by Cecilia Lane
“I want that man arrested,” Bentley announced.
Meghan followed where he pointed and gasped when she realized Bentley meant her rescuer. Her brain sputtered. The shifter was even more handsome in the light of day, even through the anger he directed at Bentley. His eyes were a dark, shining blue. She thought his hair was messy from his shift the night before but it just seemed to be the way he wore it.
“He nearly killed Meghan,” Bentley continued.
She blinked and rounded on her ex-fiancé. “What are you talking about?”
She couldn’t believe he was in Bearden, much less accusing somebody of trying to murder her. How he even knew she’d been attacked was a mystery. She made sure he wasn’t informed! And yet there he was, blaming the man who saved her.
Chief Hawkins pinched the bridge of his nose and eyed the staring crowd. More than a few whispered to one another. “Let’s handle this down at the station.”
“Perfect. Right where that animal belongs,” Bentley said. He latched his fingers painfully around her wrist again. “Get in the car, Meghan.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she snapped and snatched her hand away.
“I won’t have you carted away like some common criminal. Do you want that photo splashed all over the magazines?”
“I’ll drive her.”
The voice was so close. She expected to be him to be right behind her when she turned and was disappointed that he was still on the other side of Chief Hawkins’ cruiser.
“You will not,” Bentley growled. “You should be arrested right now.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” Judah interrupted. “As of this moment, no one is under arrest and the lady is capable of choosing how she precedes to the police station. May I suggest we wrap this up?”
Meghan shuffled away from Bentley. She glanced to Chief Hawkins and then beyond him to her rescuer. “I’ll ride with you,” she said quietly. A megawatt triumphant smile spread across his face. She expected it to be smug and directed at Bentley but it was pleased and all for her.
The choice appeared a low-risk option. If somehow she misremembered the entire night’s events and he turned out to be a murderer, there were two cars watching. She doubted he’d be able to kill her in the time it took to drive the few blocks to the station.
And she still wanted to thank him. It seemed important to do so before Bentley raised whatever trouble he seemed intent on causing.
“Wait here,” her rescuer said. “I’ll swing around in just a moment. Then we can clear this mess up.” He directed a disapproving glare at Bentley before crossing the road and Into the firehouse.
“If you’d like, we could proceed to the station now mister...,” Chief Hawkins said.
Bentley favored him was a dismissive look. “I’m not letting Meghan out of my sight. Especially not with that animal.”
The town gossips, sensing their supply was running out, started to go about their day and left her, Bentley, and Chief Hawkins in an awkward standoff. Meghan did her best not to shuffle and pushed down her nerves and irritation. Resting bitch face, her mother called it. If that was what it took to keep Bentley at bay, she’d get her face permanently fixed in place.
It wasn’t long before a big pickup with mud splashed up the sides pulled to a stop right behind Chief Hawkins. She recognized her rescuer through the windshield and made for the passenger door. He was faster; he jumped out of the driver’s side and rushed around to open the door for her. He even offered her a hand to help her inside that she didn’t take, but still made her secretly smile.
Her rescuer exchanged a few more words with Chief Hawkins before he hauled himself back into the driver’s seat. She couldn’t hear what Bentley had to say but red crept up his neck and his jaw tightened in a show of anger. He walked stiffly to his poorly parked sports car and slammed himself inside.
Then the caravan was on its way.
The air felt... heavy inside the truck. Not thick like humidity. It wasn’t wet or hot and her hair didn’t spring all around her face. It was a physical pressure along her skin and deep within her organs. She found it difficult to breathe.
She was losing her opportunity. Their moment together would be over and who knew if he’d want to deal with her after he realized who she was.
“Thank you for your help with the…,” she trailed off.
“Kidnapping? Abduction? Lady snatching?”
“That last one sounds dirty.” She fought her smile. “But yes, thank you. For that. Not everyone would step in when they see something like that. I don’t even know your name and you helped me like it was nothing.”
