by BJ Wane
Tossing down the phone, Roz pushed to her feet and retrieved her one bottle of liquor from a kitchen cabinet. Aged scotch was her only alcoholic vice, and she saved it for special occasions, or stressful moments like now. Tossing down a fourth of a glass, she relished the smooth burn and warm rush that helped chase away the chill of Patty’s threats. She shouldn’t let the bitter woman get to her but couldn’t help worrying. With money came friends in high places who held power she possessed no means to fight.
With a wave of self-pity she rarely let herself feel, Roz pulled her bucket list from her purse and chose what to aim for next. Apparently, wishing things had gone differently with Dean was as futile as hoping Drake would reciprocate her interest in a short affair.
****
Patricia Cunningham handed the phone to her ally with a tight smile. “Thanks, Agnes.” Without another word, she spun around and stormed into her son’s convalescent room, sending her brother a glacial look. “I’ve had it with that woman.”
Richard looked up from his phone, raising a brow. “I’ll assume you’re speaking of your ex daughter-in-law. Have you found her, then?”
“No, she called. I figured she would stick to her monthly check-in, no matter where she went.” Moving to Dean’s bedside, she stroked one hand down his arm. “As if that could make up for what she’s done,” she murmured, her throat going tight as she took in her only child’s depleted body, the feeding tube the only thing standing between him and death.
Rising from the chair by the window, Richard joined her on the other side of the bed, his eyes reflecting the same sorrow and frustration as Patricia felt every time she visited.
“My offer stands, Patricia. I have a few guys I can pick from who can track her down. At least then we’ll be able to send the authorities after her without delay if you succeed in getting charges filed.”
Her shoulders slumped as she thought of her last talk with her long-time friend, Judge Peter Mathis. “Peter still says there’s no evidence her version is false. He dared to suggest considering involuntary manslaughter if…” Her voice caught as she lifted her gaze to Richard. “If Dean dies.”
“Isn’t he already the same as dead?” he returned with soft compassion and regret. “Look at him. there’s been no change in a year, nothing. Breathing isn’t living.”
Patricia’s shoulders went straight, her spine stiffening as she snapped, “I’m well aware of that. Why do you think this hurts so much, pisses me off to the extent I’m obsessed with seeing her pay, and I don’t care how?”
“I’m with you there. Since we’re on the same page, I also know a person or two who can make her life miserable. Will that help you cope for now?”
A satisfied smile curled her lips, and a thrill shot through her from just thinking of Roz suffering in any way. “I always knew you had resources on the dark side, brother. Some of our business deals came about a little too easily. Hire someone you trust implicitly. Money’s no object.”
With a nod, he turned toward the door. “I’ll set something up, but it’s only harassment. Anything else would get too dicey for us.”
“It’s better than nothing,” Patricia murmured as Richard walked out. Leaning down, she kissed Dean’s sunken cheek then ran her fingers through his hair. “Find peace however you have to, sweetie. Mother will take care of everything else.”
****
Now what? Drake reined in Major as they approached the cluster of large barns that housed their livestock and feed. The large black-and-gray Morgan obeyed on command but tossed his head, indicating he wasn’t happy about having his run cut short. The two of them had spent the day riding fences, marking repairs while keeping an eye out for three cattle separated from the herd in the north pasture. The fall chill didn’t bother him near as much as his inability to keep his thoughts of one quirky, blue-eyed brunette from intruding into his head all day. The memory of her soft ass reddening under his hand, her damp response, low moans, and shifting hips kept him uncomfortable all day sporting a semi-erection.
Seeing Gibbons, a ranger from Wildlife and Parks, talking to Gavin and Cody meant there was news on the puma that had been stalking cattle up and down the valley for months, but he knew better than to hope it was good news.
“Damn cat,” he muttered, taking his time crossing the field to join them. Their efforts to track the cougar had failed at every turn, costing them and other ranchers several head. Between his inability to forget about Roz and his frustration with the elusive cattle stalker, his mood continued on a downhill spiral. It would be nice if the ranger were here with good news, but Drake wasn’t counting on it.
