Wolf's Lady (After the Crash Book 6.5)

by Maddy Barone

  Sand wondered if the scum would lie, but he didn’t. His round cheeks were red with rage, a muscle at the corner of his jaw bunched. “Fine.” He leaned toward Sand. “But don’t expect me to forget this. I won’t. I will make you pay.”

  Sand watched Askup and the guardsman until they were out of sight and hearing. When he was sure they were away, he turned to Amanda. “That fat slug asked you to marry him?”

  Her beautiful smile, the one that showed honest amusement, curved her mouth. “Yes, he did. He’s rich, he’s close friends with the mayor, and he has a large mansion, so his wife would have a life of ease.”

  He didn’t like that. “Then why did you refuse him?”

  She leaned close to speak in a voice hardly louder than a whisper. Her scent overwhelmed him. He breathed deeply of that precious scent. “He’s also petty, controlling, and mean in bed. Did you hear his threat? I won’t marry a man who can’t accept defeat gracefully.”

  The threat didn’t bother him. The image of Askup in bed with Amanda lifted his lip in a snarl. When Amanda dropped his arm and stepped back he realized his mistake. He sniffed. Her scent had changed. “You’re nervous?”

  “Of course not.”

  Her scent said different, but her face lifted to his with a calm expression. Amanda was not only beautiful beyond his dreams, she was also strong and self-controlled. His wolf had chosen a superb woman for his mate. She stepped forward again and hooked her arm through his.

  “Let’s go look at the flowers,” she suggested.

  The gardens were nearly deserted. He obediently stared at a bunch of red flowers which Amanda said were chrysanthemums. They were pretty, he supposed, and their scent was nice, but he rather look at his mate and enjoy her scent.

  “Sand, does my career bother you?”

  “We already talked about this.” It took a little effort, but he kept his voice mild. “What you did before we even met is none of my business.”

  “Hmmm,” she murmured in a doubting tone.

  He clenched his teeth. “I’m jealous of the men who have been in your life before me,” he admitted. “I can’t help that, but I know I have no right to expect you to deny loving other men in your life.”

  “I never loved them, and they were in my bed, not my life!” she clarified, with a bit of a snap. “The only men in my life that I care about are my dad and Sky. I love Sky. He’s like my brother. And I’ve never brought Sky here.” She dropped his arm to wave at the clearing with the dead fountain behind them. “Only you.”

  Only him. She’d said that before. Relief, and something close to wonder, melted his heart within him. “Will you accept my mate claim?”

  She smiled and lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug. “I don’t know yet.”

  Relief dissolved in disappointment. “Oh.”

  Her smile grew to a laugh. “Don’t give up, Sand. It took me two seconds to refuse Terry. It’s been twelve hours and you’re still in the running.” She took his arm again. “Let’s go back to The Limit.”

  She hadn’t denied him yet, at least. He just needed to figure out what would make her accept him. As they strolled through the gardens he noticed her pleasure in the flowers. “If you accept my mate claim I’ll plant all the flowers you like around our house. I’ll make you a garden, with a fountain, and a bench, and anything else you like.”

  She flashed him a quick glance. “That would be nice. But if I marry you, it won’t be for a house, or flowers or anything like that.”

  He stopped and looked down at her, forcing desperation back. “Then for what? What can I give you to convince you to accept me?”

  She stopped too, staring up at him with an unusually sober face. “What I want from my husband can’t be touched or put into a gift bag, and the price could be very high.”

  “Name it.” Determination rose in him. “I’ll give you whatever you want.”

  Amanda’s smile this time was misty, as if she were holding back tears. “It’s not that easy, Sand. I’ll be cheating if I tell you what I demand from my husband. You have to figure it out for yourself.”

  A challenge! There was nothing a wolf liked better. His smiled fiercely at her, savoring the lovely lines of her face. “I will figure it out. Give me a hint.”

  She bit her lower lip. “It’s only what most women want.”

  If the Lupa were here he could ask her. Maybe he could write her a letter. “I’ll find out and I will give it to you.”

  Her hand was soft and gentle when she touched his cheek. “I hope so,” she murmured. “Let’s go home.”

  Amanda left him at the door to Sky’s house, saying she had girl things to do until supper. He watched her go up the stairs with sadness. He wanted to spend all his time with her. With a sigh, he turned to go to the kitchen.