“Gray.” He cleared his throat. “Graham Jennings. Everyone calls me Gray.”
“Thank you, Gray,” she repeated. “I’m—”
“Meghan Wilcox. I know.” He swallowed hard and tightened his fingers around the steering wheel. He turned to her briefly and she could see his eyes were impossibly gold. Then he swung his attention back to the road and they fell into heavy silence again.
The quiet was broken the moment she stepped out of Gray’s truck. Bentley tried to get between her and Gray, Gray refused to engage, and she dodged Bentley as much as possible.
“Let’s proceed into my office.” Chief Hawkins sounded like he wanted to be anywhere else.
There was another scuffle of posturing as Bentley pushed his way to the front of the party and entered the station before anyone else. It forced Meghan to take a step back and into the chest of her rescuer. He steadied her on her feet, directed a low curse at Bentley, and reached around to open the door for her.
Chief Hawkins rubbed a hand over his face and followed up the group. Inside, he directed them to a private office and shut them all away. “I understand there may have been some miscommunications here,” he said, taking a seat at his desk. He focused on Bentley. “You’re making some very serious allegations. As you seem to have only just arrived in town, what is your basis?”
“I have footage. I saw this animal fight through several people to get at Meghan after holding her hostage.”
“That is not what happened!” Meghan swiveled in her chair and met the eyes of all the men in the room. Bentley received a glare, she appealed to Chief Hawkins, and sent a silent apology to Gray.
“Let’s see it.” Chief Hawkins held out his hand.
Bentley hesitated. She thought he expected a different reaction. Maybe he did. He threw the word ‘animal’ around without any care. Perhaps he expected them to take offense and attack him. He didn’t know how to deal with them as reasonable people.
It was, frankly, a disgusting show of either bigotry or entitlement.
Chief Hawkins twitched his fingers. Bentley hesitated only a moment longer before pulling up a video on a cell phone and handing it over.
Meghan stuffed her hands between her knees to keep from shaking. She didn’t forget her own attempted abduction. Gray hadn’t tried to attack her at any point or hold her hostage. He’d tried to help her. She hated Bentley a little more for drawing Gray into their mess.
“How exactly did you get this footage?” Chief Hawkins asked after a few tense minutes.
“I’m sorry?” Bentley sputtered. “You have evidence of a crime committed and you’re questioning me?”
“I ask because there are no cameras from that angle. Muriel, bless her soul, values a customer’s privacy more than the protection of her property.” Chief Hawkins laughed in faked commiseration. “You see, we’ve had more than a few teenagers try and paint her fences with obscene figures where the guests would find them. I know that may come as a surprise for some big city fellow.”
Meghan barely turned her head to witness Bentley’s reaction. It was difficult to keep a smile off her face.
Bentley’s throat worked with a hard swallow. More red crept up his neck. He was usually better at keeping his anger locked away. Being doubted by the Chief of Police in a shifter town didn’t sit right with him.
Chief Hawkins sat
forward and locked an uncomfortable gaze on Bentley. “There was an attempted abduction last night. Graham prevented that. Ms. Wilcox has corroborated the story but couldn’t give us any reason why someone may have wanted to take her. Would you have any idea, Mr…?”
“Moore. Bentley Moore,” he said coldly.
A low growl rose from her other side. It seemed the people of Bearden were well acquainted with Bentley’s opinions.
She hoped they’d be able to separate her from her ex-fiancé. And if they couldn’t, at least she already gave her thanks to Gray.
“Right, Mr. Moore.” Recognition dawned on Chief Hawkins and unpleasantness twisted Bentley’s name. “And what is your connection to Ms. Wilcox that you would obtain video of her abduction?”
Bentley tongued his cheek. “I am her fiancé. I received a demand for ransom and sent my security team to retrieve her. This was the proof they sent to me when they failed.”
Meghan’s jaw dropped.
