In helpless desperation, she looked around for anything else that could serve as a weapon. To break the ceramic lamp over his head would annoy him.
By the time he showed signs of slowing down, the opening was wide enough for him to wedge his shoulder in the gap and get a better stance. With a bellow of fury, he threw the door wide, the force hurling her back to land on her ass.
She looked up in stunned disbelief. All the things she’d never done and would never do ceased to matter with the thought, what will happen to Leyna? It didn’t strike her as sad that her only true connection to the world stood on four paws.
The air vibrated when thunder boomed in his chest to erupt in a stormy snarl. A slow shake of his head sent midnight locks flying about in disarray. “What the fuck was in that?”
One step was as close as Leyna tolerated as she latched onto the intruder’s thigh.
It wasn’t clear which animal was more enraged or growled louder. Scrambling to her feet, Megan snatched the dart gun and rushed to the desk to reload.
“Leyna, no!”
Her furry protector disengaged but stood her ground.
A stumble-step back pitched the two-legged grizzly against the wall, dazed and throwing out his arms to keep his balance. A slow-motion slide down the drywall ended with him landing in a heap. “You drugged me? I’m gonna tear you to …” Garbled speech ended as his head dropped to his chest.
Leyna whined as the intruder’s head bobbed once then remained still.
“I call it sleepytime. So good night, asshole.” Short-term safety didn’t solve the next immediate problem. “What should I do with you?”
Chapter Three
A loud drumbeat throbbed in Luc’s head to equal the pain in his right leg and hand, the latter sporting a white gauze bandage. An attempt to massage his temple came up short due to his hands being secured with a belt. His belt. “Damn it!”
Memory returned in thrumming pulses with flashbacks he wouldn’t forget. The body of an angel supported a mind of pure malice. “What kind of sick fuck carries dart guns?”
“Lots of folks. Usually those who don’t wish to kill, but I haven’t yet crossed that off my list of possibilities.”
“How bad are the bites?” Luc gestured toward his thigh.
“Puncture wounds only. They’ll heal quickly.”
The voice sounded too gleeful.
“Hmm, you’re coming out of this faster than expected. When I made these up, I’d considered a normal-sized person, not a mountain man.”
“You used my own belt to tie my hands? Really?” He could escape the amateur binding but realized she wouldn’t be as forthcoming with information if on a level playing field. Now that his head had begun to clear, fury led to curiosity. He studied her face and body language, looking for chinks in her virtual armor. She was solid steel.
“It was handy. You don’t need it anyway. Nothing’s gonna fall. And if it did, well let’s just say I first thought of you as a grizzly, but now, I’m thinking gorilla.”
“Because they’re well endowed?” He smirked, wanting to see a light crimson spread up her neck. Her arched brow redirected his attention to his untucked shirt and ensure everything remained covered. No telling what this crazy bitch will do.
“Actually, no. Proportionally speaking, they have the smallest penis among primates, though I haven’t yet decided you’re in that class. So, we’ll see.”
“Well I’m sorry you found me lacking during your examination. But rest assured, I’ve never had complaints.” He shifted his right leg off the sofa in an effort to release the burgeoning cramp.
“Makes me wonder if any of your dalliances are literate—or even have the capability of speech.” Whether to reinforce her superior position or obtain a better view, the she-devil strode to his desk and leaned a shapely hip against its corner. “Now, let’s have a calm conversation, shall we?”
“Well thanks for getting me on the sofa. Looks like you’re a sturdy gal.” The intended slur hit its mark. With a slight curl, he sat up.
“Hmm, not nice, but expected. And for your information, the human body is sixty percent water, so, I’m not fat, I’m flooded.” With a slight wave of her gun, she indicated any further movement would cost him. “Stay as you are, I like the advantage.”
“I don’t mind being on the bottom, but you’re a tad overdressed.” Despite the circumstances, he admired the color highlighting her cheeks and the way her gaze slid to the window.
