The Shifter Protector's Virgin (Stonybrooke Shifters)

by Ash, Leela

  “Lexi was at the clubhouse all day with King and Reid,” he said finally.

  “Did she find him?” she asked with shock. “Reid? Her father?”

  Lynx nodded slowly.

  “The old boy,” he said sadly. “He’s been the closest thing to a dad I’ve ever had, and now he’s dying.”

  Tammy felt a twist in her gut. Her friend had finally found her father after a lifetime of longing, and now he was going to be taken from her anyway.

  “Is she okay?” she asked.

  Lynx nodded and smiled.

  “Fate,” he said, squeezing her hand.

  They sat together in the dark, and he wrapped his arm around her. Tammy drank from the wine bottle slowly and told him all about her mother and of how she had grown up in Slate Springs longing for something exciting to happen her whole life. Lynx listened to her intently and seemed totally in awe of her. She couldn’t believe that she was holding the attention of this man, and each time their eyes met, she felt a flash of desire spear her heart.

  “It’s a nice town,” he said. “A good place to grow up.”

  “Why do you all stay away from Main Street?” She was finally feeling brave after downing nearly half of the bottle. “The bikers are like this big enigma. No one can figure them out or decide whether to be afraid of them or not.”

  Lynx laughed and pulled his arm around her tightly.

  “I wouldn’t think any of the townspeople here would have anything to worry about,” he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of cigarettes.

  “I guess it’s just small town mentality,” she offered. “I mean, people always fear what they don’t understand…”

  He nodded as he exhaled a plume of smoke into the air.

  “Yeah,” he said. “Something like that.”

  Out of nowhere, there was a crunch of gravel behind them and the sound of a car engine. Lynx sat up straight and turned around, totally unfazed by the intrusion, but Tammy felt her heart begin to race with dread.

  “Who’d be out here so late?” she asked breathlessly.

  Lynx squinted into the dark and rolled his eyes. The headlights were blaring at them and making it impossible to see what kind of car it was, but he seemed to recognize it immediately and he got to his feet and grinned.

  “Hey, boys,” he said cockily. “You must really miss me?”

  A blue light rolled around inside the car and lit up the night before it shut off along with the headlights. Both the front doors opened, and two cops got out with flashlights and cuffs swinging from their belts.

  Tammy swallowed hard and pulled her knees up to her chest. She knew the cops from around town, and she recognized them immediately from the diner. Lynx stood there holding his arms out, sucking on his cigarette and grinning at them with relish.

  “Just thought we’d check in,” one of the cops said as he shined a light on Tammy. She tried to turn her face so she was hidden, but he clearly recognized her, too.

  “Check in?” Lynx laughed. “Well, alright…”

  He threw his cigarette butt on the ground and re-joined Tammy on the bench. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. The two cops loitered in front of them, shining their flashlights at the crate of beer and wine and then back on them.

  “Ma’am, could we please see some identification?” one of the cops asked Tammy, and she felt herself wanting to shrink.

  She looked up at Lynx who nodded approval for her to cooperate with them, so she reluctantly reached into her purse and pulled out her driver’s license. She handed it to the cop who had asked and watched him studying it carefully with the help of the flashlight. He looked from the card and to her again and again, before finally passing it back to her.

  “You’re the diner girl,” he smiled. “I thought I recognized you.”

  She nodded slowly but didn’t utter a word.

  “Well, folks, just thought we’d stop by and say hi.” The cop’s tone was condescending and antagonistic, and she could feel the tension coming from Lynx. He was using all of his willpower not to explode with anger.

  “Good night, officers,” he said through gritted teeth as the two cops backed away and opened the doors to their car.

  “We’re always watching, Lynx… Remember that,” one of them said as he ducked into the car and slammed the door closed behind him.

  As they backed away, Tammy breathed out a sigh of relief, but when she turned to Lynx, she could tell he was seething.

  “What was all that about?” she asked with concern.

  “Fucking pigs.” He breathed out through his nose as he reached into his pocket for another smoke. “They’re up our ass at the moment, that’s all…”

  He lit the cigarette and dragged on it deeply. His demeanor had completely changed from before they had shown up, and Tammy could sense the night was over.

  “Well,” she smiled, “I better be getting home…”

  He looked up at her and they locked eyes. The intense blue pulled her in again.

  “Sorry,” he said. “It’s been a long week.”

  Tammy nodded and waited for him to join her. They walked back to his bike, and he lifted her on before he started the engine and took her home.

  As they wove through the streets, Lynx drove slowly and purposefully, and this time the adrenaline she had felt earlier in the night was nowhere to be found. She clung to his hips and breathed him in. Even though the night had been fraught with emotion and unwanted intrusions, she had still had the time of her life.

  When he pulled up to her driveway and helped her down, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him delicately on the cheek. He held onto her waist tightly and pulled her closer to him, his animalistic nature breaking through for just a moment as he pinned her against the bike and pushed himself against her. She could feel the ripples of his rock-hard muscles, and she gasped as he leaned in closer and kissed her so deeply it took her breath away. The kiss was so intense and hungry that she never wanted it to end.

