by Iris Abbott
Mitch’s hands tightened around the steering wheel. “So how did you figure out it was this Linden person? And did you go to the police about any of this? Local authorities are very cooperative with Gannon Security, but an existing restraining order would speed up the process of obtaining one in this jurisdiction.” Mitch wanted as much legal documentation as possible to support a case for death in self-defense if it came to that. And if this stalker was pursuing Scarlet here in Enigma it couldn’t end any other way. Mitch wouldn’t let it. The wolf inside him would cheerfully and permanently eliminate any threat to Scarlet without skipping a beat.
Scarlet seemed to shrink right before his eyes. She sank into the seat and tried to curl inward. Finally she took a deep breath and closed her eyes in preparation to share this nightmare. “Travis followed me home from an evening jog a couple of weeks later. I tried to make polite excuses to get rid of him, but he wouldn’t budge. I decided to forego politeness and tried rudeness. I took out my key planning to go inside to get away from him.
Unfortunately I underestimated the danger. He waited until I was halfway in the door before he pushed his way inside. I threw my entire body weight against the door, but it wasn’t enough. He attacked me. Luckily he forgot to shut the door behind him and I was able to let out a couple of good screams. A neighbor called the police and they arrived in time to save me, but Linden got away.”
She sighed. “The police were still looking for him when I left Boston. I didn’t get any more packages or visits, but I did get several hang-ups on my landline right before I moved. I just assumed it was Linden’s way of tormenting me from a distance. And yes I got a restraining order, but I don’t see what good a piece of paper is going to do, especially if he was the one trying to break into my cottage.”
Mitch felt his inner wolf snarling in anger. He worked hard to hold back his emotions. He didn’t want to scare Scarlet, because that anger was in no way directed at her. He took his right hand off the wheel and reached out to hold Scarlet’s hand. He wanted to hold her in his arms and soothe away all the bad memories, but that wasn’t going to happen while he was driving.
“Taking in consideration everything you’ve told me about this jerk, I’m sure it sent him over the edge again when he discovered your Boston number was disconnected. You must not have covered your tracks as well as you thought or else he’s been watching you all along and followed you here. Justin and I will make finding this maniac our top priority.” And once they did he’d never terrorize her again.
If the man was in Enigma he couldn’t hide forever and he’d be real easy to find. Mitch made a mental note to contact Phillip Saint John as soon as possible. He was one of the magical guardians that protected paranormal beings and he lived in Enigma. He and Mitch were also friends. He’d want to take out the trash just as much as Mitch did, especially if the stalker was polluting Enigma with his foul presence.
Mitch had every intention of claiming Scarlet as his mate and soon. Mate to a wolf shifter put her in the realm of the paranormal. It also put her under the protection of his pack and the guardians as well. Not that he needed help protecting what he considered his, but extra eyes and ears might help track down the deranged jerk faster. The sooner the better as far as Mitch was concerned.
The silence in the SUV stretched out until Scarlet couldn’t stand it anymore. “Mitch,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I didn’t mention any of this before. I just wanted to put the whole ordeal behind me and move on. I didn’t think he’d be able to find me here, and I was hoping since he was on the run from the police that he would be on the other side of the country or something. I guess I should have taken the extra precaution of updating the cottage’s security as soon as I moved in.”
Mitch grunted in response. “At least you didn’t take any chances tonight. I am glad you called us instead of waiting for something bad to happen first.” He left it at that. He didn’t want to lecture her after the fright she’d had, but he did want to make sure she understood that he was taking this threat to her safety very serious. As far as he was concerned it was personal. He would find this Travis Linden and permanently remove him from Scarlet’s life if that was what he had to do to guarantee her physical and emotional wellbeing.
A hush fell over the inside of the vehicle and soon afterward Mitch felt the hand he was still holding go limp. He chanced a peek at Scarlet and she was slumped over in the seat fast asleep. He let out a weary sigh and slowly let go of her hand so as not to disturb her. He drove the rest of the way shrouded in silence with only his spiraling thoughts to keep him company. He needed a plan of action to ensure Scarlet’s safety and he needed to implement it right away. He began sifting through and discarding ideas until he turned into the long drive leading to the very large luxury log cabin that served as his home and the main meeting place for the Enigma wolf pack.
He parked the car in the garage and went around to the passenger side. Scarlet was still in a deep sleep, no doubt caused by a depletion of adrenaline after her scare. He opened the door, unfastened her seatbelt, and carefully lifted her into his arms. Using one hand he unlocked the door and then punched the security code into the number pad on the wall. He proceeded directly up the double staircase to one of the waiting guest rooms.
He and Justin shared a large luxury log cabin complete with two master bedrooms on the main floor and six guest bedrooms in the large second story loft area. He was expected as the alpha to host several meetings and social gatherings every month. Sometimes for various reasons he and Justin would house guests for an extended period of time. He was extremely grateful that all the upstairs bedrooms were empty now since Scarlet was going to be in residence.
