by Dena Garson
“Now, cut me off a section. I’m going to tie her hands.”
Isabelle renewed her efforts to buck Bob off, but he was heavier than she expected. There was no way in hell she was letting them tie her up.
“I don’t feel right about this,” non-Bob muttered.
“Shut up and do as I tell you,” Bob ordered.
Bob adjusted his weight then jerked her hand farther behind her back, making Isabelle gasp with pain. She bucked and twisted and struggled against his hold, trying to break free. She managed to get one hand free, but the blow to the side of her head made her ears ring and dots dance in front of her eyes.
“Aw, man, now why’d you have to go and do that?” non-Bob whined.
“That had better be your blood and not hers,” a gravelly voice said from somewhere nearby.
Wyatt.
Bob twisted around but pressed his knee in the center of her back.
“Goddammit. I knew we was going to get busted,” the tall man mumbled.
“You better stay right where you’re at, or I’ll cut her,” Bob said.
Isabell stopped struggling when something sharp pressed against her cheek and ear.
“I suggest you put that knife away before I take it away from you. And I promise, you won’t like what I do with it after that,” Wyatt said with deadly calm.
“Now, Hotah, me and Bob was just leaving. We weren’t going to hurt her or nothing. Just leave her somewhere that might take her a while to walk from.”
Hotah? Did he mean Wyatt?
“You mean dump her in the middle of nowhere with no means of survival. Is that what you were thinking?”
Isabelle hadn’t heard Wyatt take a step, but his voice sounded closer, and the tension in Bob’s body had increased.
“Well, maybe a little like—” the taller man began.
“Will you shut up, Dalton?” Bob ordered. “Now I’m serious, Ranger. Back off and we’ll ease on out of here, and you can take care of the lady, and we’ll all pretend like this never happened.”
“I don’t think so,” Wyatt murmured.
Isabelle’s emotions were a jumbled mess. Part of her was terrified. Another pissed as hell the stinky guy had her pinned to the ground. Yet another part was oddly turned on by the command that rang in Wyatt’s voice.
“Looks to me like you’re out numbered and”—the pressure of the knife against her neck lifted, and Bob’s knee twisted on her spine—“I’ve got the knife and the gun. What you got, Ranger?”
“Me,” Wyatt growled.
Suddenly, Bob was knocked aside, off her. The crack of fist against flesh made her scramble to her feet to help Wyatt. She found him straddling Bob, his fist raised, and then he landed yet another punch. Based on the blood seeping from Bob’s nose and the limpness of his arms, another wouldn’t be necessary.
The tall man took a step toward Wyatt and Bob, but froze when Wyatt snarled at him.
The hair on Isabelle’s neck stood on end, and her pussy clenched. Holy cow! What was it about Wyatt today? She had never had such an urge to rip someone’s clothes off. Perhaps she had developed a thing for brawny men who came to her rescue.
“Wyatt? Can we get out of here?” Her voice was shakier than she intended.
His attention switched to her. His wild-eyed gaze held her enthralled, and, for a moment, she could have sworn his nose had grown and his eyes had darkened. She shook her head, and when she refocused, he looked normal.
Only much angrier.
He climbed off of Bob and wiped his knuckles on his jeans. “Dalton, you’ve got about two seconds to apologize to Isabelle for scaring her. Then you’re going to help me toss your friend here”—he gestured to Bob’s unconscious form—“into the bed of your truck. After that, we’re going to head to the park office. Understood?”
Dalton’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “Understood.” He looked at Isabelle. “My apologies, miss. Bob don’t usually mean no harm. I’m sure when he comes around, he’ll be sorry, too.”
Somehow she doubted that.
Wyatt frowned at Dalton then shook his head. “Help me toss him into the truck.”
Together, the two of them lifted Bob, but Wyatt tossed the still-unconscious man into the metal bed of the truck without a hint of gentleness.
