by Lynn Crain
The old man pushed him out of his arms and looked into his eyes. “Please call me…”
“Father?” Connor supplied.
“I don’t want you to do anything that isn’t comfortable to you.”
“I’ll be honest. I’m not sure what’s going to be comfortable.” He stepped away from the man.
“Fair enough. I need you to meet my wife and your aunt, Joanna.”
Joanna stepped forward and raised a gentle hand to his face. “I can see her in you.”
Connor leaned into her hand. It was like his mother was touching him. The feelings brought to the surface were so intense. “Tell me about her.”
Stepping away from him, she took his hand and Charles’s and led them back to the couch. “She was a beautiful woman, Connor.”
He sat down on the couch next to her and watched his father settle beside her. “But you married my father…I don’t understand.”
“I was in love with your father the moment I laid eyes on him. The problem was, he wasn’t supposed to be mine. He was Mariah’s. Mariah was your mother’s name.” She studied him and he could see her eyes twinkled with love yet sadness at the same time. “There was no doubt about that, the way they looked at each other, the way they touched. So I comforted myself with the fact that I would be able to take care of their children.”
“You were my nanny?” He saw confusion cross her face. “I’ve read about them.”
“Not really. Mariah did have her duties within the clan and when she was away, I would often care for you.” A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
“What did my mother do for the clan?”
“She was one of their Elite Guard who would help clean up any problems they might have.”
“Problems like the Betas.”
“Like the Betas and other things.” Charles sat in thought for a moment. “She was getting ready to give that all up. She wanted a house full of pups. That dream ended the night Rowan killed her.”
Connor’s heart turned to steel. “Rowan killed my mother? How?”
Joanna put a gentle hand on his arm. “I’ll tell you how but this is in no way to influence your decision on what you will do for the clan.”
“Was my mother gentle like you?”
“Yes and no.” Joanna gazed quietly at him. “She had the heart of a warrior but the moment she held you in her arms, I could tell that was all over.”
“You were there?”
“Yes. I was there when you were born. It was a wonderful night, full of celebration.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Charles and Mariah were in love. They had their first child. Their future was ahead of them.”
“What happened?”
“You were only three months old. We were at my parents’ place where we thought we were protected. We were wrong.”
“I got there too late, son.”
Joanna looked at Charles with sad eyes, gently patting the length of his arm. She turned back to Connor, emotion flitting across her face as she relived those precious minutes. “Rowan had apparently fallen for my sister, too. He was rabid with rage when she and Charles married. It apparently grew worse when she became pregnant, and when she had you Rowan almost went off the deep end, according to what he told me the day he came for her.”
“Do you have any pictures of her?”
She nodded her head. “I do. I have a lot of pictures from when we were growing up and even some of when you were born. But of all of them, this one is my favorite.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out an old faded wallet photo. “It was taken the week before we were abducted at my parents’ house. It was a family gathering but I wanted something of just us three together.”
Connor swallowed hard and took the photo in his hand as if it were the most precious thing he owned. Looking down at it, he saw not one but two beautiful young women and an infant. Glancing up at Joanna and then down at the picture again, he knew that his mother was the taller of the two. She had almost white-blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes full of laughter. Emotion for a mother he would never meet gripped his chest. It was hard to push down the bile that rose in his throat at the thought of him living with Rowan all those years. The man would definitely pay for his crimes.
* * * * *
“So what do you think they’re talking about in there?” Chastity asked the group of them standing in the outer office.
“I’ve learned not to speculate when it comes to your father,” Lucas answered.
“Family stuff, Chas. I’m sure that’s all it is.” Charity came over and gave her sister a quick hug. “There’s nothing for you worry about.”
“There’s a lot we have to worry about, dear sister-in-law,” Justin stated.
“Why would you say that?” Clarity demanded.
“Just where do you think this brother is going to fit into the scheme of things? At the top?” Justin glared at everyone.
“You’d just hate that now, wouldn’t you?” Charity admonished.
“I think you’re all jumping the gun,” Tom answered, coming in from the hallway. Walking over to Clarity he gave her a quick hug. “Sorry I’m so late. I had some business to finish up. It seems that everything is secure.”
Following him in the room, Cordelia Sinclair carried all their paperwork from the meeting they had just attended. “We could hear you down the hall. I’m really thankful that your father’s office has special insulation from noise.” She looked at them with an air of authority. After all, she should know, as she had been with Langford & Langford longer than any regular employee.
“This is family business, Cordelia.” Clarity practically glared at her.
“That may be but speculating about it practically in the hall will serve no purpose except to give those spying on us the thought that all is not well.” Cordelia leveled a look at all the girls.
“Cordelia is right. I’m not sure that hanging around any more tonight will get us any information. We’re just going to have to see how this is all going to play out.” Chastity reached for Justin’s arm, giving a gentle squeeze. “I’m sure things will work out fine.”
“Yeah, Justin, the old man knows that you’re right for the job.” Lucas smiled and patted him on the back.