“Considering your attitude, you should have an alligator-stocked moat around this place. I’m sure you have few visitors that arrive without warrants.”
“From what I’ve seen, you’d have swum it without any problem.” Repeated insults wouldn’t gain him any advantage, but the remnants of drugs plus pain equaled surliness.
While he’d been out, she’d been busy, yet her curves created an unwanted distraction and gave her yet another advantage. “Love the camo.” He’d never fully appreciated boy shorts. The matching tank top curved around pert breasts that would fit perfectly in his palm. Damn.
His suitcase lay beside the sofa, properly ransacked by hurricane deadeye.
A quirk of her lips forewarned she wasn’t finished messing with his mind. A box of condoms perched on top of the clothes strewn over his luggage.
“I see your willie warmers still have the cellophane intact. Strike out on vacation, did we?”
“That was my brothers’ idea of a hint.”
“Don’t worry, with your smooth talk and suave air, I’m sure you’ll be back in the saddle in no time. Let me guess, you’ve been visiting the deepest, darkest jungles where the silverbacks in each troop chased you away.” Honey dripped from steel-edged words. “On the other hand, I didn’t find your tweezers. Maybe that was the problem.”
If he slipped his hands from the belt’s knot to gain his freedom, hence, the upper hand, it wouldn’t help unravel the mystery of his intruder. Plus, she’d just shoot him again. She could’ve killed him while he lay unconscious, yet chose to tie him up after he’d broken into the house. She had no way of knowing the vile threats he’d spewed were empty of intent.
The interim problem of the reloaded tranq gun in hands that were both steady and sure gave him pause.
“Your ID says Deluca Vincent McAllister, but you have no badge, Mr. DVM.”
“I’m—retired. And it’s just Lucas. Luc from my friends.”
“At your age? More like fired. Let me guess, Lucas, excessive force?”
“No. I was shot, if you must know. My leg is bummed up, temporarily. They say I’m not fit for duty…yet. Assholes know nothing.”
Worse than the previous anger and fear, her expression slid into the pity zone, one he’d seen too often in his siblings since his world exploded in a firefight that left his partner dead. He couldn’t stop the growl rumbling in his throat.
“Would you like another dose? I have plenty.” She waved the barrel in the vicinity of his groin. “My target may be too small to hit, but I’m sure anything in the vicinity will be just as effective.”
As much as he thought about throttling her, it wouldn’t help them reach an understanding. His sister’s admonitions drifted through his thoughts. ‘We can help and support you. But only you can decide how you want to come out on the other side, Luc. You won’t be the same person, but that doesn’t mean you have to turn into a bear.’ Law school had given her both a tact and wisdom he couldn’t fight. Instead, he chose to ignore them all and sulk on a tropical island. It hadn’t helped.
“Look, I can prove I live here. Go to the desk and open the middle drawer. You’ll find two candy bars. On the bookshelf next to the double window, there’re books on police procedures, top left.”
Not daring to trust too far, she padded over to the desk. The drawer’s whispered slide seemed the only thing reality based.
“Hmm, my favorite. Thanks.” Quiet steps took her to the bookshelf, the rip of cellophane detailing her actions. “A thug would study th
ese too, in order to know what to avoid.”
“Shit, you’re paranoid.” Or hunted. Lack of visible bruises or indentation on her ring finger didn’t mean she wasn’t hiding from an ex. “I’ll give you the number to Portland PD, K-9 division. Ask for Matt, my brother.”
“Even if that’s true, it doesn’t make him an honest cop.”
“Trust issues, much?” Enlightenment came in slow degrees of his unwanted guest reaching for her phone.
“Trust someone who broke into my home and threatened me?”
“You can check the phone number is legit. If you still hesitate, I’ll have to assume it’s for other reasons.”
Trained in assessing suspects, he didn’t miss the sudden pallor of her face or the brief owl-eyed look before her fingers worried the two necklaces about her neck. The increased tension of her shoulders registered as she faced the window and unlocked her phone.
