Prey to the Heart

by Kristen Banet

  “Here,” he dropped an apple in her hand, “go eat that while I deal with this.”

  “I’m not a horse,” Abigail groaned. She took a bite anyway, flattered by his idea of caring. “Apples are not treats for me.”

  “I have a comment that could be made to that,” Antonio chuckled. “I’ll keep it to myself.”

  “Oh, no. Please, share with the class,” she told him, laughing, and looking towards the flirt.

  “You don’t need to be a horse to be a good ride,” he growled playful. She gasped and nearly dropped the apple as James howled in laughter. Thomas smacked Antonio on the back of the head, making the jokester laugh harder. “She said share!”

  “Doesn’t mean you need to open your mouth,” Thomas growled, shaking his head. “One day, I’ll teach him manners.”

  “He’s right,” she giggled. “I asked for that. I’ve learned my lesson about asking Antonio to share his thoughts.”

  They fell into an easy comradery as Antonio pulled out a deck of cards. She took a spot at the dining room table as Thomas grabbed a giant jar of quarters. James sat next to her with Antonio opposite to her. Thomas turned on some music and they started playing Texas Hold’em, Antonio being the first dealer.

  “Everyone gets five dollars,” Thomas announced. “Grab your quarters and let’s get this started.”

  “Is this really what you guys do all the time?” she asked, stacking her quarters after James dumped a massive pile in front of her. She had a feeling she had much more than five dollars, but no one said anything.

  “Yeah,” James answered. “Until we settle in the bar, we’re really just killing time.” He slid her hand to her when she missed that Antonio had dealt it.

  She lost. Repeatedly. She was awful, but it was fun. When she ran out of quarters, James just grabbed a handful and dropped them in front of her. Beers were passed around and Tony showed her what they had bought for her to drink: hard apple cider that tasted like apple pie. She moaned at the taste, pleased that they realized she didn’t drink beer.

  They played games late into the night, finally ending on Go Fish, too drunk to keep up with poker. Lunch had been snacks at the table and dinner was completely forgotten as they had a good time.

  “Do you have…any kings?” Abigail asked Thomas, leaning towards him.

  He growled. “I’m an Alpha, does that count? Could also just call Brenton. He’s a Kingson.”

  “That’s not the game,” she laughed. He handed her the two kings she’d been hoping for and she hollered victoriously at the full set of four she had.

  “Alright,” James groaned. “Abby, any queens?”

  “I have a joker - he’s across the table,” she whispered to him.

  “I asked for queens, though,” James reminded her. She sighed dramatically and handed him the one she had. “Sure you don’t have anymore? I’m pretty sure I’m sitting next to one. Why don’t you just come over here and sit on my-”

  “Thomas,” Antonio cut off James. “I need threes. Hand them over.”

  “Go fish,” Thomas chuckled childishly. “Abby, sixes. Let’s go.”

  “Go fish,” she told him primly, sitting up straight in her chair. Her face was still hot from what James had been trying to say.

  She won Go Fish, the only thing she had won all night. Antonio had to help her to the spare bedroom afterwards. Before she collapsed on the bed, she grabbed him.

  “You are good guys,” she whispered, trying to be quiet. “This has been fun.”

  “It has,” Tony agreed softly, leaning into her. His arms wrapped around her waist and she found herself leaning on his chest. She decided that he had a good idea. She wrapped her own around his lean waist and groaned.

  “I drank too much,” she confessed. “All day.”

  “I did, too,” he said with a laugh. Then he let silence fall. She really enjoyed standing there for a moment. It was like her spinning world was stable for a moment, all thanks to him. “Abby.”

  “I like that you call me that,” she murmured, looking up at him. His jade green eyes were shadowed by the low light in the room. She reached up and traced the line of his cheekbone and that seemed to set him off. He leaned down, and they kissed passionately. She stumbled backwards as heat pooled in her abdomen, her hand grabbing at his shirt to steady herself.

  He broke the kiss, inhaling deeply. “I should get out of here before we’re stupid,” he growled, leading them backwards towards the bed.