  Paint was standing in the kitchen door. “There you are!” he said. “I could use another hand with the lawn.”

  Sand followed willingly. Two of Sky’s men he didn’t know well pushed a pair of mowers over the grass. Why did anyone want to cut grass? All that did was make it fall in untidy heaps that he and Paint had to rake into piles and load onto a wagon to be taken away. The scent of freshly cut grass was so strong in his nostrils Sand couldn’t smell anything else.

  They took a break on a low stone wall to eat the sandwiches Rita brought out for them. “Why are you still here?” Sand asked. “Aren’t you going home?”

  Paint shrugged, swallowing half a sandwich whole. “I guess I’ll leave pretty soon. Snow wanted a few days to play tourist.”

  “And you didn’t want to leave Sky short-handed. Where is Snow, anyway?”

  One of Paint’s rare smiles flitted over his face. “Riding the bus, I bet. He’s fascinated with it.”

  Sand made a face. He remembered the loud, smelly vehicle with distaste. “I wouldn’t ride that thing if you paid me.”

  “Amanda likes to ride it.”

  Gentle warmth curled around his heart. He had first seen his mate when she mounted the bus. “If Amanda asked me to, I’d ride the bus with her.”

  Paint adjusted the patch over his missing eye. “How is your courtship going?”

  “I don’t know.” Sand looked down at his sandwich. “I think it’s going okay. She hasn’t accepted my mate claim, but she says I’m still in the running. She wants me to give her something before she’ll be my mate.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t know.” He spread his hands. “She wouldn’t tell me what it is, only that without it she won’t marry anyone. She said I had to figure it out myself.”

  “Hm. That’s not fair. Maybe you could ask Sky. He’s learned a lot about women since he came here.”

  “Yeah,” Sand agreed. “I’ll ask him.”

  After they finished the lawn work Sand went back into the house in search of Sky and found him in his office seated behind his desk. He wasn’t alone. A slender man in a black suit was in the plush visitor chair. Sand thought he looked familiar.

  “Sand,” said Sky. “Just the man we needed to see. Peter, this is my cousin, Sand Wolfe. Sand, Peter Vann, Vice Mayor of Omaha.”

  Since the little man stuck his hand out, Sand shook it before folding his arms over his chest. Maybe he should have said one of those polite, meaningless phrases that townsmen used when meeting a stranger, but Sand didn’t see the point. He waited, saying nothing.

  He didn’t have to wait long. Vann spoke in a quiet, finicky voice, fussing with the cuffs of his suit rather than looking at Sand. “A complaint has been lodged against Sky and The Limit.”

  Sand almost spat on the floor. “Askup,” he growled.

  “Yes, indeed.” Vann did look up now, narrow face cool. “Normally, the Mayor’s office wouldn’t concern itself. Sky has proven himself a savvy and supportive businessman. However, a formal complaint can’t be dismissed out of hand. An investigation must take place.”

  Sky lounged in his chair, looking supremely relaxed. Sand wondered if the Vice Mayor knew how false that w
as. Even with the scent of cut grass lingering in his nose Sand could smell Sky’s rage. Sky inclined his head with a lazy smile. “Of course.”

  “Excellent.” Vann got to his feet and stretched a hand to Sky, who rose to shake it. “We will see both of you in the Mayor’s office at nine tomorrow morning.”

  “Certainly,” Sky agreed. “Let me show you out. Sand, wait here for me, will you?”

  It wasn’t a request. Sand watched Sky walk out of the office with the Vice Mayor, then took the visitor chair to wait for Sky to return. He should have done what he’d wanted last night and kicked Askup down the stairs instead of just taking him down them with one hand hooked under his arm.

  Sky came back and closed the door so they were private. He slumped down on the corner of his desk and dropped his head into his hands. “Oh, lord, what a mess.”

  “Askup already harassed me and Amanda in the park this morning. The City Guard dismissed his complaint. Is this something else?”

  Sky looked up. “Yeah. Looks like Askup doesn’t like to hear no. Did Amanda tell you she refused his marriage proposal?”

  Sand nodded. “She said she refused him in two seconds.”

  “I’ll bet he thought he could still get her to say yes. He was willing to keep trying. But she’s considering you, so that makes his chances of winning her damn slim.” He stood straight with a growl. “You have to stop hurting our clients.”