Scarlet didn’t strike him as the frilly kind. He bypassed the pale pink room with the antique lace trim and canopy bed. The third bedroom on his side of the house was decorated in red and black and he knew instinctively that the bold and exotic room would perfectly match Scarlet’s personality. He wanted her to enjoy her stay in his house just as much as he was going to enjoy having her there. After all as far as he was concerned the move would eventually be permanent.
He laid her on top of the comforter and pulled off her shoes and socks. She stirred and mumbled a few words, but went back to sleep. Her jeans were next. After that Mitch decided not to press his luck. She would be comfortable enough in the baggy sweater and underwear she was still wearing. He lifted her and flipped back the bedding before gently placing her in the center of the bed. He gave her one yearning look taking in the display of long toned legs on display. She was tempting and he wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anyone, but he wasn’t going to let his desire put her in jeopardy. He had to call a meeting and get a security team in place right away. He tucked her in and kissed her forehead, “sleep tight Scarlet and sweet dreams.”
He knew she might be scared and disoriented if she woke up in a strange bedroom, so he turned on the bedside lamp. It emitted a soft and friendly yellow glow of light. He also left the bedroom door cracked instead of shutting it all the way. He wanted her to feel free to explore his home when she was up to it. He took one last look at her before heading downstairs to his home office.
He and Justin had a lot of work to do and he had several phone calls to make starting with Phillip Saint John. He pulled out his phone and pushed speed dial number four to reach the guardian he now considered a friend. He wasn’t surprised he got Phillip’s voicemail. He and his wife Selena were probably cozied up together in bed.
“Saint John, Mitch Gannon here. This is a courtesy call to let you know that my soon to be mate has a stalker that may have followed her from Boston. Someone cut the landline at the Valentine cottage tonight and Justin found evidence of an attempted breaking and entering. She has a restraining order against this guy and he’s wanted by the police in Boston for a previous attack. If he is here in Enigma, I want Travis Linden found and the sooner the better.” Mitch ended the phone call and walked into his office.
Justin wa
s busy researching something on the computer. His brother looked up from the screen when he heard Mitch enter the room. His jaw was clenched and Mitch could feel the anger radiating off of him in sharp stabbing waves. “After you left I tried tracking the intruder, but the strong rain washed away any evidence or scent. I couldn’t find a trail to follow.”
Mitch shrugged. He wasn’t too concerned with this information. It was more or less what he had been expecting. After all he’d failed to pick up anything out of the ordinary when he’d first arrived at the cottage. Of course all his attention had been focused on Scarlet. “I’m not surprised. It’s pretty nasty out there and the rain was really coming down hard earlier.” His brother was still tense, his muscles clenched as if he was ready to spring. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Justin. You’re the pack’s best tracker, if there had been something there to find you would have found it.”
Justin swallowed hard. His brother was not going to like what he was about to hear and Justin really hated to be the bearer of news this bad. “Mitch, he tried to kill her.”
Mitch causally sat down in the chair behind his desk. “I know. She told me he attacked her right before she left Boston and that the police are looking for him. I also have a name if you want to do the research.”
Justin narrowed his eyes. “Travis Linden, yeah I know. I’ve already hacked into Boston PD’s system to search for information on Scarlet.” He slammed his fist down on the table. “Mitch he didn’t just attack her, he almost killed her. She had two black eyes, a concussion, and a bruised windpipe from where he tried to choke her. He left the imprint of his fingers on her skin. I’ve seen the photos. If the police had been five minutes later she probably would have been strangled to death. She was in the hospital for several days.”
Mitch got up and walked over to Justin’s computer. Seeing those police photos was a compulsion he couldn’t ignore. He glanced over Justin’s shoulder and onto the screen. The bruised and battered woman lying in the hospital bed with a human hand imprint around her throat looked nothing like the spirited and immaculate beauty he’d been getting to know the past couple of months. His hands clenched to form tight fists and he couldn’t hold back the menacing growl that escaped. “Travis Linden is a dead man. Make copies of these and forward them to Phillip Saint John immediately, because I don’t want any trouble with the council when my wolf rips that abusive pig apart.”
“Already done,” Justin responded. “How’s Scarlet?”
“She crashed on the drive over and was in a deep sleep when we arrived. I don’t think she’s been sleeping well, but she must feel safe enough with me to finally let her exhaustion take over. I put her in the red room appropriately enough. I wanted to take her to my bedroom, but scaring her by trying to force the mate issue right now is the last thing she needs.”
“I agree,” Justin had been a little worried that his brother’s wolf would take over and he’d claim Scarlet without any explanations thus making the whole situation worse. “She’s been traumatized enough and on some instinctive level she must recognize the alpha in you and it intimidates her after being brutalized by her stalker.”
Mitch’s eyes narrowed. “That man’s not an alpha. He’s nothing like me. He is a coward who attacks innocent women.” Mitch had been doing a good job of keeping his emotions and his wolf under control, but he was rapidly reaching his limit. “I need to shift and go for a run. I think Scarlet is probably out for the night, but keep an ear and eye open just in case. I’ll be back soon.” He trusted his brother and beta with his life, but he wouldn’t leave Scarlet out of his sight for too long.
