by Lia Davis
“I wanted to start by introducing myself.” He offered her his hand. “I’m Izek Cooper.”
“Jess Baker.” She took his hand and shook it firmly.
“I want to let you know I’m forever grateful for what you did back at the warehouse. After that bastard”—he glanced up sharply—“sorry, I mean man, shot Layla, I was beside myself with grief. I felt so many mixed emotions I didn’t know what to do.” He pulled the chair out and sat down hard.
The pain on his face broke her heart all over again. She grabbed a chair and sat in front of him, holding his hands and silently giving support.
“I wanted to kill him. I railed against the bars, reaching for him. She called to me; her roar was so weak and I knew she’d leave me soon.” Tears welled up in his eyes and he let them fall freely. “I pray you never have to go through that. To feel the weight of failure on your shoulders. I was the alpha of my pack, strongest cat in my territory, and they made me feel so powerless. My one job as a male is to protect my female. I failed.”
He stood and began to pace the small room, his stride so long it only took three steps to reach the other side. “When you and your friends showed up I wanted to hate you. Hate you for not coming sooner. If you had, she would have still been alive.” He stopped and stood before her, his hands on his hips and his head hung low. “But when you opened our cages and let me say goodbye, I knew I couldn’t have asked for more. You allowed me to be with her. To help her pass.” His gaze met hers again; sincerity gleamed in his eyes.
She sat in silence, allowing him to get all he needed off his chest. “You granted me the revenge I needed. He shot her because I didn’t obey him. He killed her to hurt me. I’m the reason Layla is dead and I will have to live with it for the rest of my life.”
The shock of his confession forced her to burst out of her chair. She began to voice her opinion when he cut her off by waving his hand through the air.
“Nothing you say will change how I feel about this, Jess,” he said firmly. “I don’t want your pity or sympathy. I just want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. For someone you don’t know. I owe you and your family my life.”
A knock sounded at the door and Caleb stuck his head in. When he caught sight of them together in the break room alone, the musky scent of aggression flowed from him. Caleb stalked into the room, keeping his gaze locked on Izek the entire time. He strode to her side and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to his side. Staking his claim.
“Caleb, this is Izek Cooper. One of the shifters we freed.” When he didn’t stand down, she put herself between the two males. “Caleb Marsh!” She snapped.
His gaze returned to her.
“Stop being an ass.” She added a poke to his chest with her finger. “He just wanted to thank me for tonight.”
Izek extended his hand to Caleb. After a moment, he grasped it and shook. He must have smelled Izek’s pain because the aggressive air dissipated. Her anxiety eased and she turned to face Izek again.
“What’s your next move, Izek?” She couldn’t help but worry he would make a rash decision.
“Honestly, I have no idea. I can’t go back to my pride. I’ve been gone too long and would have been replaced.” He lowered his gaze and shook his head. “It wouldn’t feel right going back without Layla anyway.”
“You can stay here in Blackford, if you’d like?”
He perked up with the offer. “Really?” He ran his hands through his tangled hair, rubbing the back of his neck. “Do you think I could maybe help your parents out here at the diner?”
“Actually, their head cook gave his two weeks’ notice and they are looking to hire someone. How are your culinary skills?”
“I managed the kitchen at the local shifter restaurant in my hometown. I would love to get back to it. You don’t think your parents would mind?” A hopeful glint flashed in his eyes at the possibility of getting back to work, but he chewed his lip nervously.
“Not at all. And listen, we can definitely find you a place to stay. You can stay above the barn in the guest house until you get settled.” For the first time since she’d met him, his lips turned upward. A smile of gratitude?
“Thank you. I really appreciate this, Jess.” Izek started toward the door. “And Caleb, take good care of her. She’s a rare find.” Without another word, he opened the break room door and walked back into the kitchen.
Caleb grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him. He grazed his lips against her throat. “Finally, all alone.” He flicked his tongue out and traced her collarbone. She tilted her head back and moaned. His hand grasped the back of her neck and brought her mouth to his. He crushed her lips to his and devoured her mouth. The intensity stole her breath.
“We gotta stop,” she pleaded around his demanding kisses. “Caleb. We need to get back out there.” When he didn’t stop, she placed her hands against his chest and gently pushed. With a growl, he backed away. “As much as I’d love to stay and play, we still have a lot of work to do.”
He nodded, an exaggerated pout pasted on his face.
“Tell you what, how ’bout I make it up to you tonight?” She couldn’t help but grin. The wait would be just as hard on him as it would be on her.
Chapter 16
Caleb maneuvered his truck down the Bakers’ gravel driveway, the midafternoon sun sitting high on the horizon, not a cloud in the sky. Jess stared into space with a peaceful expression on her face. He parked his truck beside her mom’s SUV and turned it off. Before he had enough time to open his door fully, Luna came running as fast as she could to greet them. She couldn’t seem to contain her excitement and gave her signature full-body wiggle. He knelt down and opened his arms wide as Luna rushed into his arms and covered his face with kisses. When she caught a glimpse of Jess, she began to whine. Jess crouched down and scratched Luna’s back while Caleb stood and watched the interaction.
