by Sydney Addae
Her brows rose at his question. “No. Why would you think Jim would ever hurt me?”
Ethan shook his nose to rid it of the jarring scent. “For a moment there you looked scared of something.”
She returned behind her desk, grabbed a large canvas bag and stuffed a few things inside. “Have you…” She cleared her throat, but her hands never paused. “Have you ever been to New Jersey?”
Ethan caught the quiver in her voice. Saw the tremor that ran through her body and knew this was no random question. “As a Marine,” he stated, calmly reminding her he was one of the good guys. “I’ve been to several places across the globe but never to Jersey, not yet anyway. Why? Is that where you’re from?”
“I lived there for a while. You remind me of someone, that’s all.” She took a deep breath, opened a desk drawer and pulled out her purse.
“Someone nice I hope.” He watched the expression on her face and knew whatever had happened wasn’t good. Before nightfall he’d know everything about his mate and New Jersey.
“Hmm, I wouldn’t say that.” She looked at her watch. “I’ve got to go.” After hefting her bags upon her shoulder, she walked around him toward the door, and stepped into the hall. Ethan walked out behind her.
“Let me carry that to your car.” He reached for her bag.
“No.” She inhaled and shook her head. “No thank you. Please just… just leave. I’m not interested.”
Ethan wanted to do flips as the tart smell of a lie reached him.
“Okay, I don’t mean to cause any problems, it’s just… you take my breath away and I needed to see you again.”
She stopped and met his gaze. For a few moments they stood in the corridor staring into each other’s eyes. Ethan scented their company before he rounded the corner, but didn’t mention it to Vanessa. Jim already had the home advantage and Ethan refused to help him win the game.
“Vanessa,” Jim snapped as he rounded the corner.
She turned to look at the man moving quickly in their direction. Ethan noted lines of determination etched in the man’s jaw as his gaze hardened when they landed on him.
“Jim. I see you made time to come here after all,” Vanessa said. There was a hint of anger beneath the pleasant greeting.
“What’s going on?” Jim stood next to Vanessa, placed his hand on her arm, and looked at Ethan. “I haven’t met you before.”
“No, you haven’t,” Ethan said, sliding on his sunglasses. He waited silently.
“Jim, Ethan. Ethan, Jim.” Vanessa’s hand waved back and forth. Jim nodded as he took her heavy bag in one hand and held her hand in the other. The look he sent Ethan was clear. ‘Back off, she’s mine.’
“Ready?” Jim asked her.
“Yes.” Vanessa walked with Jim and glanced at Ethan as he walked alongside her, but a short distance away.
“Are you following us?” Jim ground out. His cheeks reddened as he looked at Ethan. Both men were similar in size, Jim may have a few extra pounds, but none of that concerned Ethan. Jim touched his mate and Ethan’s beast went ballistic. It was a struggle not to beat the man into the concrete floor.
“Shyla!” Vanessa yelled when Ethan didn’t answer Jim. The tall woman turned and headed in their direction. With sunglasses in place, Ethan sensed her concern even though she showed nothing other than a pleasant smile for her friend.
“Vanessa, Jim.” She nodded to the two of them before looking at him. “Ethan.”
“Hello Shyla,” Jim said. “Is this your friend?” He pointed to Ethan.
Vanessa’s eyes widened as she looked at Shyla.
Seeing his mate in distress eased his beast and caused him to back down, for now. Ethan nodded goodbye to Vanessa, then Shyla, and walked around them to the main exit. Outside, the cool air failed to extinguish the fiery need for his mate burning inside. His beast longed to be free, to speak plainly of his disappointment over the situation to the Goddess. Instead, he moved slowly to his vehicle, senses alert. Someone watched him. He heard camera clicks and finally zeroed in on the car. Pamela and someone else were sitting across the parking lot in a SUV. The scents were familiar, but he wasn’t sure of her companion.
“Guess I struck a nerve with the jealous comment.” He turned and started walking away from the school to the gas station around the corner where he’d left his transportation with a pack member. With each step he took, the more determined he became to take Vanessa from Jim. Something about the man bugged him, in addition to him touching Vanessa. Maybe it was his eyes, or his scent. Ethan wasn’t sure, but he wouldn’t allow his mate to become entangled with a crazy person.
Chapter 15
A constant dull throb filled Vanessa’s head once Ethan walked off. On one hand she was happy the brazen man left, on the other she liked his bold, Neanderthal approach. Not that she’d take him seriously, but it was nice to have someone look at her the way he did. Wait. Jim looked at her like that all the time, right? So why did she pay Ethan the slightest attention? She had no idea and thinking about it made her head hurt. She needed to lie down for a few minutes.
“What was that all about? Who the hell was that?”
“I’ll talk to you later,” Shyla said, waving as she walked off.
“I introduced you,” Vanessa said, knowing that wouldn’t wash.
“Vanessa, we talked about this. I have trust issues, I’ve been burned before and I hoped, thought, you were different.” He paused and released a breath while squeezing her hand. “Is there something going on with that guy?”
