by Sadie Carter
Yep, best she shut the door before she did just that.
As Laney swung the door shut, her gaze locked on his. He raised his eyebrows and gave her a smile.
When the door was closed, she turned the locks then leaned back against it, her legs trembling with a mix of adrenaline and heat.
“Oh God, what was I thinking?” She’d kissed him, let him come back to her apartment, answered questions about her pack. She ran her hand over her face. She could almost hear Reed warning her to be careful, to not trust anyone.
The urge to call her oldest brother flooded her. “I’m being silly. There’s no reason for him to stick around here.”
Unless he was here for her.
“Stupid. He’d have taken you already. Not like anyone could have stopped him.” She moved into the bathroom and quickly stripped. Normally, she’d take a long shower to relax her muscles after working, but tonight she hurried through.
She climbed out of the shower and quickly dried off. She pulled on her old, fluffy pajamas that had pictures of cows jumping over the moon on them. Crouching, she pulled out a box from under the bed. Inside was some cash, a small bag with a change of clothes, some protein bars, water, and a prepaid cell phone. It was her emergency stash in case she needed to make a run for it. Only her brothers had the phone number. Safer that way.
Her brothers might have made a deal with Zachary to leave her alone, but she didn’t trust him to keep to his word. It was safer for her to cut all ties to her old pack, even if she missed her brothers like crazy.
She dialed Reed’s number.
“Hello,” his voice barked into the phone immediately. He hardly slept so she knew he would still be awake.
“Hey, Reed,” she said quietly. She heard some rustling as he moved then the sound of running water to cover their conversation.
“Honey girl?”
His nickname for her brought tears flooding to her eyes, and she blinked them back rapidly.
“Yeah, it’s me. How are you?”
“I think that should be my question,” he replied dryly.
“Are you alone?”
“Uh-huh, but the walls could have ears.”
That was her big bro, as paranoid as ever. But seeing as that paranoia was keeping her safe, she’d go with it.
“Has something happened?”
“No. Just wanted to check in.”
He was silent, and she knew he had to be suspicious. She never called just to ‘check in’. They’d decided she would only call in an emergency.
“He hasn’t said anything about sending someone after me?” she finally asked. She didn’t want to freak him out, but she had to know.
“No, why? Is someone there? Who is it? What happened? Are you hurt? Do I need to come for you?”
She smiled at the rapid questions. “Reed. I’m okay. There’s just a dominant wolf in town. He’s not acting like he’s here for me, but I wanted to check with you.”
So maybe Reed wasn’t the only paranoid one in the family.
“You spoke to him?” he asked sharply.
“Yeah.”
“If he hasn’t grabbed you then he’s not there for you,” Reed said confidently. “He’d make a grab and run. He wouldn’t give you a chance to call me.”
That made sense. Relief filled her.
“You’re right. I was just being paranoid.”
“Paranoid is good. Paranoid will keep you safe. So will your pepper spray, Taser, and gun. You carrying them around with you?”
“Yes,” she lied. Reed had given her all three things to her when she’d left the pack, but she’d never been comfortable with the gun. It sat under a loose floorboard in the kitchen.
“I better go.” Now that Reed had put her mind at ease, she felt ridiculously worn out. She yawned. “Love you. Miss you.”
“Right back at ya. And baby girl, we’re getting you home. You just have to hold on a bit longer.”
She ended the call. By tomorrow morning, Cooper would be long gone, and she’d never see him again.
It was a good thing, she told herself.
Really.
Cooper sat staring at the apartment. What was wrong with him? He should just get on the highway and head on out of here. He hadn’t intended to stop in Addison, but something had tugged at him. Some instinct that told him he needed to come here. He had somewhere he urgently had to be, and yet here he sat, watching her apartment with a hard-on to rival all hard-ons.
Like a damn stalker.
His cock pressed against his tight jeans and he cupped it hard, trying to make himself more comfortable. Fuck! He’d never be able to sleep in this condition. He’d been hard since he first saw her, the tiny female werewolf with blonde hair and brown eyes.
It had to be just lust. He would fuck her and move on.
He glanced around the neighborhood with a frown. His highly-developed sight made it easy to spot the over-turned rubbish bins, the graffiti decorating the walls of the building she lived in. This area was run-down and he didn’t like her living here alone.
“You’ve got more important things to worry about than some sexy little blonde and where she lives. Get your head in the game,” he told himself before starting his truck and forcing himself to pull away.
But maybe it wouldn’t hurt to stay another day.
Chapter Three
Two dollars and a button? Really? Did people actually consider that a tip? She slid them into her pocket with a sigh. As she was turning away, she paused. The scent of cinnamon and smoke hit her and her insides tightened. Fuck.
“Do you ever get a day off, sweet?”
Laney turned to glare at the ridiculously hot male standing too close behind her. So close, she could feel the heat of his body against hers.
“Don’t you know not to sneak up on people?” she asked. “What are you doing here?”
“Now, if that’s the way you greet all your customers, you’re soon going to be out of business.”
“I’m an excellent waitress,” she said, a bit offended.
“Then aren’t you going to direct me to a seat?”
