Shifters Forsaken: Shifter Romance Collection Bks 1-5

by Mia Taylor

  “No, never been to Birmingham.”

  “Maybe we both have those faces,” she joked, sensing that she had inadvertently touched on a sensitive subject, but Briar held her gaze.

  “No,” he murmured. “No one has your face.”

  Her pulse quickened and Berlin was overcome with a desire to kiss him but before she could act, her cell chimed.

  “I’m going to kill him,” she muttered more to herself than Briar but he laughed and turned back to his task as she grabbed for the cell off the counter.

  She scanned the text quickly.

 

  She replaced the phone, her heart hammering in her chest but for a different reason now.

  “Everything okay?” Briar asked, arching an eyebrow at her expression.

  “Just peachy,” she sighed.

  I just got the next name on my hit list is all.

  Chapter Four

  Love in Apartment 2

  There was an unmistakable change of atmosphere at Branch after the merger occurred. Tensions were running high but Briar couldn’t be sure if they were constructed from paranoia or based on reality.

  Upper management had not discussed the possibility of lay-offs but Briar hadn’t been able to get the idea out of his mind since Vy had raised the issue.

  Every day, Vy seemed to grow paler until she appeared at work one day, two weeks after the transaction, almost translucent.

  “Are you all right?” Briar demanded. “You look like hell!”

  “There’s gonna be an announcement from HR today,” she muttered. “Catrina told me.”

  Catrina worked at human resources and often leaked information to Vy which she wasn’t supposed to.

  “What kind of announcement?”

  “There’s gonna be lay-offs.” Her tone was void of emotion and Briar had to wonder if she hadn’t already come to terms with the idea she would be out of a job soon.

  “Don’t jump the gun on this,” he told her reassuringly. “You’re a valued employee here, Vy.”

  She scoffed as if he was being naïve.

  “Not everyone has a hacking background like you, Briar. You’re probably safe but the rest of us?” She gestured around the department. “We’re dispensable.”

  He reached out to touch her arm comfortingly.

  “Vy, no offense, but you always get yourself worked up over nothing. Remember the great hernia scare of 2015? Or the ‘I left the oven on’ kerfuffle of 2014? Or—”

  “Those were different, Briar!” she snapped, not a trace of amusement on her face. “These are our jobs! This is tangible, in our faces! This isn’t something I made up in my head! Our jobs are a dime a dozen and I am not looking forward to pounding the pavement for months on end looking for another one!”

  He knew that, of course, but he had only been trying to make her smile. Briar could see that it was an exercise in futility.

  “I know,” he muttered, looking away. “You’re right.”

  She was immediately contrite.

  “I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I’m just really tense right now.”

  He nodded understandingly.

  “It’s been really tense around here,” he agreed. “No need to apologize.”

  She gave him a soft smile.

  “You’re a good guy, Briar. Your mom did a great job with you.”

  Abruptly, a grey sky appeared in his mind, a damp brunette scurrying away and a huddle of children standing before a wrought iron fence.

  She didn’t want me. She didn’t want any of us, he thought bitterly. He had to force himself to remember that the woman who had left him was not his mother.

  My mother is Margaret Pendleson, not some faceless woman scurrying away in the rain.

  “Attention, everyone!”

  Chandra Keppler stood on her desk at the front of the room amassed with cubicles.

  The din of the office died and Vy cast him a nervous look.

  “The moment of truth,” she mumbled. “Good luck, Briar.”

  “We don’t need luck,” he assured her, sweeping the thought of his birth mother from his mind. He had real issues to think about, tangible ones. Hauntings from the past would have to wait for when he was plagued with insomnia at three a.m.

  “We’re already good,” Briar concluded, shooting her a comforting look.

  “As you know, some changes have been made throughout the company lately and we have merged with Belladonna Corp,” Chandra continued, her eyes darting around the room but resting on no one. A murmur of disapproval flushed through the crowd but instantly died as Chandra continued to speak.

  “This company is heading in a new direction soon,” she explained. “Branching out, so to speak.”

  She chuckled at her own joke but no one else cracked a smile. Briar wanted to yell at her to get to the point but he maintained his composure and waited with the rest of the office.

  “So, we are doing just that—branching out into another state!”

  There was a collective gasp of confusion and surprise as his co-workers looked at one another.

  “What does that mean?” someone called, voicing the question on everyone’s mind. “We’re moving offices?”

  Briar turned, realizing that Cory had joined them, and shrugged his shoulders.

  “You will be getting emails from HR regarding a transfer to our offices in Washington,” Chandra told them, hearing Cory’s inquiry. “The offices here will remain but on a smaller scale. If you receive such an email, you will need to carefully read the outlined packages and respond within forty-eight hours to ensure your spot. Those selected for this transfer will receive moving incentives and a bonus as well as a cost of living increase on their annual salaries.”

  The three friends eyed one another dubiously.

  “What about lay-offs?” someone yelled, voicing the question on everyone’s mind. Chandra was silent for a moment before clearing her throat.

