Protective: Legatum - Book 1

by Sylvian, LuLu M

  “He’s not going to jail, is he?” Honey whispered, her throat dry with the realization of Bryce’s future.

  “No, he’s not. You going to be okay with that?”

  Honey bit her lip. She slowly nodded. “He’ll never hurt me or another person again.”

  Morgan nodded.

  “That woman—she’s scary.”

  Morgan pulled Honey into his arms. “Yes, and she’s a friend.”

  “You have scary friends.”

  “Is she really going to—?” Honey swallowed, “You know—” She dropped her voice again. “—kill him?”

  “Do you really want to know?”

  “Not really. As long as I never see him again, that will be enough.” Honey sighed and leaned into Morgan. “I don’t want to go back to work.”

  “Don’t. Come with me.” Morgan took her hand and led her to his motorcycle.

  They rode a few short blocks then parked along the coastal trail. Wordlessly, he helped her off the bike and led her out onto the rocks next to the crashing waves.

  Morgan sank to one knee and removed something small from his front pocket. Honey bit into her lip.

  Holding up a delicate solitaire diamond ring that sparkled like a thousand stars, Morgan asked, “Honey Rachael Gould, will you accept my ring and agree to be my wife?”

  Honey nodded vigorously, her voice caught in her throat.

  “Knowing all the shit you know about me, you still want to marry my fat ass?” She wiped tears from her face.

  “I want to spend the rest of my life convincing you that your ass is perfect.” Morgan began slipping the ring on her finger. “Yes, Honey, I want to marry you. Knowing all that shit about you makes me want you more. I could ask the same of you. Knowing what you know about me and my family, do you want to join me as my wife in the madness that is our lives?”

  “Yes.” Her squeak was barely audible. Finding her voice she continued, “Yes, Morgan I want to marry you.”

  Morgan stood, wrapping Honey in his embrace and claiming her lips for his own.

  Epilogue

  Morgan held his hands over Honey’s eyes. “Careful,” he said as he guided her forward. “There is a big step and another one.” He slowly led her up the small set of stairs into the Air Stream.

  “Can I see it now?” Honey asked.

  “Patience, Miss Gould, patience.” Morgan chuckled as he positioned her a few steps further inside.

  Honey gasped in delight when he removed his hand. The interior renovations were complete. She slowly rotated, admiring Morgan’s decorating and building skills. The interior of the space when she had first seen it had been completely gutted. Folding chairs and a beat-up old couch occupied spaces that now contained a beautifully constructed, built-in dining booth and a luxurious, yet small, living room. The cabinetry that formed the rear wall hiding the bathroom with the jacuzzi tub was complete. No more shower curtain dividing the bathroom from the living space. All grey-blues and blond wood, the interior of the remodeled Air Stream was minimalist with an idealized air of 1960s post-modern design, yet it felt completely contemporary.

  “It’s perfect, Morgan.” Honey gushed. The remodel had turned out better than she imagined that night of their dreadful first date. Like the date, the state of the camper had not foretold the beauty of their future together.

  “Think you can live in here for three months with me? Close quarters and all?” Morgan asked.

  “It’s plenty big for the two of us, Morgan. Definitely more comfortable than a hotel room and more personal than if we stayed in someone’s rental property. And you got the big couch!”

  “Yep, its folds out into a king-sized bed. Plenty big. You’re okay with this as a honeymoon?” Morgan asked. “You don’t want to go to Paris or the Caribbean? You sure you want to help build with Habitat? It’s not too late to change your mind. You know I’ll be wearing those plaid work shirts.”

  “I’ve been to Paris. I’ve been to the islands. I’ve never been to some of the places we’re going, and I’ve never been to New Orleans. It’s supposed to be a fabulous city, Morgan. I get three honeymoon destinations in various places around the US, and I’ve never done humanitarian work. You are giving me time with you and time to become a better person. I’ll just have to suck it up about the plaid. You can always take me to Paris for our first anniversary. I think this plan is kind of perfect.”

  Morgan backed into the living room, till his legs hit the couch. He fell backwards and pulled Honey down on top of him. “I really think we should test it out before we take it on the road.” Morgan began pulling Honey’s shirt over her head.

  “Do you think that’s such a good idea? I mean won’t the family frown upon our premarital sex?”

  “No one seemed bothered by it last night. Least of all you.” Morgan laughed. “Like I’m going to give up touching you until it’s no longer premarital.”

  “Six days until the wedding Eight days until this place is home for a few months.” She laid her head against Morgan’s chest. She had never felt so safe and so loved.

  “You’ll be living in a trailer with a construction worker.” Morgan stopped removing her clothes and held her close.

  “I know.” She sighed wistfully.

  “Does that make you happy?”

  “That makes me very happy Morgan. Very happy.”

  The End

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  Driven, Legatum Book 2

  Julia Palatine is a rare female alpha—smart, sexy, and with a will to match that of ambitious male alpha Roman Aventine. He wants her for his mate, but Julia has no time for entanglements with males of her kind, no matter how seductive. Her mission is to understand wolf shifter genetics so she can keep their existence a secret from the human scientific community. Julia forges an uneasy alliance with Roman, who plans to lure her away under the pretense of business so he can succeed in his ultimate goal of seducing her. They make a great team, but their attraction could prove a costly distraction, putting their lives and fate of their species in jeopardy. The Legatum series continues with a battle of wills, seduction, and danger in Driven.