He rode Major into the corral, dismounted, and removed his lead before joining his brothers in front of the largest barn. Tipping his hat down, he ignored Gavin’s censoring look.
“Gibbons. I don’t suppose you’re here to tell us you’ve killed the son of a bitch.”
“Wish that were so, Drake,” he replied with a shake of his head. “He hit Emmett’s sheep ranch last night and found them easier prey. It’s obvious he’s diseased, but even so, I’ve never known one this wily.”
Drake and his brothers suspected the cat could scent their wolves, and that aided in his elusive escapes, but failed to deter him from returning to stalk their cattle.
“Emmett’s is a ways from us. Maybe he’s finally establishing a new territory. Not that we won’t continue to help track him,” Cody said.
Gibbons nodded, opening his SUV door. “Thanks guys. I’ll let you know if our scouts have any luck. Have a good weekend.”
As soon as the ranger drove off, Gavin turned to Drake. “From the look on your face, I’m guessing your mood hasn’t improved from yesterday.”
Drake shrugged then sighed with regret, running a hand behind his neck. He didn’t mean to worry his family, but the battle to keep his distance from his mate was harder than he’d ever imagined.
“Sorry. I’m fine, just have a lot on my mind.”
With a wry grin, Cody slapped him on back. “Like the irresistible draw of finding your mate? Been there, done that, bro. We both know what you’re going through, so there’s no need to try and hide your struggle.”
Drake glared at Cody. “A warning would have been nice.”
“Putting up with our moodiness for a year wasn’t enough of a clue?” Gavin drawled.
A clue? Yes. But not enough to reveal the need that went bone deep. Nothing could have prepared him for that, he concluded, and it scared him how fast she had disrupted his well-laid-out plans to stay clear of his chosen significant other. His strong willpower, backed by the solid reasoning of fearing another loss of control, seemed to have deserted him the moment he had clapped eyes on Roz. His continued nightmares made that unacceptable.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not cut out for a committed relationship, and an affair would only cause her heartbreak when it ended.”
His chest tightened as he imagined causing Roz pain, emotional or otherwise. He couldn’t do it, couldn’t risk getting involved, letting her become the air he needed to breathe. His brothers did nothing to hide their feelings for Aislyn and Olivia, neither their possessiveness nor the fact the girls were everything to them. Just seeing Roz’s damaged arm, knowing someone had deliberately hurt her, had sent his rage bubbling to the surface after years of successfully suppressing it when confronted with an injustice to a person or animal. She’d worn long sleeves around him since that first night, but out of sight didn’t mean out of mind.
Gavin grunted, flicking him a glance of disbelief as he started toward his truck. “One of these days, that hard head of yours is going to cost you. See you tonight.”
Drake frowned, looking at Cody. “Tonight?”
“The club? Jesse is still out of town, and I let Alex go last week. Remember?”
“Now I do.” Alex, their bouncer, had been given second and third chances to take his job seriously, but he’d continued to spend more time chasing women than monitoring the safety of their
patrons. “Our cousins need to get their butts home where they belong.” He didn’t want to go out tonight, sure as hell wasn’t in the mood to socialize, and couldn’t risk seeing Roz again yet. Not until he figured out what to do about her.
“They’ll return next week. Go home and chill, have a stiff drink. Whatever works. Later.”
Whatever worked would be having a past that didn’t haunt him, Drake thought as Cody got in his truck and took off for his place. After retrieving Major from the corral, he mounted and nudged the stallion into a brisk run, the rigorous ride and slap of cold air against his face sending his pulse racing as he fought his demons.
Drake hadn’t argued with the military shrinks when they’d diagnosed him with PTSD—duh, he figured that one out all by himself. Just as he hadn’t needed anyone to tell him it was the pain, humiliation, and finally, the threats to his family that drove him to lose control and took him to the edge of madness. His brothers and his parents knew he’d unleashed his wolf on his captors. None of them condemned him for crossing that line, then again, that was all they knew.
