Leashed by a Wolf

by Cherie Nicholls

  The smile slipped from her face as she raised an eyebrow at him. “What are you talking about now?” Laney loved all her brothers; unfortunately, Duke was the worst of the lot. Overprotective and overbearing, he refused to acknowledge she was a full-grown woman.

  “I am talking about my sister being seen walking around town like some sort of barfly! If Heath hadn’t found you and taken you home then I don’t know what would have happened to you. What the hell were you thinking?” Duke shoved the door closed behind him and walked over to the desk. Bracing his fists in the middle of the paperwork, he leaned towards her. “Heath told me what happened.”

  “What?” Laney felt the colour drain from her face. Duke and Heath were friends but she didn’t think they would share that kind of information. Oh Lord, Duke would kill her!

  “He didn’t give me details but he implied that he found you in the bar and had to practically throw you over his shoulder to get you out of there! He explained how you threw yourself at him, and the gentleman that he is, he took you home and left you there,” he explained, glaring at her. “He was concerned, so he called in to the shop earlier; he said I should keep an eye on you. I just don’t understand what you were thinking, little sister.”

  Laney could see him talking, and she knew some part of her brain was taking in the words, but right now all she could hear was white noise, like static in her ears. Heath, the low-down, good-for-nothing wolf, had run straight to her brother and told on her, and he hadn’t even told the truth. What the hell was he playing at?

  “Are you even listening to me, Laney Jane St. Clair?” Duke’s short bark brought her back from images of one large wolf being beaten about the head.

  “Yes, I am listening, and you know what I’m hearing? Nothing of interest! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do!” Laney looked back at the rows of numbers in front of her, ignoring Duke completely.

  The man stood there staring daggers at her for another minute until his own temper flared.

  “Fine! Be a child! But this isn’t over,” he warned before storming out of the office.

  “No, it’s not,” Laney agreed as she reached for the phone. On the second ring a gruff voice answered.

  “Yeah.” Heath practically growled down the line.

  As angry as she was, the tone of his voice still sent a shiver of heat through her body. She shook her head, clearing it before she launched her attack on him.

  “Do you realise that now my brother thinks I’m some sort of whore?” she hissed into the phone.

  “Good afternoon to you too, Laney.” She could hear the smile in his voice.

  “I knew you were a lot of things, Heath, but I didn’t take you for a tattler. The cherry on the cake was when Duke said how gentlemanly you were!” Laney seethed. What had he been thinking?

  “I was a gentleman, Laney. I made sure you got home nice and safe. There are all sorts of criminals out there; you just don’t know what’s waiting round the corner.” He was enjoying himself, she could tell, and that made her even crazier.

  “Sure, I got home nice and safe after you spent the weekend doing a lot of very ungentlemanly things to me. I wonder how Duke would feel if I explained that to him?” Duke was as tall and muscular as Heath; they both could do with a few bruises so they’d remember she wasn’t a little girl.

  A low growl flowed over the phone line. “Don’t threaten me Laney-girl.” He spoke softly, but she could hear the edge in his voice and it sent a frisson of excitement through her.

  “Don’t think that one weekend gives you any right to interfere in my life, wolf-boy. You might be some big and bad man in your neighbourhood, but let me tell you, I have seen scarier things than you on your worst day, so you can go right ahead and bite me!” Laney slammed down the receiver. Then she picked it up again and slammed it down a few more times just for good measure. Taking a deep breath, she brushed her hair back out of her face, picked up her pen, and got back to the papers.

  Her vision swam with tears she refused to let fall. Could he have made it any clearer that this weekend was never going to happen again? Obviously if he had wanted to see where this could go, he would not have told her brother. Laney had been kidding herself thinking that a little makeup and a dress would fool him into thinking of her as anything more than one of the boys. No matter what more she might want, she had to face the facts—she just wasn’t woman enough for him.

  The beeping of her cell made her jump. Reaching over, she saw a text message waiting for her.

