by S. K. Yule
“I’m going to the bathroom.” He handed her her coat, and she put it on.
“Wait until I get the gas, and I’ll walk with you.”
“No. I know where it is. I’m a big girl. Besides, I could use a few minutes to myself.”
“It’s no problem.” He knew he was probably being over cautious, but he couldn’t help it.
“Look. Maybe if you and my brother and everyone else under the flippin’ sun would stop treating me like a child, you’d all stop seeing me as one. I’m perfectly capable of peeing on my own.” After letting out an irritated growl, she marched toward the diner.
He watched until she entered the front door, glad that the area had been sheltered from the snow by the huge awning over the pump area. He got out and began filling both tanks, thinking about what she’d said. He was aware that hanging on to the guilt he felt over his mother and Nyssa affected the way he lived his life.
He was also aware that he would never have any type of a serious relationship with a woman if he didn’t find a way to let go of some of it. Serious relationship with a woman? What a joke. There’s only one woman I want to be serious with.
Being the oldest brother made letting go even harder since he felt responsible for all of his siblings. They’d all been grown for years, yet he couldn’t shake the parental gene that seemed to fall on the oldest male sibling in a family.
Just as he topped off the second tank, his head snapped up. Krista had exited the diner followed by two men. She wasn’t happy and was letting them know it.
“I told you both I wasn’t interested. Go away!”
The two men continued to follow her. One with black hair, one blonde.
Blonde guy said, “Come on, baby. We just want to have some fun. You look like you would be all sorts of fine fun.”
Black haired dude said, “Mm hmm. You have the most luscious ass I’ve ever seen. I love asses. I’m already picturing all the things I’m going to do to you, sweetheart.”
She spun on him and punched him in the crotch. He gasped and cupped his groin. “You fucking bitch,” he whined.
A growl boiled through Landon’s chest. He started for her, and just as blonde guy reached for her hair, Landon caught him by the wrist with one hand.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, son.” Landon made sure to let the underlying threat bleed through loud and clear.
“What the fuck you gonna do about it? There’s two of us and only one of you, old man. Odds don’t seem to be in your favor.” Black hair grinned.
“That’s where you would be mistaken. It would take a lot more than two losers such as you to beat my ass. I would suggest you move on before someone gets hurt.” Landon wanted to kick the shit out of both of the men, but hoped to end this all peacefully, an option still available—barely—only because neither of them had actually managed to put their hands on Krista.
Blonde guy stared at the hold Landon still had on his wrist. “Look, it’s her fault. She shook her ass like she wanted it.”
Landon released blonde guy’s wrist, bunched the front of his coat in his hand, and jerked him nose-to-nose. “And I suppose you think women who wear short skirts deserve to be raped as well?
“Some women ask for it. It’s just the way it is.”
“You are a pathetic excuse for a man. Real men do not abuse or harass women. They protect them. It’s scum like you that gives us all a bad name. Stop being fucking idiots, and get a clue.”
Landon’s willpower was slipping, and he pushed the blonde guy away from him before he lost it and beat the crap out of him.
“Let’s go, Krista.” Landon jerked his head toward the truck.
Landon waited for Krista to start for the truck. He turned to follow her, and black-haired dude took a sucker swing at Landon—something he was hoping, deep down, would happen. He blocked the punch with ease, then backhanded the dick like the bitch he was. If anything pissed a man off more than getting bitch-slapped, it was getting bitch-slapped by another guy.
Black hair went down hard on the concrete with an oomph. Blonde guy helped him up then tugged him kicking and screaming toward the diner.
“This isn’t over, asshole. You’ll get what’s coming to you.”
After that, Landon blocked out the insults. His main goal was to get Krista to the truck and them on the road again. Once they were both inside the cab, he put the truck in gear and started for the exit to the highway.
“Well. That was interesting,” Krista muttered.
“I told you to let me walk you inside.” Landon was still trying to calm the anger that raged inside him. Just thinking about either one of those assholes touching her made him want to go back and beat the shit out of both of the asshats.
“So this is my fault? And for the record, it happened on the way out, so walking me inside would have made no difference.”
“No, sugar. It’s not your fault. It’s theirs for being dicks. I didn’t mean to imply any of this was because of something you did. I’m sorry. I’m just...not happy right now.” Landon took a deep, calming breath, held it, then released it slowly.
“I could have taken care of it myself.” Her bottom lip stuck out in a pout.
“I’m sure you could have, but let’s keep the crotch punching to one a day, huh?”
When she started to giggle, the remaining tension drained from his body. Her laugh had a way of healing him. It was a magical spell that cast a sprinkle of joy on him.
“Thanks.” She reached over and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m glad you’re here.”
* * * *
The next hundred miles passed by at a sloth’s pace. It was obvious the highway had been plowed once before the storm had stopped, but the few inches that had fallen after the plowing remained on the surface, making it slick and slushy. The four wheel drive made the trip manageable, but Krista was relieved when she saw the sign that marked civilization would begin again in thirty miles—almost as relieved as Brady had sounded when she’d called to let him know they were back on the road and all was well.