  “I didn’t hurt that weasel! I was polite. I told him his appointment was cancelled, and when he tried to push past me to go to Amanda’s room I was nice. All I did was block his way. Even when he tried to punch me, I only lifted him by his arm and walked downstairs with him. I could have thrown him down the steps.”

  Sky rubbed a hand through his thick hair, dragging the locks that fell over his forehead back. “I can’t fault you. That seems reasonable enough. Normally, this kind of a complaint would blow over with no harm done. But Askup is one of the mayor’s best friends. This isn’t going to blow over.”

  Sand lifted his lip in a derisive snarl. “What can they do about it?”

  “At best, we’ll be let off with a fine.” Sky looked at Sand soberly. “At worst, we could both be condemned to death.”

  Sand choked on horror. “What? I didn’t do anything wrong!”

  “I know that.” Sky’s voice was grim. “The mayor will know it too, but Askup is one of his cronies, and one of his most generous supporters.” An ironic smile quirked the corner of his mouth. “Justice in Omaha is different than in Kearney.”

  “Justice is justice,” Sand protested with a scowl.

  “At the den, sure. Taye decides, and he doesn’t play favorites. But here, the mayor decides.”

  Disgust climbed up Sand’s spine. “And he has favorites?”

  His cousin nodded. “And guess who his top favorite is?”

  “Terry Askup.”

  “That’s right.” Sky strode to the door, pausing to glance back. “You’re a little thinner, but one of my suits will fit you well enough. I’ll have it sent to the bunkhouse for you.”

  “I’ll be with my mate tonight.”

  Sky nodded slowly. “Alright, I’ll send it to her room. Be ready to leave tomorrow morning by 8:00.”

  Chapter 5

  Amanda put another spoonful of ice cream and strawberries into her mouth, gaze lingering on Sky’s face for a moment before going back to Sand’s. Both of them had been silent during supper, almost grim. She directed her eyes at Sky again. “Is something wrong?”

  “No.”

  She didn’t believe it. “Sand?”

  The man beside her opened his mouth, but Sky sent him a commanding stare and answered for him. “No, Mandy.”

  Sand frowned at Sky. “Amanda,” he said, in a pointed tone.

  Sky frowned back at him.

  “Her name is Amanda. Ah-Man-Dah. Don’t call her Mandy anymore, okay?”

  With a blink, Sky nodded. “Okay.”

  He remembered, Amanda thought, feeling warmth slide around her heart in a tender hold. Sand was so sweet. She took another spoonful of ice cream. “What’s got you so down, Sky?”

  The smile he gave her was almost fake, too much like the kind he gave visitors. “Nothing. It’s been a long day. Beautiful weather today. I suppose we should enjoy it while we can. Winter is only a few months away.”

  He was lying. She knew it. Sand looked down into his bowl without speaking. She couldn’t say she knew him as well as she knew Sky, but except for the light that lifted his face at the sight of dessert, his face had been grave since he came to the table. She liked the expression of delight at the sight of the ice cream. Her suitor must have a sweet tooth. A wicked smile curved her lips. He liked ice cream. Maybe he would like to lick it off her breasts. Desire, so easily aroused when she thought of Sand, flooded her as she imaged cold ice cream and his hot tongue against her breasts.

  His hand seized her wrist. She looked up into dark eyes staring at her with the same hungry delight he’d shown the ice cream. His nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply. He opened his mouth for the spoon she lifted to his lips.

  “Oh, for pity’s sake,” Sky groaned. “Not at the table!”

  Amanda glanced around at the others eating supper. Some studiously ignored Amanda and Sand, others watched frankly. Paint had an expression of stark longing on his face, but it vanished as soon as he saw her watching him.

  Sand leaned close. “Are you done eating?”

  She nodded, and followed him out of the dining room to her room upstairs. He slammed the door shut behind them and dragged her against his chest. He had showered before supper. She could smell the shampoo on his still damp braid and the scent of soap tickled her nose where she pressed it against his throat.

  “What are you thinking of?” he growled.

  “You,” she murmured, dropping her head back to look up at him under her lashes. “Licking ice cream off my breasts.” She felt his cock stir against her belly. “You like ice cream, don’t you, Sand?”

  His voice was slightly hoarse. “Yeah.”

  “Kiss me.”

