“Please.” She looked at him beseechingly.
Cole gently kissed her. Raising his head, he looked into her eyes. She was so trusting with him. After everything she had been through, to know that she trusted him that much nearly broke his heart.
“Marin, I would love nothing more, but…”
Marin looked away. She hadn’t counted on him rejecting her and it hurt more than she had thought. Blinking away the tears that had sprung to her eyes, she tried to scoot away from Cole.
“Oh, honey. Please don’t cry! I meant it when I said that I wanted to make love to you.”
Marin looked at him with tortured eyes, “Then why won’t you?”
Cole brushed away a tear that had spilled over onto her cheek, “Because either of my brother’s could decide to come up here at any moment. When I make love to you, I want to know that we aren’t going to be interrupted; to know that I’ll have as much time as I want to show you how special you are.” He slowly caressed her cheek. “I want our first time together to be perfect for you.”
Marin knew at that exact moment which brother she would choose, knew without a doubt that she was Cole’s mate. While Gabriel was handsome and kind, he didn’t make her feel the way Cole did. Only Cole could make her feel desirable when she was an emotional wreck and not at her physical best. Looking into his eyes, Marin could tell that he truly did care for her. It might not be an undying confession of love, but it was more than she could have hoped for.
“Please kiss me,” she whispered.
Keeping most of his weight on his arms so he wouldn’t crush her, Cole bent his head to hers and kissed her. He tried to hold back, knowing that he shouldn’t lose control, but in the end he couldn’t. The wolf inside of him wanted to claim Marin. What had started as a gentle kiss became something passionate and fiery. He wanted to devour her, to claim her as his own in every way.
Marin pulled him closer so that he was lying almost completely on top of her. Cole was trying to keep his weight off her, but at the same time he wanted to imprint the feel of her against his skin. She felt warm and soft under his hard muscled body.
Lifting his head, he looked into her passion glazed eyes. Cole knew that if he didn’t leave he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from taking her. Marin deserved better than what he was able to give her at that moment. She deserved scented candles, soft music and a perfect night of slow lovemaking. He wanted to be able to worship her body and show her just how much she meant to him.
“I’ll be back in a minute,” he said as he pressed one more kiss to her lips.
He rolled off her and before his feet had hit the floor, he had shifted into a wolf. All Marin had seen was a bright flash of light and the wonderful man she’d been kissing was suddenly the furry wolf she’d fallen asleep with the night before. It was an amazing sight to behold.
The wolf ran to the door, but Gabriel had closed it all the way and he couldn’t open it. Marin climbed out of bed and opened the door for him; Cole darted out the door and ran up the stairs to his room. Changing back into his human self, he threw on some jeans and a long sleeve black shirt.
Downstairs, the doorbell rang. Cole froze wondering who it could be. He ran down the stairs to the second floor. Pausing at Marin’s door, he watched as Michael opened the door; on the other side stood Stefan and two police officers. Cole had to suppress a growl. He ducked into Marin’s room and cautioned her to stay quiet.
“Stefan is downstairs,” he whispered to her.
Marin stood and walked over to Cole. With a shaking hand, she reached for him. Would Stefan never leave her alone? When would he give up his search and go back home? When would she be free to have a life again?
Cole pressed a kiss to her hand. “Why don’t you get dressed?”
Marin nodded and got some clothes out of the dresser. She didn’t even pay attention to what she was grabbing. When she got into the bathroom, she saw that she had grabbed jeans, a black shirt, black bra and matching black panties. At least she was color coordinated she thought with a grin.
Throwing everything on quickly, Marin brushed her teeth and washed her face. After brushing the tangles from her long hair, she pulled her make-up out. Not wanting to stay in the bathroom too long, she just put on some mascara, blush and lip gloss.
Cautiously opening the bathroom door, she peeked out at Cole. He had the bedroom door partially open and was listening to a conversation downstairs. Apparently, he had heard her open the door because, without looking in her direction, he held his hand out to her. She softly padded over to him on bare feet and placed her hand in his.