She dialed slowly.
* * * *
The rogue had backed her into a corner and had the nerve to smile. Megan swallowed hard, her mind racing. Maybe he was lying and underestimated her powers of observation. Lack of experience with police departments wouldn’t prevent her from deciphering background noises of a squad room.
“Matt McAllister, K-9.” The deep resonance of the male voice announced his division above a barking dog.
Other voices mingling in the background brought to mind a room filled with overworked detectives, hardened criminals, and call girls. Megan hadn’t thought the scenario through.
What persona would Jackie adopt? “Um yeah, do you have a brother that lives in a cabin on Grove road at Church Creek?”
“Who is this?” Suspicion and a thread of alarm crept into the demand.
“Do you, or don’t you?”
“Yes. Now tell me why you’re asking.”
“Uh-huh. What’s his name?”
A slight hesitation before, “Lucas McAllister. Now give.”
Before she could answer, Lucas’ rangy command interrupted.
“Put me on the phone, sweetheart, so he doesn’t send out the cavalry.” The seductive edge to his voice was new—and probably melted the frozen tundra around any woman’s heart when directed properly.
A warning wave of her gun received a grin. She handed him the phone, which he promptly fumbled. When it landed in his lap, he looked up and grinned. Opening his legs wider allowed the cell to drop between his thighs and lay against his fly. “Oops. Be with you in a minute, bro.”
“You did that on purpose.” She thought about giving him another sedative and making a run for it.
His smile widened. “Could you be a dear and retrieve it for me? I seem to be a bit tied up at the moment.”
“Luc? You all right? Answer me.” The tinny dictate groused through the speaker with an urgency of a parent.
Circumstances would deteriorate if she didn’t handle the situation with finesse. It seemed the brothers shared a familiar trait, a very short fuse.
Using the barrel of her weapon, she nudged the phone away from his crotch and picked it up. The instant, protective tilt of his hips declared his mistrust.
The effort brought her close enough for his spicy scent to again fill her senses. The addition of his stare, deep and piercing, held her gaze hostage and necessitated a slow, deep breath to keep from shaking. “Here, sweetie. Make it quick, since that’s probably your trademark.”
The insult issued from false bravado lacked conviction. I don’t want your brother here anymore than you do.
The ensuing shorthand conversation assured everything was fine and neither required rescue. The fact that the grizzly’s brother was concerned for her welfare added a notch of respect. Their exchange encompassed irritation, expressed with insults, yet seemed to be their norm. They were equally matched.
Luc’s proof that he both lived there and was connected to the police added another layer of threat, something she couldn’t have foreseen. The question remained—whether he was the first wave from the mysterious them, and happened to be connected to the police, or just a cranky victim of circumstance. Either way, if she didn’t smooth the situation, the police would be involved. After assurances he didn’t need assistance, she took the phone back.
“Hi, sorry about that, Matt. My name is Shelly and I just wanted to verify Luc is who he says.” Adopting the tone of a ditz, Megan added. “He’s awful handsome and a girl can’t be too safe, ya know?”
“Yeah, a regular ladies man, but Lucas is harmless. Now what the hell is going on? He sounds …off.”
“Nothing. Just verifying his identity. Ya know—fake IDs are easy enough to come by, or so I hear.”
Lucas snorted and shook his head.
Leyna’s chest rumbled in warning.
When she ended the call, Luc glared, neither speaking nor looking away. Again, his ongoing assessment was as unnerving as his presence.
“First things first, untie my hands.” Holding out his wrists, he waited. When she didn’t move to free him, he finagled the belt off.
Jumping back a step, she aimed her gun at his chest. “Stay.”
“I’m not a dog.”
“Judging by package size and demeanor, we’ve already established that.”
“Enough. I’m Lucas McAllister.” He stretched his right leg out and massaged his knee before continuing. “Who are you?”
