Heroes Among Us: A Paranormal Romance Collection

by Ditter Kellen

  “Any serious relationships?” he found himself asking before he could stop it.

  Piper shrugged. “A couple, but they never amounted to anything.”

  “Tell me about them.” Had he really just asked her that?

  A far-off look appeared in her eyes. “One was right after high school. I was working in sales at a local department store and had recently began modeling. His name was Lenny, but everyone called him Casper.

  “He had light blond hair,” she added when Ethan lifted an eyebrow. “Plus, he burned pretty easy when he got in the sun.”

  Ethan nodded for her to continue.

  “Well, we saw each other for about a year, until he unexpectedly proposed one night.”

  “I take it you said no?”

  Piper laughed, the most intoxicating sound Ethan had ever heard. It wasn’t one of those fake laughs, or sultry chuckles. No, it was genuine, and man, his erection was back in full force.

  “I couldn’t accept his proposal even if I’d wanted to. My modeling career had recently taken off. Between that and work, I barely had time to breathe, let alone be a wife.”

  “But you loved him.” It wasn’t a question.

  Piper smiled, swirling her glass of wine. “In a sense. But I wasn’t in love with him. And I knew I’d never settle for anything less.”

  Unable to stop himself, Ethan pressed. “And the other relationship?”

  Piper took a drink of her wine. “His name was Vince. He was the polar opposite of Lenny. Dark hair, biker-type bad boy. I suppose he fit into my rebellious lifestyle at the time.”

  Jealousy settled in Ethan’s gut. She spoke of Vince with a different tone than the one she’d reserved for Lenny. “So, Vince swept you off your feet, huh?”

  “I guess you could say that,” Piper murmured. “He was my first, so I sort of formed an attachment to him.”

  Yeah, Ethan despised Vince already. “What happened?” He wasn’t sure he really wanted to know.

  Piper leaned back in her seat and crossed her shapely legs. “He had no ambition. No drive. I somehow knew he would never grow up and learn responsibility. So, I broke it off with him.”

  “You ever hear from him?”

  “Last I heard, he was doing time for armed robbery.”

  Ethan’s shoulders relaxed. He didn’t have to worry about Vince waltzing back into Piper’s life. Not that she would have the criminal, he silently admitted. She had far too much class for the likes of that guy.

  “And you?” she prompted, staring at him with that damnable assurance he found so intriguing.

  Ethan shook his head. “I’ve never been in love. Not even close.”

  “You’ve never had a serious relationship?”

  “I’ve never wanted one.” Until now, his mind whispered, catching him off guard.

  Stunned and more than a little confused by his thoughts of Piper, Ethan stood and held out his hand. “Would you like to sit on the balcony?”

  “Actually, I should probably go. It’s after midnight.”

  She moved to stand, only to sway on her feet. “Whoa. I must have had more to drink than I realized.”

  “You’re staying here tonight.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Piper’s heart pounded and not entirely from the copious amounts of wine she’d had.

  Ethan had asked, no, he’d demanded she stay the night. And as badly as she wanted to, she couldn’t. She’d only known him for a couple of days. “I really must go. I have a big day tomorrow, and I’ll need to get an early start.”

  He stepped in closer, his masculine scent enveloping her and chipping away at her defenses.

  “You can sleep in the guest room tonight, and I’ll have my driver take you home first thing in the morning.”

  How could she argue with his logic? “Okay,” she found herself saying. “But I really have to get home early.”

  “Deal. Come, I’ll show you to your room.”

  The feel of his warm fingers closing around her own sent a delicious sensation swirling through her insides. She wanted him, wanted him more than she’d ever wanted another.

  They arrived at the top of the stairs. Piper waited for Ethan to open the door to the guest room before following him inside.

  He stopped next to the bed and pulled the covers back. “I’ll get you a shirt for you to sleep in.”

  Once he left the room, Piper took a seat on the edge of the bed and glanced around her. Even his guest room was huge.

