“Your happiness is the most important thing to me,” he said firmly. “I promised your mother it would be.”
Taylor sighed. She knew he felt guilty over Dave. That maybe, somehow, if her mother had been alive, she would have seen the signs of the kind of man he was.
She didn’t agree. Being headstrong was a trait she’d inherited from both her parents, so even if her mother had been able to spot the man her ex-husband truly was, she doubted it would have mattered.
At twenty, when she met Dave, she thought she knew everything. He was charming and would bring her little tokens from all the cities he played baseball at in college. To her, he had been perfect.
When he graduated and asked her to marry him, she said yes instantly. Her father had a small ranch hand house on the property that wasn’t getting used, and they had been so excited to have their own place.
The plan was to live there and help her father make something of the ranch again. To use Dave’s communications degree to get their name out to the public. Really go big with the business.
Then he had gotten the call that changed everything, a spot on the local minor league team. It would mean traveling for a good part of the year for very little pay, but being the loving wife, she supported his dream.
At first, things were great. He would call her at night, and they would talk about all the things they had done during the day. Every chance he got to come home, he would. Then the calls became less frequent, and traveling home was too much effort. Or so he said.
There was a point where Dave complained she wasn’t like all the other wives who tagged along to the games. They were there to cheer on their husbands like a good wife should.
Taylor saw red. She knew the truth on why those women followed their husbands around. It was to make sure that no one else sunk their claws into them. Because she trusted her husband, she was the bad guy.
In the end, though, all that trust had been for nothing.
Kimberly was her name. She called his cell one morning when Dave had just gotten back from a long stretch of away games. Taylor had decided to let him sleep in since he’d gotten in so late and answered.
The poor girl was a sobbing mess, and it took several tries to even understand what was going on. Well, until the word pregnant. Taylor’s ears started to buzz, and the room rocked under her feet.
Her husband, the man she trusted without a thought, had gotten some nineteen- year-old girl pregnant.
He denied it at first, tried to tell her it was a scam some women tried, but he couldn’t explain away how she had gotten his cell number.
Caught in a lie, Dave became furious at her. He tossed all his things into his shiny red convertible and drove out of her life.
Unfortunately for her, that wasn’t good enough. He and his mother had to make sure they ruined any chance of her happiness by spreading lies and rumors around town. It didn’t take long for customers to come up with excuses why they needed to go with another meat supplier.
That hurt the most of all. Her mistakes shouldn’t have haunted her father.
All the while, her father had stood by and watched her go from happy and in love to a hollow shell.
The phone rang from the office, shaking her from the memories.
“You clear, and I’ll get that,” her father said.
He made his way to the office.
She moved quietly, hoping to pick up on what was being said. It seemed her father was fielding more and more calls behind closed doors.
Taylor didn’t like it. They were in trouble. It was more than clear to her they were, and the longer he tried to hide that fact, the harder it made it on both of them.
The dishes slipped into the sudsy, hot water she’d started while making dinner. She listened as she placed all the leftovers into the fridge.
“Things are starting to pick up for us,” her father said. His voice was strained, and she knew that even with the increase from Nyx and her people, it still wasn’t enough.
Taylor cursed Dave in her head. Not only had her shitty ex been a terrible husband, but he and his mother had single handedly ruined them.
No one wanted to go against the town superstar. So, in the end, they lost business because she didn’t want to be with a man who cheated.
“Bastard,” she grunted as she scrubbed the griddle, trying to focus her anger on the pan.
“You’ve got to give us a little more time.” Her father raised his voice a little, and she held her breath. How long before they took it all away from them? “You know I’m good for the payments.”
The water from the faucet dripped into the sink. The house was so quiet she could hear the droplets of water as they hit the surface.
“You won’t regret this,” her father said, his relief evident in his voice.
Taylor let out the breath she had been holding. For now, they still had a ranch, and every day they did was just another day for things to turn around for them.
Chapter Three
The truck bumped along the beaten road as Lucas, Nyx and Marcus drove into town. The morning air was still cool, and Lucas had rolled down the window to let the fresh cut grass smell fill his nose. He’d made a decision about Taylor, and his plans were now in action.
“You are not fucking going to the girls’ night,” Nyx said, glaring at Lucas from the other side of Marcus.
He turned to her and gave a grin. Lucas knew she’d say something like that. They all likely would, but he’d already talked to Rem, and it was clear he was the best choice to go.
“Fine then. Marcus can go.”
Marcus turned and glared at him. “Fuck off. I’m not going to babysit a bunch of weak women.”
Nyx, without blinking, slammed her fist into Marcus’s ribs. He grunted in pain.
She turned and raised a brow behind her sunglasses. Despite the new contacts they had all been issued to conceal the noticeably striking color of their eyes, most still chose to wear the sunglasses just in case their eyes started glowing.
“What were you saying?” Nyx said.
Marcus grunted but chose to stare straight ahead rather than totally piss her off.
His adjustment to life outside of the Horatius Group had been a little bumpier than most. They assumed he had been in cryo longer than some of the others despite being one of the younger hybrids. His age, coupled with his confusion about life, made the transition harder.
