by Sierra Brave
“I like Italian dressing.” She picked up the bottle as she spoke. “Look at this big, delicious salad, and this tantalizing pasta. If it tastes as good as it smells you might not ever be able to get rid of me.”
“Now why would I ever want to do that?” He picked up a small basket and offered her some garlic bread. “Eat up. There’s plenty.”
She smiled, pushing the hair on the right side of her head behind her ear with one hand as she plucked a slice from the basket with the other. She took a bite and closed her eyes, seemingly savoring the flavor. Chance usually had a big appetite, but throughout the meal, he picked at his food, preferring to watch her eat. She used good manners but ate with gusto he found sexy as hell.
Once he’d managed to eat half of his main course, Chance gathered the courage to ask Lucy about the men looking for her. “So, the trouble you got into in Nevada…you ready to talk about that?”
She looked up from her plate, pursing her lips as creases formed on her forehead from her furrowing brow. “Um…it’s not such a big deal.” She averted her gaze.
She’s definitely hiding something. Do I push? He tilted his head. “Maybe we should discuss it over dessert?”
“You made dessert?” She perked up, straightening her shoulders.
“Do you like baked apples?”
She laughed. “Am I an equine shifter?”
“I’ll get them out of the oven.”
He made haste to serve her so he could get back on track with learning what he needed to know. After she took her first bite, and then murmured her approval, he decided to try the direct approach. “I met some out-of-towners today.”
“Yeah?” She looked up from her dish.
“They were shifters, but something about them didn’t sit right with me. I made some calls.” He paused for a second and caught her gaze. “Are you in trouble, Lucy?”
Her eyes widened and she shook her head. “No way.”
“No? Do you owe someone some money or maybe…” He clenched his jaw. “Don’t lie to me.”
Her eyes narrowed as she jumped to her feet and shoved her chair under the table. “I think dinner’s over. I want to go back to Ms. Banks’ place.”
While leaning back in his chair, he crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow as he shook his head. “Ain’t gonna happen.”
Her jaw dropped and her nostrils flared as she balled up her fists beside her legs. “Excuse me? That’s kidnapping.”
“Don’t give a fuck. Mrs. Banks can’t protect you. Me and mine can. As a matter of fact, I’m going to speak with her grandson about moving her to another location for a bit just in case they sniff out where you’ve been and show up at her home.”
“Why? Who are they?” Her jaw tensed to a biting posture as her lower lip pushed forward while the upper curved down.
His shoulders straightened and he raised an eyebrow while staring at her blankly. “Who’s Crawford Crane?”
“Ugggh!” She stomped her foot and bent her arms so her balled up fists were behind her head. “Damnit! My stepdaddy’s here?”
“So at least that much of his story was true though his bullshit about you being a teenage runaway was not.”
She palmed her face as she pulled out her chair and then plopped back down. “I can’t believe he figured out where we went. Mama said he wouldn’t suspect she’d head back to her childhood home.” She looked down at the table as if she were so deep in thought she’d forgotten all about him.
“Whatever it is, I won’t judge you. I’ll help you?”
She crossed her arms and shook her head. “I’m sorry, but it’s a family matter, and it doesn’t concern you.”
“Damn, Lucy, do you have to be as stubborn as me? I’m trying to help you. What did you do?”
Her eyes narrowed as she seethed, gritting her teeth. “You sure seem in a big hurry to think the worst of me.” As if suddenly realizing something, her eyes widened and she jerked her head toward him. “Wait…two people? Who was with Craw?”
He ran his hand through his hair, pushing it back from his face. “A great big bear shifter with ties to prostitution.” He lifted an eyebrow. “What’s your connection to him?” As the words rolled off his tongue and he heard his accusatory tone, his stomach roiled.
She rolled her eyes. “You mean a goofy jackass whose daddy bought him a couple of bunny houses to manage.”
He rubbed his chin, unable to stop himself from running off at the mouth. “Did you…um?”