  “I don’t know anything officially about lay-offs,” she replied but anyone with ears could hear that she was hiding something. “All I know is that if you are selected for this transfer, I highly recommend you take it.”

  “Oh, great,” Cory muttered, a deep breath escaping his lungs. “In other words, if we stay here, we’re on the chopping block.”

  Suddenly, a round of pings filled the air and everyone turned to stare at their computers as email notifications chimed.

  “Did you get one?” Vy asked, her voice barely a whisper. Briar’s brow furrowed and he peered at the screen, biting on his lower lip.

  “Yeah,” he muttered, flopping back into his swivel chair to read the message from HR.

  “I’m going to check my computer,” Cory said and Vy nodded.

  “Me too.”

  Briar barely noticed as they scampered off, his eyes glued to the message he’d received.

  Dear Mr. Pendleson, it started. We are pleased to offer you a position in our new offices of Belladonna-Branch Incorporated. You have been an exemplary employee of Branch Technology for four years and we believe that your talents will lead us in the right direction.

  This can be considered a promotion as there will be a bonus (to be discussed with your resource manager) and raise to reflect the higher cost of living in Washington State.

  More details will be provided upon your approval of this offer. For more information or any questions, please feel free to contact Chandra @ extension 234.

  We look forward to your response!

  Sincerely,

  Luke Vernier, CEO Belladonna-Branch Incorporated

  He looked up from the screen and turned his head toward Cory’s cubicle. His friend was hunched over his desk, his fingers resting on the mouse but it was impossible for Briar to tell what he was reading, if anything at all. He wondered what would happen if his friends hadn’t been selected to go.

  What are you talking about? You’re not goi
ng either.

  He sank back and groaned quietly. There was no way he was leaving Eugene, not now.

  The past two weeks had changed him, albeit it quietly and subtly.

  Berlin Matthews had innocuously entered his life and he found himself more entranced with her each day.

  After work, he went home and made dinner, waiting to hear the footsteps of his neighbor against the stairs before knocking on the door and inviting her down.

  It had become a routine between them but what had started as a friendly dinner between two friends had slowly been escalating into something more.

  Slowly, Briar realized he was opening up to her, talking to the beautiful blonde about things he’d never discussed with anyone else.

  She was considerably more guarded than him but that didn’t stop him from unveiling himself to her, slowly and tentatively.

  Berlin didn’t push him, which encouraged him with a quiet, unjudging attitude. Her mere presence filled him with a calm elation unlike anything he’d ever known.

  She didn’t know everything but Briar had a feeling that it wouldn’t be long before she did.

  “I’m cooking for you tomorrow,” Berlin told him the previous night. “I’ll try to make it edible.”

  “I don’t mind cooking,” he told her. “I actually find it stress-relieving.”

  “Well, you’re making me look bad and feel guilty,” she replied, reaching to clear off the plates. “And I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer. And you can come up tomorrow, too. I’ve finally finished unpacking… mostly. At least the place is somewhat liveable now.”

  Even among the stress of what was happening at work, he couldn’t help but feel a spark of excitement about seeing her that night as he did every night.

  But now I’ve gotta tell her about this job. What will she say? Will she ask me to stay?

  It seemed unlikely. After all, they barely knew each other, but Briar had a feeling that the news of him leaving would affect her more than either of them expected.

  Briar grunted and rose as Vy came flying back up toward him.

  “I didn’t get an email! And neither did Cory! We’re stuck here and we’re going to lose our jobs!”

  Briar sucked in air through his teeth. His worry had manifested into reality.

  “Not everyone is going to accept the transfer,” he assured her. “You might still get an offer yet. Anyway, are you in such a rush to move to Washington? It rains all the time there.”

  “I’ll take the damned rain over being unemployed any day!” Vy shrieked. Briar couldn’t think anymore.

  “I gotta go,” he muttered.

  “Where are you going?” she demanded. “You can’t just leave in the middle of the work day!”

  “Watch me,” he sighed, grabbing his keys from the desk drawer. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  ~ ~ ~

  To his surprise, Berlin’s car was already in the driveway when he got home.

  I thought she had class today, he thought, but it didn’t matter. He was glad she was home. He wanted to talk to her about the transfer.

  God, this is so strange. We just met and yet I want to bounce ideas off her like she’s my wife or something.

  He couldn’t deny that the past few days had been torture for him as he watched her lips move over the dinner table. He had fought the urge to kiss her more times than he could count. When she returned to her apartment, he kicked himself for holding back.

  But there was a method to his madness. He didn’t want to rush things with Berlin, not when he wasn’t sure if she felt the same way he did.

  It seemed that they shared an affinity but was it romantic? Briar knew if he moved too fast, she would likely be turned off and that would be the end of their dinners together.

  No, he told himself. It’s better to be cautious than stupid and regretful.

  Yet in that moment, as he entered the house, he wasn’t so sure.

  If I’m leaving for Washington in a month, I want to be with her for every possible minute, don’t I?

