by Rayna Tyler
“Oh, you mean that your father is staying at the lodge and plans to attend the wedding?”
“How did you find out?” Berkley asked.
“Mandy was worried about Nick and called last night to talk,” Marjorie said.
“And you’re okay with him being here?”
“I’m not thrilled, but it’s not going to ruin my visit.”
“Are you sure?” Berkley looked like she had her doubts.
“Don’t worry. Your father might have been a terrible spouse, but we still know how to be civil to each other.” Marjorie draped an arm over each of our shoulders. “Now let’s go see what else needs to be done for the wedding.”
REESE
“Where’s Clayton?” my mother asked when I took a seat next to her at the table in the employees’ kitchen. She wasn’t a vindictive person, wasn’t prone to exacting revenge, but the glint in her dark eyes made me wonder if her inquiry included some retribution for the past offenses my father had committed.
I’d promised Berkley I would do everything possible to keep my parents apart for the next few days, and I’d meant it.
“I thought it would be better if he ate in the restaurant.” During the short time I’d been in the kitchen talking to the cook, my father had befriended some guests who were part of a bus tour, and they’d invited him to join them for dinner. As long as whatever my father did kept him out of trouble and away from my mother, I wasn’t going to complain.
After spending the entire day with my father, my penance for not telling Berkley about his visit, I needed a break. Nick hadn’t been happy with me either, but at least he wouldn’t hold a grudge, not like our sister. There was no such thing as quality time with my father, not when a drive around the property included an extensive update on the construction, the cost involved, and the financial worth of my siblings and me.
He’d asked probing questions, questions outside my comfort level. If my father and I had a better relationship, one built on trust, I’d have been inclined to answer them fully. Instead, I’d avoided most of them by changing the subject.
He’d been impressed with the renovations and changes we’d made since the last time he’d been here, which, if I remembered right, had been back when Berkley and I were teenagers. I had no idea why my deceased grandfather and his son never got along, but whatever the reason, it had resulted in my father being excluded from inheriting any portion of the resort.
By the time we’d returned to the lodge, the sun was setting and I was looking forward to spending some time relaxing with the other members of my family. Most of all, I wanted to see Jac. With our mating status unsettled, my wolf had been agitated all day. He was riding me hard to find her, to be close to her, to claim her.
I’d taken one look at Berkley and known she’d had a similarly exhausting day with my mother. Besides everything she did to help me run the resort, she’d been working hard to get everything ready for the wedding tomorrow. I’d insisted she take the night off from cooking. Instead of arguing as I’d expected, she gave me a grateful smile. We kept the restaurant in the lodge open longer on Friday and Saturday evenings, so I kept things simple and ordered everyone a burger-and-fries platter from the kitchen.
Our group consisted of my mother, my siblings, their mates, and myself. Bryson and Leah had also been invited to stay at the lodge since they would be helping with final preparations in the morning, but they’d decided to eat in their room. No surprise there. They were newly mated and had a tendency to spend their time with each other.
Thinking about mates reminded me that mine hadn’t made an appearance. “Where’s Jac? Isn’t she joining us?”
“She said she hasn’t been sleeping well and had a headache.” Berkley snatched a fry off Preston’s plate, earning her a growl.
“Is she all right?” Every protective instinct I possessed was screaming that I should check on her. It didn’t matter that Jac had refused to accept me—the need to protect, comfort, and see to her needs was overwhelming.
“I told her she needed to go lie down for a while,” my mother added. “I’m sure she’ll join us later when she’s feeling better.”
“You could always go check on her if you’re worried.” Berkley slapped Preston’s hand when he retaliated by stealing some of her fries.
“I think I will.” I grabbed a bottled water out of the refrigerator, along with her untouched plate, and headed out of the kitchen.
When I reached her room, I listened outside her door, then knocked when I didn’t hear anything. “Jac, it’s Reese. I brought you something to eat.”
No answer, no noise, no nothing.
What if she was hurt and couldn’t answer? She’d been adamant about us not being together. What if she’d packed her things and left? My gut clenched, and I rapped hard three more times without getting an answer.
Berkley, Nick, and I had a set of master keys for all the rooms. After setting the plate and the bottle on the floor, I unlocked the door and stepped inside. With my enhanced vision, it didn’t take long for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Her bed was empty, her bathroom door open, the room dark.
I flipped the light switch on the main wall. Her belongings were strewn around the room pretty much the way they’d been the day before. Seeing she hadn’t left eased the pressure in my chest.
I was halfway across the room to check the patio for clothes, to see if she’d gone for a run, when I realized her camera bag was missing. I knew exactly what she was doing and where she’d gone. “Damn it, Jac,” I growled and wrenched open the patio door. I jumped off the deck and headed into the forest, torn between draping her over my knees to give her one hell of a spanking or torturing her with kisses for making me worry.
Chapter Twelve
JAC
The headache excuse I’d given Berkley had seemed believable. By the time everyone was done eating, I’d hoped it would be late. With any luck, they’d assume I’d fallen asleep and wouldn’t bother checking on me. I’d found the perfect hiding spot in a tree with thick branches and plenty of leaves, to observe the construction site without being seen. If this was an inside job as Berkley and her brothers suspected, then whoever was behind the thefts would know that everyone would be preoccupied with tomorrow’s wedding.
