"You know nothing about what those men are capable of. Get in the truck. Be quiet and just let me think."
Reluctantly, Cassie slipped into the passenger side seat. "When will you learn that I can take care of myself? But if you insist…fine. Just know that after this I plan to move very far away from Aspen Valley."
"Hold your horses, sister," Neil mumbled nervously.
Even as Cassie made that declaration, she knew the only thing holding her in Aspen Valley was her older brother. Sometimes she felt that she was the one that kept him sane. And all they had was each other at the moment. It would've been so much better for her to hightail it out of the state if she knew he had someone stable in his life. But Neil never settled. Often times, Cassie thought he was afraid of commitment.
As Neil thumbed through his cell phone, she continued talking, "You know…about your sex life. You really need to settle down. If Aspen Valley is going to be your permanent resident, don't you think you need to be making some permanent bonds instead of having sex with every willing woman at every major company in the city? Last month, it was my friend Clara at Reverie Technologies. And now this month, a woman named Jacki from Pack and Ship kept calling your apartment phone for you. She sounded sprung. What did you do to her exactly? Ugh…never mind. I don't even want to know."
"Jacki was calling about a shipment. Look, I'm not going to talk about my relationships with you," he grumbled and then started the truck. "Not now…not ever."
He maneuvered the truck through the thick brush and then turned off down the road.
"Where are you going now?" she asked, peering out through the windshield at the top of the mountains miles ahead of them.
"There's a lodging business less than a mile from here. A good friend of mine owns it. He should have a unit that he can rent us for the time being."
"Which good friend?" she asked.
"Luke."
"Luke…you mean the hot hunk that you roomed with in college?"
Neil gave her a sideways glance. "I'm not sure about the hot hunk part, but yeah…we shared an apartment for a little bit. That was a long time ago. And you still remember him?"
Cassie bit her bottom lip as her memory ran across what she remembered about Luke the most. His eyes. She would never forget his deep-set gaze peppered with specs of gold when he had assessed her that first time after a graduation ceremony. She would always remember how at ease his penetrating stare made her feel when she was just a self-conscious teen. That had been eight years ago, but she had never forgotten him. Sometimes she even dreamed of him.
"I do remember him. Did you say he owns a lodging business? Like a hotel?"
"No, not like a hotel," Neil replied. "Lodging…like for the occasional vacationers, campers, mountain climbers…sight seers. We're not talking five-star resort here."
"Hmmm…just as long as I don't have to stay in a tent," she countered. "And in that case, you'll turn this truck around and head right back into town."
"Whatever, Cassie," Neil said. "If you think for one minute, I'm letting you stay in Aspen Valley on your own, you're dead wrong. You're just like Dad—stubborn and nosy. And I know for a fact that you haven't stopped working on the story that got you in this trouble in the first place."
Cassie neither denied nor confirmed his suspicions. In fact, she just kept her mouth closed for the duration of the short drive along the rocky dirt road. She didn't want to be the one to break it to him. He was right—on both counts. She needed to drop the case for her sanity and her safety, but she just couldn't. She'd been so close to learning the true identity of the person behind the shifter killings. Sure she could stop now while innocent people were being murdered for no reason. But the fact was…she didn't want to stop because she did care. Through her findings and research about the shifters living in this region, she came to the conclusion that they were entitled to remain here just like any other human being.
Chapter 4
Luke abandoned his coffee and breakfast sandwich the moment he heard an engine rumbling toward his log cabin. The familiar sound of tires trudging across loose rock and gravel followed soon after. He had company.
His guests left him alone for the most part. The only reason anybody would be coming to call this early in the morning was if something had gone wrong on the property. He always made it a point to make sure all guests—both long and short term—had everything they needed up front in each cabin. And if any issues came up, there was a list of numbers hanging on the fridge in each log cabin. No one had called his cell or the main line about any unresolved matters, so he wondered what was wrong and why someone would be driving up to his private cabin, which was barely visible to the casual passerby.
Luke shoved on his work boots and pulled on a large flannel shirt before rushing out onto the porch to greet the guests. The male driver in the unfamiliar Dodge Ram pulled up close to his house like Luke was expecting him. It wasn't until the driver cut the engine and stepped out of the truck that he realized who the guy was.
Neil Grey.
"Neil." Luke grinned. "You're early."
"Yeah. Here I am."
They greeted each other with a handshake and a manly hug.
"My sis didn't take as long to pack as I thought. First time that's happened. You know how women are. How's it going?" Neil asked.
"I was just eating breakfast," Luke replied. "Well…second breakfast actually."
Neil laughed. "Of course. You're still an early bird, right?"
"Damn right I am," Luke confirmed. "I'm glad you came out before I made my rounds on the property. You know your way around here though, right? Or have you forgotten?"
"Well, I remembered where you live, so that's something."
Luke shrugged. "Hardly anything's changed really."
"Where are Henry and Nessa?"
"I didn't tell you?" Luke asked.
"Nah…what'd I miss?"
"They started college last fall."