  That’s one, my beta.

  The message blinked back at her. For a second her heart stopped beating and heat pooled in her core before her anger kicked in. “Oh no he did not!” Laney threw the pen onto the desk as she stood up. Storming out of the office, she walked past Duke, who was talking to a customer.

  “Where you going, Laney?” Duke called after her.

  “To hell in a handbasket!” she yelled.

  “Okay then, bring coffee back with you,” Duke said as she marched off down the street.

  The bell rang when she entered her sister-in-law’s hair salon. “You know what I hate most in the world?” she began as the door slammed behind her. “I hate Heath ‘I think I am scary when really I am not’ Marsterson. You know why I hate him?” Laney looked at the two women who stared back at her.

  “No, honey, why do you hate him?” her sister-in-law, Mary, asked.

  “Because he is a man who thinks he can tell me what to do and he is a big, old—” Laney fought for the vilest and meanest thing she could come up with to describe Heath but the only thing that came to mind was, “Dead man walking!” Breathing hard she paced the room.

  Mary nodded in understanding. “Well honey, I’m guessing Friday didn’t go as well as you’d hoped.”

  Laney stopped pacing and frowned at the tiny redhead. “No, it was great, more than great.” She waved her hand dismissively. “It was what he did after. He told Duke!” She started pacing again as the woman couldn’t contain her laughter anymore.

  “Ah, honey, he called your big brother on you? What the hell did he say?” Mary asked as she tried to get herself under control.

  “That he had to escort me home ’cause I was walking around town like some sort of sinner!” Laney turned and pointed a finger at Mary. “Tell me honestly, Mary, did you make me look like a whore, ’cause I don’t think I looked like one.” Mary opened her mouth to answer, but Laney cut her off. “You know what, don’t worry about it! I know I looked hot, and so does Mr. Dead Man Walking.” Laney turned and caught sight of one of the other women, who was having Mary trim her hair.

  Clara gave her a smile and wink, so much like her brothers. “So you and my brother?” Clara asked. For a second Laney had wanted the floor to open up and swallow her, but Clara’s question had Laney’s eyes narrowing.

  “There is no me and your brother. There is me, and there is your brother, there is no us!” Laney sat in the vacant chair and huffed.

  “Okay then.” Clara said as she rolled her eyes. “He does have the ability of getting on your last nerve. Trust me, as his little sister, it’s something I’ve gotten used to over the years.”

  “Well, I don’t have to put up with it!” Laney growled. Clara smiled with understanding before she reached down into her bag and pulled out her vibrating phone.

  “Speak of the devil.” Her muttered words had Laney’s eyes narrowing again.

  “Hey big bro, I’m at the salon, what’s the problemo?” Clara asked. “Erm, have I seen Laney?” She looked at Laney who leaned forward holding out her hand.

  Clara shrugged and handed the phone to her.

  “Yes, Clara has seen me, and no, I don’t want to speak to you, you coward,” Laney told him as all the ladies in the salon choked on their laughter.

  “Are you still mad, my beta?” Heath’s deeply growled question sent a shiver down her spine before she could stop it.

  “Stop calling me that,” Laney whispered into the phone as she shot out
of the chair and turned away from the others.

  “Why?” He sounded honestly curious.

  “Because you ran to my brother like a five-year-old who had his scooter stolen. I thought what we did was fun. I enjoyed it but if it was really that bad and you didn’t want to do it again, you could have just told me. I’m a big girl, I would’ve understood, you didn’t need to run to Duke so he could go all big brother and try to stop me coming near you again.” Laney walked out to the front step of the salon and looked around without really seeing anything.

  He must really have been embarrassed when she threw herself at him. Dear God, why had she done that? The shame was nearly choking her.

  “Hold on, what?” Heath’s voice stopped being teasing and seductive. “Laney, why do you think I went to Duke?”

  “Because you were too embarrassed to tell me you didn’t want me. You were afraid I would hang around you like a lovesick puppy and that you wouldn’t be able to get rid of me.”