They might also know there was a security guard posted not far from the site where the new lumber had been delivered. It only made sense the next place they’d hit would be the one Bryson said hadn’t been vandalized yet, the one with random patrols.
On the other side of the clearing was a padlocked storage shed containing equipment. I didn’t know if the items inside were as valuable as the lumber, but I’d hoped it had enough appeal to attract the thieves. The visibility provided by the two generator-powered lights sitting nearby wasn’t ideal, but I’d be able to get some decent shots with my long-range lens.
Even if I was wrong, a night in the woods sleeping in a tree would be more relaxing than spending a frustrating night fantasizing about Reese. At least that was what I thought until I heard growling. Not the low, nonthreatening growl of a nocturnal creature, but the loud, territorial growl of an irate wolf. I leaned to the side and found Reese standing at the base of the tree, hands on his hips, glaring up at me.
“I thought I told you not to get involved, that this is too dangerous.”
All shifters were hardwired with the need to protect their mates. Dominant males were the worst. I should have known when I didn’t show up for dinner with his family that he’d come looking for me. “And I clearly remember telling you I didn’t take orders from anyone, not even you. Besides, I wasn’t foolish enough to come out here without telling someone first.” Since cell phone coverage in the area wasn’t reliable, Bryson made me take a handheld radio with me in case I needed help.
“Who did you tell?” He fisted his hands against his thighs, appearing as if he wanted to strangle someone.
I was obviously at the top of his list, which was why I refused to leave the tree.
“It doesn’t matter.” Reese started listing the names of everyone he could think of while scrutinizing my face for a reaction. You’d think with all the interrogations my father had put me through, I’d be better at masking my emotions. When he got to Bryson, I couldn’t stop myself from flinching.
“Bryson knew you were coming out here, alone,” he snarled, then muttered a few words I couldn’t understand. He rubbed the back of his neck and started pacing.
“Not exactly.”
He stopped moving and was back to glaring at me. “What do you mean not exactly?”
“In Bryson’s defense, I may have insinuated you were coming with me, so don’t you dare yell at him, fire him, or do anything else to him.” I knew Bryson planned to spend the night in his room with Leah, so he’d have no reason to check on me, not if he thought I was with Reese. I’d hoped to get the pictures I needed, then get back to my room before anyone knew I’d been gone.
“If I promise not to reprimand Bryson, will you come down?” he asked.
As far as I knew, Reese was an honorable male. If he agreed to my wishes out loud, then I felt confident he wouldn’t go back on his word. “Or fire him.”
“Fine. I won’t yell at, maim, or throttle him. And he can keep his job.” He’d softened his tone. “Now will you get out of that tree?”
“Uh. No. Not until I get pictures of the thieves, which isn’t going to happen with you down there yelling at me.” I smirked. “Why don’t you go back to the lodge, and I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
“Like hell.” He grabbed the first sturdy branch he could reach.
So not good. “What do you think you’re doing?” I pulled my legs up onto the branch and squatted, then glanced around for a way to escape. Wolves were great on the ground, had no problem making large jumps and leaps. My cat had more flexibility and could easily move from one tree to another.
“There’s no way I’m letting you stay out here by yourself.” He continued climbing until he’d reached my branch.
Luckily, the one I’d chosen was sturdy enough to hold our combined weight. I put some distance between us and waited to see what he’d do. He straddled the branch, then used the trunk to brace his back.
“We might as well get comfortable.” He smiled and held out his hand, motioning for me to sit in front of him.
Bad idea. “I’m fine over here.” We weren’t even touching, and my cat was purring and kneading her paws, happy to be near him.
“It could be a long night. What happens if you get tired and go to sleep? The way you’re sitting, you’ll end up falling out of the tree.”
I rolled my eyes. “You do know when cats fall, they land on their feet, right?” I’d never told anyone that during my first few shifts I’d landed on my ass and ended up with bruises that made sitting unpleasant. It wasn’t something I planned to start sharing now.
“I’m aware.” He grinned and patted his thigh. “Come on, I’ll even let you use me as a pillow.”
It was still a bad idea, but leaning against his firm chest would be more comfortable than spending hours crouching on the branch next to him. “I want you to know I’m doing this against my better judgment.” I looped the strap of my camera around my neck, then crawled along the branch and situated myself in front of him.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. I glared at him over my shoulder and gave him a silent warning to behave himself.
“What?” He feigned innocence. “I have to put them somewhere.”
REESE
I ignored the rough edges of the tree trunk digging into my back. I’d spend the night sleeping on jagged rocks if it meant having more time with Jac. I kept my triumphant grin to myself after she relented and allowed me to keep my arms wrapped around her. If she’d noticed the erection I was sporting, the one pressing along her spine, she kept it to herself.
“Shouldn’t you be back at the lodge refereeing your parents or something?” she asked.