  Excerpt from DRIVEN

  Julia began gathering her papers.

  Roman placed a hand on top of her growing stack. “Stay for a bit. We have acquisition papers to go over.”

  Julia sat back down and gave Roman a side glare. She wasn’t aware of any acquisitions they needed to discuss.

  Roman was silent until the door clicked shut behind Cindy.

  Julia watched him; as soon as he moved to begin speaking, she cut him off. “Don’t.”

  “Don’t what?” Roman asked innocently.

  “Don’t say something witty and slightly flirtatious. I don’t have it in me tonight to cross words.” She was exhausted. The conference meetings today had thrown her a steep learning curve, and she felt she was not keeping up as she normally would. Business acquisitions, mergers, personnel management were all easy concepts. Genomics. Alleles. Arrays. Epistasis. Heterosis. All new vocabulary, all new concepts. Julia hadn’t had to deal with this much science since she was in college.

  “Then don’t,” he said evenly. “Don’t fight me all the time.”

  “I don’t, Roman, I…” She wiped her hand across her brow, smoothing her hair back from her face. “I can’t.”

  “You’re right. In business you don’t fight me; that’s true. But you never let your guard down around me.” Roman paced away from her. “I take that back. You have only let your guard down once. I would dearly like to see that Julia again.”

  “Seriously, Roman, it was just a kiss,” Julia snapped.

  “It was hardly just a kiss. It lasted forty minutes; had your brother not interrupted, I’m sure there would have been more than kissing.” His tone was heated.

  Indignation flooded Julia with the reminder that it hadn’t been a simple kiss but rather an aggres
sive make-out session. “We’re doing it right now, arguing.”

  “Foreplay,” Roman countered.

  “I’m tired and I don’t want this.”

  Roman stood over Julia as she slumped deeper into her chair.

  “You are a smart and strong woman. I am drawn to you like a moth to a flame. You were drawn to me once, but now you fight that urge inside you, don’t you? You fight me.” Roman’s tone was low, gravelly. “As long as you continue to play, I will happily flirt with you. Tell me to stop and I will. Tell me to leave you be and I will. But I want you, Julia, and I don’t want to leave you be.”

  Julia looked up at Roman. Her body yearned for him; there was no denying it. She fought her body’s reactions to him constantly. She stared into his eyes; and caught the beginning of an intense glow. She shook her head, not wanting to know he wanted her as much as she wanted him. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want the complication of dealing with a struggle for dominance. She didn’t want the confrontations that would come when Roman decided he needed to subdue her.

  “I’m tired of the fight,” she confessed. “I’m tired of having to put forth a more concerted effort to be taken seriously. I’m tired of my natural dominance being second-guessed.”

  “I never question your lead. So why are you fighting?”

  “Your father never once acknowledged that I was in the room during the accord meetings, and I was there as Morgan’s second. The board questions every other move I make. I’m tired.”

  “I’m not my father, Julia. And your board of directors, with a few exceptions, are all old men trying to stay relevant. Those are different fights; those are not with me. I promise.” His tone was soothing. She wanted to lean toward him. She wanted to believe him.

  “I’m tired of empty promises.”

  “Are you tired of me?”

  Words were out of her mouth before her mental editor kicked in. “I like you, Roman; I like the attention.” Realizing what she said, she froze, and then sighed. “Can we call a truce this week? You back off with the overaggressive flirting, and I’ll back off with the overaggressive bitchiness.”

  Roman held out his hand. Julia slipped her fingers into his palm, allowing him to help her stand. His hand felt warm, soft, and like a caress wrapped around hers. She stood so close she could feel warmth radiating from his body. Her gaze followed the movement as Roman slowly raised her hand to his lips and lightly brushed her knuckles with a kiss. His glowing blue eyes gazed back at her through lowered lashes.

  “As you command.”

  The tone of his voice combined with the flair of glowing passion from his eyes sent a shiver down Julia’s spine.

  She stumbled back, noticing the faint shimmering aura surrounding Roman. Her chest tightened, and she struggled for breath. Realization of what she was looking at pierced her chest like a spear. “Oh,” she said out loud. Internally she began cursing. Damn. Julia finally admitted to herself the meaning behind the glow. That’s what Mother meant when she said I’d know; she forgot to mention I needed to accept it for what it was.

  Click HERE to keep reading DRIVEN

  About the Author

  Lulu is an aspiring best seller (it’s on the list) who manages life in a series of to-lists. It should not surprise you she loves sticky notes, and they are posted all over her various offices (home and day job). Her not so scandalous past involves attending art school, teaching bellydance, earning too many degrees in education, and failing miserably at mastering the hula hoop and roller derby.

  Her husband is tall, dark, and handsome, and really does wear kilts. Her children are bad-ass derby girls who have great plans on making this world a better place. The voices in her head come with complete character profiles and plot lines.

  For more information, visit:

  www.LuluMSylvian.com

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