  He thought about what Berlin would say if he asked her to go with him.

  She’ll laugh in my face and then buy a double dead bolt for her apartment.

  As he closed the exterior door, he noticed her unit door was slightly ajar and as he neared, her voice floated down the stairs toward him.

  “…told you! I’m busy, August! I’m not doing it anytime soon!”

  There was a pause as August presumably replied and Berlin scoffed.

  “You have some nerve. If you want it done so badly, you come and do it. Stop calling me. He’ll be tended to when I’m good and ready!”

  The sound of a crash indicated that she had thrown her cell phone aside and a wave of guilt flooded through Briar as he realized he had been eavesdropping.

  He clenched his teeth, unsure if he should make his presence known or not but before he could decided, Berlin appeared at the top of the stairs.

  They stared at each other for a long moment.

  “You’re home!” she finally gasped. “What are you doing home so early?”

  He shook his head.

  “Long story. Can I come up?”

  “Yeah, of course. I haven’t started dinner yet but I’ve got a bottle of pinot in the fridge.”

  He took the stairs two at a time as she turned away, still chattering.

  “I was at the university today and Professor Halbeck was—”

  He reached out, seizing her waist, and spun her around for her to face him.

  “Wha—?”

  “I’m sorry,” he muttered, his lips inches from hers. “I can’t stop myself anymore.”

  He didn’t permit her a chance to respond, crushing his mouth to hers and drawing her fully into his arms. His veins swelled as blood pumped through them furiously but all he could do was taste the sweetness of her mouth, exactly how he had imagined it.

  She froze, unmoving in his arms for a moment and disappointment washed through him.

  Oh my God, he thought, panic filling his gut. I just attacked her. She’s going to freak—

  But he never got an opportunity to finish his thought as Berlin melted into him, her lips parting to tease his with the tip of her tongue.

  Relief flooded through his body.

  She wants me too, he realized.

  Chapter Five

  Decisions

  She was danced backward slightly, her initial shock of being kissed so forwardly dissipating. Berlin permitted herself to fall into his arms willingly and let the sensation of warmth permeate her body.

  His firm frame folded into hers and suddenly her back was up against the wall, his embrace growing tighter around her slender waist.

  “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, pulling his face only slightly away to stare into her eyes. “I couldn’t stop myself.”

  She shook her head, a small smile toying on her mouth.

  “Shut up and kiss me.”

  Her hands reached up to pull him into her once more and they fell into a slow rhythm of heated touches, exploring one another for the first time. Yet to Berlin, she felt like she had known him before, a thousand times. She memorized the lines of his body, the curve of his muscles.

  It was all so familiar, so comfortable but coupled with the rising waves of euphoria and new life which sent shivers through her.

  Somehow, they wound up naked, entwined on the plush, suede sofa, the combination of the soft material and his hot skin bringing shivers of desire through her in waves.

  “I feel like I’ve always known you,” he whispered, his breath tickling her ear as she locked her shapely calves around his waist.

  When they joined together, it was nothing that Berlin had known. There was so much more than lust and awakening. It was a longing, a deep-rooted yearning that she’d had for this man, despite only just having met him.

  Caught up in one another, time ceased to exist, instead replaced by a demand to become one.

  Berlin didn’t know how many hours had passe
d and when they finally slipped off the sofa in a tangled pile of limbs, they laughed, exhausted and drenched in sweat.

  “Whoops,” Berlin giggled, squeezing her calves around his hips. “I don’t think that the couch is spatially prepared for two.”

  “I tried to make it one for as long as possible,” he replied slyly and Berlin found herself blushing.

  God, why am I blushing? I think we’re past that point now.

  Briar stared lovingly into her face, brushing a matted strand of hair away from her bright green eyes.

  “You are so very beautiful,” he murmured. “I’ve never met a woman like you before.”

  She laughed.

  “I bet you say that to all the girls,” she joked but a shadow crossed over his eyes.

  “No,” he replied quietly. “I don’t.”

  She bit on her lower lip and cocked her head sideways, a tangled, blonde fan spilling around her.

  “What makes me so special?”

  He shook his head and lowered his gaze slightly, the thick lashes shielding his irises. He considered her question very seriously as he decided whether to disclose the words pressing against his throat.

  Berlin’s brilliant eyes studied his face but she remained quiet, sensing that he was gathering his thoughts. He made his decision.

  “I was adopted,” he explained. “My mother, she abandoned me and I believe my siblings at a convent in Kentucky thirty years ago. I don’t remember the details but I do remember her walking away without even giving us a backward look. The nuns were awful, they separated us right away.”

  Berlin’s mouth parted slightly and she gaped at him in shock.

  “You’re not sure what happened?”

  He shook his head and shrugged.

  “I had to let it go eventually and after I got out of my angsty teen years, it didn’t seem as important, I guess. I was adopted almost right away and my parents are really good people. They love me as if I was their own child. They had one of their own too, another son, and no one ever knew we weren’t related.”

  He paused and took a deep breath.