She gritted her teeth and headed towards Ella’s section. Reaching out, he grasped hold of her arm. Heat sizzled through her blood, and her breath caught.
“In your section, sweet. I want to experience these fine waitress skills you speak of.” He tapped her nose. “Now, that is not a pleasant face for a waitress to have. Try a smile instead of a scowl, it might earn you more tips.”
He glanced around the half-filled restaurant and bar. “Although, I doubt this lot would notice.”
One of the locals let out a loud belch and the others at his table followed with a laugh. She kind of saw his point.
“Here. I’ll get you a menu.”
She moved away before he could say anything and snatched a menu up, along with a pitcher of water.
“What’s he doing back here?” Ella scowled at Cooper.
She shrugged. “I dunno.” She hadn’t expected him to be back.
Ella sniffed. “Well, at least I don’t need to serve him. You need any help, just holler, and I’ll get Matt to have a word.”
Matt was the bartender. He was in his mid-forties but looked a decade older with a long, gray beard, a pot belly, and a pack and a half a day smoking habit. Cooper could take him with his eyes closed and one arm tied behind his back.
Yeah, she wouldn’t be calling on Matt.
“Umm, I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
She moved back to Cooper. He took the menu without looking at it. “I’ll have the steak, rare, fries, with a salad. What are you doing tomorrow?”
Laney was busy concentrating on his order and answered without thinking. “Nothing. It’s my day off.”
Drat. Why hadn’t she lied?
“Good,” he said with satisfaction. “We’re going on a picnic.”
“Oh, we are? You don’t think you should ask me first?”
“If I ask you might say no. I don’t want you to
say no.”
“Do you always get what you want?”
“Yes.” No hesitation. Just fact.
“I thought you were just stopping on your way through.”
“I was. But I’ve found myself distracted by the sights.”
She rolled her eyes. “Another of your wonderful pick-up lines.”
He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “Are they working yet?”
Actually, they kind of were. But she wasn’t going to tell him. Just like she wouldn’t tell him about the butterflies in her stomach, a mix of nerves and excitement. Or the way her wolf was pushing her, wanting her to say yes.
“We’ll see. I’ll put your order in.”
She let a grin slip out as she turned away. Maybe she could have a little fun. She couldn’t remember what fun felt like. That meant she was well overdue.
She served a few other customers then turned back to Cooper just as a few of the locals surrounded his table. Uh-oh. Most of the locals were pretty laid back and friendly, but like everywhere, there were a few bad eggs. And those bad eggs usually had friends to back them up.
“Didn’t we see you here last night?” She heard Fred Tanner ask. Fred had been born and raised in Addison. He worked as a supervisor on the local road crew and for some reason thought that made him a big player in town.
“You might have.”
“What are you doing back?” Tuck Lander, Fred’s long-time friend, asked.
Cooper shrugged and sat back, looking amused. “Liked the food. Like the company.” He gave her a pointed look.
She sighed as the other three men turned to look at her. Dave Mann, the youngest of the group, puffed his chest out. “He bothering you, Laney?”
Laney placed the menu down but held onto the water pitcher. It would make a good weapon.
Just in case.
She saw Cooper tense slightly out of the corner of her eye as she looked up at Dave and gave him a smile. “Nope, he’s a paying customer. It’s my job to look after him.”
“Yeah, and just how well did you look after him last night, princess?” Fred asked with a laugh. Tuck joined in, but Dave just frowned. She’d always known Dave had a bit of a crush on her, but he’d never made a move.
Cooper stood suddenly, and the three men grew quiet. She bit her lip. She needed to defuse this situation. And fast. Cooper’s patience was disappearing quickly.
“Jealous, Fred?” Ella asked, stepping up beside her. “We all know you’ve got a raging hard-on for Laney. It’s why he calls her princess,” she said to Cooper, seemingly putting aside her annoyance with him.
“She’s an ice princess,” Fred said with a glare at Laney. “Thinks she’s better than everyone else.”
Laney didn’t think that at all. She just didn’t want to sleep with the overweight asshole.
Ella snorted. “I don’t want to sleep with you either, Fred. See, Laney and I have this thing called standards.”
Fred took a step towards Ella and Cooper stepped smoothly in between them. “You don’t want to get any closer.”
Fred’s hands were clenched into fists. Laney’s breath caught in her chest. Damn it, why couldn’t she think of something to say to help? Ella had tried to help, in her own way. Unfortunately, she’d just made things worse.
“Something the matter here?”
Well, great. Just what the situation needed. Jimmy. The owner of Fat Eddy’s stepped forward, his hair slicked back into a ponytail, his chest puffed up like a rooster. He thought very highly of himself. And because this was a small town and he had a bit of money, people around here tended to follow his lead, feeding his already enormous ego.
“Yeah, this asshole is threatening me.” Fred pointed at Cooper.
“Only because Fred threatened Ella,” she spoke up. “And Fred, Tuck, and Dave approached Cooper first.”
“They’re being jerks, like usual,” Ella said.
Jimmy studied everyone, running his gaze over Cooper. He licked his lips nervously. Cooper was well-built and strong. If anyone here took him on, they would come out second best.