Which was exactly why Rem made him go on extra runs. The more they forced him into society, the more likely he was to learn by example.
So far as Lucas could tell, Marcus hadn’t learned a whole lot besides how much he hated non-hybrids, and that was bound to bring trouble down on all of them at some point.
“Look,” Lucas said and sighed. “It’s the only option. Rem isn’t going to let Jenna go in her state, and Magnus keeps threatening to follow anyways.”
Nyx snorted. “I’m sure Lara is thrilled with that.”
Lucas raised a brow. “He and Nero are the ringleaders behind this plan.”
Her face paled a little. Although the defector hybrid had more than proven himself to be a vital part of their team and that he’d do anything for Nyx, he still posed a risk.
Nero was still adjusting to his new life as a normal hybrid, instead of a bestial monster, and because of that, they had kept him mostly at home. He hadn’t been frozen like Marcus, but the man still didn’t fully understand normal society.
“Fuck,” Nyx grunted. “Fine, but stay out of sight. This is a girls’ night.”
Lucas grinned to himself. “Sure thing.”
“You know there are easier ways to get her,” Marcus said. “Instead of this ridiculous bullshit you’re trying.”
Lucas turned to look at the younger man. He wanted to laugh but kept only a faint smile on his face. Since when had Marcus become a master of women? Let alone women raised in the outside world?
“Oh?” he said, curious what kind of insight Marcus might offer.
Marcus
turned to him. “Just tell her she’s yours, and you were designed for each other by the gods. She’ll understand she has to be yours then.”
Nyx laughed hard from her seat as Lucas sat in stunned silence, not really sure what to say back. He’d expected something less than useful, but the complete cluelessness of Marcus still took him by surprise.
“Yeah,” Nyx said, snorting between a laugh, “and then tell her you’re a thief, there to steal her heart!” She only laughed harder at her joke.
Lucas watched as embarrassment washed over Marcus. The other hybrid turned to stare at the window, his face red.
“I think your approach might be a little too direct,” Lucas said quietly. “And I doubt she even believes in the ancient gods.”
Marcus frowned deeply. “Women seem like more trouble than they’re worth,” he huffed and tried to ignore Nyx as her giggles subsided.
They drove just a bit longer before entering the small town. When they stopped outside the hardware store, Lucas immediately zeroed in on Taylor walking to the coffee shop.
He hopped out of the car and gave a wave when she looked over to them.
Red spots bloomed on her cheeks, and he took it as a good sign that he could get a reaction out of her. Destiny or gods, he still had to work the charm.
Lucas breathed in deeply. The soft, sweet smell of her drifted over to him. Cherries. Maybe her soft reddish hair made him think of it first, but it was always what came to mind when he was near her. It made him want to bury his head into the crook of her neck and kiss the tender spots behind her ears and along her neck.
His lower half twitched at the idea of doing much more than that to her.
He followed her with his gaze as she brought several brown packages into the coffee shop, likely making a delivery to Courtney, the owner and her friend.
“You two grab the supplies Rem ordered and get them loaded up. I’m going to confirm plans for tonight.”
He stared wistfully at the shop. He wanted more than anything to follow her inside.
“Relax, lover boy. You’ll see her tonight,” Nyx said. She rolled her eyes and made her way across the street.
She was right. The girls’ night was a much better time to make his move.
* * *
Taylor held a hand to her cheeks to stop them from flaming further. Just one look and she had been falling all over herself once again.
She did try to cut herself a little break. She had to admit just the sight of him would likely cause that reaction for most women. Even compared to his family or whatever the group of huge studs actually was, he was damned handsome.
“He sure is something to look at,” Courtney said as she came to stare out the window next to her.
Taylor frowned a little. She might not want to be Lucas, but the thought of her friend lusting after him didn’t really sit right with her either.
“He always looks like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders,” she said and twisted a lock of her dark curly brown hair. A small blush spread across her cheeks. “They really are a nice pair of shoulders.”
Taylor let out a little laugh as she stared at the men. Weight of the world? That didn’t sound like Lucas at all. The man probably could run through a burning building saving puppies and still have a smile on his face.
“Do you mean Marcus?” she asked. He had only come out to the ranch once, and the whole time he acted like it was the greatest challenge in the world to have to come there. Half the time, he acted like just looking at other people disgusted him.
“Of course,” Courtney said and turned to her. After a moment, a giant smile spread across her face. “And who exactly did you think I was talking about?”
Taylor had to question her friend’s taste a bit.
The bell to the front door chimed as Nyx stepped in.
“Girls’ night!” Courtney shouted.
Their conversation was pushed to the back burner for the moment, but knowing her friend, it hadn’t been dropped.
Nyx offered them both a wide smile. “I’m so looking forward to it.”
“Same here,” Courtney said as she made her way back behind the counter to start pouring coffee.
Taylor felt a twinge of guilt. She wanted to be excited about their long overdue night out, but it was hard to be excited when things were teetering right on the edge. It didn’t seem right to be out having fun when her father was worrying about losing the ranch.