“Suck dick for money?” She glared at him as she pounded her fist on the side of her thigh. “Hell no! I was employed as a blackjack dealer at his daddy’s casino. I worked hard and liked my job. I made good money doing honest work. Gambling’s legal in Vegas.”
“But you’re in trouble. They followed you here for a reason.” He resisted the urge to lash out or to scold her for her attitude.
Lucy averted her gaze, staring past him. “My mom’s taking care of it so you should just take me home…now!”
“Baby, these kinds of people aren’t to be fucked with. If you stole one red cent from them, they will hurt you. I found them on Banks’ family land. How long do you think it would have taken them to find out where you’re working and staying?”
“I don’t know. Grayson’s sort of dumb, and Craw’s lazy. I doubt either of them could find their butts with both hands. But apparently, I’m a thief now—huh? As for those types of people, Craw raised me so I guess I’m the same kind!”
A squeezing sensation in Chance’s chest let him know he handled everything all wrong, but he couldn’t back down now and risk Lucy getting hurt. “What do you owe them?”
She smacked her hand down on the table, making the dishes jiggle. “Not a damn thing!”
I’m trying to help and this is how she wants to act. He pointed his finger at her. “Watch it unless you want to go across my knee.” Her bottom lip trembled as she met his gaze, and his stomach twisted in a knot. Clearly, browbeating and accusing her wasn’t the way he should have handled this situation. I’m so bad at dealing with women. He sighed. “Okay, keep your damn secrets, but you can’t go back to work or to where you were staying.”
“Well, what do you suggest?” She smirked, crinkling her nose.
“You’re staying here in the evening. During the day, I’ll stash you with relatives I trust.”
She huffed angrily. “All of my stuff is at Mrs. Banks’ house.”
“I’ll have Davis go by and get it. He’ll take it to the ranch, and I’ll pick it up there. Your stepfather and his crony don’t know there is any connection between me and you.”
She laughed mockingly. “There isn’t any connection between you and me anymore. You’re a pigheaded, bossy jerk, and I can’t believe I fucked you.”
“Fucked me? What kind of language is that to be calling what we did? It was special to me.”
“Oh, I know. I have the bite marks and hickeys all over my body to prove it. Claiming me? How could I have been so stupid to just hand all my power and autonomy over to you—a man with zero faith in me?” She grasped a handful of her own hair and held it tight at her scalp as she looked away from him while pressing her lips together and shaking her head.
Her words were like a combo gut-punch and a bucket of ice water over the head. Less than an hour ago, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with this woman and was sure she felt the same. Now she hated his guts. “My feelings for you are genuine.”
“So what? I’m not going to let you run my life anymore and you better not try to lay a finger on me or I’ll shift right here and kick your house apart before I bolt.”
“Alright, have it your way.” He stood up before starting to clear the table.
“Thanks for dinner.” She nearly spat the words at him before stomping off to his bedroom. As she reached the door, she looked over her shoulder. “You get to sleep on the couch tonight.”
As she slammed the door behind her, he clenched his jaw. Nope…keep your cool. Le
t her have some space and time to cool down. He counted to ten in his head before letting out a sigh. Once his blood pressure returned to normal, he cleaned up after dinner before getting some blankets and a pillow to set up a place for him to sleep on the sofa. He sat down and held his head with both of his hands while rubbing his temples.
As quickly as Lucy had taken to his discipline, he’d always suspected she was only playing along and was actually a real spitfire. Perhaps she’d simply been caught up in the sexual tension they had both been feeling. Still, as harsh as she’d been, her fiery spirit and iron will had turned him on a lot more than her submissive act ever had. I want her more than ever.
Chapter Eight
Chance’s bed was comfortable, but Lucy couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned beneath the covers, stewing in her anger. How dare him! You don’t see me all up in his personal business. How would he like it if I ran background checks on his relatives and associates? Maybe I should check his damn credit while I’m at it. She clenched her jaw, grinding her teeth as her nostrils flared. I need to get out of here. I need to shift and run free.
