Mountain Wolf

by Amber Ella Monroe

  But first she had serious matters to resolve. If she ever wanted to be happy with anyone again, she wanted to have a clean, emotional slate.

  Chapter 8

  "You’ve got to do something about this, Dane. You can't just idly stand by. Time is ticking away. What have you got now, huh? Seven…eight more days until they strip your shit from you. Get engaged, get married, stop this right now."

  His brother Garrett Justice paced back and forth on the other side of the office.

  Dane frowned. Yes, he was in quite the dilemma, but his mind was elsewhere. He couldn't get the image of the sexy beautiful woman from his mind. Her slender perfect neck. Pretty brown curls. Her eyes were so fucking enchanting that whenever he slept at night, he saw them in his dreams. Heck, for the past few days all of his dreams had involved lusting over her.

  He had tried to find her. Tried to use all of his resources to find her, but the hospital nor the police would identify her. Something about her giving information freely about the gunman and protecting her from further threats. He understood that fully well. The reason why he wasn't as adamant about hunting her down was that he wanted no harm to come to her. He wanted her protected. At the same time, he wanted…and needed her.

  "Dane…?" Garrett was getting impatient.

  "Here's the thing…I met someone and I was trying to locate her. I failed," he said, averting his brother's gaze. "When I met her, I lost interest in marrying anyone else, even to save my property."

  "Oh, damn." Garrett dropped his forehead in his palms. "You're going to lose your land over a woman you can't find."

  "I think she's mine." Dane leaned back in his desk chair and ran his fingers through his hair. "I actually think she's mine to claim."

  "How are you certain? Where is her birthmark located?"

  Dane shrugged. "That's just it. I've barely even touched her. I don't even know her name. All I know is that when the gunman had her and threatened to shoot her, I knew I had to save her. And not just save her, I wanted to keep her."

  "Man, I know this mating thing is bound to happen, but this is some fucked up shit you're dealing with about this land. How about this? You've got under seven weeks to marry and divorce a human woman and then after that you can go search high and low for your runaway mate. Shit, I'll even help you, but please, under no circumstances should you delay this any longer. Both Brock and Raoulf agree that you've been walking around in a trance ever since you mauled that gunman's face up really badly at LIVE. I have to leave out soon on a job, but when I come back, I don't want to hear that the land was taken away from you."

  Dane crumbled the piece of paper that he was holding his hand. "I should have killed him for touching her."

  "In due time, brother. Do what you have to do so you can do what you want to do."

  "Yeah…" Dane grumbled. "You're right."

  "I'm gonna go grab us a beer," Garrett said. "I'll be right back."

  When Garrett was out of earshot, Dane picked up his cell phone and called his assistant. She answered promptly.

  "How may I assist you today, Alpha?"

  "I reviewed your notes from this morning about the woman who called in response to my ad. Trina Daniels. She's more interesting than the previous twenty or so who've been phone interviewed. I'd like you to call her back and set up a face to face meeting to be held at my home."

  "Yes Alpha."

  "I need this done as soon as possible with minimal delay. I would like to speak to her this evening, if at all possible."

  "I understand how time sensitive this is. I'll call her back right away, Alpha."

  Chapter 9

  At any point, Trina could have backed out of this meeting and asked the private driver to turn around to take her back home. Instead she sat in the back seat of the fancy Rolls Royce as the driver took her farther into the other side of the town. They had already passed over the set of train tracks that marked the end of the city and the beginning of the countryside. Farther beyond the countryside sat the mountains and dark valleys. Only the most adventurous of residents in the surrounding area ventured out into the mountains. Other than that, the rugged landscape and intricate paths of the valley was like a maze to tourists and, from what she heard, the sunset at mountain's peak was a view that even expert climbers had died to see. Except for the occasional visit to the market with her parents as a child, she'd pretty much kept to the city.

  She glanced out of the tinted window at the fields of sunflowers. When Trina was just a young girl, her parent's would plan picnics—family time was what Mom had called it. Those times had been all about devoting time to each other, telling stories, enjoying food, and capturing moments. Tiffany Daniels had been a pro at capturing those memories through her love of photography. Her late mother had been talented in many other ways, but the photos she took in the years prior to the car accident displayed only one of her many skills. Venturing to the countryside again brought back vivid memories from Trina's carefree youth.

  The car veered right down a paved, wooded path. Much like the rest of this town the neighborhood was secluded between thickets of leafy cedar trees with murky gray moss overhanging the branches. Brick mailboxes lined the narrow road, spaced hundreds of yards apart. Back in her little homely subdivision, she was used to homes being only dozens of feet apart, and instead of sitting on acres and acres of land, they sat on mere lots. Where she grew up, everyone was literally in each other's backyards. Her time in Manhattan following graduation had been no different, except she lived in a high-rise condo instead. So Trina was used to her city roots, not the rich seclusion afforded by the town of Aspen Valley.

  The driver turned on a cobblestone path and stopped right in front of wrought iron gates and a stone wall. The gates swung open only moments after the car came to a complete stop.

  A massive two-story brick home came into view as the driver maneuvered through the gates. The landscaping and lavish center garden caught her attention first. Red rose vines trailed along the brick encasing and up the trellis in the center.

