by Ivy Sinclair
Years ago, I had done my research thoroughly on the little mining town of Black Falls Cove. The men who decided to play the iron ore game in the hopes of getting rich were a motley crew at best. In the wilds of Minnesota, the definition of the law often left much to be desired. They took care of business their own way when someone crossed the line. That included a rather strict policy around public whippings for offenses that ranged from stealing bread from the community mess hall all the way up to murder. And for a community as small as Black Falls Cove, there had been a surprising number of murders over the years. That’s what happens with a few hundred men are sequestered in the middle of a nowhere suffering through the long Minnesota winters together. Tempers flared, and often it ended badly.
Despite the condition of the rest of the town, the whipping post remained wholly intact in the middle of the town square seemingly as a testament to that bloody history. And that was exactly where Joshua was taking me. I struggled against the men who held me, and Joshua chuckled as he walked behind us.
“It isn’t going to do you any good to struggle, Maren. You’re stuck here with us until we let you go. And, by the way, it’s doing nothing but giving me one nice little show of your rather ripe behind.”
That made my blood run cold. So far, the men had been menacing and a little rough. Joshua’s outburst pointing the gun at me earlier had felt more like bluster even though it scared me witless at the time. But it had occurred to me that I was in the middle of nowhere with three men wearing little more than a flimsy negligee. I didn’t need to give them any of those kinds of thoughts. I needed to find a way to break free.
I let myself go limp, and I think I was as surprised as the men holding me when their grips lessened on my arms. I took that opportunity to slide all the way to the ground and out of their grasp. At that moment, I was free. I rolled through the dirt and sprang to my feet. I heard Joshua curse, but I didn’t slow down. Not even for a minute. I sprinted toward the road that I knew led into the forest. If I could just get to the treeline, I’d have a chance.
But the men moved faster than I expected, and I was slowed by the fact that I was running on rough, graveled dirt in bare feet. When the tackle came from behind, I landed hard on the ground with a sizeable bulk on my back that took my breath straight out of me. The man rolled me over on my back even as I continued to struggle against him. His sweaty stench filled my nostrils and threatened to gag me. I felt his arousal against my thigh, and that was what did me in. I screamed at the top of my lungs.
He backhanded me hard, and I tasted blood in my mouth. Then I felt a ripple of something across my skin. I couldn’t have explained it, but a shift in the air told me that we weren’t alone anymore.
It was Lukas. He was close.
I screamed again, but this time I did it with purpose. “Don’t you dare pistol whip me with that gun!” It was the only way that I could let Lukas know where I was, and that these men were armed. I didn’t know any other way to warn him.
“Bitch!” Another backhand almost caused me to black out. Then I heard a click and a piece of cold metal press against my forehead, and I thought that I was a goner. That was just before I heard a loud snarl, and then the weight of the man was gone in an instant.
I managed to sit up and ignored the pain that flared across the left side of my face. I heard a gunshot, and I scrambled to my feet. I watched in shock even as I heard the first screams erupt in the air. Two large bears attacked the men who had just moments before been dragging me into the town square.
One of the guns went off again, and I heard the shatter of glass behind me. I ran into the fray determined to help. One of the bears had a man pinned to the ground, and I saw a gun in the man’s hand. I dropped to my knees and wrenched it from his grasp. I desperately ignored the howls of pain and the sound of bones breaking beside me.
Another gun went up in the air in his other hand, and I grabbed at it in an attempt to take it away. It went off, and all sound around me seemed to be sucked away. I must have fallen backward because the next thing I knew, I found Lukas’s blue eyes staring into mine. His mouth was moving, but I couldn’t hear him.
Beyond him, I saw two still forms laying on the ground. But even from this short distance, I could see that their chests were still moving. I shouldn’t have cared either way, but I didn’t wish any malice on anyone, especially at Lukas’s hand. At some point, I knew that there might be blood on them, but not today and not because of me.
