by Peyton Banks
It had taken everything Dallas had in him that was decent not to fire his gun as soon as Candi had hit the floor. He’d had the open shot but knew that was not him.
He was not a cold-blooded killer.
He had spent practically half of his life protecting, and killing a man in cold blood would erase everything he had worked so hard for.
Over here in the good old US of A, he would let the justice system make Lamont pay.
With all of the charges they already had on him, he would be returning to the prison for a long time.
“Ms. Jennings, I just received a call from a special task unit that I’m not allowed to disclose of who has been investigating your ex-husband. Apparently, he had some information that was stolen that he was going to be selling on the black market.”
Candi glanced at Dallas in disbelief. Her eyes were round while her mouth flopped open and shut.
“I know nothing of what Lamont had been involved in. Even when we were married, he didn’t talk about his other life.” Candi shrugged.
Dallas bit back a remark about Lamont and his other life. Evidently, one life was laying a hand on her and causing her great pain.
“I need you to really think. What my contact is looking for is a junk drive. It can be really small and easily hidden anywhere.”
The room drew silent.
Dallas turned and stared at Candi.
Her eyes grew wider while she visibly swallowed.
“My Larry,” she whispered.
“What?” the captain said, confusion lining his face.
I’ll be damned.
Lamont was trying to get his hands on her bear.
Son of a bitch.
“It’s a stuffed animal that Candi has,” Dallas tried to explain.
“And you think that’s where Mr. Jennings may have hidden the drive?” The captain turned to Candi.
“It makes total sense now,” Candi began. She sat back and ran a hand through her hair. “When he came in the room of the house, he began asking me about the bear. I didn’t know why at the time, but now that you say this, it makes sense.”
Jarvis nodded. “Do we have any idea where this bear is?”
“Evidence lockup, sir,” Dallas said. He had planned to see if they could retrieve her items later. They weren’t pertinent to the kidnapping charges.
“I’ll be right back.” Jarvis stood from his seat and disappeared from the room,
“It shouldn’t be much longer.” Dallas wrapped his arms around Candi and brought her in close to his side. He squeezed her tight and laid a kiss on her forehead.
“I just want to go back home,” Candi murmured, leaning her head into the crook of his arm.
Dallas didn’t know why, but he didn’t like the sound of her going back to her place.
He wanted her in his.
Always.
“As soon as they let us go, I can take you back to your place—”
“I wasn’t talking about my house.” Candi turned her big, beautiful brown eyes to him along with her shy smile. “I want to go back to your house.”
Dallas swallowed hard.
He had so much to say to Candi, but now wasn’t the time.
“We have much to discuss, Candi. For instance, why you were packed and leaving me?” He tipped her chin up when she tried to look down at the floor. It would tear him apart if she didn’t want to come back with him.
“I was scared of you getting hurt. I don’t know what I would have done if Lamont had harmed you,” she said.
He leaned down and placed a soft kiss to her lips. “Darling, you don’t ever have to worry about me. I can protect myself.”
“And what were you doing rescuing me with the SWAT team?” She sat back away from him with a sassy look on her face.
He would allow her to change the subject for a few minutes.
“Well, that was just a test run. I think the captain knew if he didn’t let me participate then he’d have to throw me in a jail cell to keep me contained,” he grumbled. A deep chuckle escaped him. “The captain has been trying to get me to join a team and move up in rank.”
“That’s amazing, Dallas!” Candi wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tight. “I can’t think of a better man to promote.”
Dallas grew serious again. No matter what, it still bothered him that she’d packed a bag and had intended to leave while he was gone.
“So you weren’t leaving because you thought I’d fail in protecting you?” he asked. He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips.
“No, Dallas. I left because I am a mess and I come with a lot of baggage. For everything you’ve been through, you need someone who doesn’t come with drama.”
Dallas stared into Candi’s dark pools. He leaned in close to her, needing to taste her sweet lips again.
Candi jumped away when the door opened. The captain and Belkin returned.
“Is this your bag?” Belkin asked, settling the dark bag on the table in front of Candi.
“Yes, it is.” She pulled it across the table and stood from her chair.
Dallas stood along with her, watching her body sway slightly.
“Here he is,” she announced, holding Larry up for all to see.
“Mind if I see him?”
Worry crossed her face.
“I promise, I’ll be gentle.”
She nodded and handed the stuffed bear to him. Dallas took it and immediately flipped the bear over. She ran his hands along it before seeing out-of-place stitches.
“Bingo,” he murmured. Reaching down into his cargo pants, he pulled out a pocket knife. Trying not to damage her bear, he slid the knife underneath the thread.
All eyes in the small room were on him.
He tossed his knife down on the table and tugged open the little compartment.
“What the…?” Candi’s soft words faded.
Dallas pulled out a junk drive and tossed it on the table.
“Is this what you are looking for?” he asked.
The captain scooped it up and nodded to Candi. “Ms. Jennings, you are free to go.”