  He was suddenly back and standing between her knees. “I hope this will suffice.”

  The sound of his raspy voice echoed in her ears, drawing her gaze up to his. She reached for the T-shirt, keeping her focus on his eyes. “I’m sure it’ll be fine…”

  Both of his big hands came up to cup her face. “Piper…”

  The trill of a phone broke the trance, and Piper snatched up the shirt he held. “Thank you. I’ll just go and change.”

  Ethan hesitated before stepping back and pulling his cell from his pocket. “This had better be good.”

  Piper skirted the bed and disappeared into the bathroom to change.

  The angry tone of Ethan’s voice told her he’d gotten bad news.

  “I have to run out on you again,” Ethan suddenly growled through the bathroom door. “But I’ll be back soon. Please, make yourself at home.”

  Piper pulled his T-shirt over her head, and her eyes nearly rolled back in ecstasy. It smelled of Ethan and soap.

  She opened the door. “Is everything okay?”

  “It will be. I’ll return before you know it.” Bending, he brushed a kiss across her lips and strode from the room without a backward glance.

  Piper stumbled to the oversized bed and crawled beneath the fresh-smelling sheets. She turned on her side, her mind whirling with memories of the night’s events.

  Ethan had left once again.

  What could he possibly be involved in that would take him out in the middle of the night?

  She tossed back the covers and threw her feet over the side of the bed. Was he a drug lord or dabbling in something illegal?

  Listening for sounds of movement, Piper crept to the door and silently slipped into the hall.

  She padded quietly toward his bedroom, praying like hell she wouldn’t run into the housekeeper or God forbid, Ethan himself.

  Piper pushed open his door, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness before tiptoeing inside and pulling the door closed behind her.

  Hurrying across the room, she made a beeline for his nightstand, flipped on the lamp resting on its marble surface, and slid open the drawer.

  Some type of handgun took up the left side of the drawer. On the right was a box of condoms and what looked to be a Rolex watch.

  The sight of the condoms made her feel slightly sick. Though she had no right to those particular feelings. He did have a life before her, and would probably continue to have one long after she was gone.

  That thought didn’t sit well with her either. Yet, what did she expect? She wasn’t looking for a relationship any more than he was.

  Creeping across the room, she tugged open his top dresser drawer and rummaged around among his boxer briefs before moving on to the next one.

  Piper straightened, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. She’d found nothing. Nada. Zilch.

  She turned to go when her gaze landed on a door across the room. It had to be his closet, she surmised, heading toward it as quietly as possible.

  Once inside, she flipped on the light, nearly gasping aloud at the hundreds of suits and shoes lining both walls.

  A smaller door sat tucked in the back, drawing Piper like a moth to a flame.

  She eased it open, and her breath hitched. Inside, lining numerous shelves were stacks of money. Piper couldn’t even begin to imagine how much cash it could be. Not to mention, unlocked for anyone to take what they wanted.

  Quickly closing the door, Piper turned off the light, left the closet, and rushed across the room
to extinguish the lamp.

  Ethan Seaborn was into some shady shit, and if Piper were smart, she’d get the hell out of there while she still could.

  She returned to the guest room.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ethan arrived at Billy’s place a little after one in the morning to find Billy pacing the drive.

  “What the hell is going on?” Ethan demanded, exiting his vehicle.

  Billy met him halfway up the drive. “The dead shifter has been taken care of, as was another one, thanks to your pack. But there was one more in the woods that night. And according to the pack, he got away.”

  Ethan felt his eyes began to burn, sure that Billy could see the wolf shining from their depths. “That means Foster knows about Piper.”

  Billy ran a hand through his hair. “Most likely.”

  Though Billy wasn’t a shifter, Ethan trusted him with his life, which meant that his pack did also.

  Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose. “I can’t allow Piper to return home. Not now. If Foster suspects my feelings for her go beyond a date or two, the risk of him harming her would be too great.”