They chatted for a bit about what they would wear and where they would meet. Eventually the conversation drifted back to men.
“Lucas will be our driver for the night,” Nyx said and glanced over to Taylor.
A familiar flutter passed through Taylor, the same sensation that accompanied times she saw him, not quite in her stomach but a bit lower.
“Oh?” she managed to get out.
“Anyone else coming?” Courtney asked excitedly.
Nyx frowned a little, clearly confused. “Not that I’m aware.”
Courtney blushed. “I just thought Marcus might like to come.”
Nyx raised a brow in surprise. “I think bars aren’t really his thing,” she said after a moment. “Or people. Or really anyone but himself.”
Courtney’s face fell a bit.
“Oh,” she said quietly, her gaze searching for the muscled man as he loaded sheets of something into the back of the truck. “Is he gay?”
They watched as Marcus dropped the sheets hard into the back of the truck and turned to stare at them, a frown on his face.
Taylor blinked. It was almost like he could hear their conversation, but there was no way, given how far away he was, and outside at that.
Nyx grinned. “He’s not gay.”
His frown deepened as he slammed the tailgate shut on the truck. Maybe he was good at lip reading? Taylor pushed the thought out. Maybe he just was in a bad mood, and it was all a coincidence.
“Well, looks like all the hard work is done,” Nyx said, winking at them. “I better get back so I can get ready. We’ll meet you all here at six.”
Taylor nodded, and they watched as she walked back out to the truck. As the men climbed in, both men turned to stare at them.
She looked down at her coffee. Better to busy herself.
The tuck roared to life.
Courtney let out a little sigh.
“I really hope he’s not gay,” she muttered.
Unable to hold back, Taylor laughed until her stomach hurt.
For her friend’s sake, she silently wished that he was, if anything to protect her friend’s heart. From what little she knew of Marcus, he seemed more like a Dave than a Lucas.
The bell to the door rang, bringing them out of their own thoughts.
“Can I get some service around here, or do I need to take my business elsewhere? I probably should, given how the quality of this place has gone downhill.”
Taylor instantly knew that voice. It belonged to one of the few people she actively tried to avoid.
“Hello, Doris,” Courtney said stiffly. “What can I get for you today?”
The plump woman pushed her way past Taylor to the counter, pretending like she didn’t even exist. Maybe that would work to Taylor’s advantage.
“I need your best apple pie,” Doris said. “We’re having company tonight.”
Taylor bit her tongue. She likely wanted a pie she could claim to have baked herself.
Courtney silently pulled out a pie from the case and slipped it into a box.
Obviously irritated about the lack of interest from Courtney, Doris went on.
“My son is back for a few weeks, and I want only the best for him,” he said and gave Taylor some serious side-eye.
This time Taylor did laugh at the obvious slight.
The older women turned and gave her a full glare this time.
“It’s about time he finally gets exactly what he deserves,” she huffed at Taylor. “It’s unfortunate he had to waste time married to you.” She waved a hand di
smissively.
“How’s life as a grandma?” Taylor let out.
The color drained from her face for a moment. “That child isn’t his,” she hissed.
Taylor crossed her arms over her chest.
“That’s not what they DNA test said.” She grinned. “Or is the company somehow in on the scheme to make your poor, innocent son look bad?”
Doris slapped a twenty down on the counter and yanked the pie from Courtney’s hands.
“This is the last time I shop here,” she said. “You let a bad element hang around here too much.”
Courtney frowned at her. “Good,” she said. “This is the last time I’m letting you shop here.”
Doris huffed loudly and stomped out the door.
Taylor sank into a swivel stool. It was too early for this shit.
“You okay?” Courtney said.
Taylor sighed and gave a small smile. “I’m ready for that girls’ night now.”
Chapter Four
Taylor took a long drink from her beer and set her frosty mug down on the table. She waited for a moment, letting the beer hit her stomach. Though she didn’t want to get totally smashed, she needed the relaxation.
A hint of color in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She lowered her gaze to her sandal-clad feet and painted toenails. She rolled her eyes. Some things seemed like great ideas in theory, not so much in practice.
The color was called “Heat of the Night.” The dusk rose matched her tank perfectly, but every time she thought about the name, her stomach flipped a little. Only one face came to mind, and he was off limits as far as she was concerned.
She picked up the mug and finished off the last bit of beer still in the glass. Yeah, she needed a buzz sooner than later.
“Thirsty?” Courtney asked, raising a brow.
Taylor sighed. Her friend always seemed to have every little hair in place and didn’t feel uncomfortable wearing a pretty sundress when they went out. Unlike Taylor, whose idea of dressing up was a pair of shorts and nail polish to match her tank.
She opened her mouth to say something, but relief passed over her when Jenna, Lara and Nyx showed up. The last thing she wanted to do was to talk about all the reasons she had to drink. She loved her friend, but admitting how close she and her father were to losing the ranch just wasn’t something she was ready for.
Lucas: #3 (Luna Lodge: Hunters of Atlas) Page 2