Downstairs, Michael was speaking with Stefan and the police. Marin could only hear a little of their conversation, but Cole’s exceptional werewolf hearing was picking up every word. His twin was doing a good job so far.
“Mr. Andrews...” Stefan said.
“Michael, please. Mr. Andrews makes me feel old,” Michael replied with a grin, turning on the charm.
Stefan smiled, or at least Michael assumed it was supposed to be a smile. It reminded him of sharks before a feeding frenzy. It was suddenly clear that this man was never going to stop coming for Marin. Not unless they took care of him permanently.
“Very well, Michael. Would you please look at this photo of my girlfriend and tell me if you’ve seen her around here? Her car ran off the road not far from here and she’s missing,” Stefan said.
Michael took the photo from him. It was definitely Marin, but at the same time it didn’t look quite like her. He had an idea. It was a dangerous gamble, but he had a feeling it was the only way to get rid of the man and the police.
“I don’t know this particular woman, but she resembles my brother’s fiancé,” Michael said.
Upstairs, Cole stiffened. What was Michael doing?
“Your brother? Was that the man I met last night who said he’d never seen this woman?” Stefan asked, not able to disguise his anger. He had obviously been lied to and the wretched woman had been here all along. After everything she had put him through, he was going to make sure that she paid, and so would her so-called protectors.
“I’m not sure which one you met, I have two.” Looking at the photo again, he asked Stefan, “What did you say your girlfriend’s name was?”
“Marisol,” Stefan answered.
“Huh. Well, she does look a little like my twin’s fiancé, but her name is Marin and they’ve been together for a while. Maybe they're related or something. Marin was adopted so she could have family out there she doesn’t even know about,” Michael replied smoothly, lying as if he did this kind of thing all the time.
Cole relaxed a little. He understood the game his brother was playing. It was dangerous, but he knew why Michael was doing it. Cole turned to Marin.
In a whisper so soft she almost couldn’t hear him, he said, “Marin, my brother is a genius. I’m going to make a quick phone call and then we’re going downstairs.”
Marin froze. Downstairs? With Stefan?
Cole saw her terrified expression. “It’s going to be okay, I promise. Do you trust me?”
She nodded that she did. Cole pulled out his phone and called Cassie’s father. When Mr. Morgan answered the phone, Cole explained the situation. Within moments, Mr. Morgan had hung up and was on the phone with some paranormal friends at the FBI and CIA. They would have documentation to back up Michael’s story within the hour. He quickly used his camera phone to snap a picture of Marin and sent it to Stan Morgan.
They only had one other problem to fix… a ring. Since Michael had told them that Cole and Marin were engaged, she would need an engagement ring. Quietly walking across the hall, he opened the door to what had once been their parents’ room. They hadn’t changed much in the room. His mother’s jewelry box was still on the dresser. Opening it, he pulled out her ruby and diamond ring. It wasn’t an engagement ring exactly, but it would work.
He walked back into Marin’s room and softly closed the door. He took her left hand in his an
d placed the ring on her finger. She looked at him questioningly and with a little hope. It made him feel good to think she might want to make it a real engagement sometime soon.
“My brother told Stefan and the cops that I have a fiancé that looks like Marisol, which is what Stefan said your name was,” Cole explained. “Honestly, I’m not sure how he got them involved. Since you’re over 18 years old, they should have brushed him off.”
“Are they going to believe us?” Marin asked, almost afraid to hope.
“I called Cassie’s dad. He has paranormal friends in high places. It won’t be long before he brings a purse to you with a wallet inside. If the cops ask to see your ID, tell them you forgot your purse at a friend’s house. I’ll call Stan Morgan and tell him we think your purse is at his house and give him a reason to bring it over. You’ll have an ID saying your name is Marin Thomas, a social security card and a credit card.”
Marin was astonished. “They can do all of that in such a short amount of time?”
“Apparently the FBI and CIA can do just about anything,” Cole responded wryly.