  Billy raised an eyebrow. “Your feelings for her, boss?”

  Annoyed that he’d let that bit of information slip, Ethan stalked back toward his car. “Have the pack meet here at seven a.m. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  Ethan jumped back behind the wheel of his car and turned toward home. Piper was in danger. Of that, he had no doubt.

  It was a little past two in the morning when Ethan arrived back at his penthouse, and his temper hadn’t cooled one bit.

  He tossed his car keys to the valet and hurried to the elevators when the scent of a shifter hit him full in the face.

  Ethan stilled, his eyes heating up on instinct as he quickly scanned the lobby for signs of the supernatural.

  A tall dark-haired man wearing a grey trench coat stepped from the shadows, holding a folded-up newspaper in his hands. “You killed two of our pack members, Seaborn. Foster can’t be expected to let that go.”

  “They were in my territory,” Ethan growled, taking a threatening step forward.

  The dark-haired shifter glanced up at one of the cameras in the corner of the lobby. “You plan on attacking me for all the world to see?”

  Ethan forced himself to stop before he threw caution to the wind and shifted in front of the cameras. “What do you want?”

  “I have a message from your grandfather.”

  He’s not my grandfather,” Ethan snarled, fighting to keep his claws from descending.

  The shifter shrugged. “It matters not to me what you think. I’m only here at the request of Foster.”

  “What’s the message?”

  The tall dark-haired shifter moved toward the door. “An eye for an eye.”

  Ethan watched the other shifter stride across the room and exit through the automatic doors.

  He knew there would be no point in going after the unknown shifter. Not with the valets standing out front as well as the cameras resting on every eave the building possessed.

  Turning toward the elevators, Ethan climbed on board and pressed the correct number to his penthouse.

  The ride to the top seemed like an eternity.

  He glanced at his reflection in the mirrored walls, noticing the subtle red glow shining from his eyes.

  He’d nearly shifted in the lobby, so great was his rage.

  How dare a Kenwood enter his place of residence.

  Well, if Foster wanted a war, Ethan would damn sure give him one.

  The elevator doors slid open, and Ethan stepped into his penthouse. He immediately took the stairs to the guest room to check on Piper.

  Her soft, even breathing was a balm to his soul.

  He crept deeper into the room, noticing the covers had worked their way up to her hips.

  She lay on her back, one leg bent at the knee to reveal her soft, shapely thighs.

  Her panties were white, he noticed. A stark contrast against her tanned legs. The small scrap of material barely covered her woman’s center.

  Ethan’s cock twitched in interest, further angering him. How could he think about sex at a time like this?

  She sighed and shifted positions, damn near taking him to the floor with her sweet, erotic scent.

  Ethan bit back a growl and left the room before he peeled off those skimpy panties she wore and buried his face in her inviting heat.

  He stalked to his bedroom and shut the door, toeing off his shoes as he went. The jeans and boxer briefs came off next as did his shirt.

  His entire body was on fire with the need to shift. Fury, revenge, and arousal all melded together to prove nearly impossible to stop.

  The intense craving he had for Piper was becoming an overwhelming urge inside him.

  His mother’s words suddenly drifted through his mind. “You will recognize your mate immediately, my son. You will know her by her scent, her strength, and the power she possesses to tempt your beast.”

  Ethan staggered forward and dropped his weight onto the side of his bed. Piper Hollister was his mate. He knew it as surely as he knew she would never be safe as long as the Fosters yet lived.

  Reaching over to switch on his lamp, Ethan noticed the drawer on his bedside table was slightly ajar.

  He leaned in and closed his eyes, drawing in the surrounding smells. But no others besides Piper Hollister’s could be detected.

  What had she been doing in his room?

  He rose and sauntered over to his closet. Her scent was strongest in there. So, she’d been snooping while he’d been out.

  His lips twitched.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Piper arrived home a little after seven a.m. the next morning.