  The car came to a halt beside a silver motorcycle with a helmet lying atop the leather seat. There was a three-car garage attached to the home, but no other cars outside. From what she understood, the bachelor lived almost entirely by himself.

  Apparently she'd answered the questions to the bachelor's liking, because that same afternoon Trina received the return phone call asking her to come out to his home that evening. Now it was her turn to do some evaluating—in person.

  The back door of the Royce opened before she could collect any more thoughts and she was led up the brick path. The driver gave a curt nod and rang the doorbell. "It was my pleasure. Enjoy your evening." Without further words, he started back off toward the car.

  The lock turned on the other side of the door. The hinges creaked slightly as it was pulled open slowly.

  When a darkened figured filled the doorframe, something awakened within Trina and a strong surge of passion coiled within her body. Her breath caught in her chest and her subconscious clouded her with instant recognition. She clutched her purse to her side and trailed her gaze up to meet smoky gray eyes—eyes that belonged to the same dark stranger who'd rescued her from being held at gunpoint.

  Although they were standing a good two feet apart from each other with only the threshold separating them, she could smell his spicy cologne. Like the other night, he didn't wear a smile but he had the most perfect set of lips and a hardened jaw line.

  "Trina Angelique Daniels." His eyes seemed to shift back and forth across her, assessing her. "Finally, I've got your name."

  "You?" The word barely escaped her lips, and it was all she could manage in her state of shock. Was she in her right mind? Had she been dropped off at the right place?

  "Third time's a charm, huh?"

  He grinned, showing two rows of pearly whites.

  Most of her apprehension left her as the corners of his eyes turned up and gold danced around his irises.

  She
shook her head. "Third?"

  "Let's see." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "You brought me a drink then slapped me when I tried to come talk to you. You attracted a crazed gunman to take you hostage. You responded to my ad and…now you're here."

  From the looks of things, this man had some clout in this community. The size and workmanship of the home, his bachelor status, how he'd arranged the impromptu meeting after having his secretary grill her like a criminal prosecutor, and the circumstances under which she was here confirmed that he had more money than what he knew what to do with. And not to mention, how freely he'd paid off her medical bills from the night of the attack. But all she could think about was his candid attitude, but if it hadn't been for him she might have been dead. How could she honestly call this man some kind of sexual pervert when she really had been aroused that night?

  "Your secretary wouldn't give your name," she said. "Even after I gave her mine."

  "Dane Magnus." He held out his hand palm up. "Come inside."

  "Dane…?" Trina contemplated about why his name rang a bell. The medics and authorities hadn't given her any leads about the man who saved her life even when she made them aware that it was only to thank him for his bravery and generosity.

  "Speaking of…thank you." She still hadn't accepted his hand and invite into his home. "For everything you did, at the nightclub…and at the hospital. I really needed that and I appreciate it."

  "I'm glad you're alright. Why don't you come inside?"

  So there…she'd surprisingly found her shifting savior and thanked him. She smoothed her palms down the sides of her skirt. "I'm still thinking about this."

  "Shouldn't you have thought about this hours earlier…before coming out?" He tossed his chin outward. "The driver's gone. And he won't be returning anytime soon."

  "There's always a cab."

  "You've come out this far and you're nearly thirty miles away from your hometown of Cross City. Why turn back now? Are you having second thoughts?"

  "Not really." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Did you know I was the woman from the nightclub before you asked that I come out here?"

  "No, let's just say that this is quite the coincidence. I mean, I put the flyers up at LIVE, but I had no idea that a woman like you would even be interested in such a thing. Now I understand why I couldn't find you on my own. You're not from Aspen Valley."

  She shook her head. "No, I'm not. Like you mentioned earlier, my hometown is Cross City."

  "After that night and when I couldn't find you, I wondered what a nice girl like yourself would be doing working as a call girl at LIVE nightclub."

  Trina bit the insides of her bottom lip. He thought she was a call girl. He certainly did look like the type to have a few—a lot—of women up his sleeve to choose from. Why would he even need to place an ad? With his good looks he could have scored a woman right off the street? After all, she had found the ad stuck on a billboard inside a nightclub filled with call girls, and she hadn't been the first one to take a card either. Her focus roamed uneasily over him. His seductive gaze nearly ate her up. He really thought she was a call girl.

  "You called me a whore the other night, not a call girl," she reminded him.

  He narrowed his gaze. "I never called you a whore. I said you didn't look like a whore to me."

  "Responding to this ad is a risk onto itself, is it not? Plus, call girls can also be nice girls," she said.

  He lifted a brow. "Oh really? Was it nice to have slapped me? I could have pressed assault charges you know?"

  Her mouth dropped in shock. "Are you serious? You approached me."

  He scratched his head. "I'm attracted to you. I am what I am, and I smelled every bit of your delicious arousal. Maybe I'm confused, but that appears to be mutual grounds to approach you. I wanted to help you with your needs."

  "I might have been aroused, but I never said I was in need."

  "You didn't have to say anything." He grinned and assessed her up and down slowly. "Your beautiful body shows and tells."