Marin fidgeted with the ring on her finger. It felt strange and yet her heart had soared when Cole had put it on her finger. She knew that it was only a pretend engagement, but she was going to pretend it was real. If she made herself believe it was true, she knew that she could pull off the lie better.
Downstairs Michael was still dealing with the cops and Stefan. So far, they seemed to believe his story, but they were starting to ask a lot of questions. He wasn’t surprised at all when the cops asked to speak to Marin.
“Sure, I’ll see if she’s home. Just give me a second,” Michael replied.
Michael walked over to the foot of the stairs. “Hey Cole, is Marin up there.”
Cole had an idea. He stripped off his shirt, hoping his trick would buy them more time. Marin was watching him with interest and he smiled at her. Opening the door, he stuck his head and part of his upper body out in the hall.
“What’d you say Michael?”
Michael was trying not to grin at his brother, realizing he must have been listening to the conversation with the cops, “I asked if Marin is up there. Since you’re in her room, I’m guessing she’s home.”
“Yeah, why?” Cole asked.
“Can you two come down for a minute?”
“Can’t it wait? This isn’t the best time,” Cole responded.
Now Michael was grinning. “I’m afraid it can’t wait. Throw something on and get down here.”
Cole sighed loudly for effect. “Okay, just give us a minute.”
Cole closed the door and looked at Marin. She was trying not to laugh. He put on his shirt and pulled her over to him. If they wanted the police and Stefan to believe they’d interrupted something important, he’d have to make her look mussed.
Lowering his head to hers, Cole kissed her hard. Marin jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. Cole grinned against her mouth. Grabbing her butt with one hand, he held her in place while he plunged his other hand through her hair. He pulled her closer to him and deepened the kiss.
“Are y’all coming down or what?” Michael called up the stairs.
Cole pulled back and looked at Marin. God she was beautiful! And so passionate! Her lips were swollen from his kisses and her hair looked like he’d been running his hands through it, just as he’d planned. It didn’t hurt that he’d thoroughly enjoyed making her look that way. He winked at her and opened the door.
Marin tried to climb back down, but Cole grabbed her butt with both hands and held on to her. She looped her arms around his neck and looked up into his eyes. If this was how the next few days would play out in order to convince everyone their engagement was real, then she was looking forward to it. She just hoped her heart could handle it if Cole didn’t want this to be the real deal.
Cole carefully carried her down the stairs. Before they reached the bottom, he started kissing her again. They might as well make this believable. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he turned toward the living room. Michael cleared his throat and Cole looked up.
“Sorry,” Cole said insincerely.
“Hey, doesn’t bother me any,” Michael said. “I’m used to it.”
Cole grinned at him. He looked over at their ‘guests.’ “I assume y’all are the reason we had to come down?”
One of the cops stopped grinning long enough to answer. “Yes, sir. Sorry to have bothered you, but this man has a missing girlfriend.”
Stefan was looking at Marin. “Marisol! I’m so glad I found you!”
Marin tried not to give anything away. “Sir, I’m sorry to hear about your girlfriend, but my name isn’t Marisol.”
Cole put her down and she stood beside him. Marin put her right arm around his waist so her left hand could rest against his stomach, which of course put her ‘engagement ring’ in plain view. She was better at this than she had thought she’d be.
“But you are Marisol!” Stefan said angrily.
The cop closest to him put a restraining hand on his arm. “Sir, this woman clearly states she isn’t your girlfriend.”
“I don’t care! It’s her and I know it!” Stefan yelled.
The cops sighed. The one holding on to Stefan looked at them. “Ma’am, would you mind getting your ID so we can settle this and get this ‘gentleman’ out of your home?”
“Oh! I accidently left my purse at a friend’s house,” Marin said with a worried look toward the officers.
Marin looked up at Cole. “Would you mind calling Stan Morgan and seeing if it’s over there?”
He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and opened it. He quickly dialed Stan’s number, putting their plan into action.