Chas smiled at everyone with tears in her eyes. “Be gentle with him, guys; it’s hard when you think your future is all set.”
“Well, I just don’t want Connor to think we’ve given up on him. We just can’t leave him like he’s not important to us. He is. Besides, I think he’s a long way from taking over the company, if at all.” Clarity looked around at her siblings.
“Clarity, it’s been a long night and day for all of us. Why don’t you let me tell them when they get out?” Cordelia stood there hands on hips, apparently frustrated. “That way, you all can get some obviously needed rest.”
“Cordelia, aren’t you supposed to be getting home yourself?” Tom questioned.
“Iain is with my parents tonight. They’ve been helping me all week since I felt it important I be here for Mr. Langford. So if you want to leave I can give a message to them.”
“I don’t think it’s such a bad idea. Everyone’s nerves are raw. Plus I don’t think we should all be hovering out here. Your father and mother deserve time with your brother. I’m sure he has a lot of questions. Besides, if you all are really afraid that he’ll get the wrong impression, you can tell him goodnight yourself telepathically.” Tom hugged Clarity to him fiercely. “He’s not going anywhere, you know. I think he’ll be with us for a long time.”
Clarity looked at the floor. “I know. It’s just that we’ll never get to know him if we don’t spend more time with him.”
“I think the car ride was enough to start, don’t you?” Lucas questioned. “After all, too many Langfords at the same time can make one crazy.”
“You are so going to pay for that remark when we get home.” Charity scowled at her husband.
“What are you going to do?
Spank me?”
“You wish!” she admonished, her feelings shining bright in her eyes. “Still, I see your point. Cordelia, can you mark off some time in my father’s calendar when we all can get together tomorrow.”
Cordelia scanned the calendar. “Tomorrow’s a pretty full day, but I think I can slip you in for lunch and an hour or two after, if that’s okay?”
Charity turned to her sisters and brothers-in-law. “Is that okay with you guys? It’ll give us some more time to get to know Connor better and we won’t be under the usual pressure. At least I hope we won’t.”
“We’ll make it, all right,” Justin stated as everyone else murmured their consent.
“Put us down, Cordelia. Is there any way we can get a meal or something delivered?”
“Good idea. After all, you can learn a lot by having a meal with a person. Light or heavy?”
“Light would be better.”
“I know just the place.” Cordelia made a few notes. “Anything else you want me to tell them when they come out?”
“No, the rest can wait until tomorrow.” Clarity smiled. “It will be a real family welcome.”
Chapter Four
Cordelia stifled a yawn as she walked down the hall in her pajamas. Last night proved to be longer than she expected but she was glad she had called her parents to let them know she wasn’t coming home. The moment Joanna had come out of Charles’s office, she conveyed her message about lunch and told the woman of the girls’ fears. Once she had done that, she asked permission to stay in the company apartment here in the building. She was relieved when Joanna said that would be fine. Thankfully, she had stayed in it many times before so she had a few clothes and pajamas packed away in one of the closets for occasions just like this one.
She had preprogrammed the coffeemaker before she went to bed. She could have slept all day. Only the aroma of fresh coffee had awakened her. Slowly, she poured a cup, careful not to spill any while still dazed from sleep. Stopping at the edge of the kitchen, she casually sniffed the air. Something wasn’t quite right. Someone else was in the apartment!
Suddenly, her senses were on high alert. No one else had been given permission to use the place; otherwise she would have known it the moment she came in last night.
Walking out of the kitchen and down the hall, she stopped in front of each bedroom and took a whiff. The first two appeared to be empty but the third one, the master and right next to hers, smelled of wolf. Beta wolf if her senses were working right. Backing up slowly, she got herself back to the kitchen as her heart nearly pounded out of her chest. Calming herself, she quickly found her center.
She had been one of the Elite’s best at one time, on call for any and every mission that required her special talents. So what the hell was the matter with her this time? Why hadn’t she picked up on this Beta that had invaded the apartment?
She knew why and now was almost regretting her decision. Her Elite enforcer lifestyle had ended seven years ago when she had met her mate, clan librarian Aaron Sinclair. Aaron had been everything she had ever wanted and hoped for in a mate. He had a long pedigree from the old country and had decided early on he wanted to know more about their histories. Cordelia’s life had been very different before she married.
Not wanting to become a complete couch potato after the birth of their son, she made sure she was up-to-date on all the latest fighting techniques because she was Charles Langford’s secretary and that automatically made her his unofficial bodyguard. But it had ended there. Once she had found out she was pregnant, she had given up her practice of going on missions, and rightly so. Now that her husband was gone and she was Iain’s only parent, she had promised herself and him that she would be around for a long, long time. This kind of thing was not supposed to happen!
This Beta was not going to get the best of her. She wouldn’t even give him a chance to kill her. Looking around to see if there were any other weapons beside kitchen knives, she didn’t notice the bedroom door opening or a very sleepy man coming her way. She was caught totally off guard.
“Good morning,” came a sleepy rumble behind her.