Wyatt pointed to Dalton. “You’re ridding up front with me.”
“What about me?” Isabelle demanded. Unbelievable! He hadn’t said anything to her or asked if she was okay.
He tossed her a set of keys. “Follow us in my truck.”
“Yes, sir,” she grumbled.
On the drive to the park office, she called Wyatt several choice names. By the time she parked and got out, she had only released a fraction of her frustration but had come to the conclusion she wanted nothing more to do with the insensitive macho man even though he had an annoying habit of showing up in time to play the hero.
Wyatt led Dalton into the office with little more than a glance in her direction.
She rolled her eyes and followed them in.
When Isabelle entered, Sharon, the office manager she’d met earlier in the week rushed over and clasped her by the shoulders. “Are you all right?”
“I, uh….” She glanced at Wyatt. “Yeah. A little bruised, but otherwise, I’m fine.”
Sharon pulled her into a hug. “Oh, you poor thing. That had to be terrifying.” She released Isabelle from the crushing embrace but didn’t let go of her. “Wyatt called us and told us what happened.” She drew her toward an office at the rear of the building. “You come on back here while Wyatt deals with those two hoodlums.”
“I wasn’t planning on staying. I think I should go to my camp.”
Sharon steered her into the office and pointed to the sofa against the wall. “No, no, no. You’ve had a bit of a shock. You need to sit right there and collect yourself.” She patted Isabelle on the shoulder and didn’t give her a chance to respond. “Besides, Wyatt may need you to answer some questions.” Without stopping for a breath, Sharon continued, “Can I bring you anything? Water? Or a soda?” She didn’t let Isabelle answer before adding, “I’ll get you an ice pack for your cheek.” Sharon started to leave but stopped to say, “If you want to clean up, you’re welcome to use the bathroom down the hall.”
“Thank you.” Isabelle managed to get a word in. “I should at least wash my hands and face.”
“Well, you go right ahead. I’ll bring you a bottle of water. We may have some canned fruit in the cabinet if you’d like.”
“No, thank you. The water is all I need.” Isabelle crinkled her nose and touched her cheek. It throbbed in time with her heartbeat. “Besides, I don’t think I could eat anything right now.”
Sharon nodded and made noises of sympathy. “Ah. I didn’t think of that. Well, take your time. Wyatt may be a while.”
Before Sharon finished her sentence, Wyatt appeared in the doorway. “Come on.”
“Can your questions wait until I’ve washed up?” Isabelle groused.
“You can clean up in a bit. Let’s go.”
Isabelle looked at Sharon. She appeared confused by Wyatt’s behavior but then smiled in Isabelle’s direction. “Perhaps it would be best to get the questions out of the way while the answers are fresh in your mind.”
Isabelle took a deep breath and resigned herself to putting up with Wyatt’s questions and his bossy attitude. However, when she followed him to the front office, he didn’t stop and, instead, held the door open for her to precede him.
“Where are we—”
“Just get in the truck.”
“But—”
“Get in the truck, Isabelle. Now.”
Despite the urge to tell him to kiss her entire ass, something warned her this was not the time to argue.
Without saying a word, she climbed into the passenger side and buckled her seatbelt.
Wyatt got in, started the ignition, and pulled out of the parking area without so much as a glance in her direction.
&nbs
p; Finally, she had to ask, “Where are we going?”
“My place.”
“Why?”
He didn’t answer, just drove in silence.
Perhaps he needed to pick up something he’d left behind that morning and didn’t want her getting in the way at the office. That was plausible.
After a few miles, they turned off the paved road. The turn would be easy to miss if you didn’t know to look for it. When the trees opened into a clearing, she saw a simple yet contemporary ranch house. All of the wood siding lent a rustic feel to a modern structure, creating a unique combination.
Wyatt still said nothing as he parked and got out of the truck. Isabelle shook her head and followed him into the house. The living room had one wall of windows facing a small courtyard at the rear of the house. The leather couch and chair were set at perfect angles to the wall of books that also held a large TV. The entire area was much cleaner than she expected for bachelor quarters.
“Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be back as soon as I finish some paperwork.”
“You’re leaving me here?” Her mouth hung open in disbelief.
“Yes.”
Isabelle snapped her jaw shut. Through clenched teeth she said, “I’m not staying here.”
He took two steps in her direction. “Yes, you are. I have to finish filing charges on those two idiots, and I expect you to be here when I return.”
With fists on her hips, she declared, “You have no right to tell me what to do.”
He growled, “Don’t push me right now, Izzy. You have no idea how much danger you were in. Dalton is an idiot and a follower, but Bob is cruel and dangerous, especially when he’s been drinking. You could have been killed.” His eyes turned dark gold. “Or worse.”
She gulped. It had been foolish to confront the two of them. She hadn’t allowed herself to think about how badly it could have gone.
A tremor went through her.
Wyatt pulled her into his arms. A little rough and a little too tight but she didn’t mind. She sniffled back the tears threatening to spill.
“Now, listen to me. I have to go, but I need to be sure you are safe and that you’ll be here when I return. Promise me.”
She took a deep breath. “Fine.” Some of the tension left his frame, but he didn’t relinquish his hold on her.
“Fine what?” he asked.
“Fine I’ll wait here.”
He grunted then kissed the top of her head and released her. He pointed to the hallway off to the right. “The bathroom is at the end of the hall. There are clean towels under the sink.” He gestured to the other end of the house. “Help yourself to anything in the kitchen.”
With a few steps, he returned to her touched her cheek with a feather like caress. “You need to put some ice on that.” Then his face darkened, and he mumbled something about kicking someone in the nuts. Abruptly, he turned and headed to the front entrance. With one last look in her direction, he disappeared through the door.
When the latch clicked, her knees went weak. The reality of the day’s events closed in on her. She clutched the edge of couch for support as she began to shake.
Breaking down into a weepy mess was not going to happen. She forbade it.
Perhaps a hot bath would help.
Using the wall for support, she made her way to the bathroom. She clicked on the light and was once again surprised. The room had a spa-like feel, thanks to its neutral colors and soft textures. In contrast to the décor, she found a soap dispenser shaped like a bright yellow rubber duck next to the faucet.
The rubber duck she found on the edge of the tub surprised her yet again. It was so out of place and cheerful her mood lightened instantly.
She couldn’t stay mad at a guy who kept rubber ducks around.
After turning on the water and stopping the tub, she went in search of a towel. In the drawer below the sink, she found a razor that looked as if it had never been used. She could not turn down an opportunity to shave.
With a whisper of thanks, she took the shampoo and conditioner she found and headed to the tub. Putting all of her treasures on the edge, she sank into the steaming water.
It was going to feel so good to scrub every last inch of her body clean.
In a minute.
After the hot water relaxed all of her muscles and made the shakes stop.
She closed her eyes and reminded herself everything was fine. She was fine. Wyatt wouldn’t have brought her here if it wasn’t safe. Her gut said she could trust him. She just needed to relax and let the warm water do its job.
Chapter Eight
Wyatt returned home, anxious to see if Izzy had waited for him.
Those two jack-wads he had filed charges on were lucky. This close to the full moon, it had taken every drop of discipline his grandfather had taught him along with prayers to the spirits to not shift. If he had, his Wolf would have ripped the two of them to shreds.
Just thinking about what could have happened to Izzy set him on edge. If the mark on her face still looked as painful as it had before he left, he may be tempted to return to the office and inflict a little more damage on Bob. If he hadn’t already come to the conclusion he and Isabelle were meant to be, his reaction would have proven it. His reaction had been too swift and powerful to be denied.
But how did he convince her to stay? And if he did, how would he break the news that once a month he had an uncontrollable need to run wild though the forest as one of the furry, four-legged beasts she had been studying?