  She nodded mutely, her legs hitting the mattress. She couldn’t stop from falling back, the world spinning too hard. She still had Antonio’s shirt, which yanked him down with her. On her. He braced himself before he crushed her, his lean hips forced against hers. She could feel how turned on he was, and she felt the same.

  “Tony,” she whispered.

  He kissed her again, slower. His tongue took the time to trace her lips and the growl that erupted in his chest was more aggressive than she expected from him. He kissed the sides of her mouth and made a trail towards her ear. He nipped her earlobe and made her gasp in pleasure before moving down her jaw, then neck. He ground those lean hips and the bulge in his jeans against her core, making her whimper in need.

  When he moved back up, Abigail was nearly lost to it, the pleasure flooding her rational thought and knocking it out of commission. He went to her other ear on the return trip and stopped there.

  “We can’t, Abby,” he growled, sounding upset with something. “Not drunk.”

  “Okay,” she sighed, accepting that answer. He pulled off her and she felt empty for a moment. He helped her get right way on the bed and left without saying another word.

  She went to sleep, drunk and horny.

  She didn’t regret a moment of it though. She couldn’t bring herself to. They made it so easy to just be and not think about it.

  20

  Abigail

  Another day waking up at their farmhouse brought another smile to her face. She never thought she could feel this happy. It made her feel like an idiot for running so many times from them. She grabbed her change of clothes and looked out the door of the bedroom, spying Antonio walking out of the bathroom, with only a towel around his waist.

  “Good morning,” she whispered, nervous and shy but smiling nonetheless. He looked over to her and grinned.

  “Good morning, Abby,” he replied, leaning on the wall between her door and the bathroom. “Need the shower?”

  “I do,” she confirmed, trying to keep her eyes on his face. She failed spectacularly, her eyes trailing down to the fight scars that covered his body, like the others. She wanted to trace every single one with her tongue, which brought a wave of heat to her face. That dark trail of hair she’d seen before taunted her with where it ended.

  “Have at it, gorgeous,” he chuckled, leaving the wall. When he was passing her, he leaned down slightly and whispered, “I enjoyed last night.”

  She nodded but couldn’t bring herself to say anything in return. She had too, and even just being near them was opening her up faster than she’d expected.

  During her shower, she thought about how they made her feel young and alive. She was young, she reminded herself. No one had made her feel this good though, not since her relationship with Gavin. They were even better. They made her feel like she belonged, when Gavin hadn’t.

  She dragged herself out to the living room, where James already had a plate ready for her. Thomas was reading the newspaper quietly and Antonio was flipping through the channels on the television.

  “What are today’s plans?” She asked, sitting down next to Antonio. James took her other side again.

  “Let’s not get that drunk again,” James growled, sounding a bit pitiful.

  “Hungover?” She elbowed him, and he nodded, giving her the side-eye. She giggled. “I’m not.”

  “Lucky,” he grumbled leaning on her.

  “James is a pitiful drunk,” Antonio told her in a mock whisper. Thomas laughed softly, looking ov
er his newspaper.

  Abigail checked her phone as they ate breakfast. She had one conversation from Riley and opened it. It was in a group chat Abigail didn’t remember being a part of. It was Riley and all her female friends - the lioness, Jessie, and the human, Phoebe. At Rocker’s, Riley told Abigail that she’d finally gotten the courage to tell Phoebe about what they were. She was happy for Riley to have that friend. Abigail wasn’t too sure of her yet, but she chalked it up to lack of knowing her. Phoebe seemed like the young and reckless type, throwing herself into the world as if it would always catch her.

  Riley: Lunch with the girls today? I’m tired of being cooped up with my guys.

  Jessie: I’m down. I’m starving all the time right now.

  Riley: Shouldn’t have gotten knocked up.

  Jessie: Fuck you.

  Phoebe: I got laid last night!

  Riley: Of course you did, Phoebe. A little off topic though. Lunch. There’s a place a town over with great burgers and other American stuff.

  Jessie: Yeah, I’m in. Pick me up? I’m still waiting on my car to get out of the shop.

  Riley: Finn’s working on it.

  Phoebe: I’ll pick you up! Where you staying?

