“Did you do it?” She asked, jostling him from his morbid turn of his thoughts.
“What? The robbery? No. I’ve never stolen a thing in my life. I was convicted on circumstantial evidence. I’d had a one-night stand with the gallery owner and she owed me money. Her lawyers said I was in a jealous rage and acted spitefully and the media convicted me before any real evidence came out.”
“That’s awful. I remember reading about it now.”
“Yeah, but I swear I did not steal those artifacts.”
“Okay. I believe you.”
“That’s it? You believe me just like that?” He frowned at her, completely confused.
“I don’t know why, but I believe you. And after my history, it’s a goddamned miracle, trust me.”
“I trust you, Lydia. You have no idea how much I trust you. I want you. I need you. I know it’s too soon, but dammit, I love you,” he crushed his lips to hers, holding her by her face with one hand and her waist with the other as Lydia melted into him.
He didn’t know which was better, her sweet submission or the way she wrestled with him for dominance. The bulge inside his jeans throbbed with need. He was desperate for her, but he knew she needed more time than they’d had together to truly be comfortable.
His dick was going to hate him for this, but Foster slowed the kiss. Breathing heavily, he pressed his forehead to hers and held her close. She seemed just as overcome by emotion as he was, which made him feel slightly better about the condition his balls were in aka blue.
“It, uh, might be too soon for love, but, um,” she began to talk, then seemed to think better of it.
“Is it?” He replied watching as she searched for a more comfortable spot.
He nearly went cross-eyed with pleasure at the way her curvy little body looked as she knelt then twisted around. Foster held himself still and waited until she settled. Each second was like a hundred years, all he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her lush body, but his hands remained empty.
Lydia shifted around until she was sitting on the floor too. His back was against the sofa, but she was kneeling just in front of him. Her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she moved to straddle his legs. Foster sucked in a breath, drunk on the feel and scent of her as she wiggled in place.
Finally, he put his hands on her. Wrapped up tight in his arms, Foster listened to the satisfied growl of his Wolf. Heat sizzled between them and he closed his eyes for a second, reveling in the feel of his woman. She felt good. More than that. She felt fucking perfect.
“Maybe it’s not too soon for this?” Her voice was low and breathy. It seemed to stroke over his soul as if she were petting that secret part of him that was dying to come out and stake its claim.
Pride and something else filled him as she took his face in her hands and pulled him close. The trust she showed touched him in places he’d never felt before. Foster was no stranger to women. He’d had women in his life before.
As innocent as this was, it surpassed everything he’d ever experienced. Lydia was his mate. He supposed it was natural that he wanted to beat his chest and howl to everyone he could that she was his now. That he was hers. And that Skylar was his now too.
From that moment on, he knew he’d never find anything to take their place. They were it for him. His mate, their pup, his family. He’d fight the entire world for them both.
Mine.
“I have to tell you something before we get into whatever this is,” she said.
“What is it? You can tell me anything,” he said and he meant it.
“Foster, I really want to see where this thing between us is going, but first you should know I was married, still am technically,” she said and his heart nearly stopped beating.
He swallowed hard, forcing his Wolf to back down as he heard the bone deep sorrow that laced her voice.
“Who? When?” His voice was barely more than a growl, but he managed to keep the beats in check. Barely.
“I should start at the beginning, I guess,” she said and made to move off his lap, but he held her there. He needed to touch her, to feel her in his arms if he was going to keep control of himself.
“Before I got pregnant with Skylar, I was a waitress in Vegas. He was a customer. He’d come in late at night, bring me things, talk sweet to me, but he was a monster.”
“A Wolf?”
“Yes, but that’s not what I mean. He was a monster in disguise. All those sweet words covered up a darkness I couldn’t see. We got married at one of those drive thru chapels. I thought it was romantic.”
“What happened?”
“Oh, he was evasive and paranoid at first, then he was just plain cruel. He hurt me. I was so stupid,” she said matter-of-factly.
“Hey, you were young, Lydia. Not stupid. You couldn’t have known.”
“I should have. There were signs. He’d get mad at little things. Like if I used milk instead of cream in his coffee.”
“What kind of pussy was this guy?” He growled, making her laugh even if he did mean it.
“Why because he didn’t take his coffee black like you do?” It pleased him that she remembered how he liked his coffee, but now wasn’t the time.
“No. Because a real man makes his mate coffee and doesn’t complain about how she fixes it for him.”
“Oh,” she said, staring at him with blue eyes so wide they were like clear azure pools full of dreams and promises he wanted to make her right then and there.
Patience, he told himself. Lydia blinked, breaking the spell and he cleared his throat with a gentle smile at her. After a moment, she continued talking.
“After the ceremony, we went out, then came time to go back home to my apartment, and I was really nervous. I was a virgin you see and he, well, he said terrible things. Things I could hardly believe he was saying. Called me a cock tease and said I was a lousy lay. I guess I am. I don’t know.”
“Hey, none of that now. Tell me what else.”
“He, uh, disappeared shortly after that, came back one night and that’s when the nightmare began.”