The mission shouldn’t have been any different than the ones he’d taken in the past. Follow the evidence, find the suspect, and deal with them accordingly. But Jess and Luna had decided to throw the protocol on its head. Not only did he find a best friend, but he also found a mate.
Jess stood and walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. He squeezed her in return. Last night could have ended much differently. He counted his blessings he could hold her today, and for the foreseeable future.
“Jess.” He waited for a response but only received a soft murmur. “When I came to Blackford, the mission took precedence, always. But the wildcat waitress in the Motley Crue t-shirt turned my life upside down.” The brush of her cheeks against his chest made him picture her beautiful smile. “I’ve never felt such a connection to someone before. It’s shaken me to the core. It must have been fate for us to be at the diner at the same time.”
She looked up and met his gaze.
“I want you to know I love you.” His chest clenched with the sudden confession. The smile that formed on her lips was blinding. It caused the knot of anxiety in the pit of his stomach to ease. She was so beautiful, so radiant.
“I love you too, Caleb Marsh. There’s nothing I want more than to be with you.”
He roared as he grabbed Jess and threw her over his shoulder before spinning in a circle. “You’ve just made me the happiest man on earth.”
“Oh, and Caleb. Fate didn’t bring me to the diner that day. A nasty hangover did.” She started to laugh.
What a little minx. He gave her ass a playful slap.
“Ouch.”
“If anyone asks, it was fate,” he joked.
She slid down his body until her feet touched the ground. The contact caused his groin to tighten. He threw his arm around her shoulders and began to walk with her back to the house.
She reached for the door and as she opened it, Roscoe trotted out onto the deck. When he spotted Luna, he raced off after her. Luna didn’t hesitate; she tucked her tail and ran down the steps
as if the hounds of Hell were on her heels. With her tail stowed between her legs and her bum down, she ran full speed into the yard. Roscoe followed after her at a full sprint. Caleb and Jess just stood there and gawked at the two animals running around the front yard.
He didn’t bother to stop the laughter threatening to burst from him. There was no way he could hold back any longer. He wrapped one arm around his stomach and grabbed the railing with the other. She snorted and joined in.
The front door creaked as Elaine stepped out onto the porch, a wide smile pasted on her face. She swung her gaze over the yard and took in the comical happenings on the lawn. Both Luna and Roscoe were spent. Each had plopped down on a plot of grass, panting. Jess and Caleb laughed so hard they cried. He tried to compose himself but couldn’t seem to get himself under control. The sight of his pit bull tucking tail and running from one of the mangiest cats he’d ever seen was something he wouldn’t forget for quite some time.
“Well, it’s a good thing you’re sticking around, Caleb. Gives them time to get used to each other.” She turned to go back in the house, her hands clutching her apron as she wiped them clean.
“You knew he would stay?” Jess called after her. Elaine stopped mid-stride and turned to face them.
“Of course, Jess.” She smirked at them both. “From the moment I met Caleb and saw how you were together, I knew. Also, when my greedy cub shared her kill with you, I knew she wouldn’t let you go without a fight.” She gave them a wink and walked back into the house.
“Were we that obvious?”
“Well, when your dad welcomed me to the family, I’m pretty sure it sealed the deal. The fact I didn’t run screaming should have been a sign too.” He hooked his fingers in her jean loops and pulled her flush with his body, pressing his hard length against her belly. She put her arms around his neck and nipped his bottom lip. Heat shot through his veins and a deep growl rumbled through his chest at the sharp bite.
With a growl, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.
“What are you doing?” She squealed.
He stalked toward the guest house with her giggling the whole way. She was going to be the death of him and he couldn’t be happier.
About the Author
Megan lives on seven acres of land in rural Alberta, Canada and enjoys the simple country life. Paranormal romance allows her to create the places and characters she has always wanted to read about. She enjoys bringing her stories to life every chance she gets. When she isn’t writing she’s spending time with her husband and daughter whether it’s camping, riding ATV’s or just hanging out at home. Her family is the most important thing to her.
www.meganmichelau.com/
Dragon’s Curvy Dilemma
Mychal Daniels
Chapter 1
Daryl Livingston—late March
Humming sounds of machinery in the distance tugged at her subconscious. Ramping up a quickened pace to combat the onset of fatigue, she walked past, what had to be a private road, to start climbing again. Punishment, most likely well deserved, was upon her. It came in the form of another damned leg-trembling, heartburning incline on the road to cardiac hell.
“I’m too damn young to be this out of shape.” She huffed, trying to expel some of the burning sensation rocketing through her body. “Come on, Daryl, move your fat ass up this hill.”
Talking to herself had helped to get her this far. The pep talks had descended into personal beat up sessions. Shaking her head to evict that vindictive inner critic, she looked ahead attempting to imagine being up where the incline leveled out.
“Almost there, love. You got this. One leg after another.”