“Hey, Stan. Did Marin leave her purse at your house yesterday?” There was a pause before he continued speaking into the phone. “She did? Wonderful. She couldn’t find it this morning and… well; you know how women are about their purses.” He paused again. “Thanks, Stan. We’ll see you shortly.”
After hanging up the phone, he looked at the cops. “Our friend’s dad is going to bring Marin’s purse by. It will take him about fifteen or twenty minutes to get here though.”
The cop nodded. “Mind if we sit down and wait?”
“Not at all,” Cole responded.
Stefan sat on the couch with a cop on either side of him. Apparently they had already figured out that the man wasn’t dealing with a full deck and had a nasty temper. Smart men. Michael sat in one of the chairs facing the couch and Cole took the other, pulling Marin into his lap. He loosely draped one arm around her waist, clearly staking his claim.
“So, you said your girlfriend was missing. What’s she like,” Cole asked.
Stefan looked at Marin with hostility. So far, they weren’t fooling him. “She looks exactly like your girlfriend...”
“Fiancé,” Cole corrected.
“Right, your fiancé. Marisol is elegant, composed, and poised. She’s everything a lady should be,” Stefan answered.
The way he said it made it clear that he thought Marin was anything but those things. Stefan was a pretty good liar himself. If this didn’t work, the brothers were going to have to be very vigilant. It looked like Stefan was going to cause as much trouble as possible. Having the cops involved definitely complicated things, which was probably Stefan’s plan. Cole still couldn’t figure out how he’d gotten the cops involved.
One of the cops spoke up, “Ms. Thomas, do you live here?”
“Yes, sir.”
He nodded as if he had expected that answer. “And do you have a car? I only noticed two vehicles in the driveway.”
“I don’t like to drive very often. Cole usually takes me where I need to go,” Marin replied without missing a beat.
Cole smiled at her and looked at the cops. “I’ve tried talking her into a small car or SUV, but she just won’t hear any of it. I even offered to buy it for her. If she keeps holding out, I’ll have to get one for her as
a wedding present. Even though one of my brothers is just about always around, I’d like for her to have her own transportation, mostly in case of an emergency.”
The cop nodded. “It’s a good idea. A woman should always have a car of her own.”
Marin smiled at him. “I know. I’m just holding off as long as I can. Besides, the garage across the street belongs to the family so I can always go over there if I need a ride somewhere, or I can call my friend Cassie. My parents died in a car crash so cars tend to make me a little nervous.”
The silent cop looked at them with interest at the mention of Cassie’s name. “Cassandra Spencer?”
Knowing that Marin wouldn’t know the answer, Cole spoke up. “Yeah. She and Matt are close friends of ours. It’s Cassie’s dad that’s bringing Marin’s purse.”
“The Spencer’s are fine people. Has she had that baby yet,” the cop asked.
“No, she’s due in another two months,” Marin answered. She at least had remembered that much.
Just then, the doorbell rang. Michael got up to answer it. A minute later, Stan Morgan walked into the living room carrying a small black purse. He handed it to Marin.
“Here you go my dear. I’m afraid you left this yesterday after you and Cassie picked up the kids,” Stan said.
Marin smiled at him. “Thank you for bringing it to me.”
“Oh, it’s no trouble. I’ve needed an oil change for the past week so I thought I’d see if Gabriel could work me in today.”
The more inquisitive cop got up and walked over to Marin. “May I see your ID now, ma’am?”
Marin unzipped the purse and pulled out a black and purple contemporary looking wallet. She unsnapped it and tried to hide her surprise. There was a Georgia driver’s license inside with her picture on it. It listed her name as Marin Thomas and the Victorian house was her address. She pulled it out and handed it to the officer.
“Here you are, sir.”
The cop took it from her, examined it and handed it back to her. “Thank you, ma’am. Sorry for all the trouble.”
Marin smiled. “It’s okay. I know he must be worried about his girlfriend. I hope you’re able to find her.”
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