  She swallowed and shifted her weight from one foot to the other, and tried to think of something other than the lure of this man. She raked her gaze over his body. One thing was certain, the last thing she wanted to do was leave.

  "I'm here to talk business," she said.

  "We can talk inside." He stepped aside, allowing her ample space to come inside. "I will lay out the risks involved and the measures that I have in place to ensure protection during the arrangement should you move forward. As far as the compensation you will receive for your time, that will include what we decide here in addition what you paid yourself in salary at the dry cleaners down in Cross City."

  He was right. She'd gone through too much trouble to ensure the business was operated while she was here and also to make sure her father was well taken care of in her short absence while she met with him.

  "Wait…how do you know I work at a dry cleaners in Cross City?"

  Dane's smile widened. "I needed to know a bit more about the woman who wants to take me up on my offer, so I took your background check into my own hands. Didn't you agree to this."

  Trina rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. "Hmm. I didn't know shifters were so nosy and enjoyed spying. Your phone secretary asked enough questions. What more would you want to know?"

  His gaze dropped to her breasts. She face heated and she dropped her arms to her sides.

  He lifted an eyebrow. "Beautiful. Hellfire attitude. Smart with a Ph.D. Takes risks. What else have you got up your skirt?"

  Trina's mouth dropped open, shocked at his candor. "Are you always this candid?"

  "My attitude changes depending on the situation." His voice was laced with a wicked suggestion. "I can be as candid or as suave as you need me to be."

  She took in Dane Magnus's disheveled appearance once again. He was testosterone, muscle, animalistic energy, and sexual magnetism all rolled up into one. He stood in the doorway with a cool, calm, and collected demeanor that rolled off him in waves. He was dressed down in a button-down collared shirt, fitted jeans, and worn work boots. The muscles corded on his forearm as he kept them folded over his chest. Her gaze roamed over his stature, landing on the fly of his jeans. The bulge pushing from behind the front of his jeans was either the evidence of an extremely erect shaft or some overly large equipment.

  She swallowed hard, feeling the lump of embarrassment rising in her throat. Heat warmed her core and between her legs. She tore her gaze away from his package.

  "Likes to explore…" he teased, meeting her gaze. "You and I will get along just fine with the right kind of taming."

  Shit! Wolf shifters had a good sense of smell and could detect most emotions through it and this one advantage for him could prove to be a disadvantage for her.

  "Whose taming are you referring to?" she asked.

  "Yours." He lifted her hand and pressed her palm against his cheek right where she had slapped him. "We have unfinished business, kitten. I'd like to settle that before we get distracted with something new."

  Trina's blood ran hot with desire the instant she locked gazes with him. Her pussy pulsed and her panties were damp with the evidence of her need. To make matters much better, Dane pressed his steely length against her. He was rock hard and thick against her belly.

  Fuck, she wanted…

  She needed sex with a real man. It had seemed like ages since a cock had filled her up. What she liked about Dane Magnus was that the arrangement was to be no-strings-attached from the beginning. She didn't have to worry about some man telling her how to live her entire life.

  But Dane Magnus was no human. He was shifter. Different from any man. All she knew was that he wanted a six-week marriage on paper in exchange for the cash she desperately needed. But he also had an hard cock that she desperately wanted.

  At this moment, she wanted to quell this blatant hunger. Risks be damned.

  "Is settling our unfinished business part of th
e interview process? If so…I'm wet right now, Dane."

  The growl that escaped his throat next was that of an animal. Her nipples perked in sexual delight. He crushed his lips to hers without hesitation. His mouth was soft and his tongue hot and roving against hers. They kissed hot and heavy like two lovers who'd been away for a long time.

  "You're sweeter than I thought." He panted against her mouth. "I tend to stay far away from nice girls. I'm a very bad influence on them. I don't know how gentle I can be."

  "Then don't be." She kissed him back, tasting pure, raw male.

  Dane slammed the door shut, hoisted her up in his big arms, and sailed across the room with her. He set her down on the floor and the back of her thighs hit a chaise lounge. He took her mouth again full force, but his tongue was gentle as it roamed across the seam of her lips to gain entry. She opened to him without a beat.

  "Don't you have a bedroom or three up there that we can do this in?" she panted.

  "They are for sleeping." He kissed her cheek and jawline. "Having second thoughts? Say the word and I'll stop now."

  "We might as well get this out of our systems." She grabbed him tightly on the forearms and lifted her chin higher to allow him to further explore.

  "Out of our systems?" His tongue roved hot across her neck. "Once I'm in your system, kitten, you'll have a hard time with wanting to keep me out of it."

  His kisses were firm against her heated skin. All she could do was relinquish her body and succumb to the surreal feelings running up and down her spine.

  "Is it because…you're a shifter?"

  "Partly so." Dane slid his hand up her back and ran his fingers through her hair. He pressed his lips against her sensitive earlobes. "When I fuck a woman, I imprint on her. The coupling and exchange almost always leads to her feigning for more. Once my impression and scent leaves the woman, she's no longer affected. Until then, her body is mine."

  "How long does the imprint last?"

  "About a week. Longer, deepening on how frequent the sex occurs."