  *

  Heath dropped his feet off of his desk and took the phone away from his ear to glare down at it. She could not be serious!

  Putting the phone back to his ear, he told her gruffly, “You stay your sexy little butt with Clara. I will be there in minutes.” He hung up. Grabbing his keys, he headed out the door.

  How could she think he didn’t want her? That he set her brother on her like a scared little pup? Well, he would soon have this sorted out and she would not have any doubts, not for a second.

  He pulled up in front of Mary’s salon within ten minutes. Striding into the place, he swept a glance around. Mary and his little sister were sitting chatting as Clara had her nails done, alone.

  “Where is Laney?” he asked.

  “Well, hello to you too, big brother.” Clara waved wet nails at him. His sister was definitely more human than wolf sometimes.

  “Clara, don’t play with me. Where is she?” He added a steely tone to his voice, one that would ensure Clara knew this was not the time to mess with him.

  Clara ducked her head and looked away from him, a sign of submission. “She’s in the back.”

  Heath nodded and started towards the back.

  “You realise if you hurt our little Laney you won’t have to worry about her brothers or dad, right?” Mary called after him.

  Heath stopped and cocked an eyebrow as he looked back at the tiny redhead. Clara was looking at her as if she had lost her mind.

  “Is that right?” Heath asked.

  “Yes sir, it is,” Mary told him as she continued to paint Clara’s nails, refusing to look up at him.

  “Are you threatening me, Mary?” He was intrigued. The woman barely came up to his chest. How did she think she would take him on?

  “No sir, just sharing a little knowledge is all. But trust me when I say she may have large men around her that look and sound scary, but who do you think is strong enough to keep all those men in line, hmm?” Mary finally looked up at him. “Just so we’re clear, it’s not me.” She shrugged as she went back to Clara’s nails.

  Heath winked at his sister. “Don’t worry, Mary, I have no intention of hurting her, not unless she asks real nice.” He turned and walked into the back, leaving Clara staring open-mouthed at him.

  He found Laney in the staff coffee room at the back of the building.

  “That’s two, my beta,” he said as he casually leaned against the door frame.

  “Bite me, wolf-boy,” Laney said without looking up at him.

  Heath raised his eyebrows. He knew hardened men who wouldn’t speak to him like that because they feared him, and yet this small female was treating him as if he were nothing more than an annoyance.

  “You are really pushing today, aren’t you? You must like it when I punish you.” He spoke softly but he knew he had her full attention.

  Laney set her coffee cup down and raised her eyes to finally look at him. Heath saw barely controlled fury shining back at him, but it was what else he saw hidden there that had his heart skipping a beat. She was trying really hard to hide the hurt, but he could see it, and it killed him to think he was the cause.

  He pushed the door closed behind him before strolling farther into the room.

  “What are you doing?” Laney frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Making sure we’re not interrupted. I don’t think you want your sister-in-law to walk in just yet,” Heath said casually as he glanced around the room. It was nothing more than a lean-to tacked on to the back of the building. The wooden walls had been painted white and were now covered in numerous posters and clippings from hair and makeup magazines. At the back of the room was a small sink and sideboard that held a coffee machine and several cups.

  As he walked towards her Heath ran his finger over the table she sat at. Coming behind her, he watched as she sat straighter, ready to bolt if she had to. He smiled. As if she would ever get away from him.

  He was rewarded as she jumped when he leaned down and blew softly against her neck.

  “Back off, wolf-boy,” Laney told him as she leaned forward.

  “Is that your new cute nickname for me, my beta? You do seem to use it a lot.” Heath ran a finger down the column of her throat.

  Goose bumps covered her skin where he touched her. Laney’s breathing picked up and her heart hammered in her chest. Sometimes he really loved having his shifter hearing. He could scent her arousal and it was calling to him in such a primal way it was taking all his self-control not to tip her over the table and plough into her.