Chief Hawkins jumped right in with the questions she had. “I’d love to hear how you received word of this so-called abduction, Mr. Moore, and why you didn’t go straight to the police.”
“In my experience, at my level, it’s better to act with those I know have honest intentions.” Bentley sneered. “I do not appreciate being treated so inappropriately by small-town cops thinking they’ll find a payday from me or my future wife. Now, excuse us. I’ll be taking Meghan home, where she’ll be safe from people like you.”
He stood and reached for. She eyed his hands like they oozed with a sickness she didn’t want touching her. She doubted he received any ransom note. He sent the men who tried to take her in the night. They had orders not to hurt her because Bentley gave them. He’d rather abduct her than accept she wanted nothing to do with him.
“Like them?” Meghan shook her head. Even echoing Bentley’s contempt turned her stomach. “They saved me. And for the last time, I do not want to go anywhere with you. I thought I made that clear. I will not be marrying you. I wasn’t taken here against my will and I won’t be going home with you.”
A vein throbbed in Bentley’s temple. She could almost hear his teeth crack with how tightly his jaw clenched. “You don’t know what you’re saying. You’re clearly disturbed by this attack. I’ll forget everything that you said here today.”
He reached for her again and she raised her hands to avoid touching him. “Don’t call me crazy. You have no say over where I go or what I do. Please leave me alone.”
Bentley opened his mouth again but Chief Hawkins smacked his hand against his desk. “I think she’s made herself clear and you’ve certainly given us the answers your... security team refused to say. Now, Mr. Moore, how about I escort you to the edge of town so you don’t lose your way? I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you with all the dangerous shifters around.”
A suspicious coughing at her side turned her attention to Gray. He covered his mouth but his fist didn’t hide his grin. She didn’t blame him. It felt good to see Bentley so coolly defused and sent packing.
And then they were alone together. Her stomach fluttered with the nervous wings of butterflies. She didn’t want to be thrown in with Bentley. She hoped Gray wouldn’t think she hated him just because he had some natural magic inside of him. He was different, sure. He had a huge bear that he could pull to the surface, she assumed, whenever he wanted. She’d seen him fight and it was a little scary. More than a little, if she was honest with herself. But it wasn’t any more frightening than knowing bears existed in the wild.
She twisted her fingers and tried to find something to say. She cursed herself when nothing came to her. She wanted to be a journalist and had a perfect opportunity to interview one of the shifters of Bearden. Too bad being alone with him reminded her of their first meeting when he’d worn absolutely nothing.
Chapter 6
Gray broke the silence with a snort and an incredulous look. “You were going to marry that?”
Meghan wanted to bury her head in the sand. Nothing had gone her way since leaving Bentley. Her skin crawled that she let the relationship get so far, especially when he flaunted his inner jerk so proudly and tried to make trouble to get her back under his thumb. “I’m not.”
“But you were. You presumably dated him and agreed to marry him when he got down on one knee.”
“He didn’t get on one knee,” she muttered. She straightened her spine and said primly, “I’m not talking about this. It’s over. I’m not going to marry him. And I’m not going to discuss him with you.”
“Did he blind you with a big ring? Or was it a big... rock?” Gray glanced down to his lap with a lopsided grin and blue eyes dancing with laughter.
One of those was accurate and neither was appropriate to discuss. Meghan stood abruptly. “I should go.”
Gray followed her out of Chief Hawkins’s office, but he didn’t give up his chatter. “Fine, fine. I’ll give you a ride back into town.”
She gave him a tight smile and let herself be led to his truck. He opened doors for her like it was natural. He even managed to stay polite until he pulled out of the parking lot.
“I’m just trying to figure out what a girl like you saw in a man like him.”
Meghan thought briefly of throwing herself out of the truck. They weren’t going too fast. “Are you always this intrusive with someone you don’t know?”
“Yes,” he answered honestly.
She relented with a tiny laugh. “I saw nothing in him. I was pushed into dating him and one thing led to another—”
“And you ended up the fiancée of the man spearheading the pro-human movement.”