  He left her there in the driveway and climbed back onto his bike.

  “I’ll come for you tomorrow, babe,” he said with a smile before starting the engine and disappearing again into the night.

  8.

  She was lying on her back with her legs wide apart, and he was clinging to her hips. As he pulled her forward towards the edge of the bed she murmured for him to stop, even though she didn’t want him to.

  “Stop being such a good girl,” he whispered as his hand traced a line up her stomach and stopped just under her breasts before moving down to her panties and slipping them off in one quick movement. She arched her back and breathed in deeply. He was right there, inches away from her sex, and there was no way she was going to be able to deny him.

  As he gripped onto her tightly and buried his face amongst her folds, she let out a gasp and held onto the headboard as he slowly and deliciously ran his tongue the full length of her slit. The sensation was incredible, and she could barely breathe. No one had ever done that to her before, and the feeling of his stubble brushing against the inside of her thighs sent her into even more of a frenzy. His tongue was hot and experienced, his touch electric and powerful, and as she threw her head back and bucked her hips up to meet his mouth, he plunged his tongue inside of her and she unraveled in a wave of heat and incredible pleasure.

  “Lynx!” she gasped aloud. When she opened her eyes, she sank down in the bed, realizing she was alone and she had just had the most amazing dream of her entire life.

  Her heart was pounding and her skin was dewy with sweat. She sat up and pulled the covers around herself, cocooning her arousal. She couldn’t stand it… She was too turned on and all alone. She pouted and sighed as she fell back against her pillow. She remembered the night before and how he had kissed her outside on the driveway. The memory of his scent and his power made her pussy throb again, and without even moving, she knew she was soaking wet.

  I am too much of a good girl, she thought
. Maybe it’s about time I was bad…

  She thought back to the last time she had been with a guy and realized it had been years. She had a high school boyfriend who she eventually broke up with not long after they graduated. But he wasn’t a man… Not like Lynx was. He had been nothing but a boy and the prospect of being made love to by a strong, sexy biker was almost too much for her to handle.

  “But I want it so bad,” she said aloud.

  Her body was still so ready and her nipples were erect and aching to be touched. She rolled over and bit her lip.

  When is he coming for me? she wondered, checking her cell phone.

  She hadn’t given Lynx her number, but there was a part of her that wished he had asked Lexi for it if he had been over at the clubhouse. With no messages to greet her, she sighed and decided her fantasy would have to wait until later. She had no idea when she would see him again; all she knew was that when she did, she was going to pounce on him.

  She made herself coffee and turned on the TV. An old sitcom was on, and she half watched it while she painted her nails a rich red and flicked through social media. After she had been awake for around an hour, the buzzer to her apartment sounded and she picked up the phone to see who it was.

  “Hello?” she said.

  “It’s me!” Lexi called from the other end.

  Tammy buzzed her in and waited eagerly for her to climb the stairs. She wondered if she had seen Lynx and if she had heard that anything had happened between them.

  When Lexi came bounding in, Tammy could tell instantly that she was happy.

  “You found him?” she asked her eagerly.

  “Oh my god, Tam… Yes!”

  Tammy jumped up and hugged her, and Lexi’s eyes welled up with tears.

  “I can’t believe this is happening, but yes, I found my dad.”

  She told Tammy how she had gone to the club house with King and he had introduced her to Reid, one of the oldest members of The Forsaken Riders.

  “He’s so sick, Tam,” she said with a sniff. “But I’m just glad I got to meet him and we’ll have some time together… I’ve been robbed of so much.”

  Tammy rubbed her arm sympathetically. She knew how much this meant to her friend, and she was so pleased for her that she was getting to spend some time with her father before he passed.

  “And I believe you have news…” Lexi raised her eyebrows and Tammy blushed immediately.

  “Well…” she trailed off.

  “I can’t believe you’re digging one of the bikers!” Lexi slapped her hands together ecstatically. “I never, not in a million years, thought that you would end up getting mixed up with those type of guys… Not that I can talk!” She burst out laughing and smiled.

  “I know, it’s crazy,” Tammy admitted. “I never thought I would, either… But there’s something about him, he’s just so different.”

  Lexi’s eyes fell to the floor, and she looked uncomfortable for a moment. Tammy picked up on it instantly and grabbed hold of her hand.

  “What are people not telling me?” she asked seriously.

  Lexi looked up at her again and went to open her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

  “Lexi,” she shook her slightly. “What happened to him? Why do I get the feeling that something terrible has happened, and I’m being kept in the dark?”

  Lexi sighed and rubbed her temples.

  “I don’t really know how to tell you this,” she said heavily. “I mean, if it was anyone else, I don’t know, I think maybe they could handle it, but I’m not so sure about you…” She trailed off and looked into the distance.

  “Lexi,” Tammy said angrily, “you can’t keep something important from me… I have a right to know, if I’m getting involved with him. I’m already in way too deep!” She got to her feet and stood in front of Lexi confrontationally, like if she wasn’t going to tell her, she was ready to throw her out.

  “He told me about his past…” Tammy tested the waters. “About the foster homes…and about how The Forsaken Riders are the only real family he’s ever had…”

  Lexi pulled her knees up to her chest and sighed.