  Chapter Three

  “Why are you doing this?” Her softly asked question stopped him in his tracks. Closing his eyes against the sight of her inviting skin, he straightened and backed away from her.

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  Laney finally turned to face him. “Because you clearly didn’t want a repeat of this weekend, otherwise why tell Duke? If we had been in high school you would have had your friend tell me you weren’t interested or had him tell me you were moving to a new town.”

  Heath shook his head as he looked down at her. Was that what she really thought? That he would use her brother to reject her? Didn’t she remember anything they had done that weekend? He’d had free rein of her body and allowed her the same with his. Why would he have done that if he didn’t want her? Did she have such little faith in herself? Well, he would put a stop to that nonsense right now.

  Grabbing hold of the chair he turned her to face him. Leaning forward, he caged her in with his arms, resting his hands on the table behind her. She was forced to lean back until she couldn’t move any farther. He edged closer still, making sure she was looking directly at him.

  “Do you really want to know why I called in on your brother this morning?”

  Laney nodded.

  “How many people do you think saw you dressed like sex on legs on Friday, and how many people do you think saw me kiss you and drag you out of there?”

  He watched as her eyes went wide as the realisation hit her.

  “Exactly. It would have taken no time at all for someone to just ‘happen’ past and mention to either your daddy or brothers what they saw, and can you imagine how they would have reacted?” He didn’t need to imagine. He knew exactly what her brothers and father would have done. Heath knew they would have come looking for him before the day was out. That didn’t scare him; after all, he would do the same to any man who touched his sister, but he also wasn’t stupid. Kicking the crap out of a woman’s family really wasn’t the best way to stay in her life. He knew that she wouldn’t, couldn’t be his forever, but he wanted her for as long as he could have her.

  “I did a little damage control.”

  “I didn’t think of that,” she told him with a groan.

  “Obviously, otherwise you wouldn’t have called me like a stroppy little schoolgirl,” Heath said. Damn it, why did she have to smell so good all the time? All he wanted to do was drop to his knees and bury his face in her neck, between her breast
s, and in her lap.

  “I was just a little annoyed. You should have told me what you had done,” Laney responded. She hadn’t taken her gaze off his mouth for the last five minutes. Heath bit back a groan of his own when her little pink tongue came out to wet her lips.

  “I told you before, my beta, I don’t explain myself to anyone.” His voice dropped to a husky growl before he leaned over and crushed his mouth over hers.

  That touch pulled a moan from her that had him fighting his wolf back down. It wanted to pin her to the table and lay claim to her forever and always. Heath pulled away and leaned back. Breathing hard, he watched as Laney raised her hand to her lips.

  “For a wolf-boy you sure do know how to kiss,” she breathed.

  Heath barked out a laugh just as he heard his sister calling out.

  “That’s right, Duke, I think they’re in the back.” Clara’s voice carried in just as Duke pushed open the door.

  “There you are,” he grunted at his sister.

  Laney spun on the chair to glare at him. Yep, Heath thought, seen that particular little sister look before.

  “Well, if it isn’t Captain Obvious.” Laney sneered at her brother.

  “Well, if it isn’t my little sister who’s going to get her ass whooped in front of Marsterson!” Duke retorted.

  Heath rolled his eyes. Yep, nothing like a little sister to revert you back to an eight-year-old boy, no matter how grown you thought you were.

  “Try it, butthead, and see what happens,” Laney snarled as she rose from her chair and stalked towards Duke.

  “Laney-girl.” Heath’s quiet voice stopped her in her tracks. Looking back at him over her shoulder, she waited. “Go find my sister and tell her that I will be leaving soon.”

  Laney raised an eyebrow at him. “You lost the use of your legs?” she asked.

  Heath choked on a laugh as Duke pulled her hair.

  “Watch your mouth, little girl,” her brother warned.

  “Shove it, Duke,” Laney said as she stormed past him out of the door, heading back towards the front of the salon.