Neil smiled. "Good for you, man. And congratulations." He clapped Luke on the back. "That means you're an empty nester."
"Yeah, finally. But it's not the same without them around here."
"I hear ya." Neil scratched his head and stole a glance behind him at the woman who was still seated in his truck.
"Is everything okay with you?" Luke asked. "I know you couldn't talk that long on the phone the other day."
"That's the thing…something else came up. The cell phone reception sucks ass around here," Neil exclaimed. "I couldn't get through. I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time."
"No, not at all. You said you were coming out, so I was expecting you. Did you get your sister settled in the cabin?"
"Ugh…about that…" Neil bit at his bottom lip.
"Is that your girl in the truck? Why don't you both come inside? There's no need to stand out here."
Neil chuckled. "That's Cassie in the truck. You don't remember her?"
Luke's gaze traveled to the truck again, but this time he didn't have to adjust his vision to I.D. the woman peering out through the windshield at him. As soon as Cassie Grey—all beautiful and all grown up—stepped out of the truck, Luke literally stumbled back a foot or two.
He could barely breathe as the sight of her instantly took his breath away. Her hair color was now a mix of dark mahogany with cinnamon and blonde highlights scattered throughout. Instead of the lush curls from her youth, her strands were practically bone straight. She wasn't a teen anymore; she was a woman.
He hadn't remembered her like this—fuck no. The last time he saw Cassie, she wasn't wearing a red form-fitting top with her plump breasts virtually pouring out of the top. Her jeans shorts were so short that they barely covered more than three inches of her long creamy legs. She must have left her shoes in the truck because her feet were bare, showing off her red-painted toenails. She didn't seem to mind the dirt on her soles. When Luke trailed his gaze back up her flawless toffee-colored legs, too-short shorts, and her belly button peeking out
from her barely there top, he felt his cock twitching behind his fly. He knew he was done for.
"Oh, hell," he mumbled under his breath.
"Excuse me?" Neil asked.
Had he said that aloud? Oh, fuck.
Cassie moved closer, narrowing the distance between them.
"Hi Luke." She waved.
Her mascara coated eyelashes swept the top of her cheeks as she looked him up and down. "Remember me?"
Luke swallowed and diverted his gaze away from her breasts. He didn't know how to answer that question anymore. The Cassie he had remembered eight years ago wasn't the same Cassie that was standing before him today.
Chapter 5
“Of course. How could I forget?" Luke replied.
The huskiness in his voice seemed to flow directly toward her. A heated blush crept up the back of her neck, spreading downward through her spine. His stare was the same. Brown with specs of gold. Penetrating. Animalistic. If her memory was correct, he was now the same age as her brother—thirty-one. Ten years older than she was. Luke was more breathtaking now than he was eight years ago. Age progression had refined him to perfection. His beard was trimmed and well-manicured. He was dressed down in casual slacks and an unbuttoned worn flannel shirt. His hard-edged body was corded with nothing but lean, sinewy muscles. Her gaze slowed when she took in the dark trail of hair disappearing under his waistband. Cassie gulped dry air as she identified the sexiest part of his body—the sculpted V made by his defined lower abs and hip flexors.
Neil cleared his throat.
Luke diverted his gaze from what Cassie knew to be her breasts and turned slightly to gesture toward the log cabin.
"Excuse me for being rude," Luke said. "Come on inside."
He ushered them inside the home and offered them drinks. As the two men exchanged light chatter, she glanced about the small cozy space that made up Luke's home. The cabin couldn't have had more than one bedroom, maybe two. The living area was very spacious. A desk sat in one corner where Cassie noticed several hand-drawn geographical maps and building sketches scattered across the surface. There were even some drawings hanging on the wall. It reminded her of the type of sketches that Neil kept in his work binder at his apartment. She wondered if Luke had pursued the same architect career as her brother since they had both graduated with honors and held the same exact degree.
The men came back into the room with beers. Luke handed her a cold bottle of water, but truth be told, she needed the beer. She took the bottle from him anyway. The moment their fingertips brushed something warm and electrifying passed through her. Affection radiated between them. She was not only happy to see him again but surprised by the effect he still had on her. Only when Neil popped the cap off his beer did that disrupt them out of their exchange.
"So…uh, here's the thing…I stopped by the cabin and was greeted by a nasty surprise," Neil said from his position on the couch.
"What happened, man? Have the locals been looting again?"
"No, it's the roof. The rain from a couple days ago leaked through the front half of the home."
Luke frowned. "Sounds pretty bad. I thought you had hired a maintenance guy to look after the property for you."
"Yeah, I did. I'm wondering if he was really looking after the cabin or just feeding me bullshit," Neil exclaimed.
"Who is this guy anyway?" Luke asked.
"Barry's Handyman Services. I signed a contract with him right after I bought the cabin. He was supposed to be doing all the quarterly maintenance."
"Never heard of him," Luke said, sitting down in the empty space next to Neil.
"The guy on the next lot recommended him as a jack of all trades. I guess he missed the darned hole in the roof when he was out there last time."
