Whole-Hearted: A Malsum Pass Novel

by Kimberly Forrest

  She made him so unbelievably happy that he could no longer imagine his life without her. It was early days still, their relationship still new and fragile, so asking her to marry him was possibly a bit premature but that didn’t mean that wasn’t in the back of his mind. He wanted her by his side forever, of that, he had no doubt. But he had been in love with her a lot longer than she had been in love with him. He knew it was best to let her catch up a little before he popped the question. Besides, it gave him time to plan something so epically romantic that she would remember it forever. Right now, he was just happy that she was safe and they were together. So, when the call came through from his father that the town had been locked down due to suspected fur traders in the area, is it any wonder that he went a little nuts? His mate was in danger, the instinct to protect rising to the surface, and his wolf took complete control.

  Connie was standing over by the fireplace while her father, Tarvahl Pierce, and Riley Cooper stood over the spilled flowers talking low. Her mother was pacing, her hands fluttering around her neck and chest in agitation. The bed and breakfast had guests occupying three of the rooms: a last batch of leaf peepers from Ohio and a decision would have to be made: let them stay or relocate them at the expense of the town due to the lockdown. Her mother was arguing for the guests to stay – and losing.

  Connie could hear all of it, but none of it was actually penetrating the fog of her brain. She couldn’t seem to get warm. No matter how close to the fire she stood, or how deeply she huddled into her coat, her body wouldn’t stop trembling.

  A hand on her arm had her jumping like a startled cat. Jacob’s father was looking at her with concern. “We won’t let anything happen to you, Connie. You have my word.”

  Riley, or Coop as most of the town referred to him, joined them and nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. “Absolutely. No one’s getting by us, Connie. This sicko is probably just playing with your head.”

  Tarvahl gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Coop’s right. He could have ordered those flowers from anywhere. His not so subtle way of letting you know that he knows where you are.”

  “Fricking psycho.” Riley growled.

  “Patrols have been increased for the duration. No one in or out. And I’ve already called Alek and his team to let them know.” Tarvahl added. “They were already hunting him, but they’re going to see if they can call in some more favors and narrow the search.”

  It was all said to put her at ease, but Connie still couldn’t stop shaking. Images of Graydon Brooks – that smug smile, the sadistic gleam in his eye – kept playing through her head. That, and the image of the elder Brooks in wolf form as he tore the throat out of that guard. It was like a horror movie playing on a loop and her nerves were stretched so tight, she thought for sure they would snap. So when the door to the bed and breakfast opened with enough force to slam it back against the wall, she screamed.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Jacob had been walking a tight-rope trying to keep his skin as he raced to the bed and breakfast. His worry for Connie’s safety was eating him alive and his wolf was pushing to be let out. He knew he probably looked feral with his eyes and teeth both shifted, but he completely lost it when he’d burst through the doors of The Cedars and heard his female scream.

  He was at her side in a heartbeat, growling, snarling, and snapping at anyone in her proximity, including his own father. He was beyond reason, acting on pure instinct until Tarvahl released a loud growl of his own and snapped his teeth. “Enough.”

  Even the instinctual deference to an alpha wouldn’t calm him, not when he could smell Connie’s fear. The acrid scent flooded his nostrils and sent a sharp pain straight to his chest. He let out another low growl, willing to challenge his own father to protect her.

  Tarvahl reached out and grabbed Jacob by the back of the neck and pulled him into a bear hug. “Calm, Jacob. She’s safe. Calm.”

  He continued to growl, unable to help himself until he felt Connie’s hand on his arm, stroking, soothing. He was supposed to be protecting her and yet, because of his behavior, she felt forced to comfort him. Shame replaced his anger. His mind finally cleared and Jacob pulled himself back together. He looked at his father and opened his mouth to issue an apology but Tarvahl just shook his head. “Don’t. It’s not necessary and your female is cold.”