  Jessie: I’ll send you the address.

  Riley: How’s 1 sound?

  Abigail continued to read through the lengthy chain of messages. It was only nine in the morning and these messages were all fairly recent, only thirty minutes before Abigail saw them. She sent a quick affirmative. She would go have lunch with the girls today and hopefully clear her head of the musky scent of the wolves around her.

  Abigail knew she would come right back after lunch, so she didn’t have too much hope.

  “I’m going out to lunch with the girls today,” she told them, locking her phone and putting it on the table. “Riley, Jessie, and Phoebe.”

  “Really?” Thomas perked up and looked at her. “I was just trying to think of something for us to do today.”

  “Too slow,” she teased. “I’m sure you guys don’t have a problem with it. Me going out to lunch.”

  “Not at all,” Thomas sighed.

  She looked between them all and noted the lost looks they had. “What?”

  “We were getting kind of used to you being here already,” Antonio admitted. “Before you woke up, we were thinking of movies today or something.”

  “That’s sweet,” she giggled. “Lunch is at one, so several hours from now. And I’ll come back after. I’ve been enjoying this too.”

  “Cool.” Antonio smiled at her. “Let’s turn on something before you go then. Favorite movie?”

  “‘The Notebook,’” Abigail revealed, biting her bottom lip. James growled and used his thumb to pull her lip from her teeth.

  “Stop that,” he grumbled. “You’ll ruin those doing that.”

  “Of course it’s ‘The Notebook,’” Antonio groaned.

  “You asked,” Thomas reminded him. “Turn that shit on, so she doesn’t have a reason to leave early because we’re boring.”

  “It’s a good movie!” she exclaimed, stomping one of her feet dramatically. It was a fake outrage that made Antonio laugh at her.

  “It is. And romantic and sappy as shit,” he teased.

  “We don’t have to watch it,” Abigail said quickly, laughing.

  “Oh no, we’re watching it now.” He howled in laughter. “You want to cry at nine in the morning, we’re doing it.”

  “Buy it on Amazon or something,” Thomas ordered him, grinning. “That way we always have it.”

  “Good idea, Tommy-boy,” Antonio agreed. She looked at the fancy television as Antonio bought the movie and downloaded it.

  “I could have picked a different movie.” She sighed, knowing she was going to be crying too before the end of this. She’d been half joking. She loved ‘The Notebook,’ but she hadn’t intended for them to actually agree to watch it.

  “No, we’ll just do my favorite movie next,” Antonio crooned.

  “And what’s that?” she asked, leaning back and crossing her arms.

  “‘XxX,’” he joked.

  She didn’t know if he was being serious or not. She groaned and leaned away from him dramatically though. “Of course. Fast cars, explosions, and a lot of near nudity.”

  “Of course,” Antonio huffed, sticking his tongue out at her.

  She giggled, shaking her head.

  They did watch ‘The Notebook’ and she was barely able to keep it together and not get teary during the movie. After that, they turned on ‘XxX’ and laughed at the ridiculous stunts and explosions. Then a third movie was turned on and she lost track of time.

  “Don’t you need to go see your girlfriends?” Antonio asked, and she jumped, checking her phone.

  “Shit,” she mumbled, running off to the laughter of the wolves.

  She was nearly late. She walked into the restaurant at twelve fifty-five and grabbed a table for four and waited.

  “Abigail!” Riley exclaimed, walking in only a minute later. When someone tried to stop her, Riley just pointed at Abigail in her booth and grinned. “I’m with her.”

  Abigail hugged her with both arms, soaking it in for a moment. Riley squeezed her tightly and they got seated just as Phoebe and Jessie walked in.

  Greetings were passed around, Phoebe nearly screeching as she hugged Riley excitedly. Abigail and Jessie were both wincing as it happened, giving each other knowing smiles afterwards.

  “Young women,” Abigail said knowingly.

  “Right?” Jessie groaned. Abigail didn’t know much about the ice-blonde lioness sitting across the booth, other than that she was the oldest in the group and a rogue feline. She didn’t have an Alpha and didn’t recognize any Pride status - a dangerous position for any feline, especially a pregnant female. It made Abigail curious.