THREE
Scarlet slowly became alert as she came awake. She stretched and her fingers curled into the indulgent silky sheets under her. She froze. The sheets on her bed weren’t this soft and luxurious. Her eyes popped open and she sat straight up against the large black wrought iron headboard. She started to breathe fast and she could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest. She couldn’t panic she told herself. She needed to keep her wits about her and think. She rubbed her face and the last vestige of sleep faded away.
Memories of the night before came rushing back to her. She remembered the storm, the loud noises, and Mitch Gannon coming to her rescue. That’s right. Mitch had taken her to his house. The last thing she remembered was talking with Mitch on the drive to his home. She must have fallen asleep, and he must have put her to bed.
She threw back the covers and as quietly as possible got out of the bed. The curtains were firmly closed, but it still felt like night. Scarlet figured she must not have been asleep very long. She glanced around the room and took in her surroundings. The room was gorgeous. The walls were painted in a bold shade of red with black trim. The bedding matched the walls and the furniture was made of very sturdy black wrought iron. She noticed the bedroom door was slightly ajar. She could see into the hall beyond and what looked like a huge open loft with lots of windows. Her intuition had proven correct. It was still dark outside. The house seemed quiet, but now that she was awake Scarlet was too keyed up to go back to sleep.
She saw another open door at the back of the bedroom. It led to a connected bathroom. She walked into the bathroom and looked inside a couple of cabinets until she found fresh towels. Scarlet washed her face looking into the mirror as she did so. Her hair was a mess of tangled curls. She went back into the bedroom searching for her suitcase. She was happy to see it resting in front of another door that probably concealed a closet. She thought about putting her clothes away, but first things first. Her throat was dry and she was really thirsty. She found her brush and dragged it through her hair a couple of times. Then she stepped into her jeans and headed out of the bedroom and down the stairs.
Surely the kitchen would be on the first floor she reasoned. She looked around her as she descended the stairs. Mitch’s house was gorgeous, but it was huge. She’d stayed in resorts smaller than this place. Why on earth would a single man need so much space? She found the kitchen and snagged a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
A few background noises penetrated her senses. She walked toward the sound and noticed a light coming from one of the rooms on her right. She could hear low voices engaged in conversation as she neared the door. When she was close enough, Scarlet could pick out the deep timber of Mitch’s voice. It soothed her churning nerves but caused her heart to beat faster.
She paused at the door when she noticed there were five other men in the room with Mitch. Justin was the only one she recognized. She turned on her tiptoes hoping to sneak away before anyone realized she was there. She had taken three steps when she heard Mitch call her name. She froze and then turned back to face the men in the room. Mitch held out his hand to her and without even thinking about it she walked to his side.
Mitch was almost done with this planning session. He’d pulled his four best personal bodyguards from other jobs to help him. Scarlet took priority above all other clients. She was more than a job. She was the future mate of the pack’s alpha. The men in this room knew that and would act accordingly.
He sensed the object of his desire just before she came into view. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her turn and try to sneak away without being seen. Too late, he knew she was there and he wanted her by his side where she belonged. “Scarlet,” he said her name in the commanding voice of an alpha leader. He held out his hand expecting her to come straight to his side and she did.
Mitch wrapped a possessive arm around her waist to move her closer. “Gentlemen this is Scarlet Valentine. Remember she is your top priority until this stalker is stopped cold. I want to show Scarlet around. I’ll leave everyone to make any arrangements they need to get the job done.” The men all gave Scarlet a friendly nod as Mitch escorted her from the room.
He turned his full attention to the beautiful woman on his arm. “You’re looking well rested after that much needed nap.” He gave her a reproachful look. “I just wished I’d noticed earlier that you weren’t getting
enough sleep.” Yes he could kick himself for not noticing how preoccupied and tired she’d seemed when they met about the website. “I just took for granted it was work related. I shouldn’t have done that. And you,” he said, “should have told me earlier that you needed help.”
“It’s not like I’m your responsibility Mitch,” she explained. “Besides I thought the jumpiness and sleeplessness would go away with time. I really didn’t have any idea he’d actually be able to follow me here.” She shuddered at just the thought of that maniac being anywhere near her haven of Enigma and the cottage.
Mitch moved closer to Scarlet and cupped her face between his hands. “I don’t consider you a responsibility, but I do want you to be a part of my life, Scarlet. There is a strong attraction simmering between us. It’s been there ever since we first met. We’ve been inching closer and closer to exploring that attraction. The more time we spend together the more I want you. I’m not letting a deranged stalker from your past interfere with our future.” He caressed her check. “I hope that you feel the same way.”
He leaned into her and lightly brushed his lips across Scarlet’s slightly opened mouth. He didn’t want to spook her. And he most certainly didn’t want to do anything to remind her of that ass Travis. Mitch was as gentle as he could be. He took his time and savored the feel and taste of her.