He was the only one who had to live with the full truth, the one thing he’d kept to himself all these years, and that prevented him from finding peace of mind. The surprise of his transformation had shocked his captors, his wolf’s attack taking them down within moments, leaving them incapable of retaliation from a few non-life-threatening injuries. Drake could have reined in his animal, left his tormentors to their fate, and still escaped. No one would have believed a story of shifting—the Afghans had spent half the time he’d been with them drug-addled.
How many times had Drake used his fever-ridden brain as an excuse for acting as judge, jury, and executioner that day? It didn’t matter, he decided as he slowed Major to a trot and then a walk before riding him into the small stable. Until he found a way to atone for that sin and to set aside his fear and guilt, he would continue to wrestle with his conscience. He just hoped his mate wouldn’t drive him nuts in the meantime.
Roz crushed that hope as soon as he entered Puss ’N Boots an hour late, and his gaze was automatically drawn toward the dance floor. Pausing, he sucked in a painful breath, watching her gyrate her denim-encased hips against the groin of the tall cowboy holding her tight against him. Drake didn’t need to see under the lowered brim of the man’s Stetson to know he was leering down the scooped neckline of her lacy white top, or to get a closer look to make out the shape of her unfettered breasts and pert nipples. His laser-sharp vision was working just fine.
His wolf stirred with claw-digging aggression until Drake forced him down with a stern reprimand. Pivoting, he strode in the opposite direction, joining Gavin behind the bar.
“I’m late. Sue me,” he grumbled before his big brother could complain. “I don’t see Cody.”
“He’s giving last-minute instructions to the new guy he hired this evening. They’re over at the mechanical bull.” Gavin nodded toward the corner where a few people waited their turn to ride the fast-rolling contraption. “Relax. You’re fine. Unless there’s another reason your nose is out of joint. Like maybe your girl got tired of your surly attitude?”
“She’s not my girl.” Drake refused to follow Gavin’s look toward Roz.
Gavin laughed. “Then why did you glower as soon as you saw her?”
Instead of answering, he turned to Aislyn seated in front of them. “Do something with him.”
Giggling, she showed no sympathy for Drake’s displeasure. “He is impossible, but I like him that way. I also like Roz, just so you know.”
“I do, too, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to make a fool of myself over her.” Shrugging as if he didn’t care, he ignored the frissons of heat sparking across his skin and his tensed muscles from holding himself in check.
“Pursuing a relationship with your mate isn’t making a fool of yourself,” Gavin said, winking at Aislyn.
Leaning against the bar top, Drake folded his arms and rebuked his Alpha. “Have you forgotten our family history? If so, Mom and Dad will remind you next month when they come for Thanksgiving, once you and Cody finally get around to telling them about your engagements.”
Gavin’s green eyes lit with a warm glow as they rested on his fiancée. “It took me two years of misery to realize she was worth any risk.” He cut his gaze to Drake, his look troubled yet compassionate. “I had hoped neither you nor Cody would find yourselves burdened with that struggle. If we can work through it and come to the same conclusion, so can you, regardless of your PTSD issues, which neither of us takes lightly. You know that.”
“Yeah, I do know that.”
Unable to resist, Drake swung his gaze to Roz on the dance floor as Cody and Olivia joined them at the bar. She plastered those lush curves of hers against her partner, and it took every ounce of willpower to hold himself in check. But when she leaned up and drew the man’s head down to meet her lips, a dark wave of jealousy he couldn’t suppress propelled him to act.
“Hey, what’s up with you?” Cody snapped as he brushed by him without a word.
Ignoring his brother, and that inner voice cautioning him to think this through, he strode onto the dance floor, snatching Roz’s hand off the other man’s shoulder as she broke off their kiss. He shook with the effort to restrain himself, and to temper his tone as he addressed the man.