“When we get home, I’m not getting back in any vehicle for at least a month.” She stretched her legs.
“Except you have to return to school in two weeks,” Landon reminded her.
“Um...yeah.”
“What does that mean?”
“I’m not going back.” Gawd, it felt good to finally tell someone.
His brows knitted and he glanced at her. “Does Brady know this?”
“Nope. Not yet. I’m sure he will be pleased as pie about it. Ha ha. Can’t wait for that conversation,” she mumbled.
“Why aren’t you going back?”
“I’ve tried. College is not for me. I’ve been going for over two years, and I still can’t decide on a major. I have other plans for my life, and college doesn’t play into them. I gave it my best shot. I got great grades. I don’t know. I’m just...done,” she said. “I’m too restless there. I’m a lynx, something everyone seems to forget. I need space, too. College is not spacious.”
“What are these plans you say you have for your life, if you don’t mind my asking?” He smiled.
“I’ll tell you, but if you laugh at me, I swear, I will dick punch you, too. Maybe not now, maybe not even later, but it will happen when you least expect it.” She grinned when he shifted in his seat.
“I won’t laugh.” He held up two fingers. “I swear.”
“I want to open a big cat animal shelter.”
“A big cat shelter?”
“Yeah. You know for lions, tigers, lynx—whatever needs to be rescued. There are so many shelters for dogs and cats, but not many for big cats. They need help too. They’re harder to place. It’s not as though they can just be adopted out. I want to provide them a home and find them a suitable place to live out the rest of their lives. It’s not their fault that some humans are stupid and can’t understand that wild animals are not pets.” She stared out the window, imagining all of the animals she would be
able to help.
“And are you going to be taking care of these animals personally?” His voice shook.
“I’ll need some experienced handlers. I’m aware of that, but I plan to learn. Yes. I want to be involved in all parts of the shelter. You already know we have an advantage. Having an animal side makes us acceptable to other animals quicker once they realize our predator isn’t out to kill them. Plus, I do know cats a little bit, being part one myself.” She took a deep breath. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s a solid idea, but have you thought out the financial side? The space it will take to handle these animals? The permits and responsibility?”
“Yes. I know I’ll have to start out small and build up. Brady is loaded, and he tells me it’s my money too. We’ll find out how much he really means that.” She laughed. “As far as the space? I bought the few hundred acres next to Brady’s property.”
“The property he’s been fuming over not getting?” Landon smirked.
“Yep.”
“How did you manage that?”
“With the money from this semester of college that I won’t be attending and a fund raiser I put up on the Internet over a year ago. People like animals. I’ve raised a lot of money. More than enough for permits and start-up.”
“I’m impressed.”
“Why? Because I’m a girl-child?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“No. I know you’re smart, and I know you are a full grown woman. I just didn’t see it coming, and I’m impressed how well thought out your whole plan is. I’m sure Brady will be impressed, too. I can’t imagine he won’t be proud of you.”
“I don’t know. He’s going to be pissed that I dropped out of college. He didn’t want me to go at first, but I insisted. Now, I’m not finishing. A lot of money is going to waste.” She felt guilty about that, but it couldn’t be helped.
“I’m not sure I agree that it was money gone to waste. Didn’t you take business classes?”
“Yes. I took a wide variety of classes because I couldn’t settle on a major.”
“Then won’t that knowledge help you with the shelter?”
She tipped her head to the side and looked at him. “Yeah. I guess it will. You think I’m crazy, don’t you?”
He chuckled. “No, I don’t. If having the shelter is what would truly make you happy, I don’t see how Brady can be upset.”
“If you believe that maybe you should take those words to heart.” She raised one brow at him.
Something slammed into the back of the truck before he could answer.
“Shit!” Landon bellowed while trying to right them from a sideways skid.
She gripped the door handle with one hand, while tugging at the seatbelt with the other to make sure it was tight. When she saw that Landon had not put his seatbelt on, something unusual for him, her already hammering heartbeat thumped even harder.
Before he could right the truck, they were hit again. She caught a glimpse of the semi that was ramming them in the side mirror. It was the two assholes that had harassed her earlier from the truck stop. When the semi clipped their truck again and sent them careening toward the shoulder of the highway, the scream she’d been trying to keep from escaping screeched out of her.
The impact of whatever they hit stole the breath from her lungs, and black dots danced in front of her eyes before she passed out.
Chapter Four
Krista gasped when she came to. Her shoulder hurt from hitting the door, and her body ached. Other than that, she was fine. Then she remembered Landon, and her stomach clenched. “Landon! Are you...”
He wasn’t in the driver’s seat. She looked around. He wasn’t in the truck at all. That’s when she noticed the driver’s side window was broken. Her heart sank at the thought of him being hurt.
She wrestled with the seatbelt, trying to get it unfastened, and when it finally gave, she flung the door open and slid out, landing in two feet of snow. The back end of the truck had struck a tree, and the tire looked slightly bent, but she didn’t care about any of that right now.
