by Jayne Ripley
“Hate to interrupt, but we haven’t met,” he said to Gabriela, holding out his hand to her.
She shook it and smiled. “I’m Gabriela Acosta. I’m new around here.”
He laughed. “I kind of figured. Since I pride myself on knowing all of the beautiful women in town, I figured it was my sacred duty to introduce myself. I’m Rick McGrath. I work alongside this crazy man you’re sitting with.”
Luke gave him a sidelong glance. “Don’t come over here all flirting with the lady.” He took Gabriela’s hand and proceeded to get barbecue sauce all over it. “She’s with me. Get it? Don’t make me draw you a stick figure diagram.”
“He’s always this charming,” Rick informed her good-naturedly. “But it’s even better when a call wakes us at two in the morning. Then he’s like a bear kicked out of hibernation.”
She laughed and made a show of wiping her barbecue-stained hands clean on her pile of napkins. “I like to hear stories about him. So far I’ve had to take his word that he’s a cross between a prince and a superhero from the stories he’s told me.”
“Is that right? Well, I could tell some really good tales about Mr. Luke Taylor—”
“Is there a reason you’re still over here bothering the lady, Rick?” Luke growled.
“Oh, he’s not bothering me,” she said with a grin.
“Hear that?” Rick plopped himself down in a nearby lawn chair. “I bother no one. Besides, your sister is busy playing volleyball and she’s strangely immune to my charms. But kidding aside, yeah, I wanted the chance to run some pack business by you. The chief wants to talk to the fire station teams later.”
“Give me a preview then. You can talk in front of Gabriela. She can be trusted.”
Rick hesitated and then nodded. She didn’t take offense at his pause. It was a huge show of faith that they would even consider discussing pack business in front of her.
“Good enough,” Rick said. “Ainsworth sent over one of his people. John Dove, his chief lackey. They wanted us to know Cadillac Falls Pack had nothing to do with Cindy’s house being torched.”
Luke snorted. “That’s good of them. Does the chief believe a word of it?”
“He does. Ainsworth promised the full support of his pack. Financial…and otherwise. They seem eager to get to the bottom of it. Town spirit and all that.”
She kept her expression neutral, but her heart rate had sped up and she realized she was picking up on Luke’s tension. A few of the things she remembered of the Cadillac Falls Pack from when she’d lived here as a teenager weren’t exactly flattering. The pack was led by retired billionaire tech tycoon Roger Ainsworth. He owned the lumber mill, a coal mine a dozen miles out of town, a spring water bottling factory, and a bunch of the downtown real estate…and probably half the state by now. Ainsworth’s immense wealth allowed him to influence and dominated town politics. It was also rumored that he only let financially successful, well-educated or powerful wolves into his pack. Most of the town’s upper crust belonged to his pack. Her family had certainly never been offered the chance to join. In fact, Patricia Ainsworth, blue-eyed blonde-haired Barbie-doll shaped rich girl had been one of the few to give Gabriela a hard time in school. It wasn’t bullying exactly. Just that teenage torment from a difficult time in life. Gabriela had long since moved on. She wondered what Patricia was up to these days…and decided she really didn’t care to know.
“Well,” Luke said. “I guess their support is a good start. At least we know the investigation will stay properly funded if Ainsworth and the mayor are supporting it.”
Rick nodded, but his expression told her he didn’t really believe Luke’s words much. “Then there’s the Sturmwulfen. The chief reached out to Gerig’s pack for information. They threw his offer back in his face. Hell, Mike was lucky to make it out of there with his pelt intact.”
Gabriela frowned, searching her memory and coming up blank. “I don’t know the Sturmwulfen. Are they a werewolf pack?”
“Yeah. They rolled into town a few years ago,” Luke said grimly. “Motorcycle club.”
“More like gang,” Rick broke in.
“That’s right. The crime rate in the area immediately shot up. They’re some bad customers. Their alpha is one nasty dude. John Gerig. Anything illegal around town, they have a finger in it. Not that there’s much crime here in Cadillac Falls. Some drug problems. Some car thefts. Mostly small time stuff. That is, until now.”