“You don’t have to continue,” he said hating the pain he felt rolling off her. Foster wanted to comfort her more than he wanted to know her past. She would tell him in time and that was good enough.
“Thank you,” she sighed and his heart constricted, “oh, uh, I went to see a lawyer in Summermire right after we came here to start divorce proceedings so I’m not exactly immoral letting you kiss me and all.”
“I’d never think that about you,” he said and his heart rate increased with happiness that she’d taken steps to leave the unworthy piece of shit who was her husband.
“Anyway, uh, I thought you should know all that,” she hiccupped, her tears flowing freely once more, “because you might want to think twice about calling me your mate-”
“Look at me, Lydia,” he tilted her face up, his own a mask of fury, “I am not playing when I say you are my mate. It is a fact. My old Pack believed that fated mates were a rare blessing, I didn’t know much about it because I was so young when I left them, but there is no doubt in my mind or heart that you are my fated mate.”
“Are you sure?”
“A hundred percent sure, Lydia. I can’t picture my future without you in it. I think you’re perfect. Nothing he said or did can change that. Not ever.”
Foster would love to find her soon-to-be ex-husband and wring his damn neck. Rage burned inside of him for the man that hurt her. Wolf and man wanted to hunt him down and tear him limb from limb. The picture he was beginning to piece together was not a pretty one. He willed himself to remain calm, to allow his precious Lydia to continue her story without getting all riled up.
It was the only way to gain her trust. Foster bit his tongue and tucked her close to him, making small circles on her back with his hand until she exhaled and leaned her head against his chest. Her stress seemed to lesson with his touch and that fact comforted him.
“There’s more to tell yo
u,” she sighed again.
“Talk to me then. Tell me anything you want,” he said.
“After our wedding night, he hardly touched me. I thank God for that. He and his buddies spent more and more time away. I was glad when he didn’t come home for weeks on end. Then I started losing my breakfast,” she whispered and sat up looking at him with those luminous eyes of hers.
“It’s alright honey,” he whispered.
“Is it strange that the best thing that ever happened to me came as a result of the worst?”
“Lydia,” he said her name, his heart swelling with wave after wave of emotion for this woman.
Magic. Fate. Whatever it was that started this feeling he had. It didn’t matter. He loved her. His heart squeezed him near to death just thinking about her and that little bright eyed pup. She was his mate and because of that irrefutable fact both she and her pup belonged to him.
Mine.
“I knew that I was in danger the second I realized I was pregnant. He’d come home in a rage after days of being away. I’d already started packing and he accused me of hiding something of his.”
“What happened then?”
“I’m sure you can guess. It was brutal, but I survived. I drove my car for miles. I had to stop though, when the bleeding wouldn’t quit-”
Foster growled at that but cut it off when he realized she’d stopped speaking.
“Sorry. My Wolf doesn’t like to think of you hurt. Please, continue,” he said and held her to him tightly.
The feel of her in his arms did wonders to soothe the beast. His Wolf wanted Foster to get up now and hunt the man who’d hurt her, but the man knew she needed to talk more than she needed him to do that. So, he would sit and listen patiently. It was what his mate needed and since she was his whole purpose now, he would endeavor to do it. Whatever it took.
“I drove to a hospital and he found me. The security officers kept him away from me until the real police arrived. Then he’d started to scream that I was a thief and he started breaking things in the ER. I still don’t know what he was looking for, but he never stopped. He always manages to hunt us down. But I’m so tired Foster, I’m so tired of running,” she confessed.
“I know, baby, you don’t have to run anymore,” he said and pulled her closer. His heart hurt for her.
“Skylar had to start school so I came here, to Dark Moon Falls. I knew he had history here. He’d been banished from the Pack for some bad behavior I don’t know what. He was always saying the Wolves here had sticks up their asses and thought they were better than everyone else.”
“Sounds like he went rogue,” Foster commented absently.
“That’s what the Alpha said when I called. I asked Elias for sanctuary and he granted it, said Skylar and I were both welcomed as Pack. I thought we would be safe, but what if that Wolf we saw was him?”
For a minute or two, Foster held his tongue. The scent of her fear was sharp. It enraged his Wolf. He needed a moment to collect himself before he trusted his voice. Once he had his animal locked up tight inside of him, he ventured to soothe his frazzled mate.
“You’re safe now, Lydia. You and Skylar are safe here. I promise you. I’ll do everything I can to protect you both.”
“Why? Why would you take this on? You have your own problems. I have a daughter and a whole lot of baggage, Foster,” she blinked up at him slowly asking the question that he knew had been plaguing her.
He couldn’t blame her. Humans didn’t feel it lightning fast like Shifters did. They didn’t understand the absolute surety Shifters had when they knew they’d found their fated mates.
Love took time for them and he had that in spades. Longevity and good health were just some of the benefits of his Wolf side. Strength and loyalty too.
He would show her with time, loyalty, and patience that she could trust him. He would wait forever if need be. He only hoped it wouldn’t take that long.
“Why do you want me? Why do you want to protect us?” She asked again.