“Excuse us, please. I need a word with this patron.” Drake didn’t know him, but, from his quick nod and retreat, he guessed the other guy recognized him as one of the owners of the club. “Thank you.” At least acting civil hadn’t killed him.
Tipping his hat, her dance partner said, “Roz, come find me later,” before walking away.
Drake’s throat tightened to quash the growl rumbling inside his chest, the other man’s suggestive tone riling him almost as much as Roz’s reckless behavior. Didn’t she know the risks involved with coming on to men at a bar? Even in the dim lighting, he could see the now familiar shadow of desperation in her eyes when she nodded and watched the other man walk away. Whatever demons were pushing her couldn’t be worse than putting her trust in the wrong person. Her rash conduct, and whatever was prompting it, worried him as much as the gamble he was about to take.
Drake couldn’t keep up this tug-of-war between them. His volatile, possessive reaction forced him to admit defeat. Praying he wasn’t making a colossal mistake in more ways than one, he hauled her toward the stairs leading to their private office and occasional play space.
“Where are you hauling me?”
Ignoring her disgruntled tone, he didn’t turn around as he crossed the crowded room with her in tow. “Upstairs.”
“Why? What are you going to do?”
The breathless catch in her voice drew him around as they reached the hall leading to the restrooms and back staircase. The light of expectation in her eyes hinted she was more interested in what he had planned than in where.
“To give you another lesson in what you think you want.”
Her face flushed, her lips quirking with the spark of excitement lighting her eyes. “Oh, goody.”
I’m fucking screwed, Drake bemoaned, moving down the hall, heat licking at his cock and his heart thumping with a combination of agitation and too much eager expectation.
****
Gavin reached out and gripped Cody’s shoulder, halting his brother from going after Drake as they both eyed their younger sibling dragging Roz toward the stairs. The indecision and lust etched on Drake’s face was easy for them to detect with their enhanced canine vision, and drew Gavin’s concern also. But he had more confidence in Drake’s damaged psyche than Cody, and Roz was going with him of her own free will, wearing a look of eager expectation.
“Let him go. Do you honestly believe any of us is capable of harming our mate?”
“He thinks he is,” Cody returned, his blue eyes stormy with distress for their brother.
Gavin dropped his hand, shaking his head. “That’s a demon riding him that he has to conquer on his ow
n, even though I share your concern for his mental turmoil.”
Sometimes, his leadership as Alpha, even for such a small pack, weighed on Gavin’s shoulders, more so because all decisions involved a beloved family member. Aislyn reached across the bar and laid her hand on his forearm, the instant heat of her touch easing the clamp of his taut muscles. The understanding and support in her caramel gaze were all he needed to relax and shove aside his worries until, or unless, they came to fruition.
CHAPTER FIVE
Roz couldn’t believe the lightning bolt thrill that had hit her from Drake’s possessive, caveman tactics, especially after he’d made it clear he wasn’t interested in starting up anything between them. Her lackluster response to both the blond cowboy’s obvious interest and his kiss left her no choice but to heed the spike in her pulse and warmth filling her chest, and follow Drake upstairs. She could always soothe her feminine outrage by telling herself she at least knew his name, whereas her initial intention tonight was to assuage her hurt feelings and aching, needy body with an anonymous one-night hookup. Her dance partner hadn’t minded her suggestion; they didn’t need to reveal names to have fun together.
Given her susceptibility to Drake, she’d debated all day on coming out tonight, knowing he’d likely be here. She’d finally convinced herself setting aside her desire for one man would be as easy as putting mind over matter once she met someone new.
The instant surge of lust and up-kick of her heart rhythm as soon as he stormed over to her put an end to that belief. Now, with her eyes on his tight, denim-covered buttocks, and her mind awash with erotic possibilities, there was no turning away, even if she wanted to.
As soon as Drake tugged her into the upstairs office, he wasted no time rounding on her, pinning her against the closed door with his large body and intense, blue-green glare.
“Remember, you wanted this, asked for it, repeatedly,” he rasped, eyes dark with carnal promise.