Gabriela toyed with her plastic fork and knife, no longer hungry. A motorcycle werewolf gang in town? Part of the reason she’d risked everything to come back here was because it had always been so safe, especially when compared to Philly. It seemed a great place to set down roots. But motorcycle gangs and now arson…
Rick took a drink from his beer and leaned back in his chair. “So this firebug could be a crazy loner type. Or he could be some human with a grudge. Or…”
“One of Gerig’s people?” Luke shook his head. “Seems like a good way to set off a turf war. If one of his tried to hurt one of ours…” Luke’s fists clenched. She heard his knuckles pop like firecrackers.
Rick gathered himself and stood. “Anyway, that’s all I had to say. I’ll leave you two kids to your wild times. You on tonight, Luke?”
Luke nodded, but from his expression, he wasn’t pleased.
“Want me to escort the lady home?” Rick asked with a mischievous grin.
“Only if you want me to rip your arms off and beat you to death with them while singing Joy to the World.”
Rick didn’t seem bothered by the threat. “Fair enough.” He turned his smile on her. “Gabriela Acosta, it was a genuine pleasure to meet you.”
“The same,” she said and couldn’t help but smile back. Rick left them and headed off toward the barbecue pits.
“He seemed nice.” She hoped all the people she met here would turn out to be as friendly. Other than that initial hesitation, he hadn’t flinched when Luke had asked him to speak about pack business in front of her. Because she was a…what? A lone wolf? An unaffiliated lycan? Whatever. As an outsider, speaking about important pack business might even have been a breach of pack law and could’ve landed both of them in hot water with their alpha. She was touched that Luke trusted her. “He won’t get in trouble for talking in front of me, will he?”
“What the alpha don’t know, don’t hurt the alpha,” Luke said airily.
“Terrible grammar.”
“Yep. My mama would tan my hide for it. Rick’s okay. He’s a trouble maker, but he’s one of the good guys.”
That hooked her curiosity. “Trouble maker?”
“He needs a steady woman or something. He has a definite wild side and he’s always in trouble with the alpha. Rick thinks bar fights are some kind of sport and illegal street racing is a fun Friday night in Tacoma. Mostly since he’s been single he’s even worse. He’s been on the prowl for the ‘right woman’ and it’s damn annoying because the right woman happens to be the prettiest in the room at any given time. No wonder he came sniffing around after you. Can’t blame him, but I do anyway.”
“Why Luke, that sounds like a compliment.”
“I charge for compliments, you know.”
She smirked. “What do you charge?”
“A kiss from a beautiful, smart woman.”
She laughed and felt heat on her cheeks. “You smooth-talker. My mother warned me about men like you.” Even so, she leaned over and gave him a quick kiss, a hint at more and better to come. Her lips came away tasting of barbecue sauce.
Luke threw a quick glance over at his station chief, his expression darkening. “I would invite you to my place for tonight. Cook you something delicious—”
“You can cook?”
“Don’t sound so shocked. I think I’m offended. But yeah, I can cook. I do a damn right-fine job of it too. We have to cook for ourselves down at the station. You learn how to do it pretty fast when you’re the rookie.”
She smiled, imagining what L
uke had been like as a rookie at the station. Again she marveled that he’d turned out so…so very handsome. Handsome? The man was raging hot. She never would’ve guessed from her memories of him as Nicole’s scrawny little brother. More fool, she.
Luke continued. “Anyway, I would’ve taken you home for some fine dining. Or taken you out to experience the hopping nightlife of Cadillac Falls. Whatever you wanted. But, unfortunately, I’m on duty at the station, so there goes that plan.”
She didn’t bother to hide her disappointment. “That sucks. Sounds like we’d have had some real fun.” She let that dangle in the air for a moment, hoping he read between the lines. If she didn’t get Luke into her bed sometime soon she was going to spontaneously combust. “Maybe I can get a rain check?”
“Count on it.” Luke peered down mournfully at his plate. Only bare, gnawed bones remained. “Wonder if I can get some more ribs?” He looked up and his expression grew guarded, but it took her a second to realize he was no longer looking at her.