He shook his head to clear it and got out of his truck.
His gut clenched. What if she wasn’t there?
He unlocked the door and let himself in as quiet as possible.
A quick check confirmed the living room was empty and so was the kitchen. He padded down the hall.
The wet towel hanging over the shower-curtain rod told him she had taken a bath.
He hardened at the thought of her naked in his house.
When he stepped into his bedroom, his breath caught in his chest. She lay curled on her side in the middle of his bed, asleep. She had borrowed a T-shirt, but from his vantage point, he couldn’t tell if she wore anything else.
He drank in the sight. His Wolf roared with a need to claim her.
Moving silently, he stripped out of his clothes and boots. Before climbing into bed with her, he grabbed a condom from the bedside table. He rolled the sheath in place then slid in next to her. His body molded to hers, causing her to murmur in her sleep.
He pressed his lips against the tender skin of her neck then down to her shoulder. When he nipped the muscle near her collarbone, she gasped.
“You’re back,” she said as she rolled to face him.
“And you’re in my bed,” he growled.
“I hope you don’t min—”
He didn’t give her a chance to finish. He devoured her lips as he pulled her tighter against him.
For a split second, he worried about being too aggressive. His Wolf demanded he take her, and his control had been stretched too far already today.
But she gave as good as she got.
Her kisses were a thing of dreams! The flicks of her tongue against his were part timid and part Siren. They teased and tantalized but were gentle enough to hint at her relative inexperience.
Her leg rode higher and wrapped around his hip. She sank her nails into his shoulder as she struggled to get closer. Her pussy rubbed against his erection, making Wyatt groan.
She was slick and ready for him.
He captured her hands and rolled her onto her back.
“I need you, Izzy. I can’t be gentle with you,” he said through gritted teeth.
“You don’t have to be.”
Taking that as permission, he pushed the shirt she wore up and wrapped it around her wrists. After pinning her hands against the pillows above her head, he buried himself in her heat.
Isabelle sucked in a breath at the invasion, but her pussy quivered around him.
He slid in, creating a delicious friction, but it wasn’t enough. Deeper. He needed to fill her completely. He needed to mark her.
With gritted teeth, he withdrew from her body then flipped her onto her belly. He pulled her up onto her knees and positioned himself behind her. He drank in the sight of her rounded ass and curved spine. Unable to control himself for a single second longer, he grabbed her hip and aimed his cock at her opening.
With one thrust, and he was back in heaven. She squirmed and pushed against him, trying to impale herself upon him, but he kept a firm grip on her hips, denying her any leverage.
The mewing sounds she made in protest sent heat spiraling to his crotch.
He reached around her waist and found her clit. He teased the tiny bud with his finger, making her freeze. As soon as she responded to the stimulation, he renewed his thrusts. He felt the familiar tingle in his balls and knew he was close. As he struggled to hold off, he nipped her shoulder.
Isabelle threw her head backward and cried, “Oh!”
The quivering of her pussy around him was the final straw. Thunder roared in his ears as he came with blinding intensity.
He collapsed onto his side and pulled Isabelle’s back against him, burying his face in her neck. At least he’d had the wherewithal to not fall on top of her.
He took a deep breath and drank in her scent. Despite being sated, his Wolf stirred beneath the surface.
Isabelle stretched and turned in his arms to face him. She grinned and gave him a gentle kiss.
Something fluttered in Wyatt’s gut.
“Do you always come home from the office like that?” she asked.
“No. I suspect it had something to do with finding you in my bed, naked.”
“I’ll have to remember that,” she murmured as she rubbed her cheek against his.
He held her close in an effort to ground his wayward emotions and soothe his Wolf. Her fingers stroked a spot on his chest as if she were petting a cat. The feel of her heartbeat and the warmth of her skin went a long way to calming him.
“One of those men called you Hotah. How come?” Her voice came out as little more than a whisper.