  Jacob needed no further encouragement as he turned to Connie and pulled her into his arms. He pressed his lips to the top of her head and breathed deeply of her scent. The fear was still there, though it was starting to fade. He never wanted to smell that again. “I’m sorry,” he murmured against her hair, “God, I’m so sorry. I would never hurt you.” Scooping her up, he moved to the couch and sat down with Connie in his lap. His eyes taking all of her in as his hands moved up and down her arms and then her back in an attempt to warm her. “Are you all right? What can I do? How can I help?”

  He watched as she took a shuddery breath and then nuzzled into the heat of his body. She told him about the flowers, the card, what had happened with Graydon Brooks, both at the engagement party and in that house while she was a captive.

  Jacob grit his teeth, but didn’t interrupt as the words poured out of her. The scent of her fear increased as she mentally relived her nightmare but he refused to add to her fear by growling or snarling. When she finally finished, her body seemed to go lax in his arms, as if the words leaving her body had drained her completely.

  He continued to stroke her and kiss the top of her head. His voice, when he spoke, was gruff, still with a hint of the wolf. “I will kill him before he ever gets a chance to lay a finger on you, Connie.”

  David and Margaret Tully had made the argument that Connie would be better protected if she stayed in her old room at The Cedars. After all, it was in the center of town and easily defensible.

  However, no one could fault Jacob’s reasoning when he had pointed out that the flower delivery was proof that the fur traders – or at least, one particular fur trader – knew this address. If he was close, this would be the place he was watching, whereas Jacob’s apartment was on the far side of town and anyone who approached would be considered suspect.

  The decision was made, without Connie’s input that she would return to Jacob’s. The only reason Connie hadn’t argued was because it was where she had wanted to be, so why bother. It was still irksome however, and unfortunately, the first of many things that would irritate her in the coming days.

  At first, she truly was scared, so Jacob’s insistence on checking every corner and not letting her out of the house unless he was with her, was a relief. As she began to calm though, with regular reports from Tarvahl turning up no sightings or unusual activity, Jacob’s continued treatment of her began to chafe.

  She wanted to get back to her life. She wanted to go to her art class, and to Zumba. She had an appointment to look at a property that was for rent that may work for her salon and she really didn’t want to reschedule. She still wanted to go Christmas shopping as well, rather than shop on-line, and while her therapist was available by phone if necessary, Connie would rather have a face to face sit down. And, quite frankly, she was getting sick of staring at the same walls every day. While Jacob’s protection of her may have seemed sweet at first, it had all too quickly been reduced to a prison sentence.

  Connie wasn’t the only one imprisoned. Jacob had done a splendid job of locking himself in a cage as well. He no longer left to check out possible construction jobs, preferring to stay in his shop and work on what little he had at hand. Even then, he didn’t play the radio or use any of the equipment that made loud noises, too afraid he’d miss the sound of the enemy approaching and be caught unawares.

  Every little noise at night had him getting out of bed and rechecking doors and windows, even walking around outside in the cold to be sure they were safe. He had dark circles around his eyes, a tightness around his mouth that shouldn’t be there, and any laughter that had once come so naturally, now seemed strained. The
y couldn’t go on like this.

  “We can’t go on like this.” Connie said, arms crossed over her chest as Jacob screwed brass hinges onto a cabinet door down in his workshop.

  Jacob looked up at her and tried to smile. God, he looked so tired. She started to pace. “Look at you.” She said, her arm flying out wide for emphasis. “Look at us. We can’t live like this. He’s winning, Jacob.” She stopped pacing and started tapping her foot. “He dropped his psychological bullshit on us and now we’re dancing to his tune. Hiding like prey.”

  “You’re right.”

  Connie opened her mouth to argue and then snapped it shut. “Wait – what?”

  Jacob nodded and sighed deeply before running a hand through his hair. “I’ll call Dad and talk to him about lifting the lockdown. Though I do think it’s for the best to keep the extra patrols in place, we can’t keep hiding.”

  Setting his screwdriver down, he came around the table and cupped her cheek. “I’d still prefer that if you go somewhere out of town you at least take someone with you. Please.”