Struggling around to the front of the truck, the sight that greeted her sent a brand new rush of adrenaline through her veins. Lying in the snow, face down, about thirty feet away, was Landon. She hurried to him and pushed him onto his back. His clothes were soaked, his skin was pale, and a small gash on his forehead was bleeding. While the wound didn’t appear to be life-threatening, that didn’t mean he didn’t have others that were.
“Landon! Please wake up.” She gently shook his shoulder, but he didn’t stir.
Taking a closer look, she ran her hands over his chest then over his abdomen. When her hand came back sticky with blood, she sucked in a sharp breath. She raised the hem of his shirt and found a piece of glass embedded in his side. A sickening wave of dread washed over her, and she fought the urge to puke.
Should she remove it or leave it? If it was a long piece, removing it could cause him to bleed out. If it didn’t go very deep, it could cause more damage if she moved him. Brady. He’d know what to do.
She ran to the truck and searched around for her phone. It was under the seat, and busted to shit. “Damn it!”
Landon had a cell phone too. She rushed to him and searched his pockets. Nothing. He either took it out earlier and she didn’t notice, or it had been lost in the wreck. Maybe it’s in the truck. She hurried back and searched the cab again, but found nothing.
What should she do? After teetering back and forth for several moments, she retrieved the First Aid kit from the backseat and went to him. While it was true Landon’s body temperature ran hot, it wouldn’t take long for the snow and cold to leach the warmth out of him if he continued lying on the soaking wet ground.
She knelt beside him, opened the kit, then reached for the piece of glass in his side. Her hand hovered for a second before she grasped it and eased it out of his body. After seeing the glass hadn’t gone very deep, the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding rushed from her lungs. Carefully, she disinfected the wound then bandaged it.
She flung the kit back into the truck then checked to make sure the engine would start. Almost crying in relief when the motor turned over on the second try, she began the task of getting Landon in the truck. Although she was stronger than most humans, she wasn’t as strong as a lycan, and the crap truth that the women of her species were not as physically strong as the men held true.
“Landon! Wake up. I can’t carry you to the truck, baby.” When he didn’t move, she patted his cheek. “Please! Open those gorgeous brown eyes.” Still nothing. Frustration began to set in, and she looped her arms under his armpits and around his shoulders, but when she tugged on him, it quickly became apparent her effort would be wasted. Dead weight made it impossible to move him more than a few inches. I’d probably have a better chance of dragging a damn elephant around.
Her shoulders sagged, and she began to sob. Brushing at the tears, she refused to give up. She was what stood between him and survival, and she refused to let him down. Mustering up her strength, she tugged at him again. If she could only slide him an inch or two at a time, so be it. Slow and steady would get the job done...eventually. Yeah, but what happens when I make it to the truck? I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.
After what seemed like hours of tugging and pulling, she turned to check her progress, but her heart sank when she found she hadn’t managed to drag him more than ten feet. The tears came again, harder this time, and she sniffled and choked as she grunted with each pull.
“Krista?” Landon’s voice was barely louder than a whisper.
“Landon!” She knelt beside him, watching him squint then slam his lids shut against the sun.
“Wake up! You have to help me. I can’t get you to the truck by myself. You’re too heavy,” she cried.
“Don’t cry. I’m okay.”
“I’ll believe that when you get up and are in the truck.” She tugged at him again. “Come on.”
He struggled to push into a sitting position then winced and laid his palm over his side. “What the hell happened?”
“There’s plenty of time for explanations after we get you in the truck,” she said. “Come on, before you freeze to death.”
As if on cue, he shivered. “I can get up on my own,” he said through clenched teeth.
He managed to get to his feet after the third attempt then swayed. “Stubborn man.” She sighed and draped his arm around her shoulders. “Let’s go.”
Once they got to the truck, she guided him to lean against it while she pulled the emergency blankets from under the seat. She’d never make fun of her brother again for his seemingly overkill for disaster preparedness.
After spreading one of the blankets on the backseat, she returned to Landon. “We have to get you undressed.” She started yanking at his T-shirt, but he gently smacked her hands away.
“I can undress myself,” he murmured.
“Fine. But hurry up.” She stood there waiting.
“Do you have to watch?”
“Yeah, because if you decide to do another face-plant, I’d like to try to balance you before you make it all the way to the ground. I can’t pick you up.”
He growled and began peeling off his clothes. She helped him remove his boots before he stripped his pants down his legs. Standing in only his black boxers, he raised a brow at her then grimaced in pain.
“Yeah. You have a bump on the noggin, too,” she said. As much as she admired the view, she had to get him warm.
After he fell onto the backseat, she tucked the other blanket around him and closed the door. She climbed into the driver’s seat, and duct taped the window opening the best she could to keep out the cold air.
The truck drove out of the embankment with little trouble, but she noticed a wobble in the back end. “Brady’s going to be pissed,” she mumbled.
“No, he won’t. He won’t care about the truck as long as you are okay. By the way, what happened? I feel like I was run over by a fucking train.” He groaned again.
“Don’t you remember getting semi’d?”