“They’ll be fine. My mother’s with Berkley and my father is off doing other things.” I hoped those other things didn’t include him being unfaithful to Katie. “I’d rather spend time with you.” I expected her to tense up and try to wiggle out of my grasp, but she surprised me by relaxing against me.
“Oh yeah, I can see where spending the night with bark poking you in the ass would be a lot of fun.” She removed her camera from around her neck. After aiming it at various spots on the site, she made some adjustments, then held it in her lap.
I’d been contemplating the reasons she’d given me for refusing to be my mate. They’d seemed vague, and now that we were alone, I hoped to get some clarification. “Is there a reason you dislike anyone associated with the military?” When she stiffened, I was afraid I’d said the wrong thing, that she’d pull away. “I know it’s none of my business, and you don’t have to answer unless you want to.”
She paused for several moments before speaking. “I spent too many years trying to earn my father’s approval.” She nervously twisted the strap on her camera. “Everything from learning how to shoot a variety of weapons to taking survival training.”
“Are you talking about the courses where you’re left in the middle of nowhere and then expected to survive off the land?” Those courses were tough, and I was impressed.
“No, my father wanted a son, so he tried to turn me into a soldier. He sent me to a special shifter camp where they teach you to be part of a team and you learn how to blend in with your surroundings.”
“Did you make it all the way through?” I’d heard about the camp. Those who signed up were mostly male and, by nature, would have made it difficult for a female. The training was tough and hard-core, not something I envisioned Jac signing up for, let alone being forced to endure.
“Of course. Doesn’t everyone want to have being able to capture an opponent’s flag on their résumé?”
It hadn’t escaped me that she used sarcastic humor as a defense mechanism. No wonder she didn’t want to have anything to do with me. I was ex-military, a reminder of things from her past that she wanted to avoid. “Jac, I’m...” Sorry and would like to hurt your father for what he put you through.
“It’s okay.” She straightened, her attention trained on the opposite side of the clearing. “Did you hear that?”
I strained to listen, to find the source of the noise, then heard a rumble. “Truck engine.”
“I knew it.” She bobbed her head proudly.
A few seconds later, the bright beam from the headlights splashed across the area as the vehicle came into view. The driver parked at an angle, which prevented me from getting a good look at the license plate. Two men dressed entirely in black and wearing ski masks got out of the truck. The man who exited on the passenger side was carrying a large bolt cutter and headed straight for the storage shed. The other moved to the rear of the truck and lowered the tailgate.
“You don’t have any security cameras out here, do you?” Jac asked.
“No, why?”
“Don’t you think it’s strange they’re wearing masks in the middle of the night?” She swung her legs so they hung off the same side of the branch.
“It’s possible they work on one of the sites and didn’t want to be recognized if one of my security guys caught them.”
“Good point.” She held up her camera and aimed. “I know I said I was only going to take pictures, but now that you’re here, shouldn’t we do something?” She snapped a couple of shots.
I placed my hand on her thigh. “No, we’re going to stay right here until they leave.”
She narrowed her eyes and frowned. “You’re okay with just sitting here and letting them steal your property?”
“Yes, because I’m not willing to risk either of us getting shot.” I didn’t want her anywhere near the males and neither did my wolf.
“But they’re not armed, and if we can’t see their faces, these pictures aren’t going to do much good,” she argued.
; If I’d been alone, my answer about just sitting here would’ve been no. Being a shifter with military training gave me an advantage. Even if the males had been carrying weapons, I could easily overpower them. At the moment, keeping Jac safe was my priority. I didn’t have to ask her to know she wouldn’t stay hidden in the tree and let me take care of the males.
“Doesn’t matter. Some of the people who live on the mountain like to hunt, and there’s a good chance they have weapons inside the truck.” I had no way of knowing if these two males, wolf shifters if I was scenting correctly, resided anywhere near the resort. I wasn’t going to put Jac’s life in jeopardy if I was right.
“Sorry, but I’m not a sit-back-and-do-nothing kind of girl.” She elbowed me in the ribs hard enough to make me loosen my grip on her leg. She pushed away from me, and in the sleekest move I’d ever seen a female make, she looped the strap of her camera on one of the smaller branches above our heads, then sprang to the next tree, her movement silent, graceful, precise.
“Damn stubborn female,” I snarled under my breath. Surely she had to know this was dangerous, and it sure as hell wasn’t the same as trying to capture another team’s flag.
She had the audacity to stop and wink at me before leaping to the next tree. I wasn’t going to let her face the males alone. I pushed aside my anger and quickly formulated a plan. Wolves weren’t designed to play in the trees; we were better on the ground. I shoved away from the branch and landed easily on my feet without making a sound. Staying in the shadows, I used the trees for cover, then raced to the other side of the clearing, hoping I’d get there before she did.
JAC
The furrowed brows and the hard line along Reese’s jaw had me convinced he was ready to strangle me. I probably shouldn’t have winked, but I couldn’t help myself. I knew his anger stemmed from his wolf’s need to protect me. What I wanted—no, needed—was his human side to understand I wasn’t a fragile female and could take care of myself. Mostly, I wanted him to know I had an independent nature and needed him to support me, not try to control me.