Someone spoke from behind her, making her jump a little and nearly spill her drink.
“I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced,” the deep, rough voice said.
She turned around to face the Rescue Company alpha, Chief Smith. He was a lean, grizzled man, and had an aura about him that made her think of old time cowboys or a sheriff come to stop the gun fighting in an Old West town. His gaze was sharp, but not unkind. A hint of a smile played at his lips, almost hidden by his huge mustache. She would’ve known him for an alpha right away, even if Luke had never pointed him out. He had that alpha magic aura around him—the forceful power and strength and wisdom that her wolf automatically wanted to defer to. She kept her chin high, though. After all, he wasn’t her alpha.
He held out a hand to her and his smile widened. “I’m Carlson Smith.” He gestured at the beautiful park setting teeming with playing and happy people. “I guess I run things around here.”
She shook his hand. His strong alpha aura caused the hairs on the back of her arm to stand up. It was a little like shaking hands with a wire running a low electric current. Even though he wasn’t her alpha, pack leaders were still creatures of power and had an effect on all the wolves around them, pack-sworn or not. “I’m Gabriela Acosta. I just moved into town. Luke has been kind enough to help me out a little.”
Smith nodded gravely at Luke. She sensed rather than saw Luke puff up a little at the attention and the approval of the alpha. She had to hide a smile.
“Acosta. I remember Camila and Adrian Acosta. They lived around here a few years back. Seems I recall they had a daughter…”
She was strangely touched that he had remembered. “They were my parents. We moved off to Philly when I was still in high school.” She didn’t say why they’d moved off. Her father fleeing something. That was no one’s business but her own.
“Whoa, chief, impressive,” Luke said. “Way to disprove all those rumors about you getting old and losing your memory.”
Smith snorted. “I think you can look forward to some extra hose drills and bathroom cleaning duty for that one, Mr. Comedian.” He settled himself on a nearby picnic table bench and leaned toward her slightly. Then he tipped his Fire Station Six ball cap farther back on his head and looked at her with those storm-gray eyes. “So Ms. Acosta. Are you looking to join a pack? Normally I would not be so forward as to ask, but these are uneasy times in Cadillac Falls.”
The look Luke gave his alpha was part shock, part outrage. “She just got here. Don’t you think it’s too soon for all the politics?”
“It’s fine, Luke,” Gabriela said, touching his arm. “I can speak for myself and I don’t mind him asking.” She looked back at the alpha. A new tension had filled the air. It was the first time since she’d come to the barbecue that she felt truly uncomfortable and out of place. “I’m honored by your concern, but I’m not looking to join a pack right now.”
Carlson Smith didn’t seem the least bit offended. “Fair enough. Looks like you’re getting along with Luke here though. Call him or call me if you need anything. I mean anything at all. I can be reached at the fire station most any time. Number’s right in the phone book.”
He stood to go, but Luke stood up as well. His posture was tense, ready for action. “Chief, did you hear of a threat toward Gabriela? Is that why you made the offer?”
“No. Nothing like that.” The alpha met Gabriela’s eyes and held her gaze. “I don’t mean to be scaring you more than necessary. But it looks like one of our own had her house set on fire by some unknown person, and that makes me show a bit of teeth to the world. I suppose vigilance is called for, not fear. That’s all I meant. You can count on the Rescue Company Pack to help you out if you need it. You don’t even need to join up. A friend of Luke’s is a friend of ours.”
Gabriela didn’t know what to say. That was a hugely generous offer. In effect, the alpha was offering her both help and protection and she didn’t even have to swear loyalty to him to get it. But it also frightened her a little, because an offer like that wouldn’t have been made unless Smith knew there was some chance of trouble.
Finally she caught hold of her thoughts long enough to answer. “That’s very kind of you. I really appreciate it.”
He tipped his hat to her. “You’re most welcome. Now I better see to the barbecue pits. If an alpha isn’t around to oversee the proper grilling of meat, things tend to get burned. It was nice meeting you, Ms. Acosta.”