  “Yes,” she said. “From what I’ve heard, that’s right.”

  Lexi was still not telling her something, and Tammy knew she was going to have to force it out of her.

  “Listen Lexi, you’re like a sister to me. So why the fuck this is taking you so long to spill is really lost on me…” She crossed her arms over her chest and breathed in deeply.

  “He just got out of jail, Tam!” Lexi spat the words as if she couldn’t bear to say them, and they were so venomous and harsh, they felt like a punch in the chest.

  Tammy shook her head and rubbed her eyes.

  “Jail?” she asked with disbelief. “What for?”

  “For murder, Tammy… Lynx has been inside for over ten years, and he just got out.”

  The whole bottom of her world seemed to drop out in that instant, and she gripped to the side of the couch for support.

  “You must have it wrong,” Tammy said as she sat back down next to her friend and put her head in her hands. “How could he have done something so terrible?”

  Lexi shook her head and bit her bottom lip.

  “King doesn’t think he did…” she trailed off. “He wasn’t part of the riders back then, but apparently he’s protecting someone.”

  Tammy’s head was spinning… If what Lexi was saying was true, Lynx had just spent over ten years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.

  “This is too much to take in,” she said and she realized she was shaking.

  “He’s not a bad guy, Tam,” Lexi said sadly. “And I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want to ruin this for you…”

  Tammy could feel the tears coming, and she covered her eyes and started to sob.

  “How could I even consider taking this any further?” she cried. “I’ve never even left Slate Springs, I have zero life experience… How could I shack up with a convicted murderer?”

  “He didn’t do it,” Lexi grabbed hold of her hand. “But it’s going to follow him around for life, and I thought you should know. Okay?”

  Tammy got to her feet and pointed towards the door.

  “I need to be alone for a while,” she said. “I’m not mad, I just really need to get my head around all of this…”

  “I’m sorry,” Lexi said as she tried to wrap her arms around her, but Tammy shrugged them off. “I really am. But I couldn’t not tell you. You only would have found out anyway.”

  “It’s fine,” she said as she marched to the door and opened it up wide. “I made you tell me. I just need some time to think, okay?”

  Lexi nodded and made her way out into the hallway. “Whatever is going on with you two… You know if it’s worth sticking with or not. I know it’s a lot to take in, but I honestly don’t think he’s a bad guy. I just think he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  Lexi turned on her heel and clipped down the hallway. Tammy closed the door behind her and slid down the wall. She was shaking with nerves and disappointment. When she met Lynx, she honestly thought there was something different about him. Their connection had been so intense, and she had even thought he was The One. She could see herself having kids with him and walking down the aisle towards him. She would have given up anything to be with him, but now, barely forty-eight hours into their relationship and he had already made her feel like a fool twice.

  She looked across at her cell phone lying pointlessly on the table. After rushing over to it, she dialed Lexi and held it to her ear.

  “Lexi,” she said when she picked up. “I need you to ask King for Lynx’s number…”

  “Are you sure?” Lexi asked.

  “Yes,” Tammy said defiantly. “More than anything I’ve ever been sure of in my life.”

  9.

  The time it took for Lexi to respond with Lynx’s number seemed like the longest stretch of time Tammy had ever endured. In the meant
ime she jumped in the shower and scrubbed her skin raw. Even though she still smelled of him, she no longer knew if she wanted to.

  She had to see him.

  She had to speak to him.

  She had to know…

  When her phone finally beeped and the number flashed up on her screen from Lexi, she copied it directly into her contacts and pressed dial. She held the phone to her ear and waited impatiently for him to answer, but to her dismay it went to voicemail. She didn’t know if it was the right thing to do, but she took a chance. As the line went cold with a beep, she took a deep breath and left him a message.

  “Lynx, it’s Tammy… I’m sorry for calling you so early, but I have to speak to you. Please can you call me as soon as you get this…?”

  She hung up and wiped her eyes. She couldn’t give him any idea what she was about to ask him, or he’d be able to lie to her. He could prepare his story.

  She lay back down on the couch and closed her eyes. Even though she had only been awake for around two hours, she felt exhausted and emotionally drained and fell easily asleep.

  ***

  Waking to the beeping of a horn and the growl of an engine, she opened her eyes. She was still on the couch, lying on her back and baking in the midday sun. She sat up quickly and jumped to look out of the window. For a moment when she saw him there, sitting astride his bike in his sexy leathers and wearing his gorgeous smile, she almost forgot why she had called him there. But it came flooding back within seconds, and her heart sank.

  He seemed to sense that something was wrong and his smile fell too. Lynx climbed from the bike and walked quickly to the front door of her building. Her hands were shaking as she unlocked the door and went out into the hallway. She waited for him there, and she could hear him running up the steps two at a time. When he got to the top, he was breathless, and she swallowed down the tears, willing herself not to get emotional.

  “Babe…?” he said cautiously. “What’s the matter?”

  Tammy walked back inside her apartment and let him follow. All of the fight inside of her seemed to drain the second she heard his voice. Could it all be a lie? What if Lexi didn’t want her to be happy?