She turned a corner and ran face first into Damon Laroche.
Madie screamed and started to struggle.
“Madie it’s me,” Damon said. “What’s wrong?”
She gulped in a ragged breath, then blurted, “Someone broke into Berta’s and tried to attack me. We have to call the police.”
Damon’s eyes shimmered until they looked molten gold in the low light. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”
He started to walk away, but Madie grabbed him. “No, Damon. He’s huge and he has a knife.”
Damon inhaled. “Where was he?”
“In the alley. He chased me around the building,” she said as panic gave way to nausea.
“Let me at least make sure that he’s gone,” he said.
She clung to him. “Please, don’t leave me.” Madie knew she was begging, but she couldn’t help it. She was scared out of her mind and she didn’t want Damon to get hurt.
***
He hugged her close. “It’s okay. Everything will be okay.”
Damon stared into the darkness. He needed to get into the alley before the scent faded. From here, he couldn’t detect much beyond the garbage and odors of fried food. Madie’s fingers fisted his jacket. Her whole body trembled with fear and residual adrenalin.
He reached into his pocket for his cell and hit a button to summon the police. “Help is on the way,” he said, even though help was standing right in front of her. “Did you get a good look at him?”
Madie shook her head. “He wore a mask.”
“You said he had a knife?” Damon asked.
“He grabbed it from the kitchen,” she said. “I recognized it as one of Berta’s.”
“That’s a weapon of opportunity. Are you sure you didn’t disturb a robbery?” He hoped that was the case.
“Positive.” She sniffled.
Damon pulled her back until he could look at her face. “Why do you say that?”
Madie scrubbed at her watery eyes. “Because he didn’t even touch the cash register. He walked right by it.”
“Maybe he didn’t see it,” Damon said.
“I suppose it’s possible, but then why did he shut off the lights, when I called out to see who it was?”
Damon stiffened. If what Madie said was true, then the person who’d come here tonight had planned to kill her. Luc’s face flashed in his mind. Would his Beta be so stupid as to try again so soon after he’d failed? It was possible. Luc was determined to protect the pack at all costs. Why would he bother with a knife? His claws were built in weapons and far sharper than any steel blade. Was he trying to cover his tracks? Too many things didn’t make sense, but Damon couldn’t rule it out.
The police arrived within minutes. They took Madie’s and Damon’s statements, though he had little to contribute. Berta and Charles were contacted to go over inventory. Other than the knife, nothing appeared to be missing.
“Can I take her home?” Damon asked. “She’s pretty shaken up.”
The officer nodded. “I know how to get in touch if we need anything else.”
“Let’s get you out of here.” Damon led Madie to his car and opened the door for her. She slipped inside, but couldn’t buckle the seatbelt because her hands were trembling too bad. “I’ll get it.” He clicked the buckle into the slot and loosened the strap.
“Sorry I ruined our dinner plans.” She hugged herself.
Damon climbed into the driver’s seat. “You didn’t ruin anything. We’ll go out tomorrow, if you’re feeling up to it.”
“I’d like that,” she said, then stared out the window in silence.
Damon dropped her off, but not before checking her house from top to bottom. It was all for show. He already knew they were alone. He would’ve smelled any intruder the second they stepped over the threshold. But seeing him search put Madie at ease.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, once he got her settled on the couch. “Lock the door behind me and don’t open it to any strangers.”
Madie laughed. “Does that include you?”
Damon grinned. “We aren’t strangers anymore. Not after tonight.” He stepped out onto her porch. “Try to get some sleep.”
“I will, but I’m not making any promises,” she said.
“Understandable.” He grasped her hand and kissed her palm, lingering over the fleshy part. His tongue darted out just long enough to taste her skin, then he pulled back. “Maybe that will give you something pleasant to dream about.”
Madie stared at her hand for a moment, then looked at him. “Thank you,” she said sincerely. “For everything.”
“See you tomorrow,” he said.
She nodded and shut the door.
Damon waited outside the door, listening for the locks to fall. “Madie, stop playing around.”
He heard a soft giggle, then the snick of locks falling into place. Good girl. As he stepped off her porch, Damon’s smile faded. Time to find Luc.
***
It took several hours, but Damon finally found his Beta sniffing around Sarah’s house. He didn’t know why he was surprised, given the young pup’s reaction to the dark-haired beauty last night. But that wasn’t why he was here.
Damon needed to know what had happened tonight. He wouldn’t let Luc go until he found out the truth.
“I tried to call you earlier,” Damon said, his voice calmer than he’d expected it to be.
Luc glanced at him. “I’ve been busy.”
“I can see that. How long have you been here?” Damon asked.
“Why do you ask?”
Damon’s jaw tensed. “Just answer the question.”
Luc turned from the spot he’d been occupying in the shadows. “I’ve been here a few hours. You want to tell me what’s going on?”
Damon inhaled, allowing his wolf senses to tell him what his human senses might miss. “You’re not lying.”
“I know,” Luc said. “Now what are you doing here?”
Damon arched a brow. “I could ask you the same thing. You nearly scared that girl out of her mind last night.”
Luc’s cheeks flushed. “That wasn’t my intention.”
“Regardless, it was the outcome,” Damon said.
“Why are you here, Alpha? If it’s to bust my chops, consider them busted.” Luc held his head high and stared at Damon’s chin, a sure sign that despite their earlier disagreements that he still respected Damon’s position in the pack.
“Someone broke into Berta’s Diner tonight and tried to attack Madie with a knife.” Damon watched Luc’s reaction closely.
“What? When?” Luc asked.
“An hour and a half ago,” he said.
“Who was it?” Luc stepped closer to Damon. It was a natural reaction when a wolf was concerned about their
safety.
Damon shook his head. “I don’t know. She was so shaken up that I didn’t get a chance to sniff the alley.”
Luc’s expression sobered. “I didn’t do it.”
Damon looked at him. “I know you didn’t, but I had to be sure.”
“What if I had?” Luc whispered. “What would you have done?”
Claws sprang from Damon’s fingertips. “Fortunately, those are questions I’ll never have to answer. Now get out of here before Sarah sees you.”
Luc grinned, his gray eyes shimmering in the darkness. “She won’t know I’m here unless I want her to.”
“Take some advice, my friend.”
“What’s that?” Luc asked.
“Hunt other prey. This one will be more trouble than she is worth,” Damon said.
Luc laughed. “You know me. I never could follow good advice.”
Chapter Thirteen
Butterflies invaded Madie’s belly as she searched for something to wear. The sun was sinking low in the sky, giving her about an hour and a half before Damon arrived. Despite her reservations about this evening, she decided to enjoy herself and try to look extra special. No hiding under baggy clothes tonight.
She bathed, luxuriating in her tub. Warm water caressed every pore, washing over her sensitized skin. Madie closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax. She should wear something practical, something she’d be comfortable in. Her mind flashed to the black lace lingerie she’d purchased months ago, but never wore. Definitely not practical, but perfect for tonight. She grinned.
Madie grabbed a nearby towel and got out of the tub. She dried herself, puckering her nipples in the process. Her near-death experience last night had made the world brighter and her senses somehow sharper. Madie paused as she moved the towel lower to the damp curls at the apex of her thighs. Her flesh throbbed for an instant as she brushed over her sensitive nub.
For a moment, Madie closed her eyes and imagined Damon touching her there. She trembled, her body electrified by the thought.
Madie expelled a ragged breath and dropped the towel, then walking into her bedroom. She gazed into the full-length mirror on the back of her closet door and bit her lip.
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