  After waking in Ethan’s guest room, she’d showered and slipped downstairs to find a five-course breakfast waiting for her.

  Ethan had eaten with her. Well, actually, he’d watched her while she ate. Watched her beneath hooded eyelids, to be exact.

  Piper had recognized that look. Hell, she wanted him just as much, if not more.

  Ethan insisted that she stay until he returned from his morning meeting, but Piper had refused.

  She had, however, promised to return for dinner that evening. And also, refused to sign the clothing contract with him, citing it was a bad idea to mix business with pleasure.

  What was she doing? she wondered, heading upstairs to change into more comfortable clothes. She’d turned down a hell of a lot of money to continue seeing Ethan on a personal level.

  But she couldn’t bring herself to regret her decision. There was something about Ethan Seaborn that called to her, something that ignited feelings inside her she never knew herself to be capable of.

  Hot, erotic thoughts of the man plagued her every thought. It was as if he were in her head, orchestrating every sexual fantasy she’d ever had. And she’d a few. Only no one had ever tapped into them before.

  Rolling her eyes at the direction her thoughts were taking, Piper pulled on a pair of soft cotton shorts, a white T-shirt, and a pair of flip-flops before making her way down to her office.

  Her cell phone vibrated from her desk. She snatched it up, slid her thumb across the screen to find a text message from Ethan. Just arrived back home. I can smell your sweet scent everywhere.

  Piper’s stomach flipped. He knew exactly what to say to make her feel good.

  With a grin, she hit reply and typed out a return message. Must be your last date. I don’t wear perfume.

  It’s not perfume I smell, Piper. It’s you…all you. See you tonight.

  I’ll be there, she sent back, setting her phone aside.

  Piper blew out a breath and switched on her computer. She had a lot to do before leaving to spend the evening with Ethan, and focusing on her work would be a good start.

  No matter how hard Piper tried, she couldn’t seem to keep her mind from wandering to Ethan Seaborn. His whiskey-colored eyes, haunted her. He had the sexiest
eyes she’d ever seen. He had a way of undressing her with simply a look.

  Pushing back from her desk, Piper leaned her head back and revisited her last moments this morning with Ethan.

  His shirt had been open down the front to reveal a light dusting of hair on his muscular chest.

  Piper had wanted to run her palms up and down his exposed skin so bad, she found it difficult to concentrate on anything else.

  Ethan affected her emotionally as well as physically. She hadn’t been able to think of much else since the first night she’d met him.

  And it went beyond his looks. Sure, he was God’s gift to masculinity, but he was much more than that. He was sensitive, caring, and strong.

  Piper’s stomach clenched as realization dawned. She was falling for Ethan Seaborn. And falling hard, if her unending thoughts were any indication.

  Laying her forehead against the cool glass of her desk, she took several uneven breaths. She needed to pull back on the reins a little where Ethan was concerned, before it became too late. If it wasn’t already…

  * * * *

  Piper dressed in a short turquoise skirt, a cream-colored blouse, and silver-toned sandals. She’d arranged her long auburn hair up twice before deciding to wear it down.

  A silver necklace and matching earrings made up the rest of her ensemble.

  The doorbell rang, signaling Ethan’s driver had arrived.

  Piper hurried down the stairs, pulled the door open, and came face to face with Ethan. “Hi. I was expecting your driver to pick me up.”

  “Are you disappointed?” Ethan rumbled, propping his hip against the doorjamb.

  Piper could barely respond for staring into his incredibly sexy eyes. “No, not at all.”

  “Are you ready to go?”

  With a nod, Piper grabbed her small handbag from the end table and took a step forward.

  Ethan didn’t move.

  Piper’s heart began to pound in anticipation of what he would do next. She didn’t have long to wait.

  He pushed away from the doorjamb, brought his hands up to her face, and bent until his lips brushed against hers.

  She could feel his warm breath feathering across her face.