  Connie narrowed her eyes, ready to blast him with her girl-power speech but he leaned his forehead against hers and said, “I know you can take care of yourself. Hell, you managed to rescue yourself when I was bent on playing knight in shining armor. But I love you so much Connie.” A shuddering breath, “The thought of losing you,” he shook his head, his forehead rolling lightly over hers, “it hurts. It hurts so fucking bad I can’t breathe.”

  Jacob let out a choked sob and Connie felt like her heart was breaking. Her hands came up to clasp behind his neck and hold him in place. “I love you too, Jacob. I promise not to do anything stupid, okay? Believe me, I don’t want to leave you just as much as you don’t want to lose me, but we need our lives back. I need my life back. If I don’t, it would be like I never escaped that cell.”

  Jacob sniffed but nodded. Connie tilted her head, leaned up slightly and kissed him. Within moments, Jacob deepened the kiss, his arms pulling her tight into his body until her feet left the floor. It was the work of a moment for her to lift her legs and wrap them around his hips. Turning, he placed her on his work bench. His mouth moved from hers as he kissed down her neck, his hands pushing under her sweater in the search for bare skin.

  Connie likewise pulled at the bottom of Jacob’s t-shirt, releasing it from the waistband of his jeans and sliding it up over his torso. He broke away from kissing her throat long enough to help her pull the thin cotton over his head and toss it to the floor.

  Within moments, her sweater had joined his t-shirt, then both pairs of their shoes, jeans, and finally their undergarments. As Connie leaned back on the table, pulling Jacob with her, Jacob frowned. “It’s dirty down here, maybe we should-“

  Connie cut him off with a deep kiss, her fingers moving to the proud jut of his erection. “I don’t care,” she gasped against his mouth. “I need you. Now.”

  Jacob needed no further encouragement as he pushed home, filling her. She gasped in pleasure as he groaned. Their bodies moving together as their mouths mated, tongues tangled, and hands gripped, stroked, and caressed. What started out slow and savoring, trying to make it last, progressed quickly into raw need.

  Connie was moaning loudly, calling his name as her nails bit into Jacob’s shoulder while Jacob’s head was thrown back, his jaw clenched taut. She was so close, knew he was as well. When he slid his palm against her lower belly, his thumb finding that swollen bundle of nerves at the top of her sex. He applied just the slightest bit of pressure as he continued to thrust into her, the movement of their bodies adding just the right amount of friction. She sucked in a hard breath, felt him stiffen above her, before they both shattered. Her inner muscles clenching around his throbbing length.

  Both of them were still breathing heavy when Jacob dropped a sweet kiss to her swollen lips, pulled out of her body, and then scooped her up in his arms to carry her naked up the stairs. As she looked at him, her heart filled to bursting with love for this male, he yawned and she grinned. A nap with her love sounded just about perfect.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Connie was driving while her mother sat in the passenger seat. They were going to Connie’s therapy session, where her mother would wait – far away from the office if Connie had her way – then they were going to lunch, followed by shopping. It was snowing, which was perfect as far as Connie was concerned. Nothing got her in the Christmas spirit quite like the large soft flakes that were currently falling from the sky.

  As soon as they entered an area with cell service, Connie’s phone started squawking. “Can you check that?” Connie asked her mother, not taking her eyes off the road as she tipped her head toward the pink cased smartphone in the cup holder.

  “Twenty-two missed calls.” Her mother said with a little whistle. “I wonder if it’s the same person who has been calling your phone at home.

  “What’s that?” Connie asked. This was the first she was hearing about anyone trying to get hold of her. She had been dialing into her voicemail regularly but there hadn’t been any messages aside from the property manager for the space she was looking into renting for her salon, and the receptionist at the therapist’s office to confirm her appointment. Both of which she had called, neither one of which had the number at the bed and breakfast.

  “Your phone keeps ringing. I’ve tried to answer it but every time I do they just hang up.” Her mother grumbled.