There was a large bear standing watch over the two men, and something told me by the intent gaze the bear was sending in my direction that this was Billy. My kidnapping must have caused an uneasy truce between the two men. I wasn’t sure if I was more surprised or glad by the development.
“Where’s Joshua?” I asked. I felt as if I was more than a little drunk. A wallop to the head and two backhands apparently had that effect on me.
“Who’s Joshua?” Lukas’s voice finally reached my ears, and I couldn’t help but sigh in relief. The gunshot had only deadened my sense of hearing for a minute. His expression was frantic as his eyes and hands seemed to be everywhere at once checking me for injury. “Are you okay?”
“A little battered, but yeah,” I said. I winced as the words crossed my cracked lips. I had a feeling that I was not going to be happy when I saw my face in the mirror.
“That was stupid jumping into the middle of a fight, especially when they had guns,” Lukas said sternly.
“You’re not the only one who gets to fight,” I said. “I owed them a kick in the ass or two.”
“I’m going to kill them,” Lukas growled.
“No,” I said as I reached over and put my hand on his shoulder. “Let Billy handle it. I’ll press charges, and they’ll go to jail. We’re going to do it the right way. But you have to find Joshua first.”
“Who’s Joshua?” Lukas repeated his question. “There wasn’t anyone here but these two assholes. Billy checked.”
I frowned and felt a pit of dread in my stomach. “Joshua is the one who set this whole thing up. He’s their leader. These guys belong to RAC. They were setting a trap for you.”
“Well, it’s not working out that way for them. Billy can look for this Joshua after he wraps things up with these two.” Lukas didn’t look happy about the fact that he didn’t get to kill them. I guess I couldn’t blame him. “Can you stand up?”
“I’m not sure,” I admitted. I let him take my arm, and he cautiously pulled me upward. I swayed as another round of fresh pain ratcheted through my skull. I moaned, and Lukas pulled me against his chest.
“I’m taking you home,” he said.
“No, wait.” I took a deep breath and allowed myself to enjoy the fact that I was in Lukas’s arms once more. “Joshua. We know him. Remember that guy that you almost got into a fight with at the drive-in on my seventeenth birthday?”
Lukas’s expression darkened. “I remember. The goth asshole who was hitting on you. You’re telling me he’s the ringleader of this sorry crew that kidnapped you?”
I started to nod and then instantly regretted it. “I think he’s planning something bad for the Summit, Lukas. You have to find him before anything else happens.”
“Shhh,” Lukas pulled me close again and smoothed my hair. Despite the pain, the gesture felt nice. His bare skin was cool against mine, and that was when I realized that Lukas was naked.
I blushed and quickly turned around. “Geez, Lukas. We have to figure out a better system for you when you phase back and forth around me. I’m still not used to the whole naked thing.”
I heard Lukas’s chuckle. “She’s alright, Billy. If modesty is the worst of her concerns, she’ll be okay.” I heard a snort follow from the other bear. “I’ll take her back with me and call the station. Will you be okay out here for another thirty minutes or so?”
I heard another snort. “Maren, are you able to ride?”
My eyebrows rose. I glanced over my shoulder but kept my eyes upward on Lukas�
�s face. “Ride?”
“The fastest way back to White Oaks is through the woods. I can have us there in no time. But I need to make sure you can hang on. I’m worried about those bruises on your face, and I can see the blood on your temple from where I’m assuming they knocked you out earlier.” My manly bear shifter was nothing if not astute.
“I can go for a ride,” I said softly. It was something I had daydreamed about ever since I learned that Lukas was a shifter, although I’d never admit it to him.
He nodded and without another word he phased into his bear. Then he knelt down and let his shoulder drop. I gently took hold of the fur around his back and hauled myself upward. As I let my legs fall on either side of his hulking form, I knew that my skirt rode up much higher than appropriate, but I was tired and didn’t care anymore. Lukas began to move slowly as if letting me get a feel for the way that he moved.
As we passed Billy and the two men, I whispered. “Thanks, Billy.”