Regardless of whether he was on the level or just fishing, she dare not reveal her identity. “Shelly. Now, how is it I rented this cabin at the same time you’re staying here?” To cover any incidental body language from disclosing her lie, she retreated to the triple window and glanced out at the ashen dishrag sky.
“Good question. I moved out here a couple months ago, decided to stay awhile. My lease is through the Joel and Turner agency in Portland. How about you?”
“Through an online ad, but you’ve seen my paperwork.”
“I’ve also seen two different ID’s in the wallet on the kitchen counter. Plus, you’ve given a third name.”
“I’m an investigative reporter. Comes with the business.”
“Either you’re new at it or not very good at what you do.”
“You caught me off guard. I’m here doing research.” Picking up Jackie’s persona would form the lies needed.
“Fake IDs are also illegal.”
“Only if you get caught.”
“Consider that a done deal, babe. What or who are you investigating?”
“I can’t tell you that.” She thought of the stack of reports on the sofa. Apparently, he hadn’t surfed through them yet.
“You’ll tell me something or I’ll haul your skinny ass in.”
Turning back to watch his body’s gestures, she realized she had an asset not in play. “Where’s your badge?” It seemed the hot detective couldn’t make up his mind. A little distraction might help. A slow stretch to her side brought his attention to the tank top riding up her flank.
He slid his tongue between his teeth and bottom lip in a slow, sensuous gesture. When their gazes met, his grin widened with a silent challenge.
“I’m…on leave until they determine when I can return.” The hesitation spoke a lie.
She’d noticed his limp yet didn’t know the timing of the injury. While he had been unconscious, she’d assessed the dog bite and wrapped his leg in gauze, noting the stitched tracks covering his knee. Surgery had been sometime in the past few months.
In a mental gear switch, his tight frame relaxed, his facial tension smoothing in a bland façade before adopting a veneer of pointed interest. Whether window dressing for the coming conversation or related to a sexual appetite didn’t matter. Here was a man who understood manipulation and used his physical appeal to advantage.
In standing, his impressive height gave him another edge before lethal grace carried him forward.
“Why don’t we sit at the kitchen table and you can explain this mess over some hamburgers? I’m hungry.” The proximity, the way he grinned while crowding
her space, all confirmed his self-awareness of interrogation tactics.
The amount of invisible pheromones exuded multiplied her confusion while his shark-blue gaze served as a veil for something deeper, haunted, and protected.
“You think I’ll spill my closest secrets because you ask nicely?”
Though she’d kept her gun trained at his chest, he didn’t hesitate to nudge it aside. His smile widened when the shepherd growled.
The shiver flowing up her spine and spreading outward accompanied goose flesh along her arms. To perpetuate her discomfort, he edged closer, his warm breath fanning over her face and evoking images she didn’t need.
“Seduction won’t work either. I’m not a brainless bimbo. Not to mention the fact, maybe I’m a vegetarian.” Any information obtained would be used against her.
“Consider me a second-hand vegetarian.”
“You eat the grass when it comes out of the cow?”
“No. I eat the cow.”
“On the hoof, no doubt.” In a self-comforting gesture, she reached down to rub Leyna behind the ears.
Most often, when her dog confronted an unknown, even large men, with a less than friendly demeanor, they took notice and showed respect. The bear standing before her didn’t even flick his gaze toward her furball friend.
She understood his methods as well and turned sideways so her bare shoulder connected with his solid chest. His penetrating gaze skimmed down her skimpy clothes, lingering on her chest and adding a carnal edge to his aura.
“I’ve learned to adapt.”
Her boy shorts should’ve melted with the smoldering look directed her way.
“I’ll be out as soon as I throw on some clothes.” She needed a minute to shed the results of his overactive libido.
In a vein of veiled disrespect, his scrutiny wandered south of her face and he pinched his bottom lip between perfect white teeth. “You look fine to me—if a tad chilly. But suit yourself.”
McAllister Justice Series Box Set Volume Two Page 3