“Not my proudest moment.” Spearheading? She knew he believed strongly in human rights, but she didn’t know he was so deeply involved. “Listen, I’m sorry you got dragged into all this. What I walked out of our rehearsal dinner—”
“Hoo boy, you left him at your rehearsal dinner?” Gray’s grin widened. “I’m going to need the full story on that later. I need to get back to work and I don’t think there’s going to be time enough in the drive over.”
Finally! A distraction! She latched onto the new subject. “Where do you work?”
He pointed to his chest. “Firefighter. It’s not as glamorous as being in front of the camera.”
She wrinkled her nose. “There’s nothing glamorous about that. I never had a say in it. I got my start in diaper commercials and my mother kept pushing from there. What about you? What made you decide to get into such a dangerous line of work?”
“It’s not always dangerous. The dry season picks up, and we had a bit of excitement last summer with an arsonist. Sometimes it just rescuing a cat from a tree or a lady from some kidnappers. I followed in my dad’s footsteps.” He flashed her another easy smile. “Where should I drop you off? Back to your room or were you heading out for lunch before Mr. Big Rock ruined your afternoon?”
Meghan covered her face and groaned. “The ring was big, yes. And not my style at all. I hated it.” She pulled her hands away from her face with a sigh. “Honestly, I could use a drink after that.” Learning her ex would have abducted her to get her back under his thumb needed something stiffer than coffee.
“Well, darlin’, you’re in luck. The best bartender around is working the best bar in the enclave this afternoon. And you should absolutely tell her I said that so I can get some free drinks later.”
A sudden wave of jealousy brushed against her good mood. She should have known he had somebody in his life. He looked too good and was far too funny to be single.
She put a stop to her thoughts before they could take her any further. She’d be out of town within days. She didn’t think she should stick around after Bentley’s show. She could hide out somewhere else until she was due to start at Paper Report. She didn’t need to disrupt Gray’s life any more than she already had.
Gray pointed to another sign as he pulled to a stop. “Hogshead is where you want to eat lunch if you like barbecue. And this
is The Roost. The Strathorns have done our civic duty to keep the place afloat for years before the borders opened up.”
Meghan nodded like the words made sense and followed Gray across the parking lot. Even his backside looked good. It’d only be a matter of time before movie execs and modeling agencies got wind of the talent they had in shifters. Gray could certainly make a name for himself as an underwear model.
Her eyes jerked up to his when he tugged open the door. His lips hitched up on one side and she knew she’d been caught checking him out. She lifted her chin and walked past without a word.
She expected a seedy joint from the exterior and while the inside didn’t disappoint, she could tell it was purposefully made to look rundown. The lights were dimmed, but the fixtures appeared shiny and new. The tables and chairs were distressed in ways that belonged in a shabby chic photo shoot. The only items that looked genuinely old were the scarred dart boards and the bar itself, but even that glowed from care.
Behind the bar, a woman with brown hair and purple tips jerked to attention and shoved her phone into her back pocket.
“Hey, Leah,” Gray greeted. “This is my new friend, Meghan. How’s the day shift?”
“It sucks balls. All of my regulars come in at night because they have jobs like respectable people. So now I’m stuck with Gunny down there at the end of the bar and he tips like shit. But it gives me time to practice my therapeutic bartender routine. How’s this look?” She put on a sympathetic face and leaned on one elbow. “I hear you might need my ear. Come on. Let Sister Leah absolve you of all your pain and sobriety.”
“No can do, Sister. But I leave a troubled soul in your hands.”
Leah switched targets but didn’t change her expression. “Is this the one that had you running around all night?”
“Callum can’t keep a damn secret,” Gray muttered darkly.
Leah’s serene understanding melted into happiness. “Yeah, but he looks so damn good when he’s spilling all your gossip. Now, get out of here. And give him a hug for me.”