  His lips were soft, gentle against hers. Chaste. That wasn’t the kind of kiss she wanted from him. She wanted him hot and demanding, and she got that for several long minutes before he pulled away and held her at arm’s length. His unsteady panting put a smug smile on her face.

  “You can’t be done kissing me,” she pouted teasingly. “Don’t you want to kiss me again?”

  “Only—” His voice broke and he had to clear his throat. “Only as much as I want to breathe. But we need to stop before I forget myself. Unless … Have you decided to be my mate?”

  The hope on his face brought shame to hers. “No.” She made her tone gentle. “I haven’t decided yet.” To keep herself from pouring out excuses, she turned the subject. “What has you and Sky looking so glum? He wouldn’t tell me. Will you?”

  He dropped his hands from her shoulders and looked her right in the eye. “Maybe Sky wants to protect you from worry.”

  “But you don’t want to protect me?”

  “From anyone who would hurt you, yeah. But you’re grown up. Keeping secrets from you seems wrong. Do you want to know, even if it’s something you can’t do anything about?”

  Amazing. He really seemed to care about her feelings. He treated her like an adult, not a doll. Too many of her appointments acted like she had no feelings or hopes or dreams of her own. Her heart melted a little bit more. “Yes.”

  He nodded. “Peter Vann was here today. He says me and Sky have to go to an investigation of a complaint that Askup made about me. An inquiry.”

  Hot rage welled and was chased off by cold fear. “Terry went to the Mayor to complain? That asshole.”

  “Yeah. So tomorrow morning me and Sky go to the Mayor’s house for an investigation.”

  “Oh, my God.” She couldn’t help but grip his arm. “Sand.”

  “I have to wear one of Sky’s suits.” He sounded disgusted.

&n
bsp; “You’ll look wonderful,” she assured him. She shoved alarm away with a forced smile. “You’re handsome in jeans, but in a suit you’ll be devastating. I’ll help you get ready. At last, I’ll get to play with your hair!”

  Sand gave her one quick kiss. “You can play with my hair—or any other part of me—anytime you want.”

  She closed her eyes and let out a long breath. “You’re not playing fair, handsome.”

  His finger and thumb touched her chin to tilt her face up. “I’ll do anything to convince you to accept my mate claim, but I don’t want to cheat.”

  “You’re true blue,” she murmured, enjoying the warmth of his fingers on her chin.

  He raised a brow in apparent confusion.

  “You’re a straight forward, honest man,” she clarified. “You say what you mean and you mean what you say.”

  “Yes,” he agreed simply. His fingertips trailed down her throat to stroke the swirl of the tattoo over her collarbone. “That’s the way we are in the Clan.”

  “The Clan?”

  “You don’t know about the Clan?” When she shook her head, he took her hand.” I should tell you about it. Come on, let’s sit down.”

  They settled on her bed, shoulder to shoulder with their backs against the headboard. He held her hand on his knee, smoothing his thumb over her knuckles.

  “You know I’m Lakota.”

  Actually, she didn’t. He was clearly Native American, but she hadn’t known which tribe.

  “For hundreds of years the Lakota lived on the plains, following the buffalo and setting up camp where the hunting was best. There were many different societies among the Lakota, and one of those was called the Wolf Clan.”

  Amanda listened intently. She could see this was important to him.

  “These were men who were born with the spirit of a wolf within them. Some of those wolves could force a change, so the man was inside the wolf and the wolf was free to run or hunt or sleep in his own four-footed body. They were called wolf-born. They were respected and feared as wolf warriors not just by other Lakota, but by all the tribes on the plains.”

  “You’re wolf-born?”

  “Yes, my family traces their history to the Wolf Clan. When the white men came, the wolves retreated. When we were forced onto the reservation, the wolves didn’t make the change any more. They stayed silent and alone inside men.” He bent his head and his thick long braid slithered like a wet snake over his shoulder to touch her arm. “After decades of living like prisoners, the wolves were only stories. The Wolf Clan kept the stories alive and passed them down, but by the time the terrorists set off the bombs and poisoned the water with disease, wolf warriors were only a myth, even to the Wolf Clan. My grandfather and others of the Wolf Clan left the reservation during the Terrible Times and after living free on the prairie again, the wolves came back. My Uncle Muddy Wolf was the first to have his wolf come out.”