“Because you are my mate, Lydia, and I’m not letting you go. My Wolf already sees Skylar as my pup. I know you don’t understand, but I swear to you my feelings for you are real and true.”
“They are?” She asked and licked her swollen lips.
“Lydia,” his voice was gravelly full of his Wolf, “I want you so damn much.”
“I see,” she whispered as his lips pressed down on hers.
But she didn’t. Not really. That was okay too. He would give her time. All the time she needed. Going by the way she opened for him, tangling her tongue with his, moaning and sighing with ever swipe of his lips against hers, he hoped he wouldn’t have to wait long.
She tasted like flowers and sunshine. An eternal spring of warmth and promised love that his Wolf wanted to roll around and bask in. Yes, he wanted her. To claim her lips and body. To stamp himself right smack on her heart.
He wanted to dive right inside of the heaven that was surely her body. The Wolf demanded he touch her, kiss her, mark her. Get a piece of himself on every single inch of her body, heart, and soul.
Claim her. Bite her. Now. Fuck yeah. His Wolf snarled at him. But his animal half didn’t understand why he was waiting to sink into her heat, to leave his mark, and to announce his claim to the world.
“Want you,” he moaned as he slowed the soothing ache inside of him with deep, steady kisses from her lips, “ but I’ll wait for you to be ready, Lydia.”
He forced himself to end their kiss, savoring the moan that escaped her mouth as their lips parted. He was glad she didn’t want him to stop. Glad she felt that same all-consuming heat that threatened to burn him alive.
“Foster,” she sighed his name and pressed her forehead against his chest. Her sweet floral fragrance seeped into his nostrils, calming and rousing his animal at the same time. His Wolf wanted to claim his mate. The man agreed, but it was too soon.
“Tell me why you think the Wolf outside was your husband?” He hated saying the word, but from what he’d gathered, there was every probability that she was correct.
Grrr. His Wolf wanted to howl and run, to get far away from the pain and hurt he felt at the thought of her belonging to anyone but him, but Foster mastered his beast with a firm shake. This wasn’t about him. It was about her. Even his Wolf knew she came first. And she needed his help.
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen Mac’s Wolf, but there was something about that smile on his face.”
“Well, it was a male. You’re right about that, but we do live in a largely Shifter populated area. It could have been anyone, Lydia,” he smoothed a curl behind her ear.
She regarded him with a frown as she weighed his words inside her mind. In his gut, he didn’t quite believe it either, but he wanted to put her at ease. Besides, he would be here to protect her.
“I didn’t consider that. Should I maybe call Elias?”
“I can do it. If you don’t mind that is,” he waited to see how she’d react.
When she nodded her agreement, he felt that same rush of pride filling him. His Wolf preened with the idea that she trusted him with her safekeeping.
“Thank you. I, I don’t know why I panicked when you might be right. It could simply be a Wolf from around here. Maybe,” she shrugged and offered him a small smile.
As if their position wrapped around each other on the floor of her living room had just sunk in, she blushed prettily and made to stand up. That smile nearly stole his breath.
Again, he likened her sweet grin to the sun coming out and happiness filled his heart. It felt strange that after spending two years of being focused on nothing but clearing his name, Foster could only think about his mate.
She was so beautiful. So brave and strong. Foster couldn’t help himself. He tugged her closer before she could get away and dipped his head, capturing her mouth once more. This kiss was hard and deep, a claiming in and of itself. When they separated they were both gasping for air.
“That was nice,” s
he said and he stood up, helping her do the same.
“Yes,” he agreed.
“I’m sorry, I monopolized half your day,” she said as she looked at the clock, but he cut her off with a shake of his head.
“You come first, Lydia. Always.”
“Those are pretty words. Foster.”
“They’re not just words. I’m going prove it to you.”
Foster stood still under her scrutiny. He needed her to know he meant it. Every single word. Finally, she nodded her head.
“Alright then. I think I’d like that, you know, that is I’d like you to take the time to prove it to me,” she cleared her throat and he grinned.
“I guess you have to go now?”
“I said I wouldn’t rush you, but I won’t leave you unprotected either. Until I talk to Elias and we get the mystery of just who it was sitting in your driveway straightened out, I am staying right here.”
Chapter Eight
Was it wrong that Lydia’s heart jumped for joy inside her chest when Foster showed up that morning after she’d seen the strange Wolf in her driveway?
She didn’t think so. It was as if all her previous doubts faded the second she felt his arms around her. The man had stopped her panic attack before it could become full blown and she would be forever grateful for that. But that wasn’t why she was getting all hot and bothered over oven-fried chicken and warm string bean and potato salad.
Nope. It was the six-foot hunk of man wrapped in jeans and a red hoodie who was currently playing with Barbies and Legos on the princess themed play rug she’d bought her daughter when they’d first moved in. Her girly parts nearly swooned when he’d plunked down on the rug with Skylar.
He’d given her a wink as if he knew she found it unbelievably sexy that a grown man was playing princess castle with her kindergartner. He probably did, she realized after he’d left her to her own devices while Skylar led him into her imaginary world of toys and games.
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