Luke shrugged. "It happens. Most of my older units need more than quarterly maintenance these days, so it could be that it's just time to repair the roof. If you want, I can go take a look at it and get it patched up until you can get a new roof."
"Ah man, I can't ask you to fix my roof. You've done enough. Plus that'll take more than a couple days, won't it?"
Luke sat back in the chair. "Possibly, but didn't you say that Cassie was staying there?"
"Not anymore but I have to leave out tonight if I'm going to make my flight out to Maine in time. I don't have time to stick around and we're out of options."
"What do you mean? What happened exactly?" Luke looked from Neil to Cassie.
"I was on a high profile news assignment. I came across some information that made someone mad and they threatened me," Cassie said.
"The cops suggested that I not return to my apartment alone," she added.
"Cassie thinks there's no issue with letting the local cops handle it while she stays in Aspen Valley. I don't trust that at all. I'd rather have her lay low for a few weeks until the authorities can break the case. She's already handed over what she knows, so it's just a matter of them giving the case a little more priority," Neil said.
"I agree. She shouldn't be out on her own if the person who threatened her is still on the loose."
"The cops should have given this case a little more priority in the first place," Cassie said. "These shifter murders have been buried for quite some time now. I almost wonder who's helping them. You'd think the cops would at least try to work with the Pack Alpha to solve this thing with what little clues they have instead of trying to close the case every chance they get."
Luke's gaze swept over her appreciatively, but not in the same way as before. This time he regarded her with admiration. And she had to admit…she loved when he stared at her that way—as if what she did and said mattered. She worked in a department that consisted of mostly males and had always had to go out of her way to prove herself. The case had become near and dear to her because of how much safer Aspen Valley could be for all of its citizens, but case closure would at least give her a chance to be recognized and recommended for the raise she knew she deserved. But no one had picked up on that aspect of it, not even her brother. When she returned to work again, she'd be back at square one, trying to claw her way to the top of an already populated news station. It didn't help that the jobs were sparse in Aspen Valley either.
Neil sighed. "See what I mean, Luke. She won't let it go. This case is out of her league. Why put a young woman on a case like this?"
"I'm not a child. If you want to know the truth, I asked for the assignment, okay? No one wanted it and I took it because I wanted it solved and it was a chance to prove myself in my new role."
"I agree with your brother, Cassie," Luke said. "You've done a lot of good with the assignment. I'm willing to bet that because of your push for the real story, the case is receiving more attention from the authorities. You've proven enough. Now it's time to think about your safety."
"You're damned right it's receiving more attention…and so is she," Neil said. "And the fact that she's standing here proves that she knows she needs to get away from Aspen Valley now that the murderers know her name and her face."
"The community here is pretty low key. She'll be safe if she stays out here until the dust settles in the Valley," Luke said.
Neil nodded. "I know you've got a lodging business running here, so that's why I need to see about renting one of your cabins."
Luke blew outward and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm booked solid for the next six months. That includes both short-term and long-term rentals. My next set of guests arrives in two days and that cabin is currently being cleaned out now. Besides the cabin that we partially converted into an office space last year for the hired help, I've got nothing."
"Bummer," Neil exclaimed.
"It's okay," Cassie said. "I'll just stay somewhere else. It's no problem. Didn't we pass another lodging company on the way here?"
"No, I don't know those guys up the road. I know Luke," Neil exclaimed. "And somewhere else, like where? How are you certain the place is safe for you?"
"I'm not. Maybe I'll just call
Uncle Ronnie and Auntie Lynn in Illinois to see if they can spare a room. You know I'm always welcome there."
"That's not going to happen. The last time we visited them, a known drug dealer showed up at their home to collect money. Mom and Dad would never want you to stay there under any circumstances."
Cassie rolled her eyes. "Auntie Lynn is clean now. And like you said, I'm out of options."
"Wait," Luke interjected. "You can stay in the office cabin until I hire someone. By that time, maybe we'll have the roof fixed on Neil's cabin."
"Are you sure?" Cassie asked. "I don't want to cause any issues for your business."
"It's fine. I'm having a heck of a time finding an Office Manager replacement for my niece who used to keep all the books. I don't know if it's the pay I offered or the fact that I'm virtually out in the middle of nowhere, but I haven't received any suitable bites yet."
"Well, if you need someone to organize your books and records, Cassie has loads of experience doing that. She was the receptionist at the news station for months before they took her on as an intern."
Luke looked to her for validation.
"I was." She shrugged. "I'm not a pro at organization or customer service by any means, but I can help out around here if you need it."
"Yeah, put her to work. She can do any job you've got for her," Neil said.
Cassie nudged her brother hard in the side. "Look who's talking. Mr. I Play Hooky From Work Every Other Week Because I'm Useless."
"Just consider this a favor," Luke told her. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you either."
"We really appreciate this. Things have been rough for us lately and the trust fund our parents left us ran out quicker than we thought. I'm taking on double the projects at work and with Cassie being on a leave of absence from the station, that's not doing her any good either," Neil added.
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