  “What’s your story?” she asked, leaning back as the waitress got drink orders from them.

  “Pregnant from a one-night stand,” Jessie replied blandly, looking tired.

  “Oh,” Abigail giggled, shaking her head. “That I knew. How did you meet Riley?”

  “She helped kidnap me.” Riley laughed, reaching out to swat Jessie’s arm. “Ain’t that right?”

  “Let’s not talk about it,” Jessie mumbled, giving a mock glare at Riley. Abigail looked between them, realizing Riley hadn’t been joking. Jessie grabbed her attention with a groan. “It’s a long story. Not one I want to talk about over lunch.”

  “I can accept that. What about you, Phoebe?” Abigail turned to the excited human girl, who grinned.

  “Born and raised in Wild Junction,” Phoebe told her. Her straight, sandy-blonde hair kept falling over her face until she pushed it back. Her deep blue-green eyes twinkling with interest. “I have a hundred questions, by the way. Can we talk about that at lunch?”

  “Oh,” Riley grumbled. “You can, but-”

  “Riley is a cheetah, and Jessie is a lioness, but I swear I think Riley got it wrong. Are you seriously just a doe?” Phoebe leaned in close to say it softly.

  She nodded, figuring she should have known this was coming. “I am just a doe,” she confirmed. “I know. People think shifters in their sexy books, and it’s all wolves, bears, and dangerous cats. You don’t exactly see us in werewolf movies or anything. Here I am, just a doe. Shifters come in all shapes and sizes. I grew up with all manner of things like horses, gazelles, and a goat. There’s probably more prey shifters out there than predators, but we hide better and normally stay far away from the predators. We end up with humans a lot, able to hide our animals better to have normal relationships with them.”

  “For good reason,” Jessie added, looking up at Abigail again and dropping her menu. “We’re ridden pretty hard by instinct, some more than others. Abigail probably had to train herself not to bolt every time she was in a predator’s presence. Right?”

  “You are correct. It was rough going in college, trying to remember that shifters weren’t going to actually eat m
e.” She giggled, shaking her head at the memories. “Well, some still do.”

  “What?” The human woman nearly screamed, and Riley clamped a hand over the girl’s mouth. Abigail didn’t miss the sight of a tongue piercing, though. That suited Phoebe, really.

  “She was talking about in the bedroom,” Riley growled softly. Then she broke out in a smile as well, matching Abigail’s and Jessie’s. Amber eyes locked on to Abigail. “Are you currently being…eaten?”

  None of them could restrain the laughter that followed that question. Abigail shook her head as she laughed, lowering her head as humans began to look over at the table like they had all lost their minds.

  “No,” Abigail gasped for air as she said it. “No, I’m not.”

  “Single girls!” Jessie declared, grinning. “I’m glad I’m not the only one.”

  “Amen, sister,” Abigail said, and they high-fived, feeling ridiculous.

  “You might as well count Phoebe with that, too,” Riley told them sardonically. “She doesn’t keep her boytoys for longer than a week or two.”

  “They get boring after that,” Phoebe said, looking as if it made sense to love ‘em and leave ‘em.

  “Stop sleeping with humans,” Jessie teased. “Shifters? We have way more experience.”

  “I’ll remember that,” Phoebe hummed, smiling. “Know any single ones?”

  “Right now?” Riley sighed thoughtfully. “Finn, the fox. Be careful with him, though - he lost his twin brother back in October. And the wolves. I don’t think they’re seeing anyone. They’re great guys. Thomas is my favorite.”

  Abigail didn’t say anything at that. She wasn’t with the wolves. Riley pulled out her phone to show the human pictures of everyone. Abigail resisted the urge to look over and see the photos of Thomas, James, and Antonio goofing around at the mansion.

  “When did you take those?” Abigail asked softly.

  “While Brenton and Zachary were in Denver and you were out of state. Right before everything happened and my guys got hurt.” Riley told her, tilting her head. “Why?”

  “Oh, I was just curious,” Abigail mumbled, looking down in her drink.