The bear inclined his head and then looked away. I felt a small pang in my chest. Billy’s feelings for me ran much deeper than I had ever expected, and I hoped that he would forgive me eventually. Lukas had been my first love, and when he came back to town, there was no one else who could measure up to him. I knew that now.
I thought for a while that I might have lost him, but he came for me, and he saved my life. He said that he had feelings for me, and he said that he would wait for me to be ready for him. I was ready for him. Those were the emotions that tumbled through me as Lukas entered the treeline and picked up speed. Then he began to run.
The feeling was wildly exhilarating, and it made me forget about the pain throbbing in my head. I felt his strong muscles move beneath me, and as his paws connected with the ground, it sent small shockwaves of subtle vibrations up my calves and thighs. I leaned forward and grabbed further up his pelt of fur around his neck. There was something infinitely safe about being pressed up against him like this. I hadn’t realized that I was in the immediate kind of danger that RAC presented by being around Lukas, but it was worth it. He was worth it.
He was also worth fighting for, just like he had fought for me. I squeezed my thighs tightly around him and let him take me home.
I wasn’t surprised when we emerged into the clearing that I knew was part of White Oaks. A few minutes later, Lukas slowed as we approached his house. On the lawn, he knelt down so that I was able to slip off his back. It was eerily quiet in the neighborhood, but I figured everyone was celebrating the start of the Summit.
I felt a small measure of regret as I let go of his fur. There had been something intimate about our connection as we rode through the forest together. It was an experience that I hoped to have again soon, but hopefully under much better circumstances.
Lukas phased in front of me, but the action barely even registered in my mind. He was one in the same to me, bear or man, and either way he was mine. I felt a wave of possessiveness take hold inside of me as he seemed to watch my facial expression carefully.
“Let’s get you cleaned up,” he said softly. He reached out and cupped the swollen side of my face. It hurt a little, but it was the kind of pain I welcomed if it meant that he touched me with that kind of warmth.
His hand slid down the side of my neck, and he scooped up my hand in his and led me to the door. I still kept my eyes upward and away from his nakedness, but it was something that I knew I was going to have to get used to being around him. He flipped on the hallway light and then pulled me into a hard crush in his arms as the door closed behind us.
“I thought I’d lost you there for a minute,” he whispered against my hair. “I’m sorry that I put you in that situation. I’m sorry for everything that happened tonight.”
“It’s okay,” I mumbled against his chest. “I’m just really tired.” That was the truth. I felt completely worn out, and I was looking forward to a soft bed and a good pillow.
“Come with me,” Lukas said. He grabbed a robe that I hadn’t even noticed hanging next to the door. The utility of its placement made perfect sense. He put on the robe and then motioned for me to follow him up the stairs.
At the top of the stairs, he turned to the left and flipped on another light. I gasped. It was a huge bedroom that was clearly the master, but what caused my jaw to drop was the floor to ceiling windows that must have taken up the entire back of the house looking out at the forest.
“It’s beautiful,” I said.
“That was another one of Markus’s requests,” Lukas said. “He said that even though he was indoors, he didn’t want to feel confined. But this isn’t what I wanted to show you.” He beckoned me again across the room and through another doorway. I stopped there and took in an equally impressive master bathroom with a spa tub that looked as if it could hold half a dozen people.
Lukas leaned over and turned on the water. He looked back at me with a soft smile. “Bath. Then sleep. You’ve had a rough night.”
That was surely the truth. He approached me slowly and then took my hand again. With a gentle tug, he pulled me toward the tub. He sat down on its porcelain edge. His hands whispered down my body to rest on my hips. Even sitting down, he was still almost as tall as I was. He reached behind me, and I felt the tug on the zipper of my dress. It didn’t make a sound as it slid down to the small of my back, and I didn’t even try to catch it as it fell away.