“Please, call me Gabriela.”
His smile softened all his rough edges. “Will do. And you should feel free to call me Carlson.”
He headed off toward the crowds around the cooking area without looking back. Still, she remained uneasy about the whole conversation.
“Don’t be worried,” Luke said. “He only wanted you to stay on your guard a little. People think a small town like this, nothing ever happens. Well, not in Cadillac Falls. It’s not big, but it’s not quiet.”
She supposed that was right. You couldn’t pack two established werewolf packs and a renegade werewolf motorcycle gang into a town full of humans and bear shifters and who-knew-what-else and not expect there to be a few problems.
Still, arson wasn’t exactly the same as disturbing the peace calls or the occasional bar fight. Someone had deliberately tried to burn down a house with a woman still inside it.
She repressed a shudder. No, she refused to let it ruin what so far been a great day. She was safe, here where she wanted to be. The sun was warm, the food was delicious, and the company was the best she could have hoped for.
She counted all those things in the win column and she was content. Well, on second thought, she had yet to get Luke in the sack. That was an injustice she and her horny wolf intended to change the first chance she had…
CHAPTER EIGHT
Luke had to settle for a good night kiss—well, a good-bye kiss actually, since it was only late afternoon—when he dropped Gabriela off at his sister’s place after the barbecue. He took full advantage of that kiss to pull her perfect, curvy body up against his, loving the weight of her in his arms. That he could hold her tight and not worry about hurting her thrilled him to no end. Her lips had been soft and warm and damn amazing. He’d had trouble keeping it to only a kiss and nothing more.
His sister had gone off with some of her pack friends after the barbecue, so he’d let Gabriela inside. Nicole had already asked him to get a spare house key made for Gabriela when he’d last been out, but he hadn’t had a chance yet. So he’d made sure she shut and locked the door behind her after they kissed their good-byes. He’d even walked around the yard a bit, doing the old guard dog routine. Or should he say guard wolf routine. Then he’d felt silly for being so overprotective, because there was nothing to find. Only the scent of some raccoon that had been in the area, searching for trash bins to tip over.
Now he drove along one of the town’s tree-lined back roads to the fire station. As he cruised in his truck, he heard the rumb
le of Harley motorcycles behind him. A moment later, six motorcycles came roaring around a curve. The men on the bikes fit the motorcycle gang stereotype perfectly. Lots of black leather, helmets and bandanas, heavy boots, tattoos, and sunglasses. There were women riding behind the men on a couple of the cycles, and one Harley driven exclusively by a woman wearing leather chaps and what looked like a red bikini covered by a black leather jacket. He’d heard her nickname was Coywolf or something equally odd.
The Sturmwulfen Pack. Not all of them, but enough to cause his lips to draw back from his teeth in a snarl and his hands to tighten down on the steering wheel. He had to take a deep breath and let it out slowly to stop the building wolf-rage. His inner animal was both territorial and fiercely protective of his pack, but this was the open road after all. His wolf was already convinced that some scumbag in Sturmwulfen had set Cindy’s house on fire, probably as a warning. But he didn’t have proof, and any kind of road rage incident would reflect poorly on him and ResCo pack.
The Sturmwulfen riders swung out over the double yellow line to pass his truck. They roared alongside him and then matched his speed. The lead motorcycle was driven by John Gerig, the Sturmwulfen alpha. Gerig didn’t bother to look over as he passed, but the pretty- and rough-looking girl on back sneered at Luke and gave him the finger.
Classy.
Luke slowed and let them all safely pass, despite his brief and completely reckless urge to race with them. On second thought, they would only leave his truck in the dust. His dually could haul weight like a bastard, but it was hard to beat a motorcycle for pure acceleration. It was better that he not get involved in any stupid bravado, especially something like a road race that would leave him looking like a fool.
Even though he had behaved like a proper grown up, it still left a sour taste in his mouth. The Sturmwulfen pack was a blight on the town. There wasn’t much he could do about it since he wasn’t a cop and he wasn’t the pack alpha. If he had been either, he might’ve already run the troublemakers out.