“No.” She walked toward the exit. Her head and feet hurt. While he laid around or did whatever retired military did all day, she’d been knee deep with high school students who came to her with multiple problems. Right now quiet seemed a luxury.
“No?”
She looked over her shoulder. “No. Nada. Nein. I’m too tired to say it in another language.” She nodded to Mike at the entrance and walked out the front door of the school. In the distance her eyes were drawn to the swagger that once caused her heart to race in fear and her throat to tighten. Nothing happened this time. She slid on her sunglasses and headed toward the staff parking lot.
“He’s interested in you.”
Vanessa nodded and pulled her keys from her purse.
“Did you hear me?”
“Yes, I did.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
She pressed the button to unlock the door, turned and faced him. “Nothing.”
His jaw tightened and they stared at each other for a few seconds. “How’d you meet him?”
“At the seafood restaurant last week before you got there.”
“He was there?” Jim sounded surprised.
“Yes.”
“Shyla introduced you, didn’t she? She doesn’t like me and I don’t know why. I’ve never done anything to her.”
“Shyla likes you.” Vanessa stifled a yawn and wondered how much longer this conversation would go on. “I thought you were headed out of town with Tim, some kind of emergency meeting.”
“We are, he’s over there.” He tipped his head toward the other side of the parking lot, but Vanessa couldn’t see anyone. “I wanted to see you first, say goodbye.”
Something about the way he said that last part bothered her, it sounded off. “Thanks. You said you didn’t have time but I’m glad you did.” She leaned forward and brushed a kiss against his cheek.
He placed his hands on her arms, holding her in place while staring into her eyes. “I’ve searched my whole life for someone like you, I can’t lose you. Tell me what you need me to do, whatever you want, I’ll do it.”
Vanessa met his gaze, read the intensity, and for the first time realized what she saw there may not have been love but some kind of weird possession. Her stomach dropped as his grip and jaw tightened. Not once did he release her gaze. It was as if he tried to hypnotize her, bend her will or something. Where had that thought come from? Why was she noticing these things now?
This was Jim, her lover, her heart, her future. God she must be tired.
“Tell me you love me. Tell me you want me and no one else.” His warm breath brushed against her forehead as he leaned forward, pressing his fingernails into her arm.
Pain shot up and down her arm, stealing the words he wanted to hear and she wanted to say, and replaced them with, “You’re hurting me.” She watched his eyes narrow for a second and then normalize. His face cleared, but for a few moments his face had darkened, as if he didn’t care about hurting her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Let me see.” He pulled up her sleeve and looked at the indentations for a few minutes. And then he placed small kisses on her arm. “That should make it all better.” He smiled and brushed his lips against hers.
“Are we good?” he asked while taking her in his arms and rubbing her back.
Conflicting thoughts spun around her mind as she belatedly returned his embrace. “Sure.”
“Can’t blame me for being jealous, it was obvious that bastard wants you.”
So Jim took Ethan seriously whereas she hadn’t, not really. A hunk as good-looking as Ethan probably had his pick of women, and since she’d told him she was off the market, there was no reason for him to hang around. But you enjoyed being in his arms, the thought floated across her mind before she could censure it.
“No comment?” He pressed.
“Not really. I’m getting married, what would he want with an almost married woman?” Even though she’d just second-guessed Jim’s real feelings, that hadn’t been the case earlier. It didn’t make sense for an eligible bachelor to waste time on her.
“Glad you haven’t changed your mind about that,” he said, sounding like his old self.
She took a breath and stepped backward, realizing that she’d been tense through their discussion. “Why would I change my mind? Is there something you need to tell me?” Vanessa heard the question leave her mouth, but didn’t know where it came from. She hadn’t meant to ask him questions, it was late and she wanted to go home, but the look on his face told another story.
“What do you mean?” He continued to hold her gaze. She saw the same expression she’d seen on students’ faces when they explained why they didn’t have their assignments done on time or asked for extensions with outlandish reasons. The man she planned to marry was hiding something important and had probably lied about it in the past.
A sudden burst of energy flooded her system. She crossed her arms and stared up at him. “Is there something you need to tell me before we get married?”
His gaze narrowed slightly as he shook his head slowly. “No. I’ve been very transparent with you. Shared my family and military life, you know all about me, but not other people, friends, or family in my life. That wouldn’t be right to share.”
Vanessa thought about it. “This meeting you’re going with Tim to, is it about his bounty hunting business?”
He nodded. “Yeah and a little more. I’ll be back late tonight; do you want me to drop by your place?”
“On a work night?” He’d always said no when she asked before because she had to get up early the next morning.
He shrugged. “If you want, I’ll come by, spend the night. Whatever you want.”
She shook her head. “You can come by but I’ll be asleep.”
He opened her door. “Dinner tomorrow?”
“I’m working at the debate club event.”
“That’s right, sorry I forgot.” He paused. “Seems I won’t see you until I come back in town this weekend. That didn’t worry me before but now, I’m not so sure. Maybe I should move here next week. We talked about it.”
Why didn’t the idea of him moving to Richland excite her? “So all the times I asked you to move here, to spend the night with me, so that we could be together and you always found reasons to say no —”
“That’s not fair or true, Vanessa. I explained my reasons, but we’re engaged now, it’s different.”