Lukas took a deep breath and seemed to be trying to keep himself calm. “I can’t tell you how hard it is for me not to touch you all the ways that I want to, but you’ve been through an ordeal. Right now, this is just about you. I’m going to take care of you for once.”
His words were so sweet and felt so genuine that they brought tears to my eyes. I nodded mutely as his fingers made short work of my bustier that served as my bra under the dress. My breasts sprung free, and I saw his eyes devour them with a hungry stare. I wasn’t ashamed of my body because Lukas was looking at me as if I was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
“Put your hands on my shoulders. I’ll keep you steady as you step out of these,” he said, motioning toward my underwear. I did as he requested. Then I gasped as he swept me up into his arms. He pressed his lips against my forehead, and then he gently navigated my body down into the water.
Instantly, I felt my tense muscles relax, and I moaned in pleasure.
“Is the water too hot?” he asked.
I shook my head as I let my limbs float freely in the water. “This is heavenly. Thank you, Lukas.”
He looked at me for what seemed like forever, and I couldn’t quite read his expression. There were no words that felt exactly right, but I felt better than I had in a long time.
“I’ll be right back,” he said finally. “Just relax.”
There wasn’t an ounce of anything inside of me willing to argue with that logic.
CHAPTER SEVEN - Lukas
I felt like a complete jackass as I stepped out of the bathroom. My erection was more than evident under my robe and causing me physical pain, but that wasn’t what Maren needed. She needed someone to take care of her and put her at ease, not ravish her with no regard for what she had just been through. But certain parts of my body definitely had a mind of their own, so I needed to get my shit together and calm down.
Ever since seeing Maren underneath that brute as he pinned her to the ground, I’d been seeing red. I would have killed them both if Billy hadn’t stopped me. Which was what reminded me I had left him in Black Falls Cove with the two goons. I crossed the bedroom and made a quick call to the police station. With any luck, Billy would come up with a cover story, and the whole thing would be swept under the rug before morning with none of the Summit attendees any the wiser. Still, what Maren said about Joshua concerned me. I’d have to have Billy look into that as soon as possible.
Feeling better that the current situation was under control, my thoughts returned to the woman in my bathroom. Every emotion I felt earlier in the day had done nothing but intensify since fin
ding out that she was gone. Now that I had her back, I couldn’t think of any scenario that was acceptable where I would let her go. It wasn’t going to happen. I was going to change our destinies. Maren was mine, and it was time I told her everything. She deserved to hear it.
Taking a deep breath, I returned to the bathroom. I slipped inside and saw that the tub was almost full. The bubbles I had snuck into the water were covering all of the parts of Maren that I really wanted to see. That was good though because seeing her naked body again would serve as nothing but a distraction. I padded as quietly as I could across the floor and turned the knob to stop the stream of water.
Maren had taken one of the washcloths next to the tub and placed it over her face. She looked perfectly relaxed, but I knew better. No matter what she said, her mind was in overdrive reviewing every moment that had happened that evening. She was searching for nuances and things she had missed that might be important. That was just the way my girl’s mind worked.
“Can I get you something for the pain?” Her jaw looked swollen, and unless I was wrong, she’d have a fairly nasty bruise on her cheek by morning. I really wished that I had been able to kill the man responsible for that damage.
“I’m sure it looks worse than it is,” Maren said. Her voice was tired but strong. That made me feel somewhat better.
“You’d be wrong,” I said with a wry grin. “Hopefully you have a stash of make-up. Covering that up is going to take some work.”
Maren groaned, and the washcloth slid down so that her eyes were uncovered. “I have no idea what I’m going to tell my dad. He is going to freak out. Then he’ll want the inside scoop on everything that happened so he can publish it on the front page.”
“Your father was always such a concerned soul when it came to your well-being,” I said. It wasn’t a secret that Mr. Lene didn’t think too highly of me. Actually, I’m pretty sure the guy hated my guts. The news of Maren’s attack and the fact that it was my fault wouldn’t sit well with him at all. It would be just another nail in my coffin as far as he was concerned.