She tiptoed to the bedroom door and then slowly unlocked and opened it about half of an inch before peeping out to make sure Chance wasn’t lurking around in the hallway. After she found him asleep on the couch, she slipped out the front door and then sneaked around to the back of the house. She took a good look around, making sure she wasn’t being watched before she stripped off Chance’s shirt and her underwear, dropping them on the ground next to the back porch.
She stretched her arms over her head, preparing for her transformation. The familiar clicking and popping noises, as well as a mild aching in her muscles, heralded the change as her body began to morph. A blast of euphoria chased away any discomfort as a special gland all shifters have secreted a heavy dose of a pain-relieving hormone and her endorphins kicked in.
As soon as her hooves hit the ground, she sprinted off. She built up speed, enjoying the cool evening wind blowing through her mane. As she approached a split rail fence, she sped up and then leaped over. She headed into the woods and zig-zagged around the trees, slowing down to breath in the scent of oak, pine, and maple. She lifted her muzzle up toward the night sky to admire the twinkling stars and the half moon. The high altitude made it seem as if she could nearly touch them.
“Pretty, huh?” She jumped to the side and turned her head toward the voice of a man she hadn’t noticed until then. Her first instinct was to bolt, but he moved in front of her and lifted his hands. “It’s okay. Take a deep breath, and you’ll smell the pheromones. I’m out late for the same reason as you.”
Lucy sucked air through her nostrils, confirming he was two-natured. Even in the dim light of the moon, she could make out his well-muscled form. He was wearing jeans with the top button unsnapped and nothing else. He jumped in the air and transformed before his paws hit the ground, leaving his jeans behind. The beautiful wolf’s fur was mostly a mix of brown and black with white around his nose, ears, underbelly, and legs. He yipped while running back and forth as if he wanted her to follow him.
Ah! What the hell. She trotted forward, nickering. He turned and ran, and she chased him. After a while, they ended up in a small clearing with a dirt path driveway leading away from a single-wide trailer. A huge wooden deck built onto the back was illuminated by an outdoor light that had been left on. A red, high-rider pick-up truck with huge tires was parked on the side. She stood back as he raced up the steps and scooted behind a raggedy, upholstered sofa.
A few seconds later, he popped up from behind the couch and then grabbed a pair of pants draped over the railing. “Just a second and I’ll run get you a bedsheet or something.” He buttoned his pants as he stepped out from behind the sofa. He had dark brown hair and a square jaw. His coloring was similar to Chance’s but he was a lot shorter, and where Chance was long, lean and buff, this guy was stocky.
After he headed inside through the back door, she nearly bolted as the thought of him covering her in a dirty sheet crossed her mind, but he burst out the door carrying a folded blanket. As soon as he threw the fleece cover over her back, she transformed, wrapping the material around her as best she could. The fabric was soft and warm and smelled like laundry detergent.
“So that’s what you look like—a pretty blonde.” He smiled, lifting his eyebrows. “I’m Jonas.”
She tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear as she tilted her head. “Yep. I’m Lucy.”
“So what has you out running after dark all by your lonesome?”
Lucy looked off to the side while biting down on her bottom lip. “I just needed to clear my head.”
He pointed behind him toward the door. “Wanna go inside, have a beer and talk about it?”
She looked him up and down, sizing him up. She’d learned to recognize the air around a bad situation and steer herself in the other way. This guy had handsome scoundrel written all over him, but she didn’t notice the whiff of danger she’d had in the past just before shit went down. If she had to place odds, she’d say he was relatively harmless. “I don’t know. It’s not like we know each other…”
He laughed. “Sweetheart, every shifter on and around this chain of mountains knows each other or knows somebody from somebody’s family. Let me guess. You’re part of the clan run by the Banks widow?”
“Not exactly but I’m under her care for the time being.”
He shrugged, holding his hands up by his shoulders. “There you go. She’s tight with my matriarch, my aunt, and my grandma. I’m not trying to pull anything. You just look like you could use a friend. We can sit out here on the back porch if you like.”