Epilogue
Candi stepped out onto the patio and smiled. It was a beautiful day to spend outside. It wasn’t too hot, and she wanted to enjoy lounging around on her day off while her husband grilled. Sitting on the chaise, she tossed her towel at the foot of the chair. Dressed in her two-piece bathing suit, she eyed the pool. She’d wait for Dallas to come out to see if he needed any help before she jumped into the water.
She glanced down at the diamonds that lined the two bands on her ring finger on her left hand and sighed.
She still had to get used to being married again.
Six months of wedded bliss.
She and Dallas had tied the knot three days after he’d brought her home from the police station. They both realized how much they loved each other and never wanted to be apart again.
It didn’t take long at all for them to find somewhere to get married.
After all, they did live in Vegas.
It had been the perfect ceremony. Dallas’s parents, Grady and Leah McNeil, along with his brother, Dalton, Tanner, and Kay had stood by and witnessed their exchange of vows.
Candi didn’t regret it, not one bit.
Dallas’s family was amazing and accepting of her immediately. They were like the family she’d never had.
Her ex-husband’s future wasn’t as bright as hers. The junk drive he’d hidden in her bear had been turned over to a division of the FBI that Candi was still left in the dark about. Apparently, her ex-husband had a list of the most powerful criminals in the country and documentation of payoffs for assassinations, money laundering, and drug deals. He’d had been under surveillance with a few agencies for his involvement with one particular gang that had been participating in the money laundering and drugs along with kidnapping and assaulting Candi.
All of that information blew her mind.
This time, Lamont would be serving a much longe
r sentence in prison.
But now, he wasn’t Candi’s problem. Her new husband was keeping her very occupied and satisfied.
Dallas showed her every day how a man should love a woman. Just thinking of her husband brought a smile to her face. He had gone on and, under the guidance of his captain, sat for the sergeant’s exam and passed with flying colors.
He was now a member of the Gangs Vice Bureau of the department, directing a small team of his own.
The door to the patio slid open. “Mrs. McNeil?” Dallas’s deep baritone voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Yes, Mr. McNeil?”
She loved the sound of it.
Mrs. Candi McNeil.
“Can you take a break from your lounging and grab this pan for me?” he asked, sticking his head through the doorway.
Candi laughed and pushed off the chaise. She walked over to him and took the tray of meat. She placed it on the counter next to their outdoor grill.
Dallas stepped out onto the patio and placed all his supplies he needed for his grilling beside the meat.
“You need all of this?” She laughed. He had about ten different seasonings, a bowl, and a whisk.
“You bet I do,” he growled, playfully pulling her into his arms. “Tanner, Dalton, and Kay should be over soon. I need to get this going.”
She entwined her fingers together at the base of his neck and stared up into his eyes. Each day she fell more in love with him.
“I love you, Mr. McNeil,” she murmured.
“I love you, too, Mrs. McNeil.” He leaned down and ran a hand along her body and stopped at the large swell of her belly. He palmed their child who decided at that moment to give a swift kick.
They both laughed. The baby always moved when he sensed his father was around.
“How much time do we have before they all arrive?” Candi asked, cocking an eyebrow.
A growl escaped Dallas.
“We have enough time.”
He reached up and undid the ties to the top of her bikini and the ties on her hips. Her bathing suit drifted down to the ground. Dallas lifted her in his arms and carried her over to the chaise. Thankfully, their high privacy fence surrounding their backyard ensured no one would be able to see inside their property.
He sat on the chaise and placed her on his lap with her knees straddling him. They worked together to take his t-shirt off and free him from his swim trunks. They laughed at the awkwardness. With her growing belly, they’d already had to be creative in their lovemaking.
Candi pressed her lips to his as he raised her up and impaled her with his wide cock. They both let out a groan as she sank down completely on him.
“Oh, Dallas,” she sighed. It was always a tight fit. His wide girth gave her the best feeling of fullness a girl could ever want. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.
“Candi,” he groaned, his lips brushing against hers.
She elevated herself and slid down again, taking him fully inside her while holding on to the back of the chair. He helped set the tempo for them.
With their guests set to arrive soon, this was going to be fast and hard.
Candi didn’t mind at all.
She chanted Dallas’s name while riding him.
Their tempo increased.
Candi was unable to control the sounds coming from her as Dallas pounded his hard length inside her.
Damn if the neighbors heard them.
His hand slid between them and found her nub.
“Come with me, baby,” he gasped, stroking her clit.
Candi’s body detonated.
He brought her in for a hard kiss, capturing her scream.
Her body shook from her orgasm ripping its way through her body.
Never would she tire of this man who made it his mission to show her how much he loved her and how much she meant to him.
Their bodies slowed to a halt. She loved the feeling of him deep within her.
Opening her eyes, she met Dallas’s loving gaze.
He pulled her to him, closing the gap between them. She loved the feeling of her naked skin against his out in the open. The warm air, their bodies coated with sweat.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“For what?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.