“You know him, Laney?”
“No. He was in here last night.”
“What you doing here, mister?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m passing through.”
“Then maybe you ought to just keep on going.”
Laney’s stomach tightened. It would be best for everyone if Cooper left. And yet, she wasn’t ready to say goodbye. What was wrong with her? All night, she’d dreamed of him. She kept waking with overwhelming need flooding her body. Then she’d finally get back to sleep only to have it happen all over again.
Eventually, she’d given up on sleep entirely. So, this afternoon she was tired, horny, and a bit grouchy.
A baaad combination.
Plus, she’d barely eaten. Never a good idea for a werewolf. They took ‘hangry’ to a whole other level.
Cooper crossed his arms over his chest, glaring down at Jimmy. “They need to apologize to Laney and Ella.”
She gave Cooper a look of amazement. Like that was ever going to happen.
Fred snorted. “Like hell.”
Cooper wrapped his hand in Fred’s shirt, tightening it around his throat until Fred’s eyes started to bug from his head. She grasped hold of Cooper’s arm, nervously looking around. If he started showing his true strength, people around here would get suspicious.
“Just go. Please.” She gave him a pleading look.
He stared at her for a long moment, ignoring Fred who was trying to frantically free himself. Giving him no more attention than one might a buzzing fly.
After a moment, he nodded and then let Fred go. Fred stumbled back, gasping for air.
“You need to get out of here before I call the cops,” Jimmy threatened, although he took a step back.
Cooper ignored him, turning to the other men. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten what you said. You give these women the respect they deserve, or I will find you and you’ll answer to me. Hear?”
Fred nodded, watching him warily.
Without a word to her, Cooper turned and left.
“Damn, that was so hot.” Ella fanned herself. “If he weren't gay I would totally chase him down and jump him.”
Laney just shook her head, lost for words. She should be glad he had left. It was for the best. A dominant werewolf hanging around could never be a good thing. He’d nearly strangled Fred, for God’s sake. She should be wary of him. Except, Fred was an asshole and Cooper had been defending her and Ella.
And he’d stopped when she’d asked him.
That showed he had good control. He hadn’t lost his temper. She’d lived with a dominant werewolf who couldn’t control his temper, and it had been hell on earth. She’d always had to be on her guard.
Regret filled her. Maybe she should have taken him up on his offer. There was nothing wrong with a bit of fun, right?
Too late now. He was long gone.
Chapter Four
Laney let out a yawn as she made her way out to her car. She came to a stop as she saw someone move beside her car. A sense of déjà vu moved through her, as well as a frisson of excitement.
He hadn’t left!
That excitement morphed into disappointment as the figure stepped under a streetlamp and his scent hit her. Instead of a mix of cinnamon and chocolate, she was assaulted by cheap aftershave and sweat.
“Dave. What are you doing out here?”
She watched him warily. There was an almost nervous air about him. Something not quite right.
“Did you sleep with him?”
“Pardon?” Had she heard him right? After Cooper had left, the rest of the night passed peacefully. Fred and Tuck had stuck around for a few hours, eating dinner before leaving. She’d thought Dave left with them. It had grown quiet, so Jimmy had told her to go home.
“Did you sleep with that steroid-loving dickhead?”
Ooh, someone was jealous of Cooper.
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“None of your business,” she told him. “Get out of my way.” She didn’t have the patience to handle Dave and his delusions tonight. She was tired, hungry, and horny.
Like she said before, it was a bad combination.
Dave took another step forward, his hands balling into fists, his face tense. “You’re mine.”
“Ahh, no, buddy. I’m not.” What the hell? She’d always thought he was one of the nicer locals. Quiet, a little strange, but always polite. And a good tipper.
“He had no right to touch you. Soil you.”
“Soil me?” Had he really just said that? She put her hands on her hips. “Nobody soils me without my permission.”
Umm, so that had sounded better in her head.
“No one has soiled me. And by the way, that’s disgusting.”
“You’re mine. Pure. Sweet.”
“Oh, dear Lord, he’s lost it,” she muttered to herself. Maybe she should have been nervous, alone out here with a man who had a good hundred pounds on her and whose elevator wasn’t reaching the top floor. But her wolf made her stronger than the average human. Not that she knew how to fight, but she had a few defensive moves. If she had to defend herself, she would.
Reaching into her bag, she clasped hold of her pepper spray.
“You’re coming with me. I’m going to cleanse you.”
She snorted. “Cleanse me? Jesus, you are living proof God has a sense of humor, that’s for sure.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you’re one of life’s special little snowflakes. Now, I’ll tell you what you’re going to do. You’re going to turn around, get in your car, and go home. I’m going to do the same, and we’ll forget any of this ever happened.”
Except, from now on, she was going to give him a wide berth. This whole being soiled and needing to be cleansed thing was just creepy.
“No! You are coming home with me.”
She nearly squealed as he charged towards her. Luckily her reflexes kicked in, and she raised the can of pepper spray, pressing down on the depressor. He roared as she sprayed it into his eyes, but like a bulldozer kept rolling forward. He grabbed hold of her arms in a crushing grip as tears streamed down his face.