She glanced at the old, beat-up sofa. Not only was the fabric pattern hideous, but the dilapidated castoff had to have spent twenty-years in someone’s house before being pulled out of the dump and plopped down on this man’s deck. She didn’t want to touch it, much less sit down on it, but she didn’t want to return to Chance’s place and she’d never find her way to the matriarch’s house in the dark. Besides, talking to someone other than Chance about nothing in particular sounded good. She could get her mind off all the crazy in her life for a little while. “Umm, I guess I can go in for a minute just to catch my breath but no beer. I’m not much of a drinker.”
“Fair enough.” He held the door open for her. Once they were inside, Lucy looked around and let out the breath she was holding. The place was free of any foul odor and was clean enough she wasn’t scared to sit down. Clearly, he spent all of his disposable income on electronics and entertainment judging by the size of his flat screen television, the three different types of gaming systems hooked to it as well as the plethora of games stacked in several piles on the floor.
After offering her a seat in his living room, he headed to the kitchen. As she sat down in a recliner, she heard bottles clanking, and he called out, “How about bottled water? You want one?”
“Sure.” She adjusted the blanket, making sure none of her lady parts were showing.
He returned to the small seating area and handed her the water before trekking across to the other side of the room and opening a door. As he walked inside, a tabby cat rushed past him and jumped on the table. The animal’s ears were back as it eyed Lucy suspiciously.
The cat hissed at her as Jonas returned carrying some clothing. “My brother’s more of a tall, thick, bodybuilder than me. This stuff is his, but he won’t mind if you borrow it.”
She lifted an eyebrow as she pointed toward the tabby. “You don’t seem like the cat-owning type.”
As she accepted the clothing from him, he chuckled while setting his beer down on the coffee table. He nudged the animal off of the table. “Git, Muffin.” He plopped down on his couch. “Hateful little son’a’bitch belongs to a girl I know. I’m cat sitting while she’s out of town. He averted his gaze toward Muffin. “I’m not dating her or anything. She’s paying me.”
Lucy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Does this guy think I w
as born yesterday? No way would he keep that cat if he wasn’t banging this girl or trying to. Playa, playa. “Oh yeah, so you’re a pet sitter?” She could barely keep a straight face as she hid behind the blanket while scooting on a large t-shirt and a pair of shorts with an elastic waistband.
He took a swig from his beer. “Sometimes.” He grinned as he put his feet up on the coffee table between his vaping supplies and his beer. “I’m what you call a jack-of-all-trades.”
As she considered his words, she glanced at the bottle of berry blast flavor e-juice, quickly bringing her line of sight back to his face to watch for any warning signs. Oh, dude, I wasn’t considering sleeping with you anyway, but the vaping brings your chances down from zero to negative ten. “Wow, so you can debug my computer?”
His cocky smile faded. “Naw, not stuff like computers, but you need a room painted, wallpaper hung or any kind of household repair, I’m your man.” The sides of his mouth turned up in a hopeful but much less arrogant expression.
She took a sip of her water. “Are you able to find enough work around here?”
He nodded. “Yeah, we do lawn work sometimes too, but building cabinets is my specialty.”
Her ears prickled. “We?”
“I work with my brother.”
“The one who lives here?” She twirled her finger around the room.
“Yep, only one I got. We keep busy with odds and ends, but one particular man uses us quite a bit.”
“Yeah?”
He laughed and leaned in as if he were telling a secret. “Rich, old dude…Barrow Dupree.” He pushed his shoulders back and pretended he was straightening an imaginary tie. “He used to be pretentious as hell, but in the past few years, I think he realized he was just a miserable, old bastard who might just die alone. Then he developed an appreciation for company. He’s been pretty chill with me and my bro since then. I think he kept finding stuff for us to renovate just so he wouldn’t be alone in his big house.” He laughed. “Hopefully the work won’t suddenly dry up.”