“Now that someone else might be interested in me you’re ready to do those things?” she asked, ignoring his comment. It was BS and he knew it.
“Vanessa.”
“What would staying with me one night have hurt? Nothing. I asked, you said no, several times. Now you’re asking what can you do for me. Promising me the world, yet something as simple as lying next to me, holding me in your arms when I asked you to, you couldn’t do.” The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
“Looking back from this point in our relationship, it seems silly.”
“Selfish.”
“Huh?”
She hadn’t thought of it in these terms before. “You did what you thought was best for you, not me. Everything was about you, but you tried to make it seem like it was for me.” How the hell had she missed that?
“What? No. You’re wrong. I’ve been in war. Seen and done terrible things. Things that wake me through the night. No one could love a man like that, not really. I’ve been used so many times, I didn’t trust my heart. You and I both know sex always complicates things. I didn’t want that to be the main thing between us. So for three months, I went through hell by not touching you. I damn near died, but I wanted you to love me for me and nothing else.” He paused and ran his hand through his short hair. “Could I have communicated all of this better? Let you know how hard it was to walk away from you? Show you how damn hard I got every time I was with you? Yes, to all the above. But I’m in self-preservation mode. I can’t take another hit to the heart, not from you. Not from you.”
Sincerity blazed from his eyes. Her throat tightened as she moved closer and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him close. “I love you,” she whispered.
His arms tightened around her waist. “Baby, I love you. Please be patient with me, I’m a good man. I promise to be your dream husband.”
“I know. I know. It’s been a long day and I’m tired. Hungry and tired,” she corrected.
He squeezed her waist and released her. “Go home and get some rest. I’ll call tomorrow before I head out of town.” He opened his mouth and then closed it. “I’ll be glad when we’re married and all of this is behind us. I can’t wait to be your husband.” He turned and strode in the opposite direction.
A frown marred Vanessa’s forehead as she watched him move with purpose toward Tim’s truck. “All of this behind us? What is this?” she murmured, wondering over his comment. The only reason they weren’t together more was because of him always saying no. She slid into the front seat, started the car, and pulled out of the parking lot. She pulled her phone from her purse. “Call Shyla.”
The phone rang twice. “I didn’t do it.”
“That never gets old. What’s for dinner?”
“Steak and potatoes. Should I throw one on for you?”
“Yes, I have some questions.” Vanessa turned toward Shyla’s home.
“I hope I have answers, or at least you’ll accept a sounding board.”
“What’s the deal with Ethan? And don’t tell me you don’t know.”
Chapter 16
Ethan reached the auto shop, waved to the mechanic, and slid into the front seat of the truck Alpha Jayden gave him this morning when he arrived to take Callum home. His mind whirled constantly over this whole mating situation. How could his mate choose someone else? If she married this asshole what would happen to him? How would he function? None of it made sense.
The way the laws were written he couldn’t interact with humans except in certain situations. Alpha Jayden believed this was one of those situations. Ethan agreed, but had no idea how to claim his mate. Just because she was attracted to him didn’t mean she wanted a relationship. He snorted. She’d been crystal clear on not wanting anything to do with him.
Now what?
The SUV with Pamela, Jim, and the other guy sped down the road, leaving dust in its wake. Ethan watched until it disappeared from sight. He wondered where they were headed in such a rush and how long would
they be away. He turned off the engine and walked to the back of the shop.
“I met a guy earlier at the school. Name’s Jim something, he dates one of the teachers over there. Do you know him?”
“No, sorry can’t help you with that. Shyla works there and knows everything about this region. She’ll help you,” the wiry older man said, and returned to the car he was working on.
Ethan nodded and returned to his truck. He wasn’t sure Shyla would help, but it was worth a try. He pulled out his phone and called the number Alpha Jayden gave him this morning.
“Ethan?”
“Where does Jim live?” he asked Shyla.
“When he comes here he stays with his friend Sanders. First name’s Tim I believe.”
Ethan wrote the name on a spare piece of paper. “Where is the place?”
“In the mountains. I’m not sure there’s an address, but if you go west on Main and take the third left, Reilly Road, and continue straight, you’ll eventually find the road.”
“Any idea where he’s going in such a hurry?”
“What?”
He told her about seeing Pam in the car with someone and Jim joining them.
“I need to start parking out front, I never see anything,” she grumbled. “Pam and Sanders, that explains a lot. Jim told Vanessa that Sanders is a bounty hunter. Maybe they had a lead on a job or something.”
“Maybe.” His gut said it was more, but he didn’t want to discuss that with her.
“He’s former military. They’re going to run your picture,” she said.
“Good. I plan to complete a background check on him and look into what happened in New Jersey.” Shyla hadn’t mentioned anything about Vanessa’s bad experience and hoped she’d share anything she knew now.
“Sounds like a plan. Need anything else?” she asked.
“No. Yes. What kind of security is at this place?”
“I’ve heard he’s gone overboard, lots of surveillance and even some traps. A full-blood got caught in one a year ago.”