  “Did you check the caller ID?” Connie asked.

  Her mother sniffed. “I was too busy trying to get to your phone to look.”

  “Did you check the call log?”

  “There’s a call log?”

  Well, that answered that. “Who called on my cell?”

  Margaret Tully looked at the phone like she had never seen one before. “Never mind,” Connie said with a little chuckle and took her hand off the wheel to take the phone. “I’ll look.”

  Her mother kept the phone, pulling it close to her chest with an offended look. “You most certainly will not, young lady. And I better not ever find out you’ve been doing that texting thing while you’re driving. Once we’re safely parked you can have your phone back.”

  Connie shook her head, not willing to explain to her mother right then about the benefits of hands free. She’d wait. Turning on the radio, she tuned to the oldies station. “Oh, I love this song!” her mother exclaimed and the rest of the ride was spent singing along with Bing Crosby’s White Christmas, Lee “Scratch” Perry’s Rockin’ Around a Christmas Tree, and Frank Sinatra’s Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

  Once they pulled into the parking garage at the medical facility where her therapist’s office was located, Connie’s mother relinquished the cell phone she had held hostage. Connie frowned. Tanya. All the missed calls were from Tanya. Worry clenched her belly. Had something happened or was Tanya just concerned still about Connie despite all her reassurances?

  “You’re going to be late for your appointment.” Her mother reminded her and Connie looked at the digital display on her dash. What if there was an emergency?

  “Mom, could you go in and tell them I’ll be right there? I really need to make a call.”

  Her mom grumbled a bit, but opened the passenger side door and got out. Before she closed the door, Margaret Tully poked her head back in, “You lock the doors behind me and wait until I come back before you get out of the car.”

  Connie grimaced but nodded. Until Graydon Brooks was found, she was living the buddy system, but at least she was out of jail.

  As soon as Margaret closed the door, Connie engaged the locks with one hand while returning Tanya’s call with the other. Expecting to hear Tanya’s cheerful voice, it was quite a shock to be hit with the dark tones of Graydon Brooks as he said, “It’s about time, little wolf. I was beginning to think you don’t care about your friends.”

  Connie’s stomach dropped and her hands began to shake. “What have you done with Tanya?”

  “She and
I have been having a little fun while we waited for you.” The male practically purred and Connie was nearly sick as she remembered the type of fun Graydon preferred.

  “Please,” she choked out around the lump in her throat. “Please don’t hurt her.”

  “Ah, how I do like the sound of that word. Say it again for me.”

  Connie could barely speak, her tears choking her, “Please” she managed to get out on a broken sob.

  “Mmmm.” There was a deep sigh of satisfaction. “You’ll come to me, little wolf. Right now. Wherever you are, you’ll get in your car and drive to me or I’m going to rip her to pieces. Do you understand?”

  Connie nodded, wiping the wetness from her face, “Yes, I’ll come, just please let her go.”

  Graydon shot off an address and Connie sniffled and swiped her face again. “Okay, okay, I know where that is. It’ll take me about two hours though, the drive...”

  “You’ll come alone, little wolf, or her death will be on your head. Are we clear?”

  “Yes.” Connie said, her voice weak with fear.

  “And just so you don’t think I’m bluffing,” There was a scuffling noise like Graydon was moving the phone around and then she heard Tanya as if from a distance saying “no, no, please,” before she started screaming.

  Connie couldn’t stand it, her friend, her lovely Tanya was being hurt. “Don’t you dare hurt her! Leave her alone you sick bastard!” Connie screeched, her voice cracking.

  Graydon Brooks laughed. “I’ll see you soon, little wolf.”

  When the other line went dead, Connie let out a frustrated scream as she stomped her feet and pounded the steering wheel.

  What the hell was she going to do? A tap on the window had her jumping and she looked over to see her mother smiling through the window. That smile fell though as soon as Margaret Tully saw her daughter’s tear stained face. Oh, God. Her mother. What was she going to do about her mother?