Much better. Daryl’s legs and heart cooperated, propelling her forward. Honey worked better than vinegar—a lesson she was still trying to master. Her inner critic was a bitch of the highest order. Brow beating herself wouldn’t help her make it through this. She’d monitor her thoughts not to let the wicked inner critic of the South back in.
The winding rural two-lane highway stretching out before her hadn’t had any cars on it for a while. She was tired of walking with all her belongings wedged into a heavy backpack. The backpack might as well be the weight of the world on her shoulders.
It was rare times like this Daryl reluctantly wished she’d been gifted with one thing from her estranged mother. The woman had been blessed with a slim frame that looked like an ultra-athlete no matter what she ate or how hard she eschewed exercise. Instead, Daryl had taken after her beloved late father who was robust and thick. Not only was she named after him, but she also was his spitting image, had his ways, and an affinity for technology and science.
These facts had been pronounced over her countless times by her mother with a smirk. The woman had cultivated an unhealthy dislike for her ex-husband. She did her best to sway her only child to her side too. It had never worked. Daryl was a daddy’s girl, and her mother was powerless to change that—even now that he was dead.
Her thoughts drifted back to all the summers she’d stayed with him. Her father, Daryl Livingston, Senior—she was junior—had lived in a little rental house up here that her mother wouldn’t be caught dead in. Daryl had loved it, counting down the days until her summer vacations. College scholarships in technology and science and their rigorous requirements to keep said funding had taken her away from her summers up here with her dad.
Now it was too late. He was gone. An image of his smiling face played at the edge of her memory. She dug a little deeper to recreate as many details as possible. Over the years her recollection of his memory became fainter.
Maybe her being here right now was in part from her need to reconnect with her father? No matter, she was here and determined. Readjusting the backpack on her back yet again, Daryl kept walking. It did represent the weight of the culmination of her life to this point.
Despite the overcast clouds that snuffed out the little bit of sun that had come out this morning, she continued to heft her thick and ample curvy body along. Daryl hated how hard she was breathing to accomplish the task. Almost slipping on a little pine cone under one of her sneakers, Daryl let the cuss word fly.
“Shit! What was I thinking?”
Kicking a few more of the small traps out of her path, gave her enough time to pause and take in the surroundings. Tall pine trees sat away from either side of the road while their branches grew enough to shower the sides with these little prickly accidents waiting to happen. Her path was littered with the trees’ seedling offerings. It was the beginning of spring, and everything was waking from the sleep of winter.
A high-pitched machine cut through the droning sound of what must be an industrial lawn mower in the distance. Curiosity high jacked her common sense. New attention pivoted her back to the private road she’d just crossed. It had looked way better than the worn highway she was on. This road had struck her as a bit out of place with how stately and well managed it was considering the state of this stretch of road. Unlike the one she was struggling to best, the new road didn’t appear to have an incline. That alone gave it way more points than staying on this path of torture.
Was there new construction back there? Maybe it was the deprivation of human contact that made her consider the hope that sprang up. Visions of a little shelter safe enough to rest in for a couple of hours danced in her head. The sounds coming from down that road could mean there was a nice new subdivision being built or a through-way to a better highway with more cars on it. Heck, anything was better than this lonesome excuse for a thoroughfare. Kicking a granite rock sticking up through the red clay that was specific to Georgia, Daryl turned back toward the newer road.
She’d take a quick look to see what might be back here in the middle of nowhere north Georgia. Then, she’d find a hidden patch or shelter to rest for a while, before trying to catch a ride to the next small town with overnight lodging. The only thing Daryl knew for sure was that she had to stay close to where her father had lived. With nothing else o
n her plate beside survival, this would be the best time to find out what had happened to take him away from her. The truth was out here in these mountains, and she’d find out who or what had taken him too soon.
Walking these roads had proven to be more than a notion. The higher elevation made the air thinner than she’d become accustomed to back in Austin, Texas. Plus, each road seemed to be on enough of an incline for it to feel like she walked on a sadistic, never-ending stair climber.
Turning back and taking the proverbial “road less traveled,” Daryl Livingston, Junior placed a wary foot on the road and waited. She’d learned long ago to trust herself when it came to where she was supposed to be. Her father had taught her that. Standing with both feet on the new level surface, the tiniest tingle of excitement formed fueling her with enough energy to take the next step. Certainty bloomed. This road was her path.
She’d walked a few hundred yards when the idea to check for posted signs came to her. So far, there were none. No private road, trespassing or even posted speed limit signs appeared. That was odd but not enough for her to turn back. Something about being on this road gave her hope that everything would work out. Plus, it took too much of her precious energy to continue to bash herself for ending up in this predicament.
Homeless with no transportation save her feet, Daryl had the last $971.84 to her name tucked snugly in her bra. With ample bosom gifted to her from her father’s grandmother—let her mother tell it—Daryl could depend on her bra to be strong enough to hold about anything she put in there. Hell, she’d been accustomed to putting her house keys between her cleavage when she’d rode an old bike to work. She missed that raggedy bike now. But, it wouldn’t fit on the plane, so she’d sold it and everything else to get enough for a plane ticket back to her dad’s home.