“For everything.”
About the Author
Peyton Banks is the alter ego of a city girl who is a romantic at heart. Her mornings consist of coffee and daydreaming up the next steamy romance book ideas. She loves spinning romantic tales of hot alpha males and the women they love.
Make sure you check her out!
Website: www.peytonbanks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/peytonbanksauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/the_peytonbanks
Amazon: www.goodreads.com/peytonbanks
Obsessed Wolf
Nikki Landis
A missing shifter.
A sinister evil hunting the Cedar Creek packs.
A wolf obsessed with retribution.
* * *
Becca Harlow is missing.
* * *
Theo has been tasked with locating the woman who broke his heart five years ago. As the only shifter who knows her scent and routine well enough, he’s forced to obey his alpha and try to locate Becca.
* * *
There’s just one problem with this plan.
* * *
Theo can’t get over the woman who still owns him body and soul. Worse, sinister forces are at play and the target isn’t only one innocent shifter. All of Cedar Creek is in danger.
* * *
Will Theo be able to rescue Becca and protect the pack? Or will his obsession with vengeance lead to more bloodshed and death?
Pursuing her was my job, obsessing over her was inevitable, loving her . . . was deadly.
1
Theo
Becca Harlow was missing.
Just the thought of that phrase made my wolf snarl deep in my chest as he tried desperately to break free. For days I had been pacing like a caged animal, desperate to hear back from the pack delegate sent to find the woman that was my shining star, my light, and my perfect fucking mate. My wolf had latched onto and claimed her long ago. We were both obsessed with Becca and had been for the last five years, despite her father’s effort to keep us apart.
Now that’s a long ass story and one that doesn’t end pretty.
I was a hopeless cause. A shifter than ran with the pack instead of leading it. I wasn’t an alpha like Rinnick or the beta like Cole. No, I was part of the cohesive unit but that wasn’t good enough for Becca’s father. His little girl belonged with the toughest and strongest of our clan.
That sure wasn’t me – Theo Bardolf.
He never let me forget it.
Becca was the first girl that I ever kissed, the one I lost my virginity to, and the one girl that still caused my blood to simmer with both desire and rage. She broke my fucking heart when she ended our engagement and I hadn’t been the same since. Hopeless and full of anger, I became a guy that hardened his heart against the world. Ironic since I still carried the ring in my pocket like some lovesick fool and clung to the hope that she’d realize her mistake.
Yeah, I was a stupid fucker.
Cole and Rinnick took great delight in reminding me often.
The past never really went away and had a way of sneaking up on you, dumping more bullshit onto the stack you were still dealing with. That was my life. A series of consecutive events that pushed Becca farther and farther from my reach until she disappeared altogether.
I swore I wouldn’t get involved with her disappearance. When the news surfaced that she was missing, I shifted into my wolf for days to escape. When the pack decided something had to be done, I didn’t volunteer. When her father Jedd met with Rinnick, I wasn’t around to complicate the plan of rescue. I kept my big mouth shut even when her brothers Lor and Elias showed up and demanded something else be done to recover Becca.
Fuck if I wasn’t super pissed about it all anyway.
Then Max Thompson returned without Becca and a gut-wrenching fear replaced every other emotion. I couldn’t stand it any longer. Without permission from Rinnick, I stormed into the meeting between the elders, Jedd and his sons, Max, and Cole. Rinnick took one look at my face and nodded, realizing that what I had to propose was the best option – whether Jedd approved or not.
“I’m going after Becca, alone.”
My announcement wasn’t a negotiation. Jedd could kiss my ass. Not big on words or ceremony, I was a simple guy with basic needs. Becca was at the top of that list. Come hell or judgement day, I’d find her and bring her home. End of discussion.
Jedd stood, his entire frame vibrating fury as Lor placed a hand on his shoulder. “Over my dead body.”
My lip curled up in a snarl. “It’s a good thing that doesn’t matter, Jedd. I’m going and no one is going to stop me. The fucking excuses end here. You want Bec back safe at home? I’m the guy to do it.”
Elias shook his head but locked eyes with his brother. “Lor?”
Lor was the alpha now. He’d taken that position from his father last year when Jedd passed the leadership role down to his eldest son. Lor had a little more sense and was less hostile to me than his father. I wouldn’t say we were on friendly terms, but we didn’t argue or hate one another.
“Go, Theo. Bring her home, please.”
My gut twisted with the pain I could feel in his voice, an agony that matched my own. “Done. I’m leaving at first light.”
I didn’t wait around for any drama to unfold. My next order of business was to get extremely drunk and then pass out at home until I had to wake up and confront the reality that I would soon face my long-lost love. Sitting at the local bar, I’d already downed a good three beers before Rinnick joined me. Cole went home to Briar and I didn’t feel bad about his choice. He’d finally found his mate and I didn’t begrudge him the happiness.