Without thinking, she turned and punched, dropping her coffee cup in the process, the hot liquid spilling everywhere. She could see the man was blond and large; beyond that she couldn’t tell because he held his hand to his face.
“What the hell was that for?” he growled.
“Who the hell are you?” she growled back.
“Maybe I’m the one who should be asking the questions.” He reached out and grabbed her by the upper arms and slammed her down onto the table. He took a good whiff.
Cordelia struggled against his grip. “Let me go.”
“Not until you tell me who you are.”
He pressed the full length of his body against her. And what a body it was, if what was pressed against her stomach held true. Still, her body heaved in frustration. Once she was near him she realized that he smelled more like a spring meadow and the Elites than the Betas. She didn’t care that his very sexy body grew by the second. She didn’t care that he took his time trying to analyze her smell. She didn’t care that suddenly her body was all wet and hot and bothered. All she cared about was that this crazy man had caught her off guard, thrown her onto the table, and had tried to immobilize her. And it pissed her off. She lifted her leg hard and chuckled inside when he fell away.
“You fight dirty.” He bent over, one hand to his crotch and the other on his knee.
His voice held a rich, deep timbre, like honey when the nights started to get cold in the autumn. There would be no way that she could let her guard down with this man if his very voice could do things to her insides.
“I do what I have to do,” she said, her voice a mere breathless whisper, as she stood over him.
“And you had to do that?” He stood up slowly. “I don’t know what you’re doing here but I’m beginning to wonder if you are even supposed to be here.”
That pissed her off even more. She drew back her hand and punched him in the face again. “I’ll show you who’s supposed to be here.”
“What the hell did I ever do to you?” The man stood there, a stunned expression on his face.
“Come on. You don’t like to fight women?” She could see his eyes grow wider.
“You want to fight me?” he asked incredulous. “Woman, you don’t know what you’re asking for.” He took a step nearer.
Cordelia broadened her stance and prepared for the worst. He outweighed her by probably eighty pounds and was a good head taller than her. He was lean with muscle. She had barely gotten rid of the baby fat and the baby had been born four years ago. Still, this was truly going to be a battle of wits, at least in her mind. She saw him slowly lift his hand and splay it toward her. Suddenly, she was on her ass. Damn, he was telekinetic and probably a psychic too.
“Now, who’s not playing fair?” She growled at him and knew this would be harder than she had planned. She reached up to the table and pulled herself up, spying the place settings just waiting for guests.
“Oh, no, you don’t.” He lunged for her but not quite in time before she started chucking the china.
“Oh, yes, I do. You’re not allowed to use that psychic shit on me. If you want to fight, fight with your hands.”
Ice-blue eyes burned into hers as he came toward her like a wolf on the prowl. She had seen that look before on many wolfen men. She quickly jumped back, bumping into the table while pushing his hand away. If she were quick enough she could get in a quick jab or two to his ribs.
Falling back into the kitchen cabinets, he briefly clutched his side. “Damn it, you’re just not going to give up easily, are you?”
“Why should I?” She eyed him cautiously.
“Because I could seriously hurt you.”
“Now why don’t you just give it your best shot then we’ll see just who gets hurt.”
The man slowly shook his head. “All right, now remember, you asked for it.” He threw a
punch that landed squarely on the left side of her head.
Cordelia shook it off but it still left her ear ringing. Grabbing his other arm, she charged into his stomach with her head and flipped him over her back. He landed with a resounding thud on the floor next to the table and on top of the broken china. She was only able to stand there a moment, her sides heaving, when she was knocked off balance by his leg making a wide sweep. It almost knocked the air completely out of her but she managed to throw another punch on her way down.
He grabbed her fist and twisted her arm, picking her up and shoving her facedown once again on the table.
“You have no right being on top of me, so get the fuck off.” She gasped for breath, his added weight making it hard to even move a centimeter.
“You know, I think you’re a little bit sexy when you’re pissed like this. I can smell your pheromones. You want me.” He took a long, slow whiff of her, as if to imprint her on his memory.
“I don’t even know you!” She screamed and tried to buck him off her even as her nipples hardened under her. Heat swelled in the V of her thighs and feelings began to overwhelm her. Feelings that she had never felt before in all her life. Not even with her husband. It was like her body already knew this man intimately.
He leaned down into her softness, and she could feel his body coming to life. His hardness pressed into her butt and all she wanted to do was to get herself out of her pajamas. Thank God, she had decided to sleep with them on last night.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say that you like it this way.” He ground his body into hers a little more. “Take that back, I know you like it. I can smell it on you and your wet body is telling me exactly what you want. Your body is betraying you.”
Enraged, she slammed her head against his nose. “You don’t know me well enough to know how I like it. And you don’t know anything about my body.”
She heard him groan as she cracked his face. Still, he wouldn’t let go.
“It’s not going to be that easy,” he whispered close to her ear. He started to rock his now very hard cock into the gentle curve of her